Did you know that there are roughly 40 Fordham employee graduates in the Class of 2025?
Thanks to the University’s tuition remission benefit, employees can pursue degrees while working at Fordham, without bearing the burden of full tuition costs. Balancing a full-time job, coursework, and personal commitments is no small feat—but these graduates embraced the challenge and made it to the finish line, each with their own unique story of determination, growth, and grit.
A few of them shared what this journey has meant to them, both personally and professionally. See the full list of this year’s employee graduates below.
Congratulations to the Class of 2025!
A Promise to Her Daughter, a Journey for Herself
“My journey started with a promise I made to my oldest daughter, who graduated from Fordham in 2023,” said Cathy Henson, faculty center coordinator at Gabelli School of Business. “She told me, ‘Mom, if I can get into the National Honor Society, then you can go back to school and get your master’s degree.’ I agreed, never thinking she’d hold me to it!” said Henson.
With her four children cheering her on, Henson earned a Master of Science in education (M.S.E.). “I wanted to show them that you can achieve anything if you believe in yourself.”
A Doctorate Earned—and the Ramily That Supported Her
“As an FCLC ’14 alum, I knew I wanted to come back to work at Fordham to give back to the community that raised me—and to pursue my Ph.D. when the time was right,” said Melissa Gazal, associate director for student involvement.
The first-generation college graduate joined Fordham in 2019 as an employee and began her graduate studies two years later, earning a doctoral degree in education.
“I am so grateful for the colleagues who cheered me on … and especially my mentor, Lori A. Wolff, Ph.D., who believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself.”
20 Years, 3 Degrees, and a Second Home
“It’s been quite a journey!” said Palma Salerno, department administrator in computer and information science, who is celebrating 20 years at Fordham and completing her third University degree.
She’s earned a B.A. in organizational leadership, an M.S. in cybersecurity, and now an M.S. in Business Management—while watching both of her daughters earn Fordham degrees, too.
“Fordham has played such a significant role in shaping both my life and my family’s … This place has truly become a second home.”
Late Nights, Full Days, and a Law Degree
“Going to law school at night often felt like a second full-time job,” said Timothy Bouffard, senior advisor to the vice president in the Office of Mission Integration and Ministry. Earning his J.D.—a challenge he took on while also planning a wedding—“was definitely one of the hardest things I have ever done.”
“I’m so grateful to have had this opportunity,” he said, “and could not have done it without the patience and support of my wife (another Fordham employee!), my family, and my colleagues.”
A Lifelong Learner
“I am an older student … I started the program in my mid-60s,” said Robin Freedman, associate director of undergraduate career advising at the Gabelli School of Business. “Yet I’ve been supported and embraced all along the way by my younger peers and the faculty as well.”
Juggling a full-time role, 600 hours of fieldwork, and graduate-level coursework for her M.S.E. in mental health counseling wasn’t easy. But Freedman credits her director, her team, and the supportive community around her for helping her through the most challenging moments.
The Purpose and Promise of an M.B.A.
“Pursuing this degree has been one of the most meaningful chapters of my life,” said Jerrod Ames, assistant director of admissions in the Office of Undergraduate Admission and now an MBA graduate.
He credits Professor Sertan Kabadayi for the unforgettable Berlin Global Immersion trip, Professor Craig Marderstein for making statistics approachable, Professor Nariman Gathers for helping him see where creativity fits in business, and Professor Bozena Mierzejewska for reshaping how he approaches problem solving.
“This journey reminded me that business can be both analytical and deeply human,” he said. “And I’m leaving with a stronger sense of purpose and possibility.”
‘I Chose This’
For Marciana Popescu, Ph.D., a professor in the Graduate School of Social Service, earning a law degree—which she plans to use to create more synergy between social work and international human rights law—“was the realization of a very old dream of mine that was once interrupted by the passing of my father. He’d be proud today to see me living that dream.”
Looking back on the challenge of juggling her coursework, multiple research projects, and her full-time work as a professor, one mantra kept her going: “‘I chose this. I will do it!’ And I did.”
Fordham employees honored at the University’s 180th Commencement ceremony*
Jerrod P. Ames, Master of Business Administration, Gabelli School of Business
Nerisa Arias, Doctor of Philosophy, Graduate School of Education
Ana Belzunce Crompin, Juris Doctor, School of Law
Timothy Richard Conlin Bouffard, Juris Doctor, School of Law
Kelvin Buck, Master of Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Caroline M. Burgos, Master of Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Maria T. Carrasco, Master of Business Administration, Gabelli School of Business
Stafford A. Davis, Master of Science, Gabelli School of Business
Endy De Guimaraes E. Moraes, Doctor of Juridical Science, School of Law
Olivia Del Vecchio, Master of Arts, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Anthony Joseph Forlini, Master of Business Administration, Gabelli School of Business
Robin S. Freedman, Master of Science in Education, Graduate School of Education
Melissa Dirouhi Gazal, Doctor of Philosophy in Education, Graduate School of Education
Erik Gonzalez, Master of Science in Education, Graduate School of Education
Alexandra N. Griffin, Master of Business Administration, Gabelli School of Business
Rebecca Rose Gronsdahl, Master of Business Administration, Gabelli School of Business
Catherine Roberta Henson, Master of Science in Education, Graduate School of Education
Sanford Hoang, Master of Business Administration, Gabelli School of Business
Frances H. Jankowski, Master of Business Administration, Gabelli School of Business
Nina Elizabeth Kenny, Master of Business Administration, Gabelli School of Business
Zixin Mao, Doctor of Education, Graduate School of Education
Bobbi Elizabeth Mason, Master of Business Administration, Gabelli School of Business
JoAnne K. McMahon, Master of Social Work, Graduate School of Social Service
Brittany Kelsey Perez, Master of Science in Education, Graduate School of Education
Marciana L. Popescu, Juris Doctor, School of Law
Jacqueline Elizabeth Reid, Master of Business Administration, Gabelli School of Business
Michael Rios, Master of Science in Computer Science
Vanessa Gloria Rotondo, Doctor of Philosophy, Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education
Giorgia Marie Sabia, Master of Business Administration, Gabelli School of Business
Palma Ann Salerno, Master of Science, Gabelli School of Business
Fatima Shahid, Master of Science, Gabelli School of Business
Marcella Sino, Master of Business Administration, Gabelli School of Business
Danielle A. Smithson, Master of Science, Gabelli School of Business
Michael Staff, Master of Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Neil G. Stevenson, Master of Business Administration, Gabelli School of Business
Laura M. Sutter, Master of Social Work, Graduate School of Social Service
Kaitlynn Marie Toro, Master of Studies in Law, School of Law
Sebastian Vazquez Amaro, Master of Business Administration, Gabelli School of Business
John E. Versaci, Master of Business Administration, Gabelli School of Business
Eliane A. Victoria, Bachelor of Arts, School of Professional and Continuing Studies
*Reflects February, May, and August 2025 graduates
