Law Professor Bennett Gershman provides expert legal analysis to amNewYork on the distinction between New York City’s corporation counsel and chief counsel. Gershman explains that while the Law Department represents the city in litigation, the chief counsel serves as the mayor’s personal legal adviser, operating under attorney-client privilege on sensitive policy and legal matters— and New York Metropolitan Magazine has the story.
Pace President Marvin Krislov is featured internationally for his leadership in global higher education. Multiple outlets, including The Wire, Bar and Bench, and India Education, report that President Krislov participated in the launch of the World University Leaders Forum at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. The forum brings together university leaders from around the world to advance collaboration on sustainability, innovation, and international engagement.
Dyson History Professor Joseph Tse-Hei Lee writes a piece in the Taipei Times on how historical lessons—particularly from civic resistance movements like Hong Kong’s 2019 protests—can inform Taiwan’s efforts to strengthen democratic institutions, legal safeguards, and international partnerships amid growing geopolitical uncertainty.
In her recent op-ed published in the Albany Times Union, Pace Haub Law Professor Bridget J. Crawford examines a new federal tax rule that would allow tipped workers to claim a deduction—unless their tips come from what the Treasury Department defines as “pornographic activity.” Professor Crawford argues that this exclusion is not a question of morality, but of labor and tax fairness, warning that it disproportionately harms the modern digital workforce, especially women who earn income through subscription-based platforms. She notes that creators on sites like OnlyFans and Fansly are already taxed as independent contractors and receive 1099s like other freelancers, raising a critical question: why should one group of tipped workers be denied a benefit available to everyone else? “Tax policy should meet women where they actually work, not exclude them from deductions,” writes Professor Crawford. “The IRS’s job is to review income, not to judge women’s bodies or the way they earn a living. Women working in digital creator spaces deserve the same neutrality, fairness and access to deductions that the tax code offers other workers.”
Questions about registration, financial aid, or student accounts? The Pop-Up Student Solutions Centers are your go-to resource as we start the Spring 2026 semester. No appointments, no stress—just the answers you need to keep moving forward.
Starting a new semester is exciting—but it can also come with a lot of logistics. From figuring out your financial aid package to making last-minute schedule changes, Pace’s Pop-Up Student Solutions Centers are here to help you navigate it all, so you can focus on what really matters: going for it this semester.
Whether you’re on the New York City Campus or the Pleasantville Campus, you’ve got dedicated support from teams across Financial Aid, Student Accounts, Admissions, and the Registrar’s Office. No appointments needed—just show up during operating hours and get the answers you need.
January 26–January 30, 2026
From adjusting your Spring 2026 class schedule to understanding your tuition bill, the Pop-Up Student Solutions Centers are here to simplify your start to the semester. Because when things run smoothly, you can spend less time in line—and more time chasing what’s next.
Broadway stages. Global policy wins. A first-of-its-kind AI degree. Record-breaking generosity. And students leading real change—from healthcare and environmental advocacy to protecting New York’s wildlife. The Winter 2026 edition of "10 Things to Inspire You" captures just a snapshot of the momentum driving the Pace Community forward.
With Fall 2026 approaching, One Pace Plaza East is quickly moving from construction site to campus centerpiece. The transformational renovation is well underway, bringing new life to one of Pace University’s most iconic buildings.
Named one of the Top 50 Undergraduate Business Professors in the nation, Jessica Magaldi, JD, connects law to what students care about by building courses (and relationships) rooted in meaning, relevance, and real-life learning.
Fifty students. Six sessions. One life-changing experience. As the Center for Leadership and Emotional Intelligence wraps its inaugural program, leaders from across Pace reflect on its impact and share their vision for the future.
What does it mean to lead a life of purpose?
The Center for Leadership and Emotional Intelligence, housed in Pace University’s Lubin School of Business, just completed its inaugural program designed to help students answer that question.
