Agreement offers seamless academic transition for students

NEW YORK and PLEASANTVILLE, NY (Dec. 18, 2020) – Bard Early College (BEC), a division of Bard College that offers tuition-free college credits to high school students at its network of schools throughout New York City, Newark, Baltimore, Cleveland, New Orleans and Washington D.C., has signed a new joint admission agreement with Pace University, allowing students who earn an associate’s degree through Bard Early College to matriculate into Pace with junior standing.

Leaders from Pace and BEC made the announcement on Friday, Dec. 18, 2020 during a virtual meeting of the two schools – and it also comes after similar agreements have been signed between Pace and community colleges in Westchester, Rockland and Suffolk counties.

As part of the agreement, BEC students who graduate with college credits and earn an Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree with a minimum grade point average of 2.5 will be guaranteed acceptance to Pace University. Students graduating from BEC will have their lower level general education/core requirements waived if they transfer to Pace.

For the transfer students, a maximum of 68 credits will be applied toward the completion of the relevant Pace Bachelor’s degree programs. Additionally, Pace is establishing the Pace University-Bard Early College Scholarship, which offers up to $25,000 to eligible transfer students who graduate with a GPA of 3.2 or higher on either Pace University campus in Westchester or New York City.

“Students in the Bard Early College program are some of the most ambitious students in the country, eager to start their college education before they’ve completed their high school diplomas,” said Pace President Marvin Krislov. “We’re very pleased to provide them an opportunity to continue their students and earn a four-year degree at Pace, and we know they’ll make invaluable contributions to our community.”​

During the virtual meeting of the schools, President Krislov praised BEC and its students, many of whom are historically first-generation college students. He said he was impressed with the fact that 75 percent of last year’s class completed high school with an associate’s degree and 60 or more college credits, and said this agreement with BEC fits squarely with Pace’s mission of Opportunitas, or creating opportunities, and its long tradition of providing access to a college education for ambitious, hard-working students.

Additionally, at Pace, President Krislov said prospective students have more than 150 majors and programs to choose from; opportunities to get involved in over 100 student clubs and organizations; a choice of two campuses – one in lower Manhattan and another in Pleasantville – and can enjoy what campus life has to offer.

“This agreement fits squarely with our mission,” Krislov said. “We’re proud to offer this pathway to a bachelor’s degree for these young associate graduates.”

Bard College President Leon Botstein spoke of the high caliber of students at BEC, and said Pace University’s partnership showed that the program is working. Agreements like this one should be more universally embraced as they show respect for students’ hard work, time, energy and resources, he noted.

“These are very motivated students with a tremendous sense of purpose and a good track record,” President Botstein said. “Pace’s cooperation vindicates what we are trying to do at Bard, and the recognition is very important to us … We are totally thrilled this has come to pass.”

Dr. Dumaine Williams, Vice President and Dean of the Early College said: "The Dual Admissions Agreement, with the prestigious Pace University - Bard Early College Scholarship, is a clear, tangible and powerful articulation of the institutions' shared commitment to expanding opportunities for students to access, afford and succeed in college.”

Bard students committing to Pace will have access to academic counselors to maximize course offerings and to ensure a smooth transfer process. Transfer students will also be able to tap into thousands of internship and career placement opportunities offered through Pace’s Department of Career Services. Historically, Pace has some of the strongest job placement outcomes among undergraduate and graduate students. It’s one of the many reasons that Pace is ranked number one in upward economic mobility among four-year private universities according to a study conducted by Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights.

BEC provides essential access to a serious college course of study to a diverse group of young people. These satellite campuses of Bard College are operated through partnerships with public school systems – tuition free -- and empower high school students, particularly those at risk of not completing postsecondary education, to access, afford, and complete college so that they are prepared to contribute to civic life and a range of professional pathways. BEC simultaneously works to influence and lead a growing early college movement focused on equity and excellence.

“This agreement with Bard Early College not only provides students with opportunities to pursue higher education and to reach their potential, but it also creates a clear pathway for a person to achieve their goals and transform their life now and for years to come,” said Pace Provost Vanya Quiñones. “This agreement aligns with both of our school’s missions and we are eager to be partnering with BEC to make it a reality.”

