Commencement

Commencement will take place on Sunday, May 16, 2027, at the Westchester County Center.

Complete details will be available on the official Commencement page this spring.

Dominican University Hosts First Rockland County Writers Festival

the image is of Dr. Ozias standing behind a podium with a microphone and the Dominican seal on the front.  He is wearing a dark suit.  Dr. Ozias has glasses, dark blond shoulder length hair and a beard.
Dr. Joseph Ozias, Assistant Professor Of English at Central Methdist University in Missori, delivered the Keynote Address at the Rockland Countyc Writers Festival, hosted by Dominican University.

Dominican University New York hosted the first Rockland County Writers Festival on Saturday, June 13, 2026, which was a celebration of writing, storytelling, and community. The festival brought together authors, students, and literary enthusiasts for a full day of inspiration and creativity. 

James Reitter, PhD, Dominican University  Associate Professor of English, said the idea behind the festival was to encourage younger writers in local high schools and to emphasize the importance of writing and the humanities as important skill sets. The Writers Festival included a number of interactive sessions with hands-on activities for all levels of writers, led by workshop facilitators. There were workshops covering a variety of writing styles –memoirs,  fiction,  poetry, creative nonfiction,  and journalism. 

During the evening session, Dr. Joseph Ozias delivered a Keynote Address and spoke about the importance of believing in yourself and your abilities as a writer.  Dr. Ozias is an Assistant Professor of English at Central Methodist University in Missouri and has received awards for his writing, including the John Updike Review Emerging Writers Prize.. The festival ended with a poetry reading from Juan Pablo Mobili, a Buenos Aires born poet, whose poems have been published around the world. Mobili is currently the Poet Laureate for Rockland County, NY, where Dominican University New York is located.

New Members Inducted Into DU Athletic Hall of Fame

Samantha James, Jhonny Arteaga, and Christine Stathes were inducted into the Atthletic Hall of Fame, along with the 1985-1986 Baseball Team.

Dominican University New York inducted three individuals and one team into the Dominican University New York Athletics Hall of Fame on Saturday, June 13, 2026, during a ceremony at the Pearl River Elks Club in Nanuet. 

Samantha James was honored as the 23rd Hall of Famer in the service category.  She was inducted alongside men’s soccer player, Jhonny Arteaga ’08, softball player Christine Stathes ’08 and the 1985-86 Baseball Team.  This class of honorees increases the membership into the Dominican University New York Athletic Hall of Fame to 120 individuals (24 service members and 96 athletes) and 16 teams.

Arteaga was a four-year member of the Charger Soccer team.  He was a three-time All-CACC honoree, a two-time CACC All-Tournament selection, a New England Region All-Tournament Team, a two-time All-Region pick, the 2007 CACC Player of the Year and a 2007 Daktronics All-America First Team honoree.  He is ranked sixth all-time in program history in goals, is tied for seventh all-time in assists and is seventh in career points.  He was a part of the 2005 team that ranked in the top ten in the nation, won a program record 17-games in a row and was top seed in the NCAA New England Regional Tournament.

Stathes was a four-year member of the Lady Charger Softball Team.  She was named the 2006 CACC Pitcher of the Year, to the 2006 All-CACC First Team and to the 2006 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division II All-Region Second Team.  On the mound, she ranks fourth all-time in program history in wins, fifth in strikeouts and ninth all-time in ERA.  At the plate, Stathes is tied sixth for sixth all-time in home runs.

The 1985-86 Baseball Team was the NAIA District 31 Champions and the NAIA Area 8 Quarterfinals.  The team currently ties for the program record with a .961 overall field percentage.

James, currently serves as the Assistant Director of Athletics for Sports Medicine and the Head Athletic Trainer.  She began working at Dominican University New York in August of 2004 as an Assistant Athletic Trainer and was promoted to Head Athletic Trainer in August of 2007.  James was instrumental in the creation of the current athletic training room, serves as the department’s athletics health care administrator and runs numerous recovery sessions for student-athletes.

Corretjer Named New Head Coach of Women’s Lacrosse Team

Aleya Corretjer is named the fifth head coach of the Dominican Univeversity New York women’s lacrosse team

Dominican University New York Director of Athletics, Joseph S. Clinton, announced the hiring of Aleya Corretjer as the new head coach of the women’s lacrosse team.  Corretjer becomes the fifth head coach of the program.

“We are very excited to have Aleya take over at the helm of our women’s lacrosse program,” said Clinton.  “Her dynamic personality, charisma and passion for the sport of lacrosse really stood out during her interview and it made her the perfect candidate to take our women’s lacrosse program to the next level.”

Corretjer has coached lacrosse at Metro Girls Lacrosse Club for the past five years where she coached players from 5th grade through 11th grade. For the past three years, she also was the Varsity Head Coach at Ethical Culture Fieldstone School in the Bronx, where her team won the Ivy League Championship in 2025 and 2026.  Prior to that, she volunteered with the women’s lacrosse program at SUNY New Paltz.

