What does it mean to learn in an AI-driven world? Pace University staff, faculty, and leadership weigh in on the concerns, challenges, and opportunities that AI presents for students, both during their education and within future careers.
For decades, artificial intelligence (AI) has been a cornerstone of industries such as computer science, data analytics, game design, and more. For those outside of these fields, AI has been (until recently) a science-fiction buzzword, a concept tied to the far-off future.
With the introduction of accessible generative artificial intelligence, such as ChatGPT and Claude, AI is no longer reserved for just the highly technical. Now, students and researchers can harness the power of AI tools in their studies; marketers and content creators can cultivate content at incredible speeds; designers can expand their horizons by crowdsourcing inspiration.
AI is no longer a thing of science-fiction. It’s a present-day reality, reshaping industries and revolutionizing the way we learn and teach. In a world where someone can create code without ever learning programming languages, or craft an essay with a few quick prompts, what importance does education hold? What value is there to learning in an AI world?
Standing on the precipice of perhaps the single-most important innovation of the modern era, those in higher education are bracing for impact.
I believe AI will be incredibly transformative, creating as many opportunities (for those that are willing to adapt) as there will be for jobs that may be replaced by AI. —Feyl
James Brusseau, PhD, is a professor of ethics in Pace’s Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, so he’s accustomed to big questions that don’t have answers. “What does it mean to think? What does it mean to be a person? If a machine acts just like a person, does it count as a person?” he asks. “AI allows me to talk about these philosophical questions scientifically.”
Many of the philosophical questions that have arisen with the popularity of generative AI have to do with not only how this will impact careers, but how it impacts career preparation. Are there students getting degrees in fields that will be ‘taken over by AI’? How can educators ensure students are doing their own work and learning the skills they need? What skills can’t AI replace?
Pace has been committed to the study of AI for decades, primarily from a computer science perspective. There are faculty exploring the applications and theory of AI across the fields of healthcare, forensics, UX, fashion, game design, and more. Pace’s Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems is in the process of getting approval for two graduate degree programs and one undergraduate degree program in AI. Recent initiatives include the Seidenberg AI Internship Experience, and the ongoing Seidenberg Undergraduate Research, where students collaborated with faculty on AI-related projects (with presentations slated for the fall).
Here at Pace, we are focused on reskilling and upskilling our students, emphasizing the development of creativity and emotional intelligence to prepare them for the new opportunities that AI will bring. —Krislov
You can't talk about AI at Pace without mentioning Christelle Scharff, PhD. Scharff has been studying AI throughout her entire career, diving into research topics related to machine learning and bias in datasets, and most recently she became director of the newly launched AI Lab on the New York City Campus.
As someone who has been in the trenches with AI for years, Scharff understands why it’s suddenly become such a buzzword. “I believe that the big deal is that the tools related to AI are now in the hands of everybody, while earlier advances were confined and used by people in tech,” she explains.
This widespread applicability of AI has sparked growing concerns about its far-reaching impact on the job market. The rapid advancements in AI technology are not just theoretical—they are transforming industries and creating new opportunities, as well as challenges, for today's workforce.
AI will transform the labor market by automating routine tasks but also creating new job categories. —Krislov
Opinions on how the workforce will change vary from the cynical to the optimistic, but there is one constant: AI will have an impact, one way or another. “AI will transform the labor market by automating routine tasks but also creating new job categories,” president of Pace University Marvin Krislov says.
Scharff agrees that not only will new jobs arise, but AI will become a standard tool for many industries. “We already see prompt engineer as an emerging job,” she says, referring to professionals who know how to craft effective inputs for these AI models. “Everybody will have to be able to use AI and this will be a differentiator. Large Language Models (LLMs) and image generators will permit professionals to be more productive and be used as supportive tools in all possible sectors.”
Brusseau notes some of the more unique applications of AI to industries some might not expect, indicating that how various sectors might grow or change is still hard to predict. He and Scharff collaborated on a study of AI as it relates to African fashion. “We wrote a paper about how AI can be used to help clothing designers produce new kinds of clothes,” he explains. “This is a terrific opportunity for someone from Pace to find or create a kind of job for themselves, using AI to make fashion.” More recently, he studied how artists are using AI to infuse audience interactions into musical performances, by monitoring audience biometrics and using that to inform the musical piece. “This new way of making music opens opportunities for careers combining AI, music, and performance arts.” And in a way more ethically sourced than silly songs generated solely by AI.
AI tools should permit students to extend their knowledge and infuse curiosity, instead of just providing answers to copy and paste. —Scharff
Considering this, the role of higher education firmly lies in ensuring students understand these tools to better incorporate them into the fields they are preparing to enter. “Here at Pace, we are focused on reskilling and upskilling our students, emphasizing the development of creativity and emotional intelligence to prepare them for the new opportunities that AI will bring,” Krislov explains.
University Librarian Steven Feyl has been watching the expansion of generative AI with interest, curious to see how it impacts learning. Even so, he too shares this optimistic view. “I believe AI will be incredibly transformative, creating as many opportunities (for those that are willing to adapt) as there will be for jobs that may be replaced by AI.”
‘For those that are willing to adapt’ is a key differentiator.
Early adopters who understand the opportunities and limitations of AI are more likely to reap the long-term benefits. Brusseau believes this is also the case when it comes to education. “The big change that we’re going to see from AI is not so much in how education works—it’s going to be that students more than ever are going to be responsible for their own education,” he says. “Students who want to learn a lot are going to be able to learn more information at a quicker rate, while those who are clever and just want to get through will also be empowered to do that.”
The role of higher education is to teach critical thinking, creativity, and ethical decision-making.
Feyl similarly sees the benefits and challenges of AI, especially in higher education, as a double-edged sword. “I characterize generative AI as both a daunting opportunity and a daunting challenge,” he explains. “The potential that AI presents for ideation, information retrieval, resource discovery, and the correlation of ideas is just incredible. This is juxtaposed with the daunting challenge to keep the human component at the center in the research process, to be constantly critical of AI, and to adapt to the speed at which AI tools are developing.”