About Pace University

Pace University has a proud history of preparing its diverse student body for a lifetime of professional success as a result of its unique program that combines rigorous academics and real-world experiences. Pace is ranked the #1 private, four-year college in the nation for upward economic mobility by Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights, evidence of the transformative education the University provides. From its beginnings as an accounting school in 1906, Pace has grown to three campuses, enrolling 13,000 students in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in more than 150 majors and programs, across a range of disciplines: arts, sciences, business, health care, technology, law, education, and more. The university also has one of the most competitive performing arts programs in the country. Pace has a signature, newly renovated campus in New York City, located in the heart of vibrant Lower Manhattan, next to Wall Street and City Hall, and two campuses in Westchester County, New York: a 200-acre picturesque Pleasantville Campus and a Law School in White Plains. Follow us on Twitter or on our news website.

Agreement offers seamless academic transition for students

NEW YORK and PLEASANTVILLE, NY (December 14, 2020) – Suffolk County Community Collegeand Pace University have signed a new joint admission agreement, allowing students who complete their studies at SUNY Suffolk to matriculate into Pace with junior standing.

Presidents, provosts and administrators from Pace and SUNY Suffolk made the announcement on Monday, December 14, 2020 during a virtual meeting of the two schools.

As part of the agreement, SUNY Suffolk students who graduate from more than 30 programs with an Associate of Arts (A.A.), Associate of Science (A.S.) or Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree and a minimum grade point average of 2.5 will be guaranteed acceptance to Pace University. Students graduating from SUNY Suffolk will have their lower level general education/core requirements waived if they transfer to Pace.

For the transfer students, a maximum of 68 credits will be applied toward the completion of the relevant Pace Bachelor’s degree programs. Additionally, Pace will offer scholarships of up to $25,000 to eligible transfer students who graduate with a GPA of 3.2 or higher on either Pace University campus in Westchester or New York City. The schools are also part of The New York State Presidential Transfer Scholarship program, which offers full scholarships to eligible students.

“We are excited to join with SUNY Suffolk to provide the opportunity for their students to pursue dual admission and start on a path to a four-year degree,” said Pace President Marvin Krislov. “This agreement builds on and strengthens our longstanding partnership with Suffolk, and we’re looking forward to welcoming their hard-working, ambitious graduates to Pace.”

During the virtual meeting of the schools, President Krislov noted that SUNY Suffolk graduates have more than 150 majors and programs to choose from at Pace; opportunities to get involved in over 100 student clubs and organizations; a choice of two campuses – one in lower Manhattan and another in Pleasantville – and can enjoy what campus life has to offer.

“Suffolk County Community College is about creating opportunities for its students. With this important Joint Admissions Program, Suffolk students will be guaranteed admission to Pace University upon meeting the qualifications,” said Suffolk County Community College Interim President Louis J. Petrizzo. “This initiative is about providing Suffolk students with all the possibilities an outstanding University has to offer and we could not be more pleased that Pace University has agreed to allow our students this opportunity.”

SUNY Suffolk students committing to Pace will be able to maximize course offerings and ensure a smooth transfer process. Transfer students will also be able to tap into thousands of internship and career placement opportunities offered through Pace’s Department of Career Services. Historically, Pace has some of the strongest job placement outcomes among undergraduate and graduate students. It’s one of the many reasons that Pace is ranked number one in upward economic mobility among four-year private universities according to a study conducted by Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights.

With approximately 25,000 students, Suffolk County Community College is the largest community college in the SUNY (State University of New York) system. It has three campuses – in Selden, Brentwood and Riverhead -- and offers more than 100 degree and certificate options.

For Pace junior Reynaldo Dallas, who graduated from SUNY Suffolk with a 3.9 GPA, the transition to Pace University has been smooth. In his remarks during the meeting, Dallas, a recipient of the New York State Presidential Scholarship, thanked professors and administrators at both schools for being supportive, encouraging and creating a path for his academic success.

“I’m beyond grateful for having this opportunity,” he said. “All of my credits transferred and the process has been seamless.”

“Providing students with opportunities to pursue higher education, reach their potential and achieve their goals are guiding principles at Pace,” said Pace Provost Vanya Quiñones. “This agreement with SUNY Suffolk will be a transformative experience for students and creates a clear pathway for success. We’re eager to be partnering with our Long Island colleagues to make this agreement a reality.”

