Doers. Makers. Innovators. Healers.

Please join the Office of Student Life for the 2026 Spring Grizzly Games, held on March 4, a day without classes. Activities include:  Area 53 Join Student Life for an epic visit to Area 53 Adventure Park! Enjoy ropes courses, rock climbing, roller skating, zip lining, mega slides, the ball pit, battle beam, ninja foam pit, and more. Plus, get a $15 arcade card and food included. The event runs from 1 ?? 4 p.m. and costs $10.Register (https://cglink.me/2rJ/r381571)On Long IslandFDD Student Activities (https://cglink.me/2rJ/r381520), from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. In the SAC Bear's Den. Join the Division of Student Engagement and Development in hosting Faculty Development Day for the Long Island campus community.Open Gym Badminton (https://cglink.me/2rJ/r382121), from 5 – 7 p.m. in the SAC Gym. Play at your own pace, meet new people, and enjoy the game.Open Gym Volleyball (https://cglink.me/2rJ/r382185), from 7 – 10 p.m. in the SAC Gym. Indoor Volleyball is open to all. Please check out the events above and get in the Grizzly Games spirit!Artwork courtesy Area 53

This spring, we will celebrate the powerful role that human connection plays in student learning and success. When students feel known and supported by their instructors and campus community, they are more engaged in their coursework, more willing to seek help, and more likely to persist through challenges. Isis Artze-Vega, Ed.D., will lead an interactive keynote on the multifaceted benefits, for both faculty and students, of relationships built on trust, including their impact on learning and well-being. She will suggest practical approaches to earning and maintaining trust across differences of identity and amid contemporary challenges.   The day will also include breakout sessions led by New York Tech faculty and staff. As a reminder, classes are canceled on March 4 and an additional day of class has been added on Wednesday, May 6. Student Engagement and Development will also host activities for students.Register (New York City, Long Island, and Jonesboro campuses only) (https://nyit.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bJZYAHhcUyadYfc) If you have questions, please email fdd@nyit.edu (mailto:fdd@nyit.edu). More details will be forthcoming soon. Support Our Students Please remember to bring a non-perishable food donation for the Grizzly Cupboard (https://www.nyit.edu/student-life/support/bear-bytes/#cupboard), New York Tech's food and resource pantry, and/or dry-cleaned new or gently used clothing or accessory donations for our new Tech Threads (https://www.nyit.edu/student-life/support/tech-threads/) professional closet. Items will be collected when you sign in at the event. Everyone who donates will be entered into a special raffle! Location Agendas New York Events for New York are Eastern Time (ET). 8:30 a.m. Registration and Light Breakfast 9 a.m. Poster Session After you check in, connect with colleagues and explore posters that highlight innovative teaching practices, research projects, and initiatives tied to this year's theme. 10:30 a.m. Opening Remarks 10:45 a.m. Keynote:Connections Really Are Everything: The What, Why, and How of Cultivating Trusting Relationships for Educator and Student Success,Isis Artze-Vega During this interactive keynote presentation, Artze-Vega will describe the multifaceted benefits of trusting relationships for faculty and students alike, including their impact on learning and well-being. She will suggest practical approaches to earning and maintaining trust across differences of identity and amidst contemporary challenges. Key takeaways include the varied impediments to educator-student trust, how trusting relationships allow for increased intellectual rigor, and ways to share relational responsibilities with colleagues and students. 11:45 a.m. Chat and Travel Make your way to Anna Rubin Hall for your chosen breakout session. A shuttle will be available outside Riland for anyone who needs transportation. Noon Breakout Sessions: Engaging Students in Research and Getting Them Ready to Present Their Work, Bryan Gibb, associate professor, College of Arts and Sciences Engaging undergraduate students in research presents both challenges and opportunities, particularly when students are presenting work from new, evolving, or unfinished projects. Presenting at a public forum can be one of the most meaningful ways for students to receive recognition for their work, but it often requires guidance to translate limited data into a compelling narrative. In this breakout session, attendees will learn practical tips and strategies for mentoring students as they transform their research into effective—and often award-winning—poster presentations. Engaging Students Through Hands-On Experiential Learning and Contractual Obligations, Michael Nizich, director. Entrepreneurship and Technology Innovation Center, College of Engineering and Computing Sciences Since 2016, the Entrepreneurship and Technology Innovation Center (ETIC) has helped hundreds of New York Tech students transition into industry roles at organizations such as Boeing, Zebra, and IBM through applied, industry-connected learning experiences. In this session, Michael Nizich, ETIC director and adjunct associate professor of Computer Science, will share the key strategies behind ETIC's long-term, scalable success and discuss how these approaches can be adapted across disciplines. Faculty will leave with practical ideas for building sustainable partnerships, integrating real-world projects into