Date: May 27, 2008

WLIW21's "Leaving Long Island," Featuring Hofstra Vice President, Looks at Young Brain Drain

Town Hall Filmed in Hofstra's State-of-the-Art TV Facilities

Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY – Vice President of Business Development Richard Guardino is one of seven panelists featured in the three-part WLIW21 New York Public Television series “Leaving Long Island”, filmed in Hofstra’s state-of-the-art Studio A in Dempster Hall. The new series premieres Tuesday, May 27 – Thursday, May 29, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. on WLIW21.

The series examines why young professionals are leaving Nassau and Suffolk counties in record numbers and what this could mean for Long Island’s future. According to U.S. Census data, from 1990-2006 the number of 25 to 34 year olds declined 8 percent nationwide, compared to 35 percent on Long Island.  Other panelists include Dowling College Economist Mary Cantor, President Darren Development Corporation Donald Monti, Director Long Island Progressive Coalition Lisa Tyson, Mayor Jack M. Martins (Mineola), Mayor Paul Pontieri (Patchogue), and Mayor Wayne Hall (Hempstead).

"The panel interactions with the audience, especially students, vividly and passionately portrays the need for more housing,” said Mr. Guardino. “The program highlights the crisis in affordable housing for young people and the exciting opportunity we have to build housing in downtown areas and create more vibrant communities.”

Hosted by WLIW21 Vice President of Marketing and Communications and on-air personality Laura Savini, each episode features interviews with young professionals and highlights from a lively town hall meeting filmed at Hofstra’s Studio A. The town hall features professionals, students, academics and policy shapers and is moderated by Newsday columnist Joye Brown and former Suffolk County Executive Patrick Halpin.

The entire series will stream online at http://www.wliw.org/leavingli following the premiere. Encore presentations will air Tuesday, May 27 – Thursday, May 29, 2008 at 11:30 p.m. and Sunday, June 15, 2008 from 10-11:30 a.m. on WLIW21.

WLIW21 New York Public Television is the third most-watched public television station in the United States, with an average weekly cumulative audience of 1.4 million households in the New York metropolitan area. 

Hofstra University is a dynamic private institution where students can choose from about 145 undergraduate and 155 graduate programs in liberal arts and sciences, business, communication, education and allied human services, and honors studies, and a School of Law.