Dr. Paul M. Beaudin, vice president academic and student affairs, said: “Suffolk provides opportunities for every student, for those who are seeking immediate training to enter the workforce, for those who seek to get a degree which will lead to a career, and for those who are seeking to complete their degree and then to transfer to the best local and national colleges for the baccalaureate degree. Our new joint admissions agreement with Pace University is an affirmation of Pace’s positive view of the quality of our degree and creates a pathway to a premier institution that provides students with amazing formal and informal learning experiences. We want to partner with such institutions for the benefit of our students.”

About Pace University

Pace University has a proud history of preparing its diverse student body for a lifetime of professional success as a result of its unique program that combines rigorous academics and real-world experiences. Pace is ranked the #1 private, four-year college in the nation for upward economic mobility by Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights, evidence of the transformative education the University provides. From its beginnings as an accounting school in 1906, Pace has grown to three campuses, enrolling 13,000 students in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in more than 150 majors and programs, across a range of disciplines: arts, sciences, business, health care, technology, law, education, and more. The university also has one of the most competitive performing arts programs in the country. Pace has a signature, newly renovated campus in New York City, located in the heart of vibrant Lower Manhattan, next to Wall Street and City Hall, and two campuses in Westchester County, New York: a 200-acre picturesque Pleasantville Campus and a Law School in White Plains. Follow us on Twitter or on our news website.

About SUNY Suffolk Community College

Suffolk County Community College is the State University of New York’s (SUNY) largest community college, enrolling more than 25,000 for-credit students and over 10,000 non-credit students. The College offers more than 100 degree and certificate program options.

Prolific writer. Accomplished actor and filmmaker. Emmy-award winner.

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It’s hard to summarize Neil Garguilo’s work in any neat and organized way, but such is often the case with creative genius. Today, he is best known for using humor to call out systemic inequality and stereotypes in entertainment.

A showrunner for the TV series MOCKpocalpyse, founding member of the improv comedy group Dr. God (behind the 2015 horror-comedy Bloodsucking Bastards), Garguilo is also co-creator, showrunner, and star of the Syfy series Hell Den, a dystopian social satire which combines original animation with old, live-action and re-dubbed clips, and provides the audience with an opportunity to directly consider how messages that foster prejudice can live on through generations.

One of his proudest accomplishments is his Funny or Die series, Brainwashed by Toons. For this, he co-wrote songs about the normalization of bigotry and sexism over the past century, resulting in a 2020 Daytime Emmy win for Outstanding Original Song and a nomination for Outstanding Writing for a Special Class Series.

For Garguilo, the work is personal.

“I am of Puerto Rican and Italian descent, and in my life, I’ve been in rooms where people didn’t realize my Hispanic background, and they’ve said some very ignorant stuff that comes from a very bad place,” Garguilo said.

Originally from central New Jersey, Garguilo knew from a very young age that he wanted to work in entertainment. As a young boy, he was obsessed with SNL and Comedy Central, but didn’t really know the specific path to follow, so—like a true student of the liberal arts—he immersed himself in everything he could.

The first on his father’s side of the family to go to college, and second-generation on his mother’s, Garguilo’s undergraduate years were formative.

“[College] molded me most by providing a better understanding of what I can achieve,” Garguilo said.

As a student at Pace, he performed standup as a side gig at the New York Comedy Club, and, in 2003, discovered the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, an alternative comedy troupe in New York City that incubated the talent of many of today’s well-known stars, including those made famous on SNL. It was here that he fell in love with improv, and has been performing in this genre, as well as sketch comedy, in the Los Angeles comedy scene for more than fifteen years.

When asked if he has any future projects up his sleeve, Garguilo, of course, said “tons.”

“If you’re a show creator or feature film writer, you need to constantly be developing. Between feature film, scripted television, and alternative television, I currently have thirteen shows pitching and dozens on my development slate,” Garguilo said. “There are a few exciting things coming up in 2021, but I’ll be assassinated if I speak about them publicly, and being assassinated really puts the brakes on development!”

What is certain, is that one of Garguilo’s goals as he moves forward in his work is to continue his efforts to normalize new messages that serve to tear down stereotypes and promote diversity and equity.

In offering advice for students, he said, “Take advantage of your internships. Also, take an improv class!”

Eight Pace Fellows Selected from 15,000 Applicants; Students Taking Action to Advance UN Goals

NEW YORK (December 10, 2020) – Eight Pace University students recently completed a semester-long leadership development program that convenes, challenges, and celebrates student leadership worldwide. As members of the Millennium Fellows Class of 2020, they are part of a global network of scholars who are working on local solutions to some of the world’s most pressing environmental, health, and societal challenges.