That is where higher education comes in. Education is not built only on the premise of understand course material. We have Google (and now generative AI) for simple information retrieval. The widespread use of AI is a reminder that the purpose for higher education is in the depths of understanding, the cultivation of the human abilities to learn, think, and reason. “The role of higher education is to teach critical thinking, creativity, and ethical decision-making—I will always preach an emphasis on the humanities,” insists Krislov. “While AI can handle many technical tasks, at Pace, we focus on preparing students to use these tools responsibly and understand the broader implications of their use, ensuring they are ready to navigate an AI-driven world.”
Scharff takes the perspective that AI is not something that will replace learning but is a tool that can be used to enhance it. “AI tools should permit students to extend their knowledge and infuse curiosity, instead of just providing answers to copy and paste.” From a faculty standpoint, these tools can also help educators automate tasks that allow them to instead focus on personalized attention. “AI can help faculty generate slides, quizzes, and even grading, providing them with more time to give individual attention to students and creating engaging experiences.”
The potential that AI presents for ideation, information retrieval, resource discovery, and the correlation of ideas is just incredible. —Feyl
Though he generally considers AI overall positive, even Brusseau acknowledges there will be complications. “The risk of artificial intelligence is that students will become careless. They will let AI, in essence, do their work,” he says. “That’s a legitimate downside. On the other side, AI does allow us to learn about things very quickly. I think the big change will be growing inequality in educational outcomes.”
Studies continue to reveal that AI detection tools do not accurately detect AI use and plagiarism, so the responsibility for educators lies less in policing AI use and more in promoting ethical use and AI literacy. “Ensuring that students are genuinely learning and not just relying on AI for their assignments is a top priority,” Krislov explains. “At Pace, we emphasize academic integrity, so we’re proactive in addressing issues like plagiarism and the misuse of AI tools to maintain the authenticity of student work.”
Scharff’s recent work with AI in African fashion had a deep tie to the truth that these tools have implicit bias that must be accounted for. “The main concerns related to AI and ethics are biased data that do not represent the diversity of our world, even in terms of languages,” she says. “Another concern is about privacy. We want to be sure that our data is used the way we want it to be and be aware of the possible intended uses.”
The main concerns related to AI and ethics are biased data that do not represent the diversity of our world, even in terms of languages. —Scharff
This means that the conversation about AI in higher education cannot just be about plagiarism, but also data privacy, algorithm bias, and the ethical impact of AI on individuals, such as artists whose work was used without their consent to train image generating models. Pace has even formed a dedicated committee of faculty and staff, from AI specialists from the Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems, faculty within the humanities, and staff across many departments. Staff co-chair Beth Gordon, PhD, Pace’s Chief Information Officer, is helping steer the AI Committee to build on the groundwork laid by her and her colleagues at ITS, focusing on the ethical integration of AI at the University, from academic integrity to AI literacy across the entire Pace Community.
We aim to prepare our students not just to adapt to an AI-driven world but to lead in it, ensuring they are equipped for successful and ethical careers. —Krislov
While the AI Committee is diving into larger, institution-wide questions, there are plenty that staff, faculty, and students can do to equip themselves with AI skillsets and expand their AI literacy. Starting this fall, a six-week module dedicated to AI (designed by AI Committee faculty co-chair and Seidenberg professor David Sachs, EdD) has been incorporated into the CIS 101 curriculum and there are wider plans to expand this content into University-wide training. For faculty concerned about testing student knowledge in this new AI era, Brusseau has a simple, but effective, recommendation. “I think that what universities can do is return to the old tradition of oral exams,” he suggests. “That will help students focus on learning from AI instead of letting AI do the learning for them.”
At the heart of the conversation about artificial intelligence is this concept of learning. AI models learn from data, but their understanding is limited by the data they are given and the fact that they are not human. When a human thinks, information is filtered through their personal perspectives, contexts, and emotions. Further, AI cannot initiate thought. The decision to begin thinking remains uniquely human.
...Students more than ever are going to be responsible for their own education. —Brusseau
As optimistic as Brusseau is about the impact of AI on the world, he still believes there is a value to human thought that AI at present cannot replicate. “AI, more than anything else, is just a tool,” he says. “That is, I do not think it is capable of producing thought as you and I do.”
So long as the cultivation of human thought remains a pinnacle of higher education, universities and colleges still have a crucial role to play. Universities like Pace that embrace AI as a tool of innovation, while balancing the importance of human critical thinking and ethical usage, will equip the never generation of thinkers who will go further, equipped with AI, but not reliant on it. “At Pace, we are committed to integrating AI responsibly into our curriculum and research,” Krislov says. “By doing so, we aim to prepare our students not just to adapt to an AI-driven world but to lead in it, ensuring they are equipped for successful and ethical careers.”
This article was organized, outlined, and edited with the assistance of a custom GPT from OpenAI. However, the content and insights are entirely human-generated.
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“Championship grit.” That’s how the Setters defined their season—and with a second NE10 title in three years, they proved it. From early setbacks to a stunning postseason run, Pace Baseball delivered a 2025 campaign for the books.
In a year defined by championship grit, the Pace University baseball team finished off a remarkable 2025 campaign by capturing the Northeast-10 (NE10) Conference Championship for the second time in three seasons. Finishing with an overall record of 28–22 and 12–12 in the conference, the Setters turned a rollercoaster regular season into a statement postseason run, earning a spot in the NCAA East Regional.
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In recent months, the Pace University community has said goodbye to several cherished members whose lives and legacies left an indelible mark on our institution. These alumni, faculty, staff, and friends exemplified the values of leadership, service, scholarship, and care. We honor their memory and celebrate their enduring contributions to the Pace Community.