The six-session, non-credit initiative merges the science of happiness with leadership education. Created in partnership with Harvard professor and Kennedy School professor Arthur Brooks, who also runs the Leadership and Happiness Laboratory, the program teaches students to lead with purpose, resilience, and self-awareness.
Ipshita Ray, PhD, the academic lead for the initiative, has spoken passionately about her motivations to bring this initiative to Pace. She adapted tools and exercises developed by Brooks and combined them with her own insights to create a happiness-forward curriculum.
"Our students are learning how to lead by example." —Braun
“This program provides a 360 view of leadership based on a foundation of self-discovery, interrogation, analysis, hard work, and hope for the future,” says Ipshita. “It provides students with the right tools to create their own framework or a plan to build the lives they envision based on a value system and a foundation of positive emotional health.”
It's more important than ever to help students connect. “The data about Gen Z, Gen Alpha, and millennials suffering from depression, anxiety, and loneliness is very clear,” says Ray. That urgency showed in the program’s launch: though capped at 50 students, more than 100 signed up—underscoring a real need for experiences that foster meaning and growth.
The program has received significant support from across Pace University. Ray invited Neil Braun, Lubin dean emeritus and former NBCUniversal president, to co-teach the curriculum with her. “Our students are learning how to lead by example,” Braun says. “With compassion, clarity, and the ability to turn challenge into opportunity.” Braun believes so strongly in this initiative that he’s also pledged funding support.
"This program is more than curriculum—it’s a head start." —Krislov
The Center has galvanized momentum across the Pace Community. Pace alumni Thomas Quinlan III ’85, president and CEO of R.R. Donnelley, came to the New York City Campus to address students at the final session, which was attended by over 180 students. “You can’t lead alone—and you can’t lead without emotional intelligence,” he told them. “What makes teams work is not just skill—it’s trust, empathy, and the way you show up.”
Dean of the Lubin School of Business Ajay Khorana echoed the importance of resilience in the face of change, especially as technology and policy continue to reshape the future of work. “Even as the workplace transforms, emotional intelligence endures as a defining strength,” Khorana said. “Your capacity to lead, adapt, and build meaningful connections will set you apart.”
President Marvin Krislov affirmed the program’s long-term value to students and the University alike. “This program is more than curriculum—it’s a head start,” Krislov said. “Emotional intelligence is the skill that sets great leaders apart, and what students gained here will give them an edge when it matters most.”
"Even as the workplace transforms, emotional intelligence endures as a defining strength"
The Center for Leadership and Emotional Intelligence’s inaugural cohort has finished, but the Center is just getting started. The New York City spring program will begin on January 26. And, according to Ray, “Students are already clamoring to register!” Efforts to expand the program to the Pleasantville Campus will begin in April with a preview session.
Ray anticipates that this program will continue to grow, hoping to bring it not just to both campuses but also to high schools and CUNY schools. “I want to make this a major movement,” says Ray. “My hope is to expand the program University-wide, which would allow Harvard to list us on their website, invite us to symposia, and co-lead research.”
"This program is more than curriculum—it’s a head start." —Krislov
The clearest reflection of the program’s impact? The words of the students who lived it.
“This program changed how I think about leadership,” said Muskan Kumari ’26, a Business Analytics graduate student from Karachi, Pakistan. “It gave me real tools to manage stress, lead with empathy, and grow with purpose. I walked away more confident—not just in my career path, but in who I want to be.”
Named one of the Top 50 Undergraduate Business Professors in the nation, Jessica Magaldi, JD, connects law to what students care about by building courses (and relationships) rooted in meaning, relevance, and real-life learning.
Broadway stages. Global policy wins. A first-of-its-kind AI degree. Record-breaking generosity. And students leading real change—from healthcare and environmental advocacy to protecting New York’s wildlife. The Winter 2026 edition of "10 Things to Inspire You" captures just a snapshot of the momentum driving the Pace Community forward.