The selective Fellowship, a partnership of the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) and Millennium Campus Network (MCN) since 2018, included more than 1,400 students from 80 campuses across 20 countries, including Nigeria, Nepal, Pakistan and the United States.

As one of the speakers at the recent graduation ceremony, Pace President Marvin Krislov congratulated the Millennium Fellows and noted that he was proud of their important work.

“You have made a remarkable commitment to be the change you want to see in the world,” Krislov said to the fellows in a video message. “I am so proud of your accomplishments.”

The Pace student-led projects focused on addressing global problems close to home, such as promoting sustainable living practices on campus; reducing the university’s carbon footprint; raising awareness about the dangers and proximity of human trafficking in the region; and cultivating relationships between local farms and communities to reduce contamination of our waterways, among other empowering projects focusing on peace, justice, and providing quality education to at-risk students.

“In leading projects that focus on global challenges such as ensuring clean drinking water for all people, stopping human trafficking, reducing waste, developing alternative sources of energy and educating vulnerable populations, Pace’s students have shown they are serious about taking on some our world’s most serious problems,” said Sue Maxam, EdD, assistant provost for special projects and retention initiatives. “I couldn’t be prouder of our students as they are truly inspirational change agents who are determined to make a difference on campus and beyond.”

There are many components to the program, including that students had to develop projects at their respective institution and communities, while communicating and collaborating with fellows from all over the world. Maxam, who served as the mentor for the Pace University fellows, said that all programs are designed to advance the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

The Class of 2020 fellows from Pace University are:

• Kendra Cooper-Smith: Environmental Studies
• Aissatou Gningue: Public Accounting/Political Science
• Mikayla Martin: Applied Psychology & Human Relations
• Chloe Mayhew: Global Studies
• Annabella Mead-Vancort: Political Science
• Akhila Ramesh: Communications
• Alena Romanova: Biology
• Jessica Witkowski: Political Science

Kendra Cooper-Smith, whose project focused on ways community members in the lower Hudson Valley can be instrumental in improving the health of local water, hopes to empower people to take action and care for our vital water supply.

“I was driven to apply to the program by both my passion to aid our current environmental crisis in my own small way, and a yearning to find a like-minded community of change makers,” said Cooper-Smith. “It means so much to be selected for the fellowship, and I am so thrilled to be a member of the progressive community of young people like myself.”

Overall, competition for the program was fierce this year. More than 15,155 students applied for the Fellowship, representing 1,458 campuses across 135 nations. In total, 1,428 Millennium Fellows were selected on 80 campuses across 20 nations.

In announcing the Fellowship class earlier this year, leaders at UNAI and MCN noted that student leaders are committed to making positive contributions and building a culture of social responsibility while understanding what it means to be global citizens.

“When we created the United Nations Academic Impact to foster a culture of intellectual social responsibility, we considered ‘intellect’ not as something remote or esoteric, but rather as a quality innate in every thinking individual,” said Ramu Damodaran, chief of United Nations Academic Impact. “Our collaboration with MCN will allow students to demonstrate how the wisdom and thought they invest in their formal curriculum can be extended to a greater purpose of common good, lending their strengths to their communities and their world and, in turn, being enriched by them.”

Learn more about the Millennium Fellowship, now accepting applications for the Class of 2021, at millenniumfellows.org.

About Dyson College

Pace University’s liberal arts college, Dyson College offers more than 50 programs, spanning the arts and humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, and pre-professional programs (including pre-medicine, pre-veterinary, and pre-law), as well as many courses that fulfill core curriculum requirements. The College offers access to numerous opportunities for internships, cooperative education and other hands-on learning experiences that complement in-class learning in preparing graduates for career and graduate/professional education choices..

About Pace University

Pace University has a proud history of preparing its diverse student body for a lifetime of professional success as a result of its unique program that combines rigorous academics and real-world experiences. Pace is ranked the #1 private, four-year college in the nation for upward economic mobility by Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights, evidence of the transformative education the University provides. From its beginnings as an accounting school in 1906, Pace has grown to three campuses, enrolling 13,000 students in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in more than 150 majors and programs, across a range of disciplines: arts, sciences, business, health care, technology, law, education, and more. The university also has one of the most competitive performing arts programs in the country. Pace has a signature, newly renovated campus in New York City, located in the heart of vibrant Lower Manhattan, next to Wall Street and City Hall, and two campuses in Westchester County, New York: a 200-acre picturesque Pleasantville Campus and a Law School in White Plains. Follow us on Twitter or on our news website

Imagine you’re 20 years old—at home for spring break and psyched for the summer internship you just landed. It’s at a great company, it’s the right fit, and you’re looking forward to learning so much.