In recent months, the Pace University community has said goodbye to several cherished members whose lives and legacies left an indelible mark on our institution. These alumni, faculty, staff, and friends exemplified the values of leadership, service, scholarship, and care. We honor their memory and celebrate their enduring contributions to the Pace Community.
Pace University mourns the loss of Trustee John T. O’Connor, JD ’86, a longtime and devoted member of the University community. A graduate of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, John served on the Board of Trustees beginning in 2006, bringing leadership, generosity, and an unwavering commitment to the University's mission. A respected attorney and entrepreneur, John held senior positions at Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP and later at Hunton & Williams. He was also the founder of Paradise Road Investors. In 2023, he received the Haub Impact Award in recognition of his exceptional service to Haub Law and Pace. His legacy continues through the many lives he touched at the University.
The Pace Community honors the memory of Steven S. Mezzio, PhD, CPA, whose contributions to the Lubin School of Business and the field of accounting education were both profound and far-reaching. Formerly a partner at PwC, Professor Mezzio served as Professor of Practice in Accounting, Auditing, and ESG at Lubin, and founded the Center for Sustainable Business. He was also an Associate Dean and a dedicated mentor to students and alumni. His work extended beyond the classroom through leadership with the NYSSCPA, PBS, and international organizations such as the United Nations. He is remembered for his vision, integrity, and the lasting impact he made on the Lubin and Pace communities.
Rachel Klingberg, a two-time Pace alumna, served the University with passion and creativity for more than two decades. As Associate Director of Online Communications for Lubin's Office of Communications and External Relations, she led digital initiatives including #LubinLife, Lubin Business Review, and numerous web platforms. Known for her love of history, especially the Victorian era, Rachel brought heart and humor to her work—often with her cat, Jonesy, by her side during Zoom meetings. A true “Go-Getter,” Rachel helped launch Lubin’s Founders’ Day celebration and was always eager to connect, create, and celebrate the community she so loved.
Dr. Joy L. Henderson was a beloved educator and advocate whose work at the College of Health Professions advanced both scholarship and equity in maternal and infant health. An Assistant Professor at the Lienhard School of Nursing, she empowered students through mentorship and evidence-based education in women’s and newborn health. Her impact extended beyond the classroom through research on health disparities and service on state and national advisory boards. Joy was also deeply engaged in DEI efforts across the University and was widely recognized for her clinical excellence and compassionate care. Her legacy lives on in the many students, colleagues, and communities she inspired.
Acclaimed feminist author and activist Susan Brownmiller leaves behind a powerful legacy that includes decades of teaching at Pace University. Best known for her groundbreaking book Against Our Will: Men, Women and Rape, she reshaped national discourse on gender-based violence. A bold thinker and passionate advocate, Susan’s influence spanned journalism, civil rights, and women’s liberation. Her teaching at Pace reflected the same depth and rigor that marked her public work, inspiring generations of students to challenge norms and think critically. She is remembered as a writer, teacher, and changemaker of enduring significance.
Pace University welcomes two new Board of Trustees members—Barbara A. Abeles, a global manufacturing executive and longtime education philanthropist, and Sabrina A. Griffin ’92, an alumna and corporate diversity leader—whose shared commitment to opportunity, leadership, and student success will help shape the future of the University.
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From inspiring words by Etsy CEO Josh Silverman to powerful reflections from alumni, community leaders, and first-generation grads, Pace University's two-day Commencement celebration was a moving tribute to resilience, integrity, and the promise of Opportunitas. Meet the voices who lit up the stage—and the futures they’re helping to shape.
Under the bright spring sky at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, the air shimmered with anticipation. More than 19,000 family members, friends, faculty, and alumni gathered to celebrate a milestone: the graduation of the Pace University Class of 2025. Over the course of two days—Monday, May 19, and Tuesday, May 20—students crossed the stage, memories were made, and words of wisdom echoed across Queens.
This year’s Commencement ceremonies featured an inspiring lineup of speakers whose messages centered around themes of transformation, resilience, leadership, and hope.
At the main ceremony, Etsy CEO Josh Silverman stood before the sea of graduates, reflecting on his own winding path through the tech industry. From eBay to Skype to his current leadership at Etsy, Silverman has spent decades helping to build global platforms—but on this day, his focus was the personal journeys of the 3,218 new graduates.
“The diploma you’re about to receive offers you a life of choice,” Silverman told the crowd. “The only person you should be trying to impress now is yourself. Don’t be a passive actor in your own life. How do you want to measure yourself? What would make you truly proud?”
"You may not be able to clearly see the opportunities ahead, but you will seize them, shape them, and even create them.”
He paused, letting the message settle. “Sitting here, you may not be able to clearly see the opportunities ahead,” he continued, “but you will seize them, shape them, and even create them.”
Silverman was awarded an honorary doctorate during the ceremony—one of several presented over the two days. His remarks set the tone for a weekend that blended celebration with inspiration, personal stories with professional advice.
At Monday’s undergraduate ceremonies, graduates from across Pace’s schools heard from distinguished alumni who had once stood in their shoes.
Cooper Koch ’18, a Golden Globe–nominated actor, returned to address students from Dyson College of Arts and Sciences, the Sands College of Performing Arts, and the School of Education. His message was one of self-acceptance and personal strength.
“You can never let anyone, or any amount of success or failure, define your self-worth. You define your worth by being true to yourself. By showing up for yourself,” Koch said. “No external measurement can tell you who you are—that’s up to you to decide.”
Later that day, Dr. Launette Woolforde ’93, deputy chief nursing officer at Northwell Health, took the stage for graduates from the Lubin School of Business, College of Health Professions, and the Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems.
“Integrity, graduates, is arguably in short supply, and we are all counting on you to restore it.”
“The world doesn’t just need more plain, old educated people,” she said. “It needs thoughtful people. It needs courageous people. People who will speak up and speak out, and lift others as they climb.” She added, “Integrity, graduates, is arguably in short supply, and we are all counting on you to restore it.”