When Joseph Benfield ’91, Kathy-Ann Edwards ’93, and Franklyn Smith ’89 arrived at Pace from across the Caribbean, they found more than an education—they found a community that believed in them. Today, they are channeling that shared experience into meaningful impact, establishing a scholarship that honors their journey and invests in the future of Caribbean and Black business students at Pace.
Named one of the Top 50 Undergraduate Business Professors in the nation, Jessica Magaldi, JD, connects law to what students care about by building courses (and relationships) rooted in meaning, relevance, and real-life learning.
Every year, Poets & Quants for Undergrads releases its list of The 50 Best Undergraduate Business School Professors, a national roundup of standout educators shaping the future of business education. One of the names in the class of 2025 is a familiar one: Jessica Magaldi, JD, Ivan Fox Professor and Scholar of Business Law at Pace University’s Lubin School of Business.
The honor came after 19 colleagues, administrators, and alumni nominated Magaldi for her academic rigor, compassionate mentorship, and commitment to innovation. “She exemplifies what this award seeks to honor: a professor whose influence extends far beyond course content,” says alumna Samantha Dorsi ’23. “At the same time, she maintains rigorous academic standards and brings genuine passion into the classroom.”
Another one of her nominators, alumna Dhruvi Gandhi ’18, puts her reasons for nominating her even more succinctly. “Professor Magaldi is the standard by which I measure what an exceptional professor should be.”
Her former students’ testimonials make it clear: while academic excellence may be the foundation for such an honor, it’s Magaldi’s deliberate, student-centered approach that truly sets her apart.
In the Top 50 list, Magaldi’s name is the first under the list of Classroom Innovators. For Magaldi, classroom innovation begins by connecting with what students care about.
Twenty years ago, Magaldi used a copyright case in her intellectual property class involving George Harrison’s “My Sweet Lord” and The Chiffons’ 1960s hit “He’s So Fine”—a controversy with lasting effects on media law. But over time, she found the example no longer resonated with students. Many didn’t know George Harrison or even what a ’60s girl group was.
“This generation of teachers kind of lets ourselves off the hook,” Magaldi muses. “We say our culture is more important than the culture of students.” But Magaldi wanted her students to relate to the material so they could relate to the class. “So, I thought about it,” she says. “And I asked them: who is your favorite musical artist?”
"Professor Magaldi is the standard by which I measure what an exceptional professor should be."—Gandhi
The answer to this question led to one of her most popular classes: Music Industry and the Law (Taylor’s Version). The class uses Taylor Swift’s career to teach intellectual property and music industry law, linking the curriculum to a notable figure that students have an interest in.
“As I heard students talk about Taylor Swift in other contexts, I saw how powerful that connection was. I wanted to harness that interest that students had in Swift to direct it to the business and legal issues that she was involved in,” Magaldi explains. “Rather than insisting that my view of culture is the one that controls, could I take things that are culturally important to my students and use them to teach the things that either I or the curriculum thinks are important?”
Alumna Natalie Filkins ’25 took Music Industry and the Law (Taylor’s Version) and cites Magaldi’s ability to connect curriculum to student interests as one of the reasons she nominated her. Filkins explains, “Her class bridged a gap between the business and humanities departments, and she developed it in response to student interest,” says Filkins. “She has been able to bridge the gap between current events and complicated legal topics.”
Magaldi brings the curriculum into her students’ world, showing that great teaching starts with meeting students where they are.
Magaldi’s passion for keeping her curriculum relevant and engaging isn’t just for the sake of her students, but also for her own love of learning. “I don’t want to stand in front of the room and teach the same thing I’ve been teaching for 20 years and then do it for another 20,” Magaldi explains. “I want to be someone who’s been teaching for X number of years, but not Groundhog Day-ing it.”
Her wildly popular Taylor Swift-focused business law class isn’t the only way Magaldi has worked to adapt curriculum to be more interesting and relevant to her students. When Pace began piloting First-Year Seminars, Magaldi jumped in with a new course that again connected her expertise to student interests: Pop Culture and the Law.