But then, you find out that you can’t go back to your residence hall. And that all of your classes at Pace have been moved online. And then, to your shock and horror: the amazing company you can’t wait to intern for has put your internship on hold—lack of funding, the email says. Bad news on top of even worse news.

So, what’s next?

Just as news of countless canceled summer internships broke in the wake of the rising COVID-19 pandemic, Career Services at Pace announced a brand-new initiative: New York Recovery Internships, a program which would fund Pace students to work for nonprofit organizations that are supporting communities in need in and around New York City and Westchester.

For more than 65 Pace students, many of whom had their summer internship plans canceled due to the pandemic, this opportunity allowed them to not only gain the experience they had planned for, but also make a big impact in communities that were hurting.

“By funding these internships, we’re able to help our students gain valuable work experience, do our part to drive economic growth by producing well-prepared talent, and bring much-needed assistance to our communities,” wrote Pace University President Marvin Krislov in his Forbes column. “The New York Recovery Internships help our students and help our communities.”

And our students couldn’t agree more. “I was honored to support the National Urban League mission and see that there are more opportunities to educate beyond the classroom,” said Vicky Trieu '21, a childhood education major. “During this internship, I have been able to push myself more than I ever thought I could. I am eager to integrate policy and advocacy material into my classroom pedagogy.”

In addition to Pace’s initial seed money to fund these internships, the University sought financial support from philanthropic partners to aid in continuing the program, working in tandem to support not only Pace students who benefit from the internship opportunities, but the nonprofit organizations they intern with.

The best part of my internship was being a part of an organization that allows for and is open to new ideas.

Now in partnership with the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), one of the world’s leading philanthropic organizations making grants to nonprofits, the program will continue to support not only Pace students, but the communities surrounding our campuses during one of the most challenging times we’ve faced in recent memory.

“Grants made as part of the initiative focus on research, access to food and other necessities, education, mental health support for specially affected populations, emergency relief for artists, support for frontline staff, and more,” wrote SNF in their announcement. Along with many philanthropic partners across the globe, Pace students were eager to participate in the first phase of this initiative—to enormous success. Proving our continued commitment to the economic recovery of our local communities and creativity in the ways we think about and approach that necessary work.

From GrowNYC to the New York Public Library to the National Urban League to Feeding Westchester to many others, students had their pick of available internship opportunities that would run for a period of six to eight consecutive weeks over the summer. Each student was compensated $15 per hour for their time and effort, and while most positions took place remotely, any on-site work was required to adhere to strict health protocols to ensure safety and success. And our students can’t stop talking about their experience on the job.

“The best part of my internship was being a part of an organization that allows for and is open to new ideas,” said Arun Yegnaseshan ’21, an information systems major who worked in fundraising and database management for GrowNYC. “It also pushed me to learn new things. I developed analytical thinking skills and learned new software and how to interact with other individuals to understand the technologies they are working on.”

And they’re learning more about our local communities, too. “This experience has given me more awareness of the economic impact of food insecurity and has broadened my career search to include the nonprofit sector,” said Alexis Curio ’21, a criminal justice major who completed an internship with the Council of Peoples Organization. “My supervisor has a lot of knowledge to share and going out into the field and meeting members of the community is rewarding.”

Philanthropy is by no means new to Pace students. We’ve seen the rise of popular programs such as the Billion Oyster Project, proposals to New York State lawmakers, and even advocacy work with service dogs. We are constantly looking for new and unique ways to collaborate with our neighbors, and when COVID-19 impacted so many of them, we couldn’t stand idly by.

“This was such a uniquely impactful program, and I am so grateful for it,” said Career Services Executive Director Phyllis Mooney. “Once Pace leadership committed to this initiative, everything came together perfectly—almost as if we had rehearsed it. Generous donors, diverse nonprofit partners, and of course, our very talented, passionate students. It has been one of the greatest experiences for me professionally.”

Though the New York Recovery Internships began as a summer program, they’ve continued through the fall and Pace is committed to extending them. Together, across all of our campuses, Pace students remain resilient, optimistic, and persevering—and they continue to inspire everyone they work with, both inside and outside the classroom.

