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Class of '20
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Our graduates are ready. Focused on the future. Prepared.
Learn more about how 蜜桃视频 helped them get there.
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Class of 2020
Dara Gleeson / Class of 2020
Dara Gleeson got a wide range of hands-on learning opportunities at 蜜桃视频 鈥 even before she was a student.

鈥淚 had several great experiences at 蜜桃视频 when I was in high school. I conducted microbiology research in Dr. Javier Izquierdo鈥檚 lab and presented my work at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair,鈥 Dara said. 鈥淚 also attended a summer creative writing class and participated in the Model United Nations conference. So, I was really excited about the possibilities that I knew would be waiting for me once I enrolled.鈥
As a 蜜桃视频 student, she completed three internships with community health organizations and conducted research alongside her professors, working to improve maternal, child, and family health inequalities. She also continued her involvement in the Model UN conference, ultimately serving as secretary-general at the conference during her final two years at 蜜桃视频. After graduation, she took a year off due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will start graduate school at the Yale School of Public Health this fall.
Over the past year, Dara has worked as a communications intern at the United Nations and served as a youth health educator with a nonprofit in Baltimore, teaching public school children about good nutrition habits in virtual classes. She also works for the National Association of County and City Health Officials, which supports local health departments across the country.
鈥淚t has been so meaningful to work at organizations that support the work of public health leaders and workers, especially during a pandemic,鈥 Dara said. 鈥淚 have been very fortunate to have all of these experiences that I can do remotely. I鈥檝e gained valuable insights and skills that I can apply when I begin classes for my Master of Public Health degree at Yale this fall.鈥
Dara鈥檚 story isn鈥檛 unique: 94% of 2018-2019 undergraduate degree recipients from 蜜桃视频鈥檚 School of Health Professions and Human Services who responded to our graduation survey or other reliable sources (83% knowledge rate) reported that they were employed or had started or were planning to start graduate school within one year of graduation. Visit our outcomes page at hofstra.edu/outcomes for detailed information.
Alexis Goeke, Class of 2020

WHAT'S NEXT?
"This summer I will be working closely with leaders from the Dow Jones Global Financial Planning & Analysis and Global Finance Operations teams in a paid internship. I will work on a variety of tasks, including analytical support, interfacing with colleagues, special projects and research assignments, and office tasks. I want to bring fresh eyes to current challenges at Dow Jones, a best-in-class media company. Upon completion of my internship, I look forward to becoming a full-time financial analyst."
WHY HOFSTRA?
"I chose 蜜桃视频 for several reasons, including the education provided, competitive athletic teams, a diverse student population, the beautiful campus, and its location. It is one of the best decisions I made for my future. 蜜桃视频 contributed greatly to the discovery and development of my skills and talents. My professors gave me the necessary knowledge to move forward in the business world. And the resources the University offers 鈥 such as the databases and Bloomberg Professional terminals [in the Martin B. Greenberg Trading Room] 鈥 have given me real-world experience. The Career Center also helped tremendously by reviewing my r茅sum茅 and showing me resources to find job opportunities. As a student-athlete at 蜜桃视频, I met people and learned skills that will last a lifetime. I also learned to deal with failure and be a leader on and off the field."
KEY TO SUCCESS
"Stay motivated, give full effort, have a positive outlook, and maintain focus. It鈥檚 important not to be complacent. Continue to learn and grow as a person. I believe effort and outlook are two things I can positively control every day. A combination of these elements set me up for success."
Alexis' story isn't unique: 94% of 2017-2018 Frank G. Zarb School of Business undergraduate degree recipients who responded to our graduation survey or other reliable sources (85% knowledge rate) reported that they were employed or had started or were planning to start graduate school within one year of graduation. Visit our outcomes page at hofstra.edu/outcomes for detailed information.
Antreise Lacey, Class of 2020

WHAT'S NEXT?
"I am interested in entertainment news and documentary filmmaking. My plan is to work for three-to-five years in New York City to cultivate career connections, which I鈥檝e already started to build at 蜜桃视频. Eventually, I plan to move to California. I participated in the Herbert School鈥檚 annual 鈥溍厶沂悠 in LA鈥 networking trip. It was a real eye-opener and I could see myself working there. My degree is in television and film, so my education has given me what I need to work on both coasts."
WHY HOFSTRA?
"I was interested in pursuing some combination of journalism, film, and theater and I had narrowed it down to 蜜桃视频 and one other school. Ultimately, I chose 蜜桃视频 because it was strong in each of these individual programs, so I knew I would have the flexibility to do well no matter how I shaped my course of study."
KEY TO SUCCESS
"I鈥檓 a busy bee. I love being involved on campus. I鈥檝e been a resident assistant, an orientation leader, I worked at the campus radio and TV stations, served as president of the Black Student Union, and have done internships at CBS鈥 Inside Edition and ABC鈥檚 Here and Now. I find that the more I do, the more new opportunities open up for me."
Antreise鈥檚 story isn't unique: 91% of 2017-2018 Herbert School of Communication undergraduate degree recipients who responded to our graduation survey or other reliable sources (88% knowledge rate) reported that they were employed or had started or were planning to start graduate school within one year of graduation. Visit our outcomes page at hofstra.edu/outcomes for detail information.
Dennis Belen Morales, Class of 2020