courses, and supporting student career readiness. Relationship-Rich Education: A Clinical Psychology Lens on Building a Connected and Resilient Campus, Anu Raj, associate professor, College of Osteopathic Medicine This workshop explores how meaningful relationships strengthen student engagement, increase persistence, and positively impact overall campus well-being. Drawing on attachment theory, interpersonal frameworks, and resilience research, the session demonstrates how small, intentional relational practices by faculty can significantly enhance student motivation and success. The workshop also highlights how engaged and connected faculty are more cognitively flexible, creative, and more likely to generate innovative teaching and programmatic ideas. Attendees will leave with practical strategies and an actionable plan for fostering connection in their classrooms and across the broader campus community. Teaching with an Academic Coaching Mindset: Strengthening Faculty–Student Connections , Rocio Morello, associate director, Student Success Programs This session examines how coaching-informed practices, proven effective through the success of New York Tech's Achieving Collegiate Excellence (ACE) program, can be integrated into everyday faculty and staff interactions with students. Participants will explore key academic, personal, and systemic barriers currently impacting New York Tech students and examine how intentional coaching conversations can help address these barriers. Drawing on evidence, outcomes, and practical examples, the session will highlight strategies that contribute to improved student persistence, confidence, and equitable outcomes. Attendees will leave with a tool kit of actionable coaching strategies they can apply in classrooms, office hours, and informal check-ins to better support student learning and success. Beyond the Barriers: Practical Strategies for Building Meaningful Student–Faculty Relationships, Christina Finn, associate professor, School of Health Professions; Rabab Hamzah, adjunct professor, College of Arts and Sciences; Robert Gallagher, clinical associate professor, School of Health Professions; Fikayo Odugbemi, faculty development specialist, Center for Faculty Excellence This workshop will examine the multifaceted barriers that limit effective student engagement and meaningful faculty–student connections in higher education. Barriers to relationship-building, including student motivation and preparedness, limited faculty training in relational pedagogies, and institutional challenges will be discussed. The session will introduce evidence-based strategies to cultivate a supportive classroom culture, enhance transparency around learning goals, and integrate practices that promote students' ability to navigate the academic environment. Attendees will develop actionable approaches tailored to their own courses, with the aim of strengthening student engagement, fostering academic belonging, and improving overall success outcomes. From Concern to Connection: Supporting Students Through Campus Resources, Felipe Henao, Dean of Students, and Monika Rohde, senior associate dean, Undergraduate Student Success and Advising This interactive session invites faculty to explore the campus support services available to students and the critical role faculty play in connecting students to them. Using real-life scenarios, participants will work through common student challenges, identify appropriate resources, and practice relational approaches that help students feel seen, supported, and empowered to seek help. Faculty will leave with a clearer understanding of how human connection strengthens learning, engagement, and persistence. 1:15 p.m. LunchJonesboro Events for Jonesboro are Central Time (CT). 9:30 a.m. Opening Remarks 9:45 a.m. Keynote:Connections Really Are Everything: The What, Why, and How of Cultivating Trusting Relationships for Educator and Student Success,Isis Artze-Vega During this interactive keynote presentation, Artze-Vega will describe the multifaceted benefits of trusting relationships for faculty and students alike, including their impact on learning and well-being. She will suggest practical approaches to earning and maintaining trust across differences of identity and amidst contemporary challenges. Key takeaways include the varied impediments to educator-student trust, how trusting relationships allow for increased intellectual rigor, and ways to share relational responsibilities with colleagues and students. Presenters Isis Artze-Vega, Ed.D. Isis Artze-Vega, Ed.D., is the lead author and editor of the The Norton Guide to Equity-Minded Teaching and co-author of Connections Are Everything: A College Student's Guide to Relationship-Rich Education. Most recently, she served as college provost and vice president for academic affairs at Valencia College in central Florida, which serves about 70,000 students annually and has long been regarded one of the nation's best community colleges. She provided strategic leadership for the college's seven campuses, as well as for the areas of curriculum, assessment, faculty development, distance learning, and partnerships for educational excellence. Prior to joining Valencia, Artze-Vega served as assistant vice president for teaching and learning at Florida International University (FIU). Before FIU, she taught English composition and enrollment management at the University of Miami. Christina Finn, Ed.D. Christina Finn graduated from the University of Scranton in 2004 with a master's degree in occupational therapy and earned her doctoral degree