Tuesday’s graduate and professional school ceremonies spotlighted the impact of Pace alumni and honorees whose careers have shaped communities and industries.
Commissioner Robert S. Tucker ’96 of the New York City Fire Department, who earned his law degree at Pace while attending night classes and graduated a semester early, was awarded an honorary doctorate. For Tucker, the moment was deeply personal.
“Leadership is not about titles or power or prestige,” he told the graduates. “It's about service, or serving others with integrity, compassion, and a sense of duty. It's about doing what's right, even when it's hard, and it's about taking responsibility for the communities you serve.”
Anjali Sud, CEO of Tubi, the most-watched free streaming service in America, brought her story full circle from Flint, Michigan, to the helm of a major tech company. Her message emphasized mindset over metrics.
“Surround yourself with optimists,” Sud said. “If you look across every technologist, entrepreneur or innovator you admire—across all personalities, styles, mantras, philosophies, you’ll find that they all have this trait in common.”
Sud was awarded an honorary doctorate, and Lorelei Atalie Vargas, then chief community impact officer at Trinity Church Wall Street, received Pace’s Opportunitas in Action Award for her service and impact.
For computer science graduate Dante Hurr, the moment was more than ceremonial—it was a family first. As this year’s student recipient of the Opportunitas Award, Hurr stood proudly as a first-generation college graduate from Washington, DC.
“Everything I’ve accomplished here at Pace helped me understand the real meaning of our mission: Opportunitas,” Hurr shared. “If not for the opportunity I was given the moment I was accepted—with a scholarship and with belief—who knows where I’d be today. Certainly not up here, holding the first bachelor’s degree in my family.”
In his remarks, President Marvin Krislov reminded graduates that their education comes with a greater responsibility to themselves and the world.
“You carry more than a degree—you carry a promise,” he said. “A promise to your family, to yourselves, and to the Pace Community. A promise to keep learning, to stay curious, to lead with empathy, to use your education not just for you to advance, but to bring others along with you.”
"You carry more than a degree—you carry a promise...A promise to keep learning, to stay curious, to lead with empathy, to use your education not just for you to advance, but to bring others along with you.”
He closed with a challenge that spoke to the heart of the University’s mission: “Stay open. Stay resilient. Keep asking, ‘What can I do?’ Because higher education does more than just prepare you for a job. It prepares you to ask hard questions that will make your life meaningful, to help build strong communities, to speak up, and to carry forward the work of justice and truth.”
The Class of 2025 includes future nurses and physicians, lawyers, cybersecurity experts, educators, performers, entrepreneurs, and advocates. Each one leaves Pace equipped with knowledge—and a drive to make a difference.
The cheers and camera flashes may have faded, but the stories that unfolded on that stage will ripple outward in the lives of thousands.
Because at Pace, Commencement isn’t an ending. It’s a beginning.
Want to see even more photos from this year's Commencement? View the full gallery.
Pace University welcomes two new Board of Trustees members—Barbara A. Abeles, a global manufacturing executive and longtime education philanthropist, and Sabrina A. Griffin ’92, an alumna and corporate diversity leader—whose shared commitment to opportunity, leadership, and student success will help shape the future of the University.
As the demand for skilled accountants surges and the talent pipeline shrinks, Pace University is stepping up. With a legacy dating back to 1906, the Lubin School of Business is leading the charge—equipping accounting students with in-demand skills in AI, data, and ESG. In a changing profession, Pace continues to deliver the talent the industry needs now and next.
From real dog to campus icon, our mascot has always set the pace. Discover how T-Bone wagged his way into Pace University history—and into hearts far from the New York metro area.
Not everyone gets to say they went to college with their dad—and helped inspire his second act. Discover how Sofia Speranza ’27 and her father Frank found their calling in nursing, together.
“Not many people get to say that their dad is in college with them.”
Even fewer can say they helped inspire their dad to go back to college—and fewer still can say he joined them at the same school, in the same field.
For Sofia Speranza ’27, her college experience isn’t just about earning a degree—it’s about continuing a family legacy of service. And for a time, she got to do it side by side with her dad.
Not many people get to say that their dad is in college with them. —Sofia
Nursing wasn’t the original plan for either Sofia or her father, Frank. "Nursing was not something that I always knew I would want to do," Sofia says. What they did know—what they always knew—was that they wanted to help people. "Throughout my whole childhood, I knew I wanted to help people,” she explains.
That spirit of service runs deep in Sofia’s family. “I grew up with parents who both committed their lives to public service," she says. Her father was a police officer. Her mother is a special education teacher, and her sister is pursuing an education degree as well. Her grandmother owned a daycare and was a nurse. Her grandfather was a mailman who left a legacy in his hometown as a beloved Boy Scout troop leader. “Even though he passed away almost 16 years ago, people still know him by name, because he would help anyone.”
Sofia chose a different but equally service-driven path: healthcare.
As she explored nursing programs, Pace stood out for one major reason—she could get started on her nursing education right away. “Any state school you go to, you get in as a pre-nursing major for two years,” she explains. “Then you take an exam and if you don’t pass, you don’t get into the nursing program and you’ve wasted two years. Pace is direct admit.”
Throughout my whole childhood, I knew I wanted to help people —Sofia
As Sofia was exploring her future, her father Frank was contemplating his own. “My dad had been retired from law enforcement for a while and he kind of lost that sense of purpose," Sofia says. "It was sad to watch because he did other things after retiring, but they weren't necessarily in a field of directly helping people the way he wanted."
After retiring from law enforcement, Frank spent a few years as a stay-at-home dad to Sofia and her twin sister, Anya. As the sisters began their college search, Frank joined Sofia at a Pace Open House. “I sat through the Lienhard School of Nursing presentation and I was just struck,” he recalls. “What I gleaned about nursing was that it's this balance of physical work and intellectual achievement. And it really spoke to me.”
