Dominican University New York Makes List of Best Nursing Schools
Dominican University New York ranked #25 out of nursing schools in the New York City Metropolitan Region, according to Nursing Schools Almanac.
Nursing Schools Almanac has released its 2022 rankings of the best nursing schools and Dominican University New York, formerly known as Dominican College, was included in the list. The university ranked #25 in the New York City Metropolitan Region.
Nursing Schools Almanac collected data on nearly 3,000 nursing schools nationwide. The institutions were assessed on three criteria:
The institution’s academic prestige and perceived value.
The breadth and depth of nursing programs offered.
Student success, particularly on the NCLEX licensure examinations.
Dominican University New York offers a number of nursing programs on the undergraduate and graduate level including: a traditional nursing program; RN to BSN; accelerated nursing program; weekend accelerated BSN; evening BSN; a Master of Science Nursing (Family Nurse Practitioner); and a Doctor of Nursing Practice.
June 15, 2022
Dominican College is Now Dominican University New York
A new sign for Dominican University New York was unveiled by administrators.
Dominican College has been elevated to the status of a university, becoming the first university in Rockland County. Dominican College President Sr. Mary Eileen O’Brien, O.P., Ph.D., announced on May 18, 2022, that New York State Board of Regents has granted Dominican College university status and approved the name change to Dominican University New York.
“This is an important milestone in our history as we prepare to celebrate our 70thanniversary,” said Sr. Mary Eileen. “Changing our name to Dominican University New York brings formal recognition to the caliber of our academic programs. With our new name comes additional prestige and more opportunities for the school and our students.”
Dominican offers a range of undergraduate programs and graduate programs in nursing, business, occupational therapy, education, and organizational leadership and communication. In addition, it has the distinction of being the only institution in Rockland County to offer doctoral degrees – including Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). Dominican has a strong academic reputation for its liberal arts, business, education, and health-related programs. Recently, Dominican added programs in finance, information technology, health sciences, and marketing. Dominican also caters to adult learners through programs in the evenings, on weekends, or online.
The news of the university status follows earlier announcements that Dominican had secured two federal grants, one from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the other from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Dominican was one of only 10 higher education institutions nationwide and the only one in New York State to receive the HHS grant and will use the funding to launch a new Public Health Informatics and Technology (PHIT) program this fall.
“The news about our university status coupled with the infusion of the federal funds will certainly raise the profile of our school,” said Sr. Mary Eileen. “Dominican University New York has a bright future that will serve more students from around the region and beyond.”
Dominican was granted university status by the New York State Board of Regents based on the fact that Dominican offers graduate programs in at least three of the following discipline areas: agriculture, biological sciences, business, education, engineering, fine arts, health professions, humanities, physical sciences, and social sciences.
Founded in 1952 by the Dominican Sisters of Blauvelt, the College began as a two-year college for religious women to become educators. Over the years, the campus expanded to accommodate a growing enrollment and to welcome resident students. A number of new buildings were constructed including an athletics facility, residence halls, a dining hall, and a new academic building for health and science education. The most recent construction was the expansion of the Hennessy Center with a new gymnasium and fitness center. A new turf field is anticipated for 2023. Dominican has a total of 17 NCAA Division II sports teams, as well as a competitive rowing club and a new esports team.
Dominican has been named both a College of Distinction and a Catholic College of Distinction. On the U.S. News & World Report 2022 Best Colleges List, Dominican was ranked #21 out of Regional Universities North for social mobility. It is also designated a Hispanic Serving Institution and was recognized as Military Friendly.
Dominican University New York moves forward with a renewed spirit and dedication to its mission to promote educational excellence, leadership, and service in an environment characterized by respect for the individual and concern for the community and its needs.
May 18, 2022
President Zelenskyy Awarded Honorary Degree at Commencement
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zekenskyy was awarded an honorary degree in absentia during the 68th Dominican College Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, May 15.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was awarded an honorary degree in absentia during the 68th Dominican College Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, May 15. Dominican College is among about 30 colleges and universities throughout the United States conferring on Zelenskyy an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in recognition of his extraordinary leadership, courage, sense of justice, and his willingness to possibly lose his life in the effort to defend freedom.
“President Zelenskyy has displayed such inspiring and courageous leadership in the face of unimaginable horror, as Russia launches a relentless and unprovoked attack against his country. He has risen to the challenge and has been the right leader for this moment in history,” said Dominican College President Sr. Mary Eileen O’Brien, O.P., Ph.D. “Because of this, Dominican College is among the institutions of higher learning recognizing the exceptional dedication of President Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian people by awarding him an honorary degree.”
The Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate of Sloatsburg, who are members of a congregation founded in 1892 in Zhuzel, Ukraine, will also be honored at the Commencement. Since the Russian attack on Ukraine, the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate in the United States have been raising money and sending medical supplies to members of the congregation located in Ukraine and Poland to help the Ukrainian people. Dominican College will recognize the admirable service of the Sisters of Mary Immaculate of Sloatsburg by awarding them the 2022 Veritas Medal.
May 9, 2022
United Nations Official Delivers Commencement Address
Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee delivered the Commencement Address at Dominican College’s 68th Commencement Ceremony.
A United Nations official with a distinguished career of more than 30 years in international relations and diplomacy delivered the Commencement Address at Dominican College’s 68th Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, May 15, at 12 noon. Martha Ama Akyaa Pobee serves as Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) for Africa in the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations (DPPA-DPO). This latest appointment follows impressive diplomatic posts in Moscow, Geneva, Tel Aviv, South Africa, New York, and Washington, D.C.
During the Commencement Ceremony at Clover Stadium in Pomona, NY, Pobee received the honorary degree of Doctor of Humanities in recognition of her extraordinary career in international relations and diplomacy, her steadfast dedication to furthering peace and security, her tireless advocacy for education and human rights, and her passionate support of women and youth,
Of her many posts, Pobee considers her appointment as Ghana’s first woman Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 2015 to 2020 to be the highlight of her career. In this position, she had various special assignments, including serving as Vice-President of the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Co-Facilitator of the high-level meeting on Financing for Development 2019, Chair of the African Group of Ambassadors in New York, Chair of the New York Group of Friends of the African-Women Leaders Network, and Co-Chair of the Group of Friends on Gender Parity at the United Nations.
Pobee’s interest in international relations and diplomacy was first sparked as a high school student in Cape Coast, Ghana, when she joined a school club called the Ghana United Nations Students Association (GUNSA). The students discussed world issues and took part in mock UN General Assembly sessions and Security Council sessions. It was then that she began to closely follow the anti-apartheid struggle of the late 1970s and early 1980s, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and human rights and economic development issues. Pobee was also a member of the Red Cross Society and Sunday School Club in high school and spent many weekends providing first aid services and teaching bible studies to children in local communities. At that young age, she realized how fortunate she was to be attending one of the best schools in the country and decided to be mindful of the needs around her and to serve others.
A graduate of the University of Ghana, Pobee also holds a master’s degree in Development Studies with a specialization in Women and Development from the Institute of Social Studies in The Hague. In addition, she has diplomas in Public Administration and Multilateral Diplomacy from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration and the Geneva Institute of International Studies.
April 21, 2022
Honors Lyceum Features Author of Children’s Book About Dementia
Dr. Linda Ganzenmuller spoke about her book “Everyday is Funday with Grandma Stella” at the 2022 Honors Lyceum.
At the 2022 Honors Lyceum, students heard from a psychologist who wrote a book to teach children how to interact with family members with dementia. Psychologist and children’s book author Dr. Linda Ganzenmuller was the guest speaker at the March 28, 2022, event.
Ganzenmuller is the author of “Everyday is Funday with Grandma Stella.” AnnMarie Dellipizzi, Ph.D., Honors Program Director, said Ganzenmuller has a lot of experience working with seniors and wanted to find a way to talk to children about dementia. “It’s really a therapy book. Of course, the goal was directed toward children and showing them how to have fun or how to enjoy a loved one who has dementia by just focusing on the fun and doing things with them that make everybody happy,” said Dellipizzi.
Caregivers reading the book to young children can also benefit from the book’s message. Dellipizzi said the information could also be helpful to the nursing students who were among those who attended the the Honors Lyceum.
April 4, 2022
Criminal Justice Day Includes K-9 Unit Demonstration
During Criminal Justice Day, there was a K-9 demonstration showing how a patrol dog can help apprehend suspects.
Criminal Justice Day on March, 24, 2022 included a demonstration of the Rockland County Sheriff’s Patrol K-9 Unit. Two patrol dogs came to the Fury Lecture Hall in the Prusmack Center with their handlers, Sgt. Kevin Golden and Officer Joe Mercurio, to show students how they aid the Sheriff’s Patrol.
Chief of Patrol Bill Barbera, who is also a professor at Dominican College, and said the idea is to let students know about different career paths. “I’ve been teaching here for quite some time and I’ve always been talking about all the different types of jobs in law enforcement. We have seven different dogs from five different disciplines. These are just some examples of what students can find themselves doing for a career down the road,” he said.