“She did not just teach me law—she helped me discover my passion, develop resilience, and build the foundation for a career I truly love.”—Dorsi
As the course went on, Magaldi found that her curriculum inspired more than academic discussion. “I used My Cousin Vinny and Legally Blonde—both fish-out-of-water stories,” says Magaldi. “They’re both about people dropped into a new scenario trying to figure out the rules—how to dress, how to talk—and figure out how much of themselves to keep.” The class became a vehicle to relate to these first-year students who were experiencing their own fish-out-of-water experiences and to help them decode a university’s unwritten rules and norms, something particularly important with Pace’s population of first-generation Americans and first-generation college students.
Magaldi’s course delivered on the promise of the First-Year Seminars—not only by engaging new students and easing their academic transition, but by meeting students where they are and setting them up for success.
That instinct to meet students where they are extends beyond what Magaldi teaches into how she teaches.
“I have a lot of compassion for the learning process,” she explains. “There are some things that come easy to me and some that don’t. I don’t assume every student has to come to my class with the same level of ability, capability, interest in the subject matter, or even the privilege of being able to concentrate.”
Recently, she’s worked with students navigating everything from familial self-deportation to short-term disability, financial stress, and personal trauma, all while still trying to achieve their academic goals. “There are so many things students are dealing with. We have to appreciate our students as whole people in the context of their larger lives.”
“She has been able to bridge the gap between current events and complicated legal topics.” —Filkins
Dorsi can attest to the power of having a professor care beyond the gradebook. “Perhaps most importantly, Professor Magaldi supported me as a whole person,” Dorsi says. “During times when personal challenges made me doubt my ability to succeed, she believed in me unwaveringly and pushed me to persevere. That mentorship made all the difference.”
This is reflected in Magaldi’s driving mission. “We have to find some meaning,” she says. “My job can be very difficult. The best parts are being able to make real connections with people.”
There’s no stronger testament to her commitment to connection than the alumni who nominated her as one of the Top 50 Undergraduate Business Professors.
“It’s incredibly gratifying to have the kind of relationships with my students that mature into these other relationships where we are all looking out for one another as people, where we are supportive of one another,” she says.
Filkins explains how Magaldi’s mentorship didn’t end with graduation. “I worked as a research assistant for Professor Magaldi for three years,” she says, “She was, and continues to be, a huge source of inspiration for me in pursuing a legal career.”
“Some professors teach courses. Professor Magaldi changes the direction of lives.”—Gandhi
For Gandhi, Magaldi’s guidance has remained a constant—shaping decisions, career moves, and personal growth. “Professor Magaldi has shaped the foundation of my personal and professional life. As an entrepreneur and business owner, I still seek her guidance when making critical legal and strategic decisions,” she explains. “Her influence has followed me across countries, institutions, and years, and it continues to guide my decisions today.”
Just as deeply as these alumni feel Magaldi’s impact, Magaldi finds inspiration in her former students as well. In 2019, Magaldi received the Homer and Charles Pace Faculty Award, only two years after becoming full-time faculty. She recalls that when asked who she wanted to bring, she decided not to invite her elementary-aged daughters (who might not enjoy a very grown-up gala anyway) and instead invited the alumni who nominated her. “Why wouldn’t I want to surround myself with these people? They’re amazing.”
That reciprocity of respect and connection is key to how Magaldi approaches not just teaching, but her life. “I'm trying to nurture that because it’s the thing that makes my job better. When you do that, it comes back to you.”
What comes next for one of the nation’s top professors? For Magaldi, it’s all about staying on top of what is new and interesting.
One of her recent projects includes building an AI tutor for two of her classes, inspired by AI-powered tutors Gabriel Terrizzi, Pace’s director of web, mobile, and AI services, used in his AI in the Workplace class. “I'm conscious of the potential negatives of AI, but I don’t want to be left behind. I want to understand how my students are using it and I want to get as much good out of it as I can.”