It was a simple, everyday moment that pushed him to take the leap. “We were in the Sam’s Club parking lot,” Sofia recounts. “He asked me in the car what I thought he should do, if going to school for nursing was a good idea? I told him to do it.”
I wanted to succeed for me. I wanted to be a role model for my daughters.
—Frank
Frank began working on earning the credits he needed online while Sofia started her first year at Pace. He officially joined her on campus during the spring semester. Though Sofia was pursuing her four-year nursing degree and Frank was in the accelerated degree program, she says it was still fun to be able to share the college experience with her father. "Now, even after he’s graduated, all of his professors are now my professors. They all knew me before I was even with them."
As the oldest student in his cohort, Frank felt driven to succeed. “I wanted to succeed for me. I wanted to be a role model for my daughters. And honestly, as I was there longer, for the other students in the program,” he says. “You can really reinvent yourself. I was able to do that, and faculty like Elizabeth Berro, PhD, the head of the program, really encouraged it.”
I want to create generational inspiration. —Frank
Frank graduated in December 2024 and is already working as a nurse at St. Lukes Cornwall Hospital. According to him, everyone in his cohort passed the NCLEX exam and began work as a nurse. He says education at Pace really set him apart. “Pace has a great reputation. I was hired with nine other nurses at my job,” he says. “I’ve seen others in our onboarding class struggle. They're not confident in their abilities. I think the education and support I got made all the difference… My education and clinical experience are paying massive dividends.”
Speaking of dividends, Frank’s decision to get his degree was a risk, especially with two children also pursuing their own college education, but it’s one that has paid off. “It’s a huge investment,” he says. “But nursing is the kind of job where I got hired at over $100,000 a year, with no experience other than school.” And Pace’s accelerated program helped him get that return on investment sooner. “The accelerated program is a gift. It gets you through fast but prepares you exceptionally well,” he says. “It was transformative. I love it, and I’d recommend it to anyone.”
And, of course, the best part was that he got to have the experience alongside his daughter. “Being there with Sofia, I felt accountable. I couldn’t tell her to do her best if I gave up,” says Frank. “She pinned me at my pinning ceremony. That was beautiful. Pace creates that kind of world.”
My dad’s a helper, he always has been. He raised me like that. I’m a helper too.
—Sofia
Frank hopes to keep growing and learning in his new profession and for his journey to be a reminder to his daughters to continue the family legacy of service. “I want to create generational inspiration,” he explains. “My law enforcement career wasn’t always easy. It took a toll on me and my family. Now, I’ve rebuilt. I'm moving forward. I’m excited.”
For Sofia, sharing college with her father was something rare and unforgettable. “I wouldn’t change it for anything,” she says. “Being able to watch him now in a career field that he was meant to do—the path was a little not direct, sure, but it led him to where he was supposed to be. In return, it led me to where I was supposed to be too.”
And as for family legacy? “My dad’s a helper, he always has been. He raised me like that. I’m a helper too.”
In a world built for solo streaming, the big screen is making a comeback. According to pop culture expert Melvin Williams, PhD, we’re not just watching movies—we’re reconnecting.
From inspiring words by Etsy CEO Josh Silverman to powerful reflections from alumni, community leaders, and first-generation grads, Pace University's two-day Commencement celebration was a moving tribute to resilience, integrity, and the promise of Opportunitas. Meet the voices who lit up the stage—and the futures they’re helping to shape.
The world is changing fast, and Pace University is preparing the leaders who will change it for the better. From healthcare to public service to law, our students aren’t just keeping up—they’re stepping up, driven by purpose, compassion, and the power to lead the future.
Pace University welcomes two new Board of Trustees members—Barbara A. Abeles, a global manufacturing executive and longtime education philanthropist, and Sabrina A. Griffin ’92, an alumna and corporate diversity leader—whose shared commitment to opportunity, leadership, and student success will help shape the future of the University.
Pace University’s Board of Trustees has welcomed two dynamic new members whose careers reflect a shared commitment to equity, education, and leadership: Barbara A. Abeles and Sabrina A. Griffin ’92. Though their paths are distinct, both women exemplify the university’s mission of expanding opportunity and empowering the next generation.
Barbara A. Abeles is no stranger to breaking ground. As owner, chairman, and CEO of CBL Ceramics Ltd., a Wales-based manufacturer of advanced ceramics for the global electronics industry, she has spent nearly three decades leading global operations in one of the world’s most specialized sectors. Today, her company is one of only three worldwide to produce a rare class of industrial ceramics used in cutting-edge technologies.
A resident of Westchester County, Abeles brings to the board a long-standing philanthropic spirit rooted in education. She serves on the Foundation Board of Westchester Community College and Pace University’s President’s Council. Her support of Pace has been especially impactful: she’s a major donor to the Community Impact Internship Program and established a permanently endowed scholarship to help close gender gaps in the sciences.
“I’ve long admired Pace University’s commitment to creating opportunity through education,” said Abeles. “It’s an honor to join the Board of Trustees and to support a community so dedicated to empowering students to reach their full potential.”
Griffin’s journey to Pace’s Board of Trustees is equally rooted in service and leadership. A proud Pace alumna, she spent more than 30 years at the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, where she rose to the role of assistant vice president and diversity manager. During her tenure, she pioneered programs designed to support and uplift women, LGBTQIA+ professionals, and communities of color within the corporate workforce.
“I want to help create pathways that meet people where they are—whether they’re students figuring it out or alumni reconnecting after time away. If we design experiences that reflect our community’s needs, we’ll keep building something truly meaningful together.”
Griffin is also the inaugural chair of Pace University’s Alumni Association Leadership Council, a position from which she’s helped strengthen ties between the university and its alumni community. She remains an active member of the President’s Council and serves on the Development, Alumni Relations and Public Affairs Committee.
Her civic engagement extends beyond Pace. Based in St. Petersburg, Florida, Griffin serves on The Mahaffey Leading Ladies committee for the Bill Edwards Foundation for the Arts, helping deliver access to the arts to more than 30,000 students each year. She is also involved with the St. Petersburg Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, where she serves on both the arts and finance committees.