Corretjer was a member of the Puerto Rico National Lacrosse Team and competed in the World Championship Qualifiers in June 2025.

“Honored, grateful, and excited to begin this new chapter as Head Lacrosse Coach at Dominican University New York,” said Corretjer.  “I’m eager to build strong relationships, help our student-athletes reach their full potential, and work alongside a community committed to excellence. Looking forward to the journey ahead and everything we will accomplish together. The work starts now.”  

Corretjer played collegiate lacrosse at Pace University where she was a part of the 2023 team that made history for both the program and university by winning the school’s first NCAA National Championship. That year she was named the DII Attacker of the Year, the NE10 Attacker of the Year and was an IWLCA First Team All-American selection. She still holds records at Pace for most assists in a game, season, career and most points in a season.

Corretjer graduated from North Rockland High School in 2018 where she played at the Varsity Lacrosse level since 8th grade. During her five years she helped the team win three Section Championships. She was a high school All-American, the 2018 Rockland County Female Athlete of the Year and Journal News Player of the Year. She ranks seventh all-time in the NYSPHSAA Record Books for career assists.

Corretjer is currently the Director of True Westchester Girls Lacrosse Program.

Teacher Ed Alumna Wins Sloan Public Service Award

Danielle Keane, a woman with long blonde hair is standing behind a podium on the stage, Her photo is shown on a large screen next to her as the winner of  a 2026 Sloan Public Service Award.
Danielle Keane “04 was awarded the prestigious Sloan Public Service Award on May 28, 2026, at the New York Historical Society.

Alumna Danielle Keane ’04 was awarded the prestigious Sloan Public Service Award in New York City on Thursday, May 28, 2026.  The award known as the “Nobel Prize of Public Service” honors six civil servants each year who exhibit an extraordinary level of commitment to the public.   

Keane is the Principal of PS/MS 5 Port Morris School of Community Leadership in the South Bronx.  Her innovative and creative methods have been transformational for the students in her school.  Keane says making her students feel loved and supported is her top priority.

In a video produced by the Fund for the City of New York, Keane said, “I always felt as a teacher that I was staring outside of the classroom, knowing that I could do more and being an administrator gave me that that opportunity to see beyond the four walls of a classroom…”  As an administrator, Keane started the “Walking School Bus” where she walks with a a few staff members through the neighborhood to help students travel safely to school and to encourage students to attend class.  Under Keane’s leadership, chronic absenteeism decreased from 44% to 23.7%, and the number of students meeting state standards in English and math has doubled. 

Dominican University Director of Graduate Programs in Education Mike Kelly, Ph.D., said his former student continues to pay it forward, “Danielle was awarded the Badami Outstanding Alumna Award four years ago and has been instrumental in mentoring and hiring our Teacher Ed students for her South Bronx school.  She represents the epitome of commitment to the profession of teaching and brings together her teachers, students, staff, families, and the community where she works.”

Sloan Public Service Award winners are selected by a distinguished panel and receive a $10,000 prize, a commemorative video, and a portrait. 

Scholarship Recognition Dinner

Join us for a special evening honoring our outstanding scholarship recipients and the generous donors who made their education possible.

Date: Thursday, November 19, 2026
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: The Doering Charger Center (Adjacent to the Hennessy Center)

Each year, the Dominican University community comes together to honor our scholarship recipients and their generous benefactors. Recipients and their immediate families are invited to join us for dinner and dessert, during which each recipient will receive a certificate.

Registration closes at 10:00 AM on November 9. Be sure to secure your spot today!

Questions? Contact: Bruna Pancheri| (845) 848-7406 | Bruna.pancheri@duny.edu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 




2026 Alumni & Friends Golf Tournament

Join us for the 2026 Alumni & Friends Golf Outing, a day of golf, connection, and Charger pride at Blue Hill Golf Course.

This annual outing brings together Dominican University New York alumni, friends, faculty, staff, and supporters for a memorable day on the course, followed by dinner, raffles, and the presentation of the Joe Clinton Charger Cup.

Golfer registration includes a boxed lunch, on-course beverages, and a BBQ dinner with open bar.

Honoring the Legacy of Art Golden '84

Portrait of Art Golden '84
Art Golden '84

October 7, 1962 – November 19, 2025

This year's outing will honor the life and legacy of Art Golden '84, a proud Dominican graduate and dedicated supporter of Dominican University New York's Alumni Golf Outing. Art graduated from Dominican in 1984 and joined the Blauvelt Volunteer Fire Department in 1982, where he rose through the ranks and served as Chief from 1991 to 1993.

We are proud to remember Art's commitment to service, leadership, and community as we gather for this special day with alumni and friends.

