Alfred Caruso, a psychology major at NYSCAS’s Starrett City location in Brooklyn, graduated this past June magna cum laude. But just like his last semester at Touro, his commencement ceremony was quite different from what he had previously pictured. “I took part in the online ceremony,” he said. “I wore my cap and gown and made the best out of it.”

Regina Malkiev made the decision to go back to school and pursue a college education in her thirties, on the same day her oldest son entered first grade. “I took him to school, and I remember telling him about the importance of studying and having good grades,” she recalls. “He asked me: ‘Mommy, then why didn’t you go to college?’ That’s when I decided that, as a parent, I want to be an example for my kids.”

From the moment she was born—exactly twelve minutes before her twin sister—Tira Bluestone knew she was going to be a performer.Art is in her veins: writing songs, performing music on her guitar, acting on stage, creating animated videos, you name it. Throughout her inspiring journey, Tira has found ways to use her creativity as a tool to help children with learning disabilities.

As the coronavirus was spreading in New York, Touro College converted its coursework to distance learning starting from March 16^th. On the same day, also the Learning Resource & Writing Center began delivering all of its services online.

New York School of Career and Applied Studies (NYSCAS), a division of Touro College, held its 46th commencement ceremony during a virtual event on Wednesday, June 17^th. Over 600 members of the Class of 2020 received their baccalaureate degrees, more than 260 received their associate degrees, and 65 received certificates during the ceremony. The class includes students graduating with a variety of majors, ranging from biology and business to human services and computing; the graduates also represent diverse backgrounds, reflecting the overall population of New York City.

We recently caught up with Anderson, who shared her journey from serving in the army to working at the infamous Rikers Island jail. Find out what’s next for this intrepid alum and why she is so passionate about reshaping the prison system.

Since graduating from Touro College’s NYSCAS, Zisha Twerski has been working as a research assistant at a cancer biology lab at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City. At NYSCAS, he majored in biology and was salutatorian of the Class of 2019 at the school’s Brooklyn commencement ceremony.

This past January, Regina Malkiev—a senior student at NYSCAS—received a letter she had very much hoped to receive: her acceptance to Columbia University’s School of Nursing. She was admitted to both the Master’s and the Doctor of Nursing Practice programs, and was awarded the school’s merit-based Seamless Scholarship, as well as a needs-based scholarship. 

Grigori Vaserman (NYSCAS '15) is currently in his first year at New York Medical College’s School of Medicine. Back at NYSCAS, he received the Excellence in Biology Award, as well as the Service Award for his biology research and for voluntarily tutoring other students.

Leo Andriasyan was not the first member of his family to attend Touro College.