“Joining the Board is an opportunity to give back in a way that’s intentional and inclusive,” Griffin said. “I want to help create pathways that meet people where they are—whether they’re students figuring it out or alumni reconnecting after time away. If we design experiences that reflect our community’s needs, we’ll keep building something truly meaningful together.”
Rob Sands, chairman of Pace University’s Board of Trustees, praised both appointments, saying, “Sabrina and Barbara exemplify Pace’s mission of expanding opportunity—Sabrina through her continued alumni leadership and Barbara through her longstanding philanthropic commitment to education. We are proud to welcome them to the board and look forward to the insight, perspective and leadership they bring to our community.”
With these two appointments, the university deepens its commitment to inclusive leadership, experiential education, and the power of a community that lifts one another up—on campus and far beyond.
Peek behind the curtain—and the construction fencing—at the bold reimagining of One Pace Plaza East. We asked the design team of this ambitious transformation 10 questions about what’s happening now, what’s coming next, and why it matters. Spoiler: One of the largest cranes on the East Coast makes an appearance.
From NFL reunions and Shark Tank insights to international acclaim and life-saving heroics, the Pace Community is going further—and bringing the world with them. These 10 moments from the past semester are big on energy, even bigger on impact.
From inspiring words by Etsy CEO Josh Silverman to powerful reflections from alumni, community leaders, and first-generation grads, Pace University's two-day Commencement celebration was a moving tribute to resilience, integrity, and the promise of Opportunitas. Meet the voices who lit up the stage—and the futures they’re helping to shape.
In a world built for solo streaming, the big screen is making a comeback. According to pop culture expert Melvin Williams, PhD, we’re not just watching movies—we’re reconnecting.
In an age of instant access and solo scrolling, why are people racing back to the movie theater? According to Communications and Media Studies professor Melvin Williams, PhD, it’s about more than just the film. It’s about reclaiming shared stories and experiences. “The broader state of culture is, for many, still a reclamation pursuit,” Williams says. That pursuit of joy, connection, and nostalgia was accelerated by the isolation and disruption of the pandemic.
The COVID-19 shutdown didn’t just pause everyday routines—it fundamentally reshaped how we engage with entertainment and with each other. Movie theaters closed their doors. Broadway went dark. Concerts were canceled. “The pandemic shutdown forced human confinement and a heavy reliance on digital-media-driven entertainment forms and streaming platforms as the entertainment industry experienced a global shutdown,” Williams explains.
The broader state of culture is, for many, still a reclamation pursuit.
For many, screens became the only portal to culture and community. But something was missing. “People desperately craved new entertainment stimuli and avenues for community formation around fan engagement and viewing experiences that mirrored social experiences pre-COVID-19,” he says.
That craving didn’t fade as restrictions lifted—it deepened. Long before lockdowns, viewers were trading the theater for their couches, turned off by ticket prices and overpriced popcorn. But in the aftermath of collective isolation, audiences began to realize that the cost of admission didn’t just buy media access, it bought an experience. According to Williams, “It should come as no surprise that Broadway is experiencing record-breaking attendance numbers for astute plays, movie theater attendance has risen substantially since 2020, and audiences are gathering in large numbers to reclaim previously beloved entertainment consumption habits.”
And then came the blockbusters that did more than bring people back—they made moviegoing an event. Suddenly, seeing a film meant dressing up, posting on social, and making a night of it. “Barbenheimer,” the viral mashup of Barbie and Oppenheimer, transformed from meme to movement, as fans turned out for a back-to-back spectacle.
In the case of Barbie, we witnessed film’s pop culture engagement at its finest.
Barbenheimer Weekend and later, the premiere of Wicked: Part One, marked a cultural return to theaters and demonstrated the public’s desire for culture and community. “In the case of Barbie, we witnessed film’s pop culture engagement at its finest,” Williams says. “Besties and friend groups marched to the theaters in Barbie-themed costumes, purchasing Barbie AMC merchandise exclusives, and embracing pop culture’s enduring legacy of eccentricity, expression, and nostalgia.” The movie was only part of the appeal. Dressing up, going with friends, and being part of the moment became the real draw.
Wicked brought a different energy—one rooted in nostalgia. “Wicked showcased pop culture nostalgia’s power as a media product,” says Williams. “The film simultaneously resurrected audience interests in Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West and the iconic Tony Award-winning musical Wicked.”
Watching a film in theaters inherently creates a different experience than video on demand. “Audiences are seated theater-style, positioned with clear foci on the big screen, and the lights are dimmed.” Williams breaks down this experience, saying, “These factors spark temporary departures from reality fueled by a fascination with movie characters and scopophilia, or rather the pleasure of looking at and sometimes even objectifying the characters.”
But for many, the biggest difference isn’t just how we experience the media—it’s the feeling of belonging. Says Williams, “You are removed from your familiar, at-home location and placed in an environment designed to create a distinct viewership experience and voyeur.”
Pop culture moments like these film events extract us from previously depressive moments and refuel us with hope for the arts and humanity!
For many, that’s the real difference. It’s not just about how we watch—it’s about watching together. The return to theaters is one part of a cultural reset. “Pop culture moments like these film events extract us from previously depressive moments and refuel us with hope for the arts and humanity!” says Williams.
That hope is exactly what brings people back—not just for the stories on screen, but for the feeling they carry home. “The thing I love about pop culture and why I teach it at Pace University and for my CMS 245: Communication and Popular Culture class (shameless plug, but hey, who would I be if I didn’t!) is its power to inspire joy, perseverance, and victory for audiences.”
In an era defined by separation, pop culture is doing what it does best—bringing us back together.
From inspiring words by Etsy CEO Josh Silverman to powerful reflections from alumni, community leaders, and first-generation grads, Pace University's two-day Commencement celebration was a moving tribute to resilience, integrity, and the promise of Opportunitas. Meet the voices who lit up the stage—and the futures they’re helping to shape.
