After years of classes at night and coursework on weekends, nearly 30 administrators, faculty, and clerical staff will graduate from Fordham this academic year. Many of the grads we spoke to expressed a simple motivating factor for going back to school: They wanted to bring newfound knowledge back to their Fordham careers.
Learn what kept them motivated on the journey to earning their degrees, which Fordham’s tuition remission benefit helps to offset. And read on for the full list of 2026 employee graduates below.
Congratulations, Class of 2026!
Skilling Up in Finance
Before starting his MBA at the Gabelli School, Jeffrey Lopez’s academic background was in exercise science. But as senior department assistant in the Controller’s Office, he realized he was building a career in finance without the formal academic foundation to match it, he said. His degree allowed him to bridge that gap, at a school he grew up dreaming about. “As a Bronx native who spent years walking along the outside of Fordham’s campus, it was amazing to experience a place that always felt just out of reach,” said Lopez, who is the first in his family to earn a master’s degree.
Improving the Healthcare Environment for Fordham Students
Working at Rose Hill’s Health Center, JamieRose Zappolo sees many students in need not only of medical care, but also compassion. “Some of our students are away from home taking care of their own health as adults for the first time, which can be a challenge, so I wanted to make it the best experience possible for them,” she said. The University Health Services office assistant pursued a master’s degree in health administration to deepen her understanding of healthcare systems and operations, and to create a more efficient and empathetic healthcare environment for Fordham students, she said.
Supporting Administrators Through Scholarship
For his doctoral degree in education, Juan Carlos Matos, assistant vice president for student affairs for diversity and inclusion, studied the pathways and lived experiences of queer Latino men working in student affairs. He emerged with recommendations to support this cohort and higher ed administrators in student affairs overall. “Understanding the experiences of administrators is just as important as understanding those of students, because these are the individuals that we’re hoping are going to stay in the field long-term to support the students,” said Matos. Earning this terminal degree was a 10-year journey; now he’s looking forward to the things it will allow him to do. “I want to be able to teach a class, I want to do more scholarship … I’m very excited for the next five to 10 years of growth.”
Putting in the Hard Work
The past two years have been action packed for Supervisory Senior Accountant Laura Marques, who got married and bought a house as she was earning her MBA. “Many long nights after work and weekends went into this,” she said of her degree. Beyond expanding her skill set, she also challenged herself in honor of her father, who passed away shortly before she started at Fordham in 2023. “He always pushed me to go further and put in the hard work now to be successful later on in life,” said Marques. One thing she didn’t expect was camaraderie. “I thought I was just going to attend class, go home, and repeat. I ended up making lifelong friends who were at my wedding.”
A Shared Victory
Working in IT spurred Kevin McGrane to pursue a master’s in cybersecurity: “I wanted to challenge myself through a broader and more in-depth academic path. Knowing the tools is not enough anymore—you also need to understand the strategy behind them,” said the endpoint services technician. When “the finish line felt miles away,” his mother and fiancée kept him going. “Their support turned this from a personal challenge into a shared victory,” he said.
The Fordham Employee Class of 2026*
Jesús Aceves Loza, Doctor of Philosophy, Graduate School of Education
Grace Byrne, Master of Science, Gabelli School of Business
Amauri Castillo, Jr., Master of Studies in Law, School of Law
William Colona, Doctor of Philosophy, Graduate School of Education
Ahmad Dixon, Master of Arts, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Ava Flynn, Master of Arts, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Yenifer Flores, Master of Business Administration, Gabelli School of Business
Joan Gil, Master of Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Sarah Hillman, Master of Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Michael L’Abbate, Master of Arts, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Daphne Lightburn, Master of Arts, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Cesar Lopez, Master of Business Administration, Gabelli School of Business
Jeffrey Lopez, Master of Business Administration, Gabelli School of Business
Michelle MacLeod, Master of Social Work, Graduate School of Social Service
Laura Marques, Master of Business Administration, Gabelli School of Business
Juan Carlos Matos, Doctor of Education, Graduate School of Education
Benjamin Medeiros, Master of Science in Education, Graduate School of Education
Kevin McGrane, Master of Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Katherine Morris, Master of Science, Gabelli School of Business
Arthur Muiru, Master of Laws, School of Law
Robert Noeldechen, Master of Business Administration, Gabelli School of Business
Catherine Paske, Master of Science, Gabelli School of Business
Cheretta Robson, Doctor of Education, Graduate School of Education
Joe Russo, Master of Science, School of Professional and Continuing Studies
Halle Trahey, Master of Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Eliane Victoria, Master of Arts, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Chloe Wong, Master of Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Terry Yeboah, Master of Science, Gabelli School of Business
JamieRose Zappolo, Master of Science, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
*Reflects January, May, and August graduates