The K-9 unit demonstration was one of three presentations during Criminal Justice Day. Chief Barbara also spoke about crime scene investigations. In addition, there was a presentation by Christian Claudio, Chief at the National Center for Gang Training.
March 28, 2022
Clinton Named Cushman & Wakefield Athletic Director of the Year
Joseph Clinton will be recognized as a Cushman & Wakefield Athletic Director of the Year at the NACADA Annual Convention in June.
Dominican College of Blauvelt Director of Athletics and Head Men’s Basketball Coach Joseph S. Clinton is a 2021-22 NCAA Division II Cushman & Wakefield Athletics Director of the Year recipient. The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) made the announcement on March 15, 2022. Clinton and three additional DII honorees will be formally recognized during the NACDA’s 57th Annual Convention at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas on Tuesday, June 28.
“I am humbled to receive this honor and be recognized as one of the four Athletic Directors of the Year by my Division II peers, ” said Clinton. “It has been an honor and a blessing to be a part of the Dominican College Community and NCAA Division II athletics. I look forward to continuing to support the student-athletes of Dominican College in the years to come.”
Clinton is in his 33rd year as director of athletics and his 31st year as head men’s basketball coach.
Since coming to Dominican College in 1989, Clinton has overseen an athletic department that has grown from five sports to 17 sports and made the transition from an NAIA school to an NCAA Division II member. During his tenure, Dominican College sports have won numerous Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Championships, NAIA Championship appearances, ECAC Championships, NCAA Regional Tournament appearances and one NCAA Championship appearance. In 2004, a local newspaper declared Dominican Athletic programs as one of the best in the tri-state area.
Clinton has also served on numerous NCAA committees, including serving as the NCAA East Region and National Chair for Division II Baseball and was the East Region Chair of the Men’s Basketball Committee for six years. He previously served on the NCAA East Region Men’s Golf, Men’s Soccer and Men’s Lacrosse Committees. Clinton currently serves on the East Region Men’s Basketball Committee. He is also a member of the National Association of Collegiate Director of Athletics (NACDA), the Athletics Directors Association (ADA) and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).
In 1996, he was recognized as the CACC Administrator of the Year.Clintoncurrently serves as the Second Vice-President of the CACC Director’s Council.
On the court, Clinton’s Chargers have made four straight NCAA East Regional Tournament appearances and five consecutive CACC Tournament Championship appearances, winning two titles. The Chargers have won 20+ games in four out of the last five years and nine times during his tenure. His career coaching record currently stands at 486-408. Clinton is a four-time recipient of the CACC Coach of the Year Award and is a three-time past recipient of the All-Metropolitan Coach of the Year Award.
The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) announced the 28 winners of the Cushman & Wakefield AD of the Year Award (ADOY) . The award spans seven divisions (NCAA FBS, FCS, Division I-AAA, II, III, NAIA/Other Four-Year Institutions and Junior College/Community Colleges). Winners will be recognized in conjunction with the 57th Annual NACDA & Affiliates Convention at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, prior to the Featured Session on Tuesday, June 28 at 4 p.m.
The ADOY Award highlights the efforts of athletics directors at all levels for their commitment and positive contributions to student-athletes, campuses and their surrounding communities.
March 16, 2022
Live Theater Returns to Dominican College
The Aquin Players performed Once on this Island on March 4 and 5 on the stage of the St. Dominic School.
Live theater returned to Dominican College on March 4 and 5, 2022, with Once on This Island. Members of the Aquin Players theatre club, theatre students, and alumni performed in the Spring Musical on the stage of the St. Dominic School.
Director James Filippelli, Ed.D., Associate Professor of Fine and Performing Arts, said the return of live theatre to the campus indicated the return of normalcy,” The Aquin players of Dominican College originally staged this musical for a March 2020 opening. However, one week before opening, COVID placed it on hold for two years.” Six of the original cast members were able to return for the performance two years later.
Once On This Island is a coming-of-age musical with book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty. It is based on the 1985 novel My Love, My Love or The Peasant Girl by Rosa Guy. The musical is about a peasant girl, Ti Moune, who uses the power of love to bring people of different social classes together. It is set on a tropical island in the French Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean Sea.
March 7, 2022
Healthcare Symposium Focuses on Telemedicine
Joan Facelle, M.D., Former Rockland County Commissioner of Health and Vice Chair of the Dominican College Board of Trustees, moderated the 8th Annual Healthcare Symposium.
Dominican College’s 8th Annual Healthcare Symposium focused on Issues in the New Age of Telemedicine. The Zoom symposium on February 23, 2022, highlighted concerns about telehealth delivery, data security, privacy issues, and insurance coverage.