WHAT'S NEXT?
鈥淚鈥檒l be getting my master鈥檚 degree in Social Studies Education at 蜜桃视频. I鈥檝e also applied to the New York City Department of Education and plan to teach while I鈥檓 attending grad school. Down the line, my ultimate goal is to earn a PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy.鈥
WHY HOFSTRA?
鈥淲hile I was still in high school, my social studies teacher 鈥 who is also a 蜜桃视频 grad 鈥 began bringing us to campus for different programs. The first time was for a conference on the legacy of the George W. Bush administration. I started Googling some of the 蜜桃视频 professors I saw on the panels 鈥 Meena Bose, Carolyn Eisenberg, Stan Pugliese 鈥 and they were all very accomplished and published. I also met Dr. Alan Singer from the School of Education. When I was applying to colleges and attended an open house at Columbia University, the professor there showed me the textbook he used in class. It was by Dr. Singer! I thought: Why do I need to go to Columbia, when I can go to 蜜桃视频 and learn directly from the source? I chose 蜜桃视频 for its professors, its curriculum, and the reputation it has for teacher placement.鈥
WORDS OF WISDOM
鈥淭eaching history matters. To understand where we鈥檙e headed as a nation, we have to know where we鈥檝e been. As a social studies teacher, it鈥檚 my responsibility to make sure students understand their rights under the Constitution and to present historical facts so they can learn to think critically, form their own opinions, and debate. That鈥檚 what my teachers did for me. And whether you go into education or business or some other occupation, love the field you choose. Now that I am student teaching, I wake up every morning happy and excited. I can鈥檛 wait to get into the classroom each day.鈥
Dennis鈥檚 story isn鈥檛 unique: 94% of 2017-2018 蜜桃视频 School of Education undergraduate degree recipients who responded to our graduation survey or other reliable sources (80% knowledge rate) reported that they were employed or had started or were planning to start graduate school within one year of graduation. Visit our outcomes page at hofstra.edu/outcomes for detailed information.
Hannah Matuszak, Class of 2020

WHAT'S NEXT?
鈥淚 have a job at The Experiment, an independent publishing house in Manhattan. It鈥檚 a small company, and I鈥檒l be working in many different areas 鈥 editorial, social media, market research, and publicity. I was offered the job after working there a few months as an intern.鈥
WHY HOFSTRA?
鈥淚 knew I wanted to go into publishing. I鈥檝e always been obsessed with reading. I love sci-fi fantasy, especially books by Ursula K. Le Guin, Patrick Rothfuss, and Robert Jordan鈥檚 Wheel of Time series. When I was researching colleges, 蜜桃视频鈥檚 publishing studies program was one of the most respected. When I came to visit the campus, it seemed to be the most focused on internships and real-world experience. What sealed my decision, though, was 蜜桃视频鈥檚 (intramural) equestrian team. I鈥檝e been riding and showing since I was 12 years old. I joined 蜜桃视频鈥檚 team in my first year, and it鈥檚 been a very important part of my time here.鈥
DUAL SUCCESS
鈥淎 lot of people ask me why I chose to major in both English and Computer Science. My dad works in tech. He taught me coding, and when I was growing up, we鈥檇 work on building web pages and websites. I think one of the reasons I stood out to the people at The Experiment was my background in computer science. I think they realized I could be a big help to them as the industry moves forward in this digital age.鈥
Hannah鈥檚 story isn鈥檛 unique: 93% of 2017-2018 undergraduate degree recipients from 蜜桃视频鈥檚 School of Humanities and Fine and Performing Arts who responded to our graduation survey or other reliable sources (87% knowledge rate) reported that they were employed or had started or were planning to start graduate school within one year of graduation. Visit our outcomes page at hofstra.edu/outcomes for detailed information.
Imani Hinson, Class of 2020