"The best parts [of my job] are being able to make real connections with people.”—Magaldi
Building on her experiences as a professor and in the First-Year Seminar, Magaldi is also co-authoring a book focused on helping students navigate their own first-year experience and feel connected at school. “I've been in a lot of places where it feels like everyone knows what's going on except you,” she explains. “I'm trying to demystify that for students entering college.”
As Magaldi looks ahead, exploring new tools, new questions, and new ways to connect, her impact is already written into the stories of her students’ lives.
“I know without question that I would not be where I am today without Magaldi’s guidance,” says Dorsi. “She did not just teach me law—she helped me discover my passion, develop resilience, and build the foundation for a career I truly love.”
For Gandhi and so many others, Magaldi’s impact is rooted in her belief in her students and how she shows up for them. “She sees potential in students long before they see it in themselves and then stays invested in that potential,” says Gandhi. “Some professors teach courses. Professor Magaldi changes the direction of lives.”
Pace’s Federal Reserve Challenge Team has secured a record-breaking sixth national championship title. Team Captain Suraj Sharma ’26 opens up about the grind, the growth, and the meaning behind the historic win.
Higher education is being reshaped by rapid change and leadership matters more than ever. This fall, we welcomed Ajay Khorana, PhD, as dean of the Lubin School of Business and Brian Goldstein, PhD, as dean of the College of Health Professions, two accomplished leaders whose expertise bridges academic rigor, industry insight, and student outcomes.
Fifty students. Six sessions. One life-changing experience. As the Center for Leadership and Emotional Intelligence wraps its inaugural program, leaders from across Pace reflect on its impact and share their vision for the future.
It’s 2026, and Pace University is turning 120. We’re kicking off a yearlong celebration of the people, places, and moments that have shaped our community since 1906. This is just the beginning—stay tuned for stories, events, and ways to get involved all year long.
In 2026, Pace University celebrates 120 years of purpose-driven education, bold ideas, and lives transformed. While this issue of Pace Magazine offers only a glimpse into our enduring legacy, we’re excited to share that a special Deep Dive digital publication—devoted entirely to the history, impact, and spirit of Pace—will launch later this spring.
In the meantime, follow @paceuniversity on social media as we begin rolling out gems from the University archives. From photos and documents to moments that shaped our mission, you’ll discover the stories that continue to define who we are and where we’re headed.
And as spring arrives, so do signature events that bring our community together. A special 1906 Giving Day will highlight the power of philanthropy. Campus celebrations will honor our founders’ birthdays. And in New York, keep your eyes on the skyline as we attempt to illuminate landmark buildings in blue and gold.
We’re also asking you to be part of the celebration. Use the link below to share your favorite memories of Pace or let us know what you’d like to see featured as we explore 120 years of history over the coming months.
Fifty students. Six sessions. One life-changing experience. As the Center for Leadership and Emotional Intelligence wraps its inaugural program, leaders from across Pace reflect on its impact and share their vision for the future.
Higher education is being reshaped by rapid change and leadership matters more than ever. This fall, we welcomed Ajay Khorana, PhD, as dean of the Lubin School of Business and Brian Goldstein, PhD, as dean of the College of Health Professions, two accomplished leaders whose expertise bridges academic rigor, industry insight, and student outcomes.
For 120 years, Pace University has opened doors, challenged expectations, and launched lives. As we mark this milestone, we look ahead—celebrating the people, programs, and purpose that continue to move the Pace Community forward.
Higher education is being reshaped by rapid change and leadership matters more than ever. This fall, we welcomed Ajay Khorana, PhD, as dean of the Lubin School of Business and Brian Goldstein, PhD, as dean of the College of Health Professions, two accomplished leaders whose expertise bridges academic rigor, industry insight, and student outcomes.