from the University of New England in 2018. She has 15 years of experience in all areas of physical rehabilitation across the spectrum of care, including acute care, inpatient, and outpatient rehabilitation. Finn has extensive experience working with individuals diagnosed with a various neurological conditions, with a specialty in visual, vestibular and perceptual rehabilitation. She has presented to various healthcare professionals on the topic of vision rehabilitation, concussion, and its impact on daily living skills, and she also lectures nationally on the topic of post-concussion syndrome and the role of rehabilitation. Her current research interests include traumatic brain injury, concussion, and visual perceptual rehabilitation. Robert Gallagher, M.B.A., D.C. Robert Gallagher earned his Doctor of Chiropractic from New York Chiropractic College and Master of Business Administration from St. John's University. He has maintained a chiropractic and personal training practice for the past 30 years. Gallagher has been teaching in the health sciences and fitness fields for over 20 years. His focus has been on anatomy, kinesiology, rehabilitation, and strength and conditioning. He is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and a certified exercise physiologist. His interest is in student engagement and motivation. Bryan Gibb, Ph.D. Bryan Gibb is an associate professor in the biological and chemical sciences department. His research interests are centered around studying viruses of bacteria called bacteriophages and their therapeutic use in treating bacterial infections. He teaches microbiology and several course-based undergraduate research classes. Over the ten years he has been at New York Tech, he has mentored hundreds of students in research, both those working in his lab individually and those participating in research as part of a class. Most of these students have had to present their research at one or more conferences. Rabab Hamzah, Ph.D. Rabab Hamzah earned her M.S. (2016) and Ph.D. (2021) from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where her doctoral research focused on characterizing exosomes and their cellular uptake in tumor and stromal cells. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences from 2021 to 2024, contributing to scientific publications, grant development, and biomedical research. An expert in cancer biology, extracellular vesicles, nanotechnology, and drug delivery systems, Dr. Hamzah's work advances cancer diagnosis and treatment, cellular communication, and regenerative medicine. She is also dedicated to mentorship, laboratory leadership, and translational research, with her findings presented at national conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals. Felipe Henao, Ed.D. Felipe Henao joined New York Institute of Technology as Dean of Students for the New York City and Long Island campuses in March 2021. He holds a B.A./M.A. from Fairleigh Dickinson University, an M.A. from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Innovation from New York University. With more than 15 years of experience as a student-centered student affairs professional, Henao has worked across a wide range of functional areas, including student activities, orientation programs, residential life education, leadership development, counseling, health services, and accessibility support services. He serves on the Region II Advisory Board for NASPA and as a content expert for Complete College America, focusing on addressing student basic needs. A recipient of the Long Island Business News 2021 40 Under 40 Award, Henao is a visionary educator committed to student development, student success for students of color, and college persistence, and he currently serves as a senator on the university's Academic Senate, co-chairs multiple student engagement and development committees, and participates on various college committees. Rocio Morello-Bertelle As a first-generation, Pell Grant??eligible, undergraduate alumna of New York Institute of Technology, Rocio Morello-Bertelle brings a firsthand, student-centered understanding of the barriers students face in navigating higher education. She was the inaugural staff member in the Office of Student Success Initiatives, which oversees key programs including New York Tech Advance (Dual Enrollment), the Achieving Collegiate Excellence (ACE) Program, Financial Success and Wellness (Financial Literacy), the My Guide to Success @ New York Tech Canvas course, and the Pathways for Advancing and Thriving in Higher Education (PATH) professional success coaches. In her role, Morello-Bertelle provides training and ongoing guidance to more than 70 volunteer academic coaches and collaborates closely with faculty, staff, administrators, and campus partners to ensure students have access to the resources, support, and tools needed to succeed. Michael Nizich, Ph.D. Michael Nizich is the director of the Entrepreneurship and Technology Innovation Center (ETIC) and an adjunct associate professor of computer science at New York Institute of Technology, where he has been a leader in entrepreneurial education and cybersecurity since 2016. With over 25 years of professional experience in information technology across sectors such as aviation, law enforcement, biotechnology, and cybersecurity, Nizich has held IT leadership roles in both private and publicly held companies and brings more than 15 years of teaching and research experience in higher education. At New York Tech, he leads ETIC's signature programs, including robotics initiatives and multi-year