Not everyone gets to say they went to college with their dad—and helped inspire his second act. Discover how Sofia Speranza ’27 and her father Frank found their calling in nursing, together.
The world is changing fast, and Pace University is preparing the leaders who will change it for the better. From healthcare to public service to law, our students aren’t just keeping up—they’re stepping up, driven by purpose, compassion, and the power to lead the future.
Biology major Kelly Ng and Professor David Boerma are using 3D modeling and evolutionary theory to uncover how the structure of our limbs is shaped by the way we move. Their research explores surprising parallels between humans and Egyptian fruit bats—and may even have implications for injury prevention and medical design.
When Kelly Ng ’26, a biology major from Perth, Australia, joined the Provost’s Student-Faculty Undergraduate Research and Creative Inquiry program, she was looking to grow as a scientist and dive deeper into the kind of hands-on, curiosity-driven work that goes far beyond the walls of the classroom.
“I applied because it offered me an opportunity to grow my skills as a researcher through its provided resources and academic community,” she explained. “I was interested in joining a network of students and faculty engaged in independent research, where I could learn from others’ experiences in research while developing my own.”
“Bat flight research is important in its own right, but being able to use it as a means toward connecting with my students and giving them real ownership over part of their education has got to be one of my favorite parts of being a professor.”
With the mentorship of David Boerma, PhD, assistant professor of Biology at Pace and a Research Associate at the American Museum of Natural History, Kelly found herself working on a deceptively simple question: how do bones evolve to meet the needs of how we move? It’s a question that spans biology, anatomy, biomechanics—and in this case, flight.
Together, they are investigating limb structure in the Egyptian fruit bat, a large mammal with a 20+ inch wingspan whose anatomy offers a unique counterpoint to humans. While humans rely on repetitive use of our legs to walk and run, bats rely on their forelimbs (wings) for flight—a repetitive motion in a different part of the body. Do bats show the same pattern of limb function and bone structure that humans do, just flipped?
“Working with Dr. Boerma, I’m creating 3D structures of leg bones in Egyptian fruit bats to understand how their structure is affected by their function,” said Kelly. “In humans, our legs have less variability because they’re mainly used for walking, while our arms show more variability since we use them for a range of different tasks. We’re studying Egyptian fruit bats to see if this pattern is the same in bats but for the opposite limbs.”
“If a certain kind of animal has evolved to move a certain part of its skeleton in the same way, over and over again throughout its life (e.g., how your legs move to walk), then because those bones experience repetitive forces, they should end up having extremely consistent shapes across all the individuals of that kind of animal,” Professor Boerma explained. “We’re asking, ‘this idea sounds logical, but is it really true?’”
“Being able to see and segment the structures myself made it easier to grasp how limb shape relates to movement,” Kelly said. “It helped me understand those concepts more clearly than I could through lectures or textbooks alone.”
For Kelly, the work has been both technical and transformative. A typical day includes loading CT scans of bat specimens into 3D Slicer software, carefully segmenting bones like the femur, tibia, and pelvis, and cleaning digital models to prepare them for analysis. While the learning curve was steep—“the process of segmenting my first bat took a lot of troubleshooting,” she recalled—the experience pushed her technical skills and built confidence.
“Being able to see and segment the structures myself made it easier to grasp how limb shape relates to movement,” Kelly said. “It helped me understand those concepts more clearly than I could through lectures or textbooks alone.”
For Boerma, mentoring students like Kelly is one of the most meaningful parts of his work.
“Bat flight research is important in its own right, but being able to use it as a means toward connecting with my students and giving them real ownership over part of their education has got to be one of my favorite parts of being a professor.”
He speaks of Kelly’s early commitment to the project with awe:
“I gave her a 60-page master’s thesis from one of our collaborators to read…and she could talk about it with me like a collaborator herself, all before even beginning the project. I can’t find the words to express to you how much fun that kind of interaction with a student is for a professor.”
Beyond bats, biomechanics, or bone variation, this kind of faculty-student partnership is what the Provost’s program is all about. “Asking for help is an important part of research,” Kelly said. “Being open and honest about what you don’t know does not mean you’re less capable—it’s an important step in the learning process.”
As their research moves into the analysis phase—potentially laying the groundwork for medical insights into human injury risk or the evolution of vertebrate anatomy—Boerma sees something more fundamental taking shape.
“Kelly is growing into the kind of student whose work is now more than just a synthesis of what she reads in a textbook; it’s the kind of thing that could become part of a textbook in the future.”
From inspiring words by Etsy CEO Josh Silverman to powerful reflections from alumni, community leaders, and first-generation grads, Pace University's two-day Commencement celebration was a moving tribute to resilience, integrity, and the promise of Opportunitas. Meet the voices who lit up the stage—and the futures they’re helping to shape.
The world is changing fast, and Pace University is preparing the leaders who will change it for the better. From healthcare to public service to law, our students aren’t just keeping up—they’re stepping up, driven by purpose, compassion, and the power to lead the future.
In a world built for solo streaming, the big screen is making a comeback. According to pop culture expert Melvin Williams, PhD, we’re not just watching movies—we’re reconnecting.
Days after graduating from Pace’s Lubin School of Business, Michael Gelchie ’90 began his first job at Louis Dreyfus Company. Thirty years later, he became the company’s CEO, leading a global operation spanning more than 100 countries.
As chief executive officer of Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC), a leading international merchant and processor of agricultural goods, Pace University Lubin School of Business alumnus Michael Gelchie ’90 has a big job. Overseeing some 20,000 employees worldwide, commercial activities in more than 100 countries, and globe-spanning operations that process and transport nearly 100 million tons of products each year, his role is a daily adventure—one that takes him to the far corners of the world, crisscrossing the vast networks and extensive partnerships that make up LDC’s truly global business.