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NEW YORK (Dec. 3, 2020) – Pace University’s Board of Trustees announced the election of a new member, Lana Bailey-Tamaro ‘06 (Dyson College of Arts and Sciences), a distinguished alumna and business leader.

"Lana Bailey-Tamaro exemplifies the drive to succeed we prize in our graduates," said Mark Besca, chair of Pace's Board of Trustees. "She has had a varied and accomplished career as a police officer, a mental health counselor, and now a business leader. We welcome her broad range of experience to our board, and we're excited about the compelling role model she will be for future generations of Pace students."

Lana Bailey-Tamaro is the CEO and owner of CASO Document Management, a national document scanning and document services automation company with offices in New York, Texas and Pennsylvania. As CEO, she oversees business operations, partnerships, investments, joint ventures and the overall growth of the company. Prior to CASO, Bailey-Tamaro worked as a police officer in the New York Police Department’s Detective Bureau in the Forensic Investigative Division. She has also been a mental health counselor and has expertise in organizational psychology.

Bailey-Tamaro said, “Pace University, and specifically the psychology department, has given me so much, so I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to give back. As a person of color and a female CEO, I know that we all benefit if everyone has the opportunity to get the practical skills they need to succeed. I have worn many hats in my life. I have worked as a police officer, a mental health professional, and now a businesswoman, so I look forward to providing my unique perspective to the Board of Trustees. Pace provides important opportunities to their amazing students, changing their future and their lives.”

About Pace University

Pace University has a proud history of preparing its diverse student body for a lifetime of professional success as a result of its unique program that combines rigorous academics and real-world experiences. Pace is ranked the #1 private, four-year college in the nation for upward economic mobility by Harvard University’s Opportunity Insights, evidence of the transformative education the University provides.

From its beginnings as an accounting school in 1906, Pace has grown to three campuses, enrolling 13,000 students in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in more than 150 majors and programs, across a range of disciplines: arts, sciences, business, health care, technology, law, education, and more. The university also has one of the most competitive performing arts programs in the country. Pace has a signature, newly renovated campus in New York City, located in the heart of vibrant Lower Manhattan, next to Wall Street and City Hall, and two campuses in Westchester County, New York: a 200-acre picturesque Pleasantville Campus and the Elisabeth Haub School of Law in White Plains.

From the psychological effects of social distancing, to the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis, the Dyson College community is working to advance our understanding of the ongoing pandemic. Student, faculty, and alumni researchers are working on a wide range of projects with both immediate relevance, and long-term implications, that will enable the world to move forward.

Here’s a look at some of the most significant work so far.

Mental health

The pandemic has undoubtedly had a significant impact on psychological wellbeing, and Associate Clinical Professor Linda Escobar Olszewski, PsyD, is studying the effects on one specific student group: athletes.

“The financial implications of COVID-19 resulted in early career termination of thousands of athletes across the country, throwing them into an identity crisis during a time of global instability,” she said. “Our study aims to investigate the double burden of COVID-19 plus early forced ‘retirement’ on NCAA athletes’ identity, health behaviors, self-esteem, and mental health.”

Escobar Olszewski, who is also the clinical director of Pace’s McShane Center for Psychological Services, is working with Mitchel Figueroa ’25, PsyD, and two outside researchers.

She notes that since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, mental health concerns among athletes are up as much as 250 percent from the NCAA’s highest previously reported totals.

“Having a better understanding the mental health impacts of the double-burden of COVID-19 and forced ‘retirement’ may highlight and capture the degree of impact these combined events have on student-athletes, and may inform universities of the mental health needs of student-athletes that results from the disruption, a population that has a great need for services, but whose mental health is often overlooked,” Escobar Olszewski said.

Her colleague, Barbara A. Mowder, PhD, is looking at another group: parents. As a researcher, one of Mowder’s core projects has been the development of the Working with Parents Manual, a training manual for counselors, psychologists, and other mental health professionals on working with parents and/or those who anticipate parenting in the future. The goal is to design a tool to assist parents in acquiring the understanding and behaviors to support the developmental needs of their children. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mowder began working with several Doctor of Psychology (PSYD) in School-Clinical Child Psychology students to assess the efficacy of the manual and the ways in which the virus may be impacting parents and parenting.