NASA prototyping collaborations, directs the NSA/DHS-designated Center of Academic Excellence for Cybersecurity Education, and serves on several nonprofit boards. A frequently sought expert by media outlets on technology and cybersecurity topics, Dr. Nizich is also the author of the 2023 book, The Cybersecurity Workforce of Tomorrow. Fikayo Odugbemi, M.A. Fikayo Odugbemi is a learning designer and researcher dedicated to creating equitable and inclusive learning experiences at scale, and she works at New York Tech in support of our Title III grant. Guided by the teachings of Paulo Freire, Bettina Love, and bell hooks, she is driven by a deep belief in the transformative power of education. Her values revolve around curiosity, justice, community-first approaches, and participatory practices. Collaboration is at the core of her approach, and she actively seeks opportunities to work with educators and institutional partners to develop frameworks, facilitate workshops, and foster constructive dialogues that drive equity in education. When she's not working, you can find her at the skate park desperately trying to land an ollie. Fikayo earned an M.A. in Learning, Design, and Technology from Georgetown University and a BSE in Educational Technology from the University of Ilorin. Anu Raj, Psy.D. Anu Raj is an associate professor of Family Medicine in the College of Osteopathic Medicine at New York Institute of Technology and a licensed clinical psychologist with expertise in cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based approaches, and behavioral interventions for conditions such as depression, anxiety, autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, and tic disorders. She earned her Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) from Long Island University and completed her post-doctoral fellowship at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine. At New York Tech, Raj provides psychological treatment and comprehensive evaluations at the Riland Academic Health Care Center, supervises students in the Online Psychiatry rotation, and leads psychology coursework. She is the creator and principal investigator of the CARE4MEd Model, a preventive mental health screening initiative for medical students, and frequently presents at state and national conferences on wellness, preventive care, and mindfulness-based practices. Monika Rohde, M.A. Monika Rohde joined New York Institute of Technology in 2003 and has held multiple leadership roles in support of student success. She holds a B.S. in Health Sciences from Boston University and an M.A. in Communication Arts from New York Institute of Technology. During her tenure, she has successfully developed the Office of Undergraduate Student Success and Advising into a prominent campus resource, expanding services to include proactive outreach and advising, academic enrichment and tutoring support, and student success initiatives that have positively impacted the student experience, retention, and graduation rates. Rohde has also played an integral role in several U.S. Department of Education grants awarded to New York Tech, most recently serving as a co–principal investigator on a Postsecondary Student Success grant, and she currently serves as a senator on the university's Academic Senate, co-chairs the Admissions and Academic Standards Committee, and contributes to numerous university committees as a strong advocate for students.

Come to an online information session to learn about a short-term study abroad opportunity for three undergraduate students, "Discover Jiangxi (https://www.nyit.edu/academics/experiential-learning/jufe-summer-study-abroad/)" in collaboration with Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics (JUFE) from July 3 – 19, 2026 (includes both travel and program dates). JUFE is one of the leading universities in economics and management in China, specializing in economics, finance, and management-related disciplines, in addition to offering advanced degrees in law, engineering, humanities, science, and the arts.Register (https://nyit.zoom.us/meeting/register/tN0X_t5_RfWIefHnGNM8IQ?_x_zm_rtaid=MncBahaSSFOu0Rhb83yyYQ.1771962522163.cd143a1d69ec28a7caab486dc4577a52&_x_zm_rhtaid=361#/registration)

Sophia Domokos, Ph.D. (https://www.nyit.edu/bio/sophia-domokos/), associate professor in the Department of Physics, will lead a conversation titled, "A Black Hole Inside the Atom? A Discussion of the Concept of "Duality" in Theoretical Physics, and How It Structures Our Understanding of the World Around Us," in the next Dean's Digital Caf??. This event will take place in person at both Harry Schure Hall, room 216B, on the Long Island campus, and at 1855 Broadway, room 405, on the New York City campus. The event will also be available online via Zoom (link provided on registration).Register (https://site.nyit.edu/aux/event_rsvp?e=kWf%2BKSO3djuNG25TbvsxeCTt2Vya%2BcpCdrfl7oWiF4My95MGNEcRgcYhYIV2sw9i8h071jh8et8fsT77ZOw1%2Ffj5weGfmSBZFcRKZ3Y9lI%2Bj1%2BUnyzbS2tewM4Xdam6v84tnIr8qOzMrTLAF4CWCbFRxpsfWCcdGqRII2tJlxD5RZBbDzJB4y%2BeDm2DYl%2FYGH0Ft%2F5hRe1kcd9yIikVY3nNgeaSl6oeJZVfm5xVNh0zRD1N1K6d%2BDaT25PQBgl0l)

Learn more about the 4+1 B.S. with Accelerated M.S. Options Program (https://www.nyit.edu/academics/academic-success/advising/degree-pathways/dual-degree-programs/#:~:text=Accelerated%20Master%E2%80%99s%20(4+1)%20Programs) in this online info session. This academic pathway can help you with financing, scholarships, and graduate assistantship opportunities.Register (https://apply.nyit.edu/register/?id=72ddd33e-6a33-4b4a-8f55-3be18d037c11)