The Town of Ulster, New York announced that Mary Collins ’07 will serve as library director, overseeing operations of the Town of Ulster Library and working with the board of trustees to better understand the needs of the community. Collins career accomplishments include library work, research, copy-editing, archival work, and/or genealogical work for The New York Public Library, The Jacob Leister Institute for the Study of Early New York History, The Mercantile Library, and The Holland Society of New York.
President Cline Named to Higher Education Power 100
City & State New York recognized Long Island University President Kimberly R. Cline in its annual Higher Education Power 100 list. City & State noted that under Dr. Cline’s leadership, LIU has developed unique partnerships and innovative initiatives such as the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports and Entertainment, the Roosevelt School and the George Polk School of Communications, and the University’s endowment has more than tripled since 2013.
Decorated National Security Official Nominated as U.S. Secretary
President Joe Biden announced Frank Kendall ’80 as his nominee to serve as Secretary of the Air Force in the Department of Defense. Kendall previously served as Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics from 2012-2017. His award-winning career in engineering, management, defense acquisition and national security affairs includes four Defense Distinguished Public Service Awards, the highest Secretary of Defense award for civilian service.
Men’s Golf Captures Conference Title
The Long Island University men’s golf team earned the 2021 Northeast Conference Championship with a 295 team score in the final round to hold on to a two-stroke lead. It is the first conference title since 2004 for the Sharks, who finished the event at 33-over par. Freshman Jan Rybczynski led LIU with a second-place finish individually at four-over par.
Esteemed Educator Appointed as Superintendent
The Capital School District in Delaware announced that Dr. Vilicia Cade ’97, ’99 will take over as its next superintendent. Dr. Cade most recently served as the chief academic officer/assistant superintendent for Sandusky City Schools in Ohio. Her educational experience also includes serving as a high school teacher, curriculum specialist and assistant principal of East New York High School of Transit Technology; and a K-8 principal and director of program development for the Brooklyn High Schools’ superintendent office.
Prestigious Fellowship Awarded for Library Collections
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellowship in Diversity, Inclusion & Cultural Heritage at Rare Book School announced that Sandy Enríquez ‘19, special collections public services, outreach & community engagement librarian at the University of California, Riverside, has been selected as one of the 15 RBS-Mellon Cultural Heritage Fellows. The six-year program aims to advance multicultural collections through innovative and inclusive curatorial practice and leadership.
Pharmacy Students Host Vaccine Outreach Event
LIU Pharmacy students and faculty hosted a Ramadan health outreach event in the Norwood neighborhood of the Bronx to speak to the local community about COVID-19 vaccines and how to manage their health and medications while fasting. Maliha Tabassum, a Norwood resident and pharmacy student, helped organize the event after recognizing that the large Bengali population in her neighborhood experiences a language barrier when seeking health care.
Long Island University Announces Winners of Theodore Roosevelt Public Speaking Contest
High School Students Awarded Monetary Prizes and Scholarships to LIU for Winning Presentations on “Why President Theodore Roosevelt Matters in the 21st Century”
Brookville, N.Y. (May 10, 2021) – The Roosevelt School at Long Island University (LIU), in partnership with the Theodore Roosevelt Association, announced today the winners of the annual Theodore Roosevelt Public Speaking Contest. Submissions from exceptional high school students across the nation were narrowed down to the top 10 finalists, who went on to compete in the virtual finals. The finalists delivered live presentations on “Why Theodore Roosevelt Matters in the 21st Century” to a panel of four judges via Zoom on April 24, 2021.
The first-place winner is Abi Jo Wanek from North Rose-Wolcott High School in North Rose, New York, who was awarded a $25,000 scholarship to Long Island University. Second-place winner Phoenix Boggs from Edgewood Junior/Senior High School in Merritt Island, Florida was awarded a $10,000 scholarship to LIU. Third-place winner Kaitlyn Gavin from Valley Stream Central High School in Valley Stream, New York, was awarded a $10,000 scholarship to LIU.
Monetary prizes for the Theodore Roosevelt Public Speaking Contest were donated through the generosity of Robert Friedman: Grand Prize of $2,500, Second Prize of $1,000, and Third Prize of $500. The remaining finalists include Mona Shadded, Daniel Imperato, Maximilian Garibay-Deasy, Caroline Hsu, Riley Meckley, Penelope Keeble and Joseph Johnston, who have also been awarded $10,000 scholarship to LIU.