WHAT'S NEXT?
鈥淚鈥檒l be working as a social studies teacher at Uncommon Charter High School in Brooklyn. It鈥檚 the high school where I鈥檓 currently student teaching.鈥
WHY HOFSTRA?
鈥淲hen I came to visit 蜜桃视频 as a high school student, I found the professors and students here to be incredibly welcoming. I felt comfortable right away.鈥
KEY TO SUCCESS
鈥淭he School of Education does a great job of preparing its students. They helped me fulfill my required observation hours, worked with me on lesson plans, and placed me at the school where I now have an offer for a full-time job. I have friends at other colleges studying to be teachers, and they aren鈥檛 nearly as far ahead on their career track as I am.鈥
WORDS OF WISDOM
鈥淭ake advantage of everything college has to offer. Hit the ground running and get involved. And if you don鈥檛 see a club or program that is a good match for your interests, don鈥檛 be afraid to start one yourself. Whatever your passions are, there are other students who share them. They just may be waiting for someone like you to lead the way.鈥
Imani鈥檚 story isn鈥檛 unique: 91% of 2017-2018 Peter S. Kalikow School of Government, Public Policy and International Affairs undergraduate degree recipients who responded to our graduation survey or other reliable sources (82% knowledge rate) reported that they were employed or had started or were planning to start graduate school within one year of graduation. Visit our outcomes page at hofstra.edu/outcomes for detailed information.
Justin Cabot Miller, Class of 2020

WHAT'S NEXT?
鈥淎fter graduation, I plan to attend graduate school. Eventually, I want to work in cancer research. I can say I鈥檒l have made my mark when my work has made a positive impact on the lives and health of others. I鈥檝e been accepted to NYU, and am waiting on responses from Columbia, UCLA, and USC.鈥
WHY HOFSTRA?
鈥淚 chose 蜜桃视频 because I felt it would give me the support that I needed, while also providing enough academic challenge to push me. I knew I鈥檇 be able to gain a more personal experience where I could make professional, academic, and social connections 鈥 and I was right! I learned so much in 蜜桃视频鈥檚 ASPiRe (Advanced Summer Program in Research), where I worked on projects such as analyzing gene expression data to predict patient outcomes. I鈥檝e also really enjoyed being part of the Ballroom Dance Club, where I鈥檝e made friendships that will last a lifetime.鈥
KEY TO SUCCESS
鈥淭ime management is the single skill that has enabled me to succeed more so than anything else. Taking extra academic courses, while managing a social life, club activities, and working, wouldn鈥檛 have been possible if I hadn鈥檛 learned this essential skill early on in college. I鈥檝e got the skills to pursue my goals and be a lifelong learner.鈥
Justin鈥檚 story isn鈥檛 unique: 91% of 2017-2018 DeMatteis School of Engineering and Applied Science undergraduate degree recipients who responded to our graduation survey or other reliable sources (90% knowledge rate) reported that they were employed or had started or were planning to start graduate school within one year of graduation. Visit our outcomes page at hofstra.edu/outcomes for detailed information.
Madeline Currie, Class of 2020

WHAT'S NEXT?
鈥淚鈥檝e been accepted to a number of PhD programs in organic chemistry (including Duke University, University of California 鈥 San Diego, and University of Washington), so I鈥檓 visiting my top choices and hope to make a decision shortly. I have a couple of ideas of what I鈥檇 like to do after earning the PhD. I鈥檓 considering working in academia or going on to medical school.鈥
WHY HOFSTRA?
鈥淭he scholarship assistance I received was a major factor. Location also played a big part in my decision. Having grown up in the Midwest, I really wanted to attend college on the East Coast. I want to live in as many different places as possible before finally settling down.鈥
LIFE IN THE LAB
鈥淚 am involved in two areas of research. One is investigating an enzyme that could be a possible antibiotic target. The second studies bioremediation 鈥 using bacteria to clean pollutants from the environment. I鈥檝e presented my work at a national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Orlando and at the annual Frontiers in Chemistry and Biology Interface Symposium. I have also spent my summers on campus working as a research assistant to Professor [Kara] Jaremko [assistant professor of chemistry]. In addition to classes and research, I鈥檓 president of SMACS [Student Members of the American Chemical Society]. We present outreach programs to get children interested in the sciences, including a program every semester with the Girl Scouts and
a National Chemistry Week event at the New York Hall of Science.鈥
Madeline鈥檚 story isn鈥檛 unique: 95 percent of 2017-2018 undergraduate degree recipients from 蜜桃视频鈥檚 School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics who responded to our graduation survey or other reliable sources (79% knowledge rate) reported that they were employed or had started or were planning to start graduate school within one year of graduation. Visit our outcomes page at hofstra.edu/outcomes for detailed information.
Michael Lai, Class of 2020