“This research has the potential to discern the myriad ways in which the pandemic has affected individuals in terms of their parent role and associated parenting behaviors,” Mowder said. “In turn, it may assist mental health professionals in identifying parenting needs during this time of increased stress as well as developing options and avenues for fostering parenting strengths.”

Economic ramifications

Data shows that during the Great Recession of 2008, workers in occupations that could be most easily automated by mechanization or technology experienced job losses in greater numbers. Julieth Saenz Molina ’15, Economics, coauthored a report for the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia looking at how the same trend is occurring now as a result of the pandemic.

“While the research focused on the short-term effects of automation during the pandemic, a prolonged economic crisis could lead to permanent job losses due to increases in labor-replacing automation, such as it happened after the Great Recession,” Saenz Molina said.

She was involved in several research projects as a Pace student, and plans to continue monitoring the trends of automation based on updated employment data, as well as the broader economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the responses by different governments.

“I am currently working on analyzing the role cash transfers have had in aiding nations in overcoming the detrimental effect of the pandemic on economic development,” Saenz Molina said.

The effects of remote work

Two Department of Public Administration faculty members are looking at how different groups of workers are being affected.

Associate Professor and Department of Public Administration Chair Gina Scutelnicu, PhD, has coauthored a paper analyzing how telework is impacting government workers. The research looked at how successful the transition to forced telework has been for federal employees during the COVID-19 crisis and how working experiences and arrangements adopted during COVID-19 may affect the future of telework.

“This study is among the first ones to examine telework in a comprehensive way through self-reported narratives of federal workers, thus assessing the lived experiences of telework in a holistic way,” Scutelnicu said.

Her findings indicated a generally positive perception of the transition to full-time telework in terms of productivity, performance and work-life balance, with the exception of working parents. Results were more mixed in terms of job satisfaction, social integration and supervisor support; however, data also showed that federal employees anticipate more work will become remote-eligible as society moves to a new normal. This suggests that while there are challenges that public and nonprofit organizations need to address for a remote workforce, telework can be an attractive human resource management strategy for both emergency preparedness and recruiting younger employees.

Clinical Assistant Professor Ric Kolenda, PhD, is looking at how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected gig workers. He began studying this freelance workforce in 2009, and since then it has continued to disrupt and shape our economy in new ways.

“Gig workers are a small but growing part of the economy, but more importantly, they have shown to be critical during the last several months, while also being exposed to the virus at higher rates along with other essential workers,” Kolenda said.

In addition to providing a better understanding of conditions for gig workers during the pandemic, he hopes his current research will help identify creative solutions to the unique issues they’re facing.

Kolenda plans to complete the research with the help of a paid graduate assistant.

Public perception and stopping the spread

“Understanding how the public perceives novel coronavirus/COVID-19 is a critical factor in developing public health strategies to reduce the disease spread and for treatment and prevention planning,” Clinical Associate Professor Christopher Godfrey, PhD, said.

Godfrey, who is also director of undergraduate psychology on the New York City campus, is examining how various factors—including sociodemographic characteristics, housing, access to services, and health psychological considerations such as risk perception, health literacy, and trust in government—may influence American adults’ perceptions of COVID-19, seasonal influenza, and vaccines and treatments for these diseases.

The main project is a national survey of 3,000 individuals, and graduate students are leading secondary investigations focusing on the experiences of women, communities of color, first responders, and economically disadvantaged populations. In partnership with Professor of Psychology June Chisholm, PhD, and Associate Professor of Psychology Michele Zaccario, PhD, they will be looking at topics including how the pandemic is affecting online and family social networks and parenting practices of new moms, regional differences in African-American women’s COVID-19-related health care experiences, and health information literacy and COVID-19 risk among high COVID-risk groups.

Valerie Patritti ’20, MS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, is on the front lines of the pandemic. As a fellow of the Association of Public Health Labs and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, she is analyzing the genetic code of SARS-CoV-2 genomes. The purpose of her work is to decipher the genetic code of individual virus samples in New York City and determine if SARS-CoV-2 is changing through genetic mutation, with the goal of using the information to help with surveillance and contact tracing efforts.

She gained the experience necessary to prepare her for this research while a student at Pace, where she worked closely with chemistry professors Zhaohua Dai, PhD, and Nigel Yarlett, PhD.

“Even though the pandemic has been a difficult time for many, I am happy to have been given this unique opportunity to aid in a national emergency,” Patritti said.