Higher education is in a moment of profound transformation. Universities must prepare students not only for today’s workforce, but for industries evolving at unprecedented speed. Pace University has long embraced that challenge—connecting academics with professional preparation, building programs that anticipate the future of work, and investing in leaders who push higher education forward.
That vision advances with the appointments of Ajay Khorana, PhD, as dean of the Lubin School of Business, and Brian Goldstein, PhD, as dean of the College of Health Professions. Both leaders bring deep expertise and fresh perspectives, strengthening Pace’s ability to translate academic excellence into real-world impact.
“We are delighted to welcome two deans who embody excellence in every sense—distinguished scholarship, visionary leadership, and the ability to connect academic rigor with professional outcomes,” said University President Marvin Krislov. “The appointments of Dr. Khorana and Dr. Goldstein reflect Pace’s continued investment in quality and achievement at the highest level.”
At Pace, academics and industry are inseparable. Business students learn steps from Wall Street, gaining not only theoretical knowledge but direct access to internships, experiential learning, and partnerships with some of the world’s most influential firms. The recent Pace of Fintech conference—hosted in collaboration with Goldman Sachs and Sixth Street—is one example of how Lubin leverages its location and network to create opportunity.
“Pace is uniquely positioned—steps from Wall Street, fueled by expert faculty, and deeply connected to the business world."
Dean Khorana embodies that approach. Prior to joining Pace, he served as global treasurer for Citigroup’s U.S. Personal Banking and Global Wealth businesses, overseeing strategic financial planning, risk management, and capital allocation for a $400 billion balance sheet. Over nearly two decades at Citi, he also led the Financial Strategy Group, advising Fortune 500 companies on mergers and acquisitions, capital structure, and corporate governance. Earlier in his career, as a faculty member at Georgia Tech and the University of Virginia, he earned recognition for both his research and teaching.
“Pace is uniquely positioned—steps from Wall Street, fueled by expert faculty, and deeply connected to the business world,” said Dean Khorana. “Having led strategic finance at a global scale, I understand what today’s employers demand and how to shape an education that delivers. There’s no better place to connect business education with the center of the financial world.”
Lubin holds an elite distinction: dual AACSB accreditation in both business and accounting, earned by fewer than 2 percent of business schools worldwide. Its programs consistently rank among the nation’s best—from top-ten recognition in LinkedIn’s Top MBAs for job placement and gender diversity to being the first U.S. business school granted ACCA certification exemptions. Lubin’s Doctor of Professional Studies program also ranks among the world’s top executive doctoral programs, including first in the United States for its focus on corporate social responsibility.
With Khorana’s blend of industry insight and academic leadership, Lubin is poised to extend its record of excellence and prepare students for the next era of global business.
The College of Health Professions (CHP) is another cornerstone of Pace’s academic strategy, nationally recognized for educating healthcare leaders in high-demand fields. Its programs consistently rank among the best in the nation, including placement in the top 3 percent of nursing bachelor’s degree programs by College Factual. U.S. News & World Report ranks nurse practitioner as the #1 healthcare job in America, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting 52 percent job growth between 2020 and 2030—fields where CHP is already a leader.
“At Pace, we’re preparing students to lead, innovate, and serve. I’m excited to build on this strong foundation and help shape the future of care.”
Dean Goldstein joins CHP with a proven record of innovation. As president and chief academic officer at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, he led academic and operational strategy across five campuses serving more than 4,000 graduate students. His leadership drove enrollment growth, expanded hybrid and online programs, strengthened clinical partnerships, and improved both student satisfaction and faculty retention. Earlier roles at La Salle University and Temple University further deepened his expertise in academic leadership, curriculum development, and health sciences education.
“Health care is evolving rapidly—and so is health education,” said Dean Goldstein. “At Pace, we’re preparing students to lead, innovate, and serve. I’m excited to build on this strong foundation and help shape the future of care.”
