About Hofstra
Hofstra University is a dynamic private college on Long Island, NY, where students can choose from more than 140 undergraduate and 150 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business, communication, education, health and human services, and honors studies, as well as a School of Law and School of Medicine. | more |
Events
Class Notes
catching up with - 2008 Special Issue
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| 1939 - 1969 | 1970 - 1979 | 1980 - 1989 | 1990 - 1999 | 2000 - Present | New Arrivals/Marriages | In Memoriam | Catching Up With |
Jeffrey Hoops (B.B.A. ’74)
What is he doing now?
Jeff Hoops is a partner at Ernst & Young, where he is the firm’s first ethics and compliance officer for the Americas as well as its chief privacy officer. Jeff started at Ernst & Young (then Ernst & Ernst) in 1974 and was made a partner in 1984. In his current role, he is responsible for promoting a culture of high ethical standards at Ernst & Young as well as ensuring compliance with the firm’s code of conduct and the law.
What does he enjoy most about his work?
Jeff has spent most of his career advising clients on tax matters. He enjoys “the variety of the work and the clients and professionals with whom I work.”
How did he become interested in accounting?
“I started as a marketing major but found I really enjoyed the accounting courses. I switched my major, and the rest is history. I give Hofstra tremendous credit for exposing me to accounting.”
What was the best advice he received from a professor?
“If in doubt, major in accounting. It’s a useful and transferable job skill.”
What advice would he give to current students?
Jeff, who holds a B.B.A. in accounting from Hofstra as well as an M.S. in taxation from Long Island University, is actively involved in education. He has taught in the graduate tax programs at both Long Island University and New York University and serves on the board for the New York City Academy of Finance and on the executive council of the High School of Economics & Finance in New York City. He offers the following advice to students: “Find something you really like to do and pursue it. You spend more of your adult life working than doing any other activity.”
The family 411:
Jeff married his wife, Glenda, in 1974, the year he graduated from Hofstra, and, in his words, is “still married to the same beautiful woman.” Jeff and Glenda have two daughters, Sharon and Cheryl, and three grandchildren, Teddy, Graham and Maggie, and live in Rockville Centre, New York.
Eileen Kraemer (B.A. ’80)
Where is she now?
Eileen, who graduated from Hofstra with a B.A. in biology, is a professor of computer science and currently heads the Computer Science Department at the University of Georgia, Athens.
How did she become interested in computer science?
“After graduation from Hofstra, I began teaching high school science (biology, chemistry and physics). While I was teaching at Wantagh High School, I met another teacher who was studying computer science part time. I took a few classes and discovered that I really enjoyed it.” The rest, as they say, is history. Eileen went on to earn an M.S. in computer science from Polytechnic University and a Ph.D. in computer science from Georgia Tech. She began teaching at the University of Georgia in 1998.
What are some of the highlights of her career?
While enrolled in the Ph.D. program at Georgia Tech, Eileen worked with Professor John Stasko in the Graphics, Visualization & Usability Center. “That work,” she said, “led to the development of the POLKA system and Animation Choreographer, which support and drive visualizations that are useful for those who design, maintain and tune the performance of parallel or distributed software.” Eileen is currently involved in a bioinformatics project with colleagues at the University of Pennsylvania. She is also working with colleagues at Michigan State University on software engineering diagrams for concurrency.
What was the best career advice she received?
“The best advice came from my father, who encouraged me to pursue my interest in what was perceived as a male-dominated field.”
Does she have any advice for students interested in computer science?
“Computer science is a thriving and enjoyable profession. The urban folklore tales of all the CS jobs being sent to developing countries just isn't true. My advice is that students should find something they enjoy doing and immerse themselves in it.”
With which Hofstra classmates would she most like to reconnect?
“I had a gang of friends, including Bill Campbell, Joe Califano and Gerry Waters. I'd love to hear from them!”
The family 411:
Eileen has three children, Michael, Kerry and Maggie Hervey. She is married to Kurt Stirewalt, who is on the faculty at Michigan State University, and divides her time between Athens, Georgia, and East Lansing, Michigan.
Frank Nappi (B.A. ’89)
His Hofstra history:
I am from Long Island. I have lived in Massapequa just about my entire life. After high school, I was all set to go to Iona College to play baseball when an injury derailed that plan. In retrospect, that was a most fortuitous event, for it brought me to Hofstra, where I majored in English and minored in secondary education.
His favorite professors:
Without question, Dr. Paula Uruburu was and will always be my favorite. Her passion, quick wit and creativity made every class a memorable experience. She is the reason I majored in English and entered the field of education. I also enjoyed my classes with Dr. John Bryant [also a professor of English]. He was very knowledgeable.
His favorite Hofstra memories:
It was all good. The faculty, facilities, campus aesthetics. Even the personal pizza at “The Rat” was awesome. I have nothing but fond memories of my time spent at Hofstra.
What he's doing now:
I have been teaching creative writing and high school English for 20 years. Although there are times fraught with exasperation and frustration, which I suppose is true of any profession, on those occasions when you are able to see the fruits of your labor — in the eyes of a former student who expresses his or her appreciation for what you have done to shape his or her life — there is nothing as gratifying.