WHAT'S NEXT?
鈥淚鈥檓 in 蜜桃视频鈥檚 4+4 program pursuing a BS/MD and a member of the Clinton Global Initiative University, a leadership and social entrepreneurial development program. Because I am graduating from 蜜桃视频 in three years instead of four, I plan to use my free year to work on Cress Health, a health tech company I co-founded. Then I鈥檓 going to enter the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at 蜜桃视频/Northwell, where I鈥檓 interested in studying cardiovascular medicine.鈥
WHY HOFSTRA?
鈥淚 began conducting biological research when I was still in high school. During that time, I met Dr. Sina Rabbany, 蜜桃视频鈥檚 Dean of Engineering and Applied Science. I鈥檓 still doing research with him today, and he鈥檚 been a constant source of support and inspiration. I feel like I grew up around him. I鈥檝e known for a long time that medical school was in my future, and the 4+4 program offered me a smooth transition from undergraduate studies.鈥
KEY TO SUCCESS
鈥淲hen my high school friend and I came up with the idea for Cress Health, a company that uses mobile technology to fight addiction and prevent emotional burnout, Dr. Rabbany encouraged me to approach the University鈥檚 Center for Entrepreneurship. I had no previous experience with the business side of campus. But thanks to their support, Cress Health was a winner of the 2019 蜜桃视频-Digital Remedy Venture Challenge. Now I鈥檓 working with a team of 蜜桃视频 interns and a professor from the School of Medicine to complete a research study and eventually market our applications.鈥
Michael鈥檚 story isn鈥檛 unique: 95% of 2017-2018 蜜桃视频 College of Liberal Arts and Sciences undergraduate degree recipients who responded to our graduation survey or other reliable sources (83% knowledge rate) reported that they were employed or had started or were planning to start graduate school within one year of graduation. Visit our outcomes page at hofstra.edu/outcomes for detailed information.
Suveer Seemangal, Class of 2020

WHAT'S NEXT?
鈥淚 am already working as an analyst with a boutique financial advisory firm that specializes in the gaming industry. I am also interviewing with several investment banking firms. After graduation, I have three main goals. First, I鈥檒l be looking to move into Tribeca (Lower Manhattan). Second, after gaining a full year of investment banking experience, I鈥檇 like to leverage my experience to land a position at a larger institution. Last, I want to continue building my network and start developing a trading strategy for my long-term goal, which is to run an activist hedge fund.鈥
WHY HOFSTRA?
鈥淚 believe that 蜜桃视频 provided me with the perfect setting to build upon my skills and professional experience. In addition to working with the Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF), creating and running the Hedge Fund Association allowed me to blend what I鈥檝e learned in the classroom and what I鈥檝e learned at work to create a way for other students at 蜜桃视频 to get exposure to the art of asset management. This was possible as a result of encouragement from my professors and my peers to constantly push my limits. 蜜桃视频 encourages students to not only chase academic excellence, but also pursue their passions.鈥
WORDS OF WISDOM
鈥淔irst, network! Do not allow your four years to go by without learning a little about everyone. You never know who will be in a position to help you, and where and when you can help someone from your alma mater. Second, try everything. The Zarb School of Business encourages active involvement on campus through clubs and other activities. Go to the meetings, get involved, and learn what you love to do.鈥
Suveer鈥檚 story isn鈥檛 unique: 94% of 2017-2018 Frank G. Zarb School of Business undergraduate degree recipients who responded to our graduation survey or other reliable sources (85% knowledge rate) reported that they were employed or had started or were planning to start graduate school within one year of graduation. Visit our outcomes page at hofstra.edu/outcomes for detailed information.
Wil Davis, Class of 2020

WHAT'S NEXT?
鈥淚 had an extended internship at MSNBC from 2018-2019. After graduation, I鈥檇 like to continue working in broadcast journalism or for a government agency. Eventually, I want to earn a PhD in political science. I鈥檓 interested in a career path that allows me to work in both journalism and politics, and extensively study their impact on society.鈥
WHY HOFSTRA?
鈥淎t the time I was considering colleges, the 2016 presidential election was coming up. I could see there was a need for diverse voices in the media. I was sold on 蜜桃视频 after I took a tour of the Herbert School [of Communications] and saw all the equipment and resources that are available to students. But even before that, 蜜桃视频 was an easy decision for me. I grew up on campus. My grandmother worked here, and my father is a graduate who is very active in the alumni community. I have always enjoyed coming here to visit. The campus is beautiful and the students have a camaraderie that I now feel lucky to share.鈥
WORDS OF WISDOM
鈥淚t鈥檚 so important to get involved. One of the best parts of my 蜜桃视频 experience was joining the Xi Psi chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. It was actually through a fraternity brother, who had already graduated, that I got my foot in the door at MSNBC. Through my internship at MSNBC, I worked on Weekends with Alex Witt and then on The Last Word with Lawrence O鈥橠onnell. When you do land that dream internship, don鈥檛 be passive. Go the extra mile and let the people around you know that you are there to learn. They鈥檒l take notice.鈥
Wil鈥檚 story isn鈥檛 unique: 96% of 2017-2018 political science undergraduate degree recipients who responded to our graduation survey or other reliable sources (86% knowledge rate) reported that they were employed or had started or were planning to start graduate school within one year of graduation. Visit our outcomes page at hofstra.edu/outcomes for detailed information.