Paige Bonavito, ’20, recently presented her LIU Honors College thesis, “Exploring the Scott Peterson Case,” at the Annual Meeting of the Criminology Consortium (CrimCon). Her presentation was a part of a student panel on disparities in corrections and sentencing. The presentation is available to view on the CrimCon YouTube channel. Bonavito’s thesis was previously featured in the true-crime podcast, “Crimeficionados.” She will receive her MS in Criminal Justice from LIU in 2021.
Three LIU Women’s Hockey Team Members Make National Teams
Three members of the LIU Women’s hockey team will represent their home countries by competing for their national teams in upcoming international tournaments. Sophomore defender Paula Bergstrom, #2, and sophomore forward Matilda Af Bjur, #21, both made the Sweden National Team, and sophomore defender Linn Thomsen, #8, made the Denmark National Team. During the Sharks’ inaugural 2019-20 season, both Bergstrom and Af Bjur made the New England Women’s Hockey Alliance All-Rookie team, and Af Bjur led LIU in assists with 15.
Esteemed Music Professor Named Top Saxophonist of the Year
DownBeat Magazine, one of the oldest and most respected jazz publications in the country, recently selected Samuel Newsome, associate professor of music, as one of the top players of the year in the soprano saxophone category in the 2020 DownBeat Critics Polls. Newsome, a renowned saxophonist and composer, was also named a nominee for Soprano Saxophonist of the Year by the 2020 Jazz Journalist Association, and he received the 2020 Instant Award in Improved Music. His previous honors include the 2018 New Music USA Grant, the 2018 Alpert/Ragdale Prize in Music Composition, and the 2016 NYFA Fellowship for Music Composition.pital Markets, and he now serves as a vice president at the Ambrus Group.
Alum Named VP at Top Clinical Research Organization
Nach Davé, ’00, was named vice president of development strategy at Premier Research, a top global clinical research organization. Davé previously led clinical and regulatory affairs at Maxx Orthopedics, a developer of orthopedic medical devices, and has held roles in clinical operations, business development, strategic consulting and medical affairs at companies such as Merck, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Aventis Pharmaceuticals and Mitsubishi Pharma America. Davé is a graduate of LIU’s master’s degree program in drug regulatory affairs, the first such program in North America.
Disability Services Expert Appointed to Prominent Government Role
The City of Philadelphia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disability Services announcedthat it selected Kleckner J. Charles, ‘01, to serve as director of its division of Intellectual Disability Services. Charles brings decades of experience in advocating for individuals of varying abilities, having previously served as chief operating officer for The Arc Putnam New York; assistant executive director for Program Development Services in Brooklyn; and assistant executive director for Edwin Gould Services for Children and Families in Brooklyn. Charles said he is most proud of the time he spent working as direct care staff at an intermediate care facility supporting individuals diagnosed with severe autism.
LIU Preceptor Wins Pharmacist of the Year Award
The Professional Compounding Centers of America named Gopesh Patel, preceptor at LIU Pharmacy, as its 2020 M. George Webber Compounding Pharmacist of the Year. The prestigious award is presented annually to an independent pharmacist who has demonstrated service excellence to patients, health care providers and pharmacy colleagues. Compounding is the pharmacy method of preparing customized medications to meet each prescriber’s and patient’s unique needs. Patel is a registered pharmacist at VLS Pharmacy in Brooklyn and New Drug Loft in Manhattan.
Brooklyn Nurse Receives “Nobel Prize” of NYC Public Service
NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County announced that Chief Nursing Officer Opal Sinclair-Chung, RN, ’83, ’92, ‘12, will be one of this year’s recipients for the Fund for the City of New York’s Sloan Public Service Award. Chung, who is a member of the Nursing Honor Society of Long Island University, is recognized for her contributions toward improving nursing-related services during her nearly 11 years of service to NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County, and for her critical role in the hospital’s COVID-19 response. The Fund for the City of New York’s Sloan Public Service Award is considered the Nobel Prize of city government and is the leading independent honor for New York City employees each year.
Graduate Student Earns Prominent National Scholarship
Alizia Flores, a graduate student in the physician’s assistant (PA) program, earned a scholarship from the PA Foundation. The Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the American Academy of Physicians Assistants, the national professional society for PAs. Foundation scholarships are awarded to PA students who demonstrate a passion for the profession and healthcare-related community service.
Renowned Author Hosts Groundbreaking Writing Workshop
Zaina Arafat, an LGBTQ Arab/Muslim-American writer and visiting assistant professor for the Department of Communications & Film, hosted a “Writing About Identity” workshop to discuss the challenges of depicting nuances of identity in the written word. Arafat’s debut novel, You Exist Too Much, was recognized as the most anticipated book of 2020 by O, The Oprah Magazine, Good Morning America, Vogue, Elle, and Harper’s Bazaar. Her stories and essays have also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Vice, BuzzFeed, NPR, and other major national and international publications.
Business Insider Highlights Wall Street Alum
Business Insider published a profile of Kris Sidial, ’15, whose determination has led him to a high-ranking Wall Street position at the age of 28. Sidial credited his mentors at LIU for sparking his passion for finance and trading. Sidial worked his way up from an internship at a proprietary trading firm to become an associate at BMO Capital Markets, and he now serves as a vice president at the Ambrus Group.