How did he get the idea for his first novel, Echoes From the Infantry?
Echoes was inspired by two very special World War II veterans who came to speak to my classes year after year about their experiences both during and after the war. Their tales were very poignant and really touched me deeply. It took me about three years to bring the book to fruition. The response was very positive. I received countless letters and e-mails from people all over the country expressing how cathartic and therapeutic the story was for them. The book also received national recognition from Military Writers Society of America.
Plans are underway to turn Nappi's second novel, The Legend of Mickey Tussler, into a film. What inspired him to work on a sports story about a star player struggling with autism?
I had always entertained the idea of writing a baseball novel. Baseball is my first love, no question. I began writing the story in my head in 2006, on the long drive home from my in-laws in Buffalo. I had some time in between editing sessions for Echoes, so I started playing with the idea. I have to say that I am so pleased with the way it all unfolded. I have had some amazing experiences with autistic teens. It is the one wrinkle in the story that really sets it apart from others like it. I also believe what makes the story so wonderful is that it is not only about baseball; it's all about the unexpected, about seeing beyond the obvious and about persevering in the face of adversity. It is a celebration of the game of baseball and all that makes this great game a microcosm of life itself, but it is also very much an indictment of the ignorant, intolerant people whom we regrettably meet and must deal with all the time.
His advice for those who feel they have an idea for the next “great American novel”:
The best advice any writer can give another is to persevere, even in the face of rejection. This is not an easy business. In the world of publishing, most writers fail many more times than they succeed. Keep writing, believe in your artistic talent and keep trying to promote your ideas.
Nicole Beck (M.A. ’07)
What is she doing now?
Nicole, a graduate of Hofstra’s speech-language pathology program, recently completed a clinical fellowship and is working in private practice. Recently married, she hopes to return to school for a doctoral degree and eventually teach. In 2006 Nicole was one of nine participants of the SPARC (Students Preparing for Academic and Research Careers) Award. Given by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), this national award is designed to encourage promising students to pursue careers in research and higher education in the field of communication sciences and disorders.
What drew her to the study and practice of speech-language pathology?
“I really like research,” she said. “I have a degree in psychology, and I was very involved in research when I was an undergraduate.” Her interest in speech-language pathology developed while she was working with a friend who has cerebral palsy. “For a year between my undergraduate and graduate programs, I went to his university with him in order to aid him in communicating with his professors and getting his schoolwork done,” she said. Following that experience, she started looking for programs in speech-language pathology. “People in the field guided me toward Hofstra,” the Port Jefferson, New York, resident said, “because they thought it had the strongest and best program in the area.” For Nicole, the SPARC Award was a golden opportunity. It allowed her to research evidencebased practice in the field over the period of a year. At the end of the year, she presented the results of her research at the ASHA convention. During the year, she also participated in smaller research projects and did classroom presentations for undergraduate and graduate students.
Who has been her most influential professor?
Nicole says Dr. Ronald Bloom, professor and chair of Hofstra's Department of Speech- Language-Hearing Sciences, encouraged her to pursue her interest in research and recommended her for the SPARC Award. “He opened my eyes to the many opportunities within this profession,” she said.
Mari Suh (B.S. ’08)
What is Mari doing now?
Since graduating with high honors last May, Mari has joined Deep Focus, an interactive advertising agency in Manhattan. Prior to completing her studies at Hofstra, Mari was in “deep focus” herself, hoping to someday be known as “Mari Suh, Graphic Designer.” She is now well on her way to realizing that goal. She majored in fine arts with a concentration in design and completed three prestigious internships.
What was one of her most memorable Hofstra experiences?
Mari's honors thesis, a multimedia project called UBEMari, culminated in a show at the Calkins Hall FORM Gallery last May, and she feels the exhibition summarized her college years and helped her develop a brand identity. “I wanted to brand myself,” she said, “so I made five minicampaigns so people around me could 'be' Mari.” The project documents attempts by Mari's professors and fellow students to draw and describe Mari, to speak and shop like her, and to wear their hair like hers. “The main aim of the project was to see myself through other people, but I also wanted people to see themselves through me,” she said. The project exists on the Web at ubimari.blogspot.com.
What were some of her learning experiences outside the classroom?
Mari's decision to pursue a career in graphic design gelled last summer after an internship at Barlock, a design firm in Holland. “They taught me so much about graphic design,” she said, “and I was in an environment with real designers.” She has also done internships at the multimedia design firm Honest, and the fashion design firm Elizabeth Gillett Ltd.
Which professor was most influential?
Mari credits Associate Professor of Fine Arts Thomas Klinkowstein for her career direction. “He convinced me to stay and set up my first internship,” she said. “He's the perfect role model for me.”
| 1939 - 1969 | 1970 - 1979 | 1980 - 1989 | 1990 - 1999 | 2000 - Present | New Arrivals/Marriages | In Memoriam | Catching Up With |