Event Details

When
Monday, September 21, 2026
Where
Blue Hill Golf Course
285 Blue Hill Rd, Pearl River, NY 10965

Schedule

  • 11:00 a.m.
    Registration and lunch
  • 12:30 p.m.
    Shotgun start
  • 5:00 p.m.
    Dinner, raffles, and presentation of the Joe Clinton Charger Cup to this year's honorees!

Questions? Contact Dominican University New York's Office of Alumni Relations at (845) 848-7408 or email Christina.Albin@duny.edu.

Family Weekend & Fire in the Sky

Save the Date

Family Weekend & Fire in the Sky

Join us for a full weekend of campus activities, family traditions, fall fun, and Charger pride from Friday, September 18 through Sunday, September 20, 2026.

September 18 to 20, 2026
Family Weekend Activities
Food Trucks & Vendors
Fireworks Saturday Night

Registration opens Monday, August 3 at 12:00 p.m.

The full weekend schedule and registration details will be available soon. Families are encouraged to save the date now and check back when registration opens.

Make it a full weekend at Dominican.

This year’s celebration is expanding beyond a one-day event into a full weekend experience for students, families, alumni, and friends. Families are invited to spend time on campus, enjoy special meals and entertainment, cheer on the Chargers, take part in festival-style activities, and close out Saturday evening with fireworks.

Celebrate together

Spend meaningful time with your student and experience the Dominican community throughout the weekend.

Enjoy campus traditions

Take part in family activities, festival-style programming, athletic events, entertainment, and special meals.

Stay for the fireworks

Saturday evening will close with the Fire in the Sky fireworks celebration.

Weekend highlights

Friday

September 18
  • Family Weekend kickoff
  • Harvest Dinner
  • Evening entertainment

Saturday

September 19
  • Family Day activities
  • Tailgate at the soccer games
  • Festival-style activities throughout the day
  • Hispanic Heritage Dinner
  • Fireworks to close out the evening

Sunday

September 20
  • Apple picking trip in collaboration with the Alumni Office

Register early and save

Register early to take advantage of special Family Weekend incentives.

  • Family Weekend T-shirts will be available for pre-order at a discounted price through August 20.
  • Pre-ordering will guarantee shirt size availability.
  • The Hispanic Heritage Dinner will be offered at a discounted rate for those who register in advance.
  • The Harvest Dinner requires pre-registration.

Food, spirit wear, and fall fun

Families are invited to enjoy a selection of food trucks and vendors on campus, with a variety of food and snack options available for purchase throughout Saturday’s festival-style activities.

Show your Charger pride at the DUNY Pop-Up Shop, where families can browse Dominican University swag and purchase commemorative Family Weekend and Fire in the Sky items while supplies last.

Helpful details

Registration: Opens Monday, August 3 at 12:00 p.m.

Family Weekend T-shirts: Available for pre-order at a discounted price through August 20. Pre-ordering guarantees shirt size availability.

Hispanic Heritage Dinner: Discounted with advance registration.

Harvest Dinner: Pre-registration required.

Additional schedule details, registration links, pricing, and parking information will be posted soon.

Christmas Concert

A Cherished Holiday Tradition Returns! 🎁

Celebrate the season at Dominican University’s Annual Christmas Concert, featuring the renowned Reverend Alphonse Stephenson and the Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea.

When
Sunday, December 6, 2026
Concert begins at 2:00 p.m.
Where
Hennessy Center
Dominican University
495 Western Highway, Blauvelt, NY

Under the direction of Father Alphonse, 42 classically trained musicians, exceptional vocalists and a featured harpist will fill the Hennessy Center with the music of the Christmas season.

Father Alphonse previously served as conductor and musical director for the Broadway production of A Chorus Line. Today, the Orchestra of St. Peter by the Sea performs to sold-out audiences throughout the tri-state area.

Concert Ticket Prices

General Admission $40
Senior Citizens/Veterans and DUNY Employees $35
Current DUNY Students $25
This event sells out every year.
Purchase your tickets early to reserve your seat.

For questions, please call Bruna Pancheri at (845) 848-7406 or email Bruna.Pancheri@duny.edu.




Community Clean-Up 🌎

We invite you to take part in making a positive impact both around campus and in the surrounding community.
Event Details:
  • Date: Sunday, April 19
  • Sign-Up Link
You can bring friends and family!
Gloves, trash bags, and other supplies will be provided.

Liberal Arts Day

Our students have been working on projects all semester.  Please come to our Annual Liberal Arts Day 2026 to celebrate our students’ creativity and scholarship, view their posters, hear their ideas, ask your questions, and discuss their research. 

April 14, 2026
Rosary Hall
2:15-4:00 PM

Alumni Law Panel

 


Curious about law school and legal careers?
Hear from three DUNY alumni at different stages in the field as they discuss admissions,
the LSAT, navigating law school, and building a career.

Date: March 31, 2026

Time: 12:45–2:00 PM |

Location: Palisades Room, Casey Hall