Message from the Dean April 15, 2020

April 15, 2020

Dear Students,

Please see the email below from Interim President, Michael Bernstein.

Sincerely,

Stacy Jaffee Gropack, PT., Ph.D., FASAHP
Dean and Professor 
School of Health Technology and Management 

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You are part of a remarkable community, all of whom are focused on the wellbeing of our students, patients, and each other. 

This has been powerfully evident during these past few weeks with the outpouring of support and the enterprising spirit you and your colleagues have demonstrated in response to the COVID-19 crisis — even as you grapple with it in your own life.

I am profoundly grateful to the thousands of faculty and staff helping our patients and students. And I also extend my deepest thanks to the many of you who have given to crowdfunding initiatives launched to address our hospital’s needs and the needs of our students: the Coronavirus Crisis Challenge and Emergency Student Support

Such critical funding initiatives — matched dollar for dollar by local families and organizations — are making a huge difference. 

If you know of a student struggling with COVID-19 crisis-related housing or food insecurities or having financial difficulties affecting their ability to continue their studies, please send them this link. And starting today, the Stony Brook Foundation is matching every gift for Emergency Student Support up to $100,000. 

The Coronavirus Crisis Challenge has raised a remarkable $671,998, and there is still close to $80,000 in matching funds available until we reach the $750,000 goal.

Now that Giving Day (originally on April 30) is postponed, I hope that these two crowdfunding campaigns will continue to sustain our philanthropic momentum for those we serve. I ask that you share these links with the networks you usually activate for Giving Day, as well as with your family and friends.

Supporting our hospital and our outstanding healthcare workers will continue to require extraordinary resources as will responding to the acute needs of our students so they may remain in school and have a productive semester.

At a time of great uncertainty, so many of you have once again gone “far beyond” for Stony Brook. We can never thank you enough.

Be safe and be well.

With my warmest regards . . . Michael

Michael A. Bernstein
Interim President