CHP graduates step directly into high-impact careers. Under Goldstein’s leadership, the college is positioned to expand its national reach, deepen clinical partnerships, and elevate the student experience—while helping define the future of health sciences education.
Together, the appointments of Khorana and Goldstein represent more than leadership transitions. They signal momentum—an institution committed to anticipating industry needs, investing in innovation, and cultivating leaders who turn academic strength into measurable impact.
Since 1906, Pace University has transformed lives through education that connects learning with opportunity. Today, with campuses in New York City and Westchester serving more than 13,000 students across seven schools and colleges, Pace continues to advance that mission. The addition of these two visionary deans marks the next chapter—where academic excellence, professional preparation, and bold leadership converge to shape the future of higher education.
With 1.5 million TED Talk views, seven books, and a record of transformative academic leadership, Pace University’s newest provost is bringing bold ideas—and big energy—to campus.
It’s 2026, and Pace University is turning 120. We’re kicking off a yearlong celebration of the people, places, and moments that have shaped our community since 1906. This is just the beginning—stay tuned for stories, events, and ways to get involved all year long.
Every Pace degree carries a promise. Middle States accreditation helps ensure that promise endures. In this Q+A, Pace leader Nancy DeRiggi explains how the University is assessing its progress, planning ahead, and building momentum that benefits students and alumni alike.
When Joseph Benfield ’91, Kathy-Ann Edwards ’93, and Franklyn Smith ’89 arrived at Pace from across the Caribbean, they found more than an education—they found a community that believed in them. Today, they are channeling that shared experience into meaningful impact, establishing a scholarship that honors their journey and invests in the future of Caribbean and Black business students at Pace.
Pace has long been a hub for Caribbean students pursuing their academic and professional goals. Now, three successful alumni are using their stories to inspire a new chapter in Pace’s proud history of Caribbean student success.
Decades after first crossing paths as Pace University students, Joseph Benfield ’91, Kathy-Ann Edwards ’93, and Franklyn Smith ’89 are still among one another’s closest friends. In fact, they count themselves as part of a broad and close-knit community of Caribbean Pace alumni whose bonds of friendship have endured long past their final walks across the Pace commencement stage.
From the tropics to the towering skyscrapers of Lower Manhattan and beyond, Joseph, Kathy-Ann, Franklyn, and their network of kindred Caribbean Pace alumni have been there for one another through it all: new cultural acclimations, the rigors of university life, challenging CPA exams, first jobs, and the many professional triumphs that have defined their respective careers.
The root of their success? They say it all goes back to the community of like-minded, big-dreaming Caribbean students they found when they first arrived at Pace.
“The Caribbean Pace Community has been absolutely instrumental,” Kathy-Ann said. “We’ve made each other the people we are today. If I had to rewrite our story, I wouldn’t write it any other way.”
While the trio share a cherished Caribbean heritage, their distinct journeys to Pace NYC speak to the vibrant diversity of experiences in their home region, the varying paths to university achievement, and the global connections that bring students from around the world to Pace’s New York City Campus.
Kathy-Ann, born and raised in Trinidad, was encouraged to attend Pace by her high school guidance counselor, who was a Pace alumna herself. Joseph, who arrived in the United States from Guyana with just $200 in his pocket, was referred to Pace by a cousin, also a Pace alumnus, who had ascended the ranks at CBS as a company controller. And Franklyn, the fourth youngest of twelve children from a small village in Antigua, worked for three years after high school to save money for college. He enrolled at Pace because that’s where he felt he could get the most bang for his hard-earned buck.
For all three, the transition was seismic: a new country, a new culture, and the new pressures that come with pursuing—and paying for—a college education. But at Pace, they found a vital support system ready to inspire and uplift them as they worked toward fulfilling their dreams.
“We all basically started from nothing,” Franklyn said. “But there were so many Caribbean students at Pace who were behind us. With our Caribbean classmates, regardless of what island we were from, we all had similar backgrounds, so it was easy to get connected. Once I got to Pace, with our Caribbean folks, I was comfortable.”