In her opening remarks, Panel Moderator Joan Facelle, M.D., Former Rockland County Commissioner of Health, said the topic of telemedicine was timely because of the tremendous growth in remote medical visits during the pandemic. “Telemedicine and telehealth visits have grown rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lockdowns, and health risks due to COVID-19 made these visits very attractive with obvious benefits,” she said.
Patients were encouraged to check whether remote medical visits were covered by their insurance company and to get the response in writing. The panelists who participated in the symposium included Abigail Richman, Family Nurse Practitioner, Firefly Health; Ernie Garcia, Director of Informatics & EMR, Cornerstone Family Healthcare; and Adria Goldman Gross, CEO & Founder, Medwise Insurance Advocacy, Division of Medwise Billing, Inc.
February 24, 2022
True Black History Museum Comes to Dominican College
Students visited the traveling True Black History Museum in the Granito Center extension in celebration of Black History Month.
The True Black History Museum, which shows visitors a snapshot of the history of African-Americans through photos, videos, and artifacts, came to Dominican College on February 16, 2022.
Janay Craft, Director of Operations for the museum, said that the idea of the traveling museum is to bring the museum to the people. “The goals are two things: to preserve the history of black people and to show that African Americans do have value. Those are the two main principles.”
Craft said she received a lot of positive feedback from the Dominican College students who visited the museum set up in the Granito Center extension. Dominican College sponsored the True Black History Museum visit in celebration of Black History Month.
February 17, 2022
College Launches New Public Health Informatics & Technology (PHIT) Programs
PHIT Program Manager Carrie Boericke
Beginning in fall 2022, Dominican College students will be able to study the interesting and expanding field of Public Health Informatics and Technology (PHIT). PHIT is a multi-disciplinary field applying data science skills to solve complex health care issues and to improve public health outcomes. The College will offer a PHIT concentration in both the Health Sciences major and the Information Technology major, a PHIT minor, and a post-baccalaureate certificate program for adults.
The College’s Health Sciences program and the IT program in the Business Administration Division have teamed up to lead the PHIT Force. “This is a terrific opportunity to expand career options for Dominican College graduates,” said PHIT Program Manager Carrie Boericke. “Becoming a public health informaticist will open up paths that are literally just coming into view on the horizon – both in private and public sector institutions. Data skills will be key to success and social mobility for today’s students.”
The PHIT program at Dominican College is funded through a $1.9 million PHIT Workforce Program grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC). Dominican College was one of only 10 higher education institutions nationwide to receive this funding. The grant aims to strengthen U.S. public health information technology efforts, improve COVID-19 data collection, and increase the diversity of the public health IT workforce.
Dominican College’s PHIT courses will begin with an introduction to PHIT, including a discussion of career options and case studies of how it can be used to address health disparities in communities. Students will then hone data and project skills in an emergency response role-play exercise, simulating a public health emergency. All PHIT Force students will have a paid internship to cap off their studies, recognizing that employers are looking for real-world experience in job applicants.
A consortium has been developed to help administer the program. The consortium, which may expand, now includes Bon Secours Charity Health System, CorEvitas, Cornerstone Family Healthcare, Mount Sinai Health System, EmpiRx Health, and the New York State Department of Health. Consortium members will provide internship opportunities and feedback to keep the curriculum relevant for evolving employer requirements.
Prospective students interested in learning more about the PHIT Force program at Dominican College should email Assistant Professor Carrie Boericke at carrie.boericke@duny.edu.
February 3, 2022
Outlook on the Economy Delivers Mixed News
Jason Bram delivered the annual Outlook on the Economy on January 20, 2022 via Zoom.
During Dominican College’s annual Outlook on the Economy forum, community members heard how the pandemic’s effect on the economy was much different than the typical recession.
Jason Bram, a Research Officer with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, spoke via Zoom during the January 20, 2022 forum. “When things plunged in March and April 2020, I think a lot of economists thought that it would look like a recession, that is that you would have this drop off, and then have this very, very gradual recovery like you had in 2009-2010 up until now,” he said. “But what in fact you saw, was a very, very quick snap back. “
Bram said employment has continued to rebound briskly across the metro region, housing markets have been exceptionally strong, and office markets have been exceptionally weak. In addition, he said businesses reported widespread price escalation amidst supply disruptions and labor shortages, but remain optimistic about the outlook.
Bram’s research focuses on the U.S. economy, with a primary emphasis on the Federal Reserve’s Second District, which includes New York State, northern New Jersey, and southwestern Connecticut, as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