Michael’s 2020 appointment as CEO of LDC was decades in the making—a journey that began in the accounting department on Pace University’s Pleasantville Campus.
As an ambitious college student fascinated by the burgeoning technological revolution sweeping the 1980s, Michael charted his academic course through Pace’s accounting and information systems program. He found it was the perfect marriage of his interests, combining a conventional accounting education with principles of finance and a deep exposure to the technological mechanisms used to retrieve, organize, and analyze financial data.
At the urging of Pace’s Career Services office, Michael also enrolled in several classes outside his degree program, allowing him to qualify for the key certification and licensing exams he needed to successfully launch his career.
“Eileen Murphy in Career Services was quite instrumental in guiding me toward that pragmatic approach,” Michael said. “I ultimately did graduate with an accounting and information systems degree, but because of those extra courses, I was also able to sit for the CPA, CMA, and CIA exams. Those experiences were extremely helpful.”
As he was preparing to receive his degree from Pace, Michael was also diving headfirst into the job search. In the months leading up to graduation, he estimates he sent out seventy-two résumés: “And this was a time when you had to sit down and typewrite every individual cover letter,” he said.
The hard work soon paid off. Just weeks before graduating, Michael landed a job through a connection he’d made at Arnold Foods, where he’d held summer internships over the two previous years. That first job was a junior internal audit position at LDC—the very same company he would be appointed to lead as CEO thirty years later.
“I graduated in May of 1990, and I started at LDC that same June,” he said. “It was an intriguing position—not necessarily what I thought a young person in accounting would be doing. But it was extraordinary to see how many bright, intelligent people were in that environment. Coming into the field of agricultural commodities trading, learning that language, learning auditing at the same time—there was a lot of information to process, but it was an amazing learning experience.”
Michael held a range of positions at the company over the next twenty years, from trading and merchandising to managing LDC’s sugar, rice, and cocoa businesses. In 2008, he helped spearhead the development of the Louis Dreyfus Investment Group as a senior portfolio manager. After a stint away from the company, he returned to LDC in 2019 as global head of coffee and was soon thereafter appointed chief operating officer.
“Establishing our endowed scholarship was an important way for us to extend the same opportunities we received at Pace to current and future students,” Michael said.
He assumed the role of CEO at LDC in July 2020, the culmination of a three-decade agri-commodities career that began just days after he received his Pace diploma. It was a full-circle moment, but there was precious little time for reflection—he was stepping into a role of staggering responsibility in the middle of a global pandemic, as compounding crises were forcing industries across the globe to reckon with a strange and uncertain new reality.
It was among the most complex and challenging periods of his career, he said—a time defined by difficult and potentially existential decisions with vanishingly slim margins for error. But as a leader tasked with navigating the turmoil of the pandemic and engineering a strategy for forward progress, Michael was determined to manage the uncertainty and translate challenges into opportunities.
“When I was appointed CEO, everything was happening through screens,” he said. “I had the chance to learn the role and the business in an incredible way, because it was all being delivered through video. In a normal environment, I might have had to travel around the world for three years to absorb the amount of information and material that I was able to take in virtually at that specific point in time.”
For Michael, the key to successfully leading LDC through challenges like the pandemic—and further elevating the company as one of the world’s foremost agricultural commodities trading firms—is simple: it’s always about the people. It’s about cultivating a sense of connectivity across his leadership team and throughout the organization’s 20,000 employees—a sense of collective purpose and achievement, a shared culture where everyone understands the mission and everyone’s contributions are valued.
In short, Michael believes that investing in people generates extraordinary outcomes. It’s why he has worked to strengthen the culture of mentorship and community at LDC, and it’s why he has provided life-changing philanthropic support to the next generation of leaders—particularly those pursuing their education at his alma mater.
In 2022, Michael and his wife, Pace alumna Linda Gelchie ’94, established the Gelchie Family Scholarship at Pace University, a permanent endowed fund designed to provide sustained, transformative aid to Pace students, with a specific focus on students who may experience learning challenges.
“Establishing our endowed scholarship was an important way for us to extend the same opportunities we received at Pace to current and future students,” Michael said. “Linda and I have seen in our own lives the doors that can be opened through a strong education, and it means a great deal to us to be able to create those possibilities for others.”
In addition to his scholarship support, Michael is also committed to building meaningful personal relationships with students who—inspired by success stories like his—see a Pace education as their pathway to building careers of purpose.
In the spring of 2025, Michael returned to the Lubin School—the place his journey began—to share his experiences with a group of hard-working finance majors. Motivated by the same spirit of mentorship that animates his guidance of younger colleagues at LDC, Michael spoke to the students about his role, his story, the opportunities available in the agri-commodities industry, and the principles that inform his own theory of effective leadership: building a team you can rely on, developing strong communication skills, walking the talk, and—perhaps most importantly—committing to a lifetime of learning.
It's that untiring dedication to learning that keeps that best leaders sharp, Michael said. And it’s a precept he keeps at the center of his own life: He has recently committed to completing an MBA program at Pace, with plans to earn his second Lubin School degree by the end of 2026.
“For people who want to be leaders, what I’d say is that you have to embrace the notion of continuous learning,” he said. “There’s always something new out there to learn, and great leaders always keep their minds open to the ways our businesses and our world continue to evolve.”
From inspiring words by Etsy CEO Josh Silverman to powerful reflections from alumni, community leaders, and first-generation grads, Pace University's two-day Commencement celebration was a moving tribute to resilience, integrity, and the promise of Opportunitas. Meet the voices who lit up the stage—and the futures they’re helping to shape.
Not everyone gets to say they went to college with their dad—and helped inspire his second act. Discover how Sofia Speranza ’27 and her father Frank found their calling in nursing, together.
In recent months, the Pace University community has said goodbye to several cherished members whose lives and legacies left an indelible mark on our institution. These alumni, faculty, staff, and friends exemplified the values of leadership, service, scholarship, and care. We honor their memory and celebrate their enduring contributions to the Pace Community.