“That was our family in the United States,” Joseph added. “I worked full-time and went to school full-time, but meeting these people at Pace, getting involved with organizations like the Caribbean Student Association, that was hugely important. Whether we were from Trinidad or Antigua or Guyana, we were all from the Caribbean. It felt like home.”
Energized by their community of Caribbean classmates and buoyed by support from organizations like the Caribbean Student Association and the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA), Joseph, Kathy-Ann, and Franklyn all excelled as accounting students in Pace’s Lubin School of Business. They credit instructors like Emeritus Professor of Accounting Rudy Jacob (a fellow Guyanese, Joseph was quick to note) and advisors like Professor John Aheto with identifying their innate potential and challenging them to reach beyond the limits of what they believed they could accomplish.
The Pace administration, too, played an essential role in their success, the trio added, especially through efforts to connect them with the resources and financial aid they needed to complete their programs.
In the end, that support and special attention from Pace mentors paid off. Each member of the trio passed their CPA exams on the first attempt, and they weren’t the only ones.
“There were probably 25 people who all passed the exam on the first try in my class,” Franklyn said. “We were well, well prepared by Pace.”
Franklyn, the first member of the trio to graduate from Pace, quickly secured a position at PwC, one of the Big Four accounting firms and among the most prestigious firms in the world. Kathy-Ann and Joseph soon followed in Franklyn’s footsteps, landing their own positions at the firm after receiving their Pace degrees.
PwC was a competitive and intense environment, the trio said, but they felt positioned by their Pace education to tackle its challenges and distinguish themselves as leaders among their peers. Franklyn recently retired as a partner at the firm after 32 years and now sits on the boards of several significant companies. Kathy-Ann just passed her 32-year mark at PwC, where she serves as a trust solutions partner and mentor to countless colleagues. And Joseph departed PwC’s New York office in 1997 after a successful six-year tenure—“I could no longer handle the cold,” he quipped—to continue his career back in the Caribbean, where he has served as a banking services CFO, the CEO of Josa Investments, and, by special request of the prime minister of Barbados, the CFO of the Cricket World Cup, the third-largest sporting event in the world.
According to each of them, their decades of professional success can be traced back in large part to the career preparation Pace provided.
“The opportunities we had at Pace put a lot of tools in our toolkit,” Kathy-Ann said. “It taught us how to survive and thrive in corporate America. Organizations on campus like NABA and the Accounting, Finance, and Management Association put us in situations where we had to build professional skill sets before we even graduated. Those experiences prepared us well for where we landed.”
Today, Joseph, Kathy-Ann, Franklyn, and their Rolodex of Caribbean Pace alumni are working hard to ensure future students receive the same career-centered opportunities that were so foundational to their own success.
In 2024, the group came together to establish the Legacy of the Island Scholarship Sponsored by Pace Caribbean Alumni, a fund designed to support Pace business students with financial need who have a demonstrated interest in Black or Caribbean culture. Establishing a scholarship was the natural culmination of their journey, from Pace students to alumni to industry leaders, they said. Added to their extensive service to Pace as volunteers and alumni advocates, the scholarship further affirms their dedication to giving back to the University that meant so much to them.
What better way to show students, particularly students from the Caribbean, like them, the extraordinary things that can be achieved when a community unites to lift one another up?
“This University did everything for me,” Franklyn said. “It’s done so much for all of us. I’m very proud of Pace, and I always want to help make someone else’s life just a little easier while supporting the University as well.”
“I can’t imagine my life without the circle of friends I met at Pace,” Joseph added. “We support one another, we look out for one another—these are the people who are the pillars of my life. These friendships have sustained me. And if you get help along the way, I think it’s important to bring somebody else along. For me, it’s about paying it forward.”
Want to learn more about how you can support the Legacy of the Island Scholarship Sponsored by Pace Caribbean Alumni? Email Carmen Santos-Robson.
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