High school juniors and seniors throughout the country were invited to compete in the prestigious Theodore Roosevelt Public Speaking Contest, sponsored by The Roosevelt School at Long Island University and the Theodore Roosevelt Association, for a chance to win prizes and up to $25,000 in scholarships to LIU. Students were tasked with utilizing their critical thinking, leadership, and independent research skills to develop and deliver a speech on President Theodore Roosevelt.
“The leadership, poise and determination exhibited by Theodore Roosevelt taught us many lessons about American society that still ring true to this day,” said Tweed Roosevelt, chairman of the Theodore Roosevelt Institute, professor at LIU, and great-grandson of the illustrious president. “The exemplary critical thinking and research skills demonstrated by these students shows the importance of applying history to the challenges we face today. They embody TR’s belief that inspiring young people to strive for greatness gives them the skills they need to succeed.”
“All of the participants in the Theodore Roosevelt Public Speaking Contest should be proud that they challenged themselves to present their insight and creativity on a national stage,” said Long Island University President Kimberly R. Cline. “Long Island University is committed to accelerating the exceptional and making college more accessible by awarding deserving students with millions of dollars in scholarships each year. These scholarship recipients are hard-working and incredibly bright students, and we look forward to welcoming them to the LIU community.”
The panel of four judges for the Theodore Roosevelt Public Speaking Contest included:
Tweed Roosevelt, great-grandson of Theodore Roosevelt, Professor at Long Island University, and Chairman of the Theodore Roosevelt Institute.
Howard Ehrlich, Chief Executive Officer of the Theodore Roosevelt Association.
Alice L. George, Vice President of the Theodore Roosevelt Association.
Robert Friedman, judge of the Theodore Roosevelt Association’s NYC Public Speaking Contest since 1992.
Winning presentations can be viewed on the Theodore Roosevelt Institute website at https://liu.edu/roosevelt/contest.
About the Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA)
The Theodore Roosevelt Association, headquartered in Oyster Bay, New York, is a national nonprofit and nonpartisan organization chartered by an act of Congress in 1920 to perpetuate the memory and ideals of America’s 26th President. The TRA supports new scholarship about Roosevelt, his life and times in its quarterly Theodore Roosevelt Association Journal and through conferences and presentations by leading historians and authors. The Association also supports the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Fund for research grants at the American Museum of Natural History, and sponsors various programs that develop tomorrow’s leaders.
About the Theodore Roosevelt Institute (TRI)
The Theodore Roosevelt Institute, part of the Roosevelt School at Long Island University, serves as a home for research, public seminars, workshops, educational programs, and conferences about Roosevelt, his times, and contemporaries. As a hands-on learning space, the TRI showcases many of the 26th President’s writings and collections. As a forum for academic assessment and discussion of his legacy, conferences and events led by preeminent scholars offer public access to local history and an ability to connect with that history in a very real way.
About Long Island University
Long Island University, founded in 1926, continues to redefine higher education, providing high-quality academic instruction by world-class faculty. Recognized by Forbes for its emphasis on experiential learning and by the Brookings Institution for its “value added” to student outcomes, LIU offers over 250 degree programs, with a network of 270,000 alumni that includes industry leaders and entrepreneurs across the globe. Visit liu.edu for more information.
Heroic Students Vaccinate Hundreds of Classmates
Long Island University nursing and pharmacy students volunteered to administer the COVID-19 vaccine to hundreds of fellow LIU students at the University’s vaccine distribution center run by the Nassau County Department of Health. The center has been open for more than two months, with LIU students gaining unprecedented experience by training alongside Nassau County officials and being directly involved in the pandemic recovery effort in their home community.
Water Polo Earns First-Ever National Ranking
For the first time in the program’s two-year history, the LIU women’s water polo team has earned a spot in the national rankings. The Sharks broke into the rankings at #24 in the nation according to the Collegiate Water Polo Association. They have since climbed to #23 after defeating Villanova, La Salle and Iona to finish the regular season 7-0 and claim the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular-season championship.