Exceptional Outcomes

Suja Thomas, AGPCNP- BC, MSN.Ed., RN, CWCN, COCN, CCCN, is clinical lead at the Samuel S. Stratton VA Medical Center in Albany, New York and president of the National Association of Indian Nurses in America. She said her master’s in nursing and post-master’s certificate from Russell Sage College equipped her with the tools to take on more complex roles.

“The reason I went to PT school was to one day work with the U.S. Ski Team,” said Vincent Corrado, who earned a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at Russell Sage College. “I just kept trying to follow my dream and my passion, and here we are.” Corrado is now the Physical Therapist for U.S. Ski & Snowboard’s Men’s Alpine World Cup Tech team.

Jacqueline Hilliard’s undergraduate achievements helped her stand out for a prestigious graduate fellowship. She is now pursuing an M.A. in Human-Computer Interaction at SUNY Oswego and anticipating a career designing visually appealing and easy-to-use websites, apps, games, and software.

“I have an art therapy degree, and I’m excelling in a tech company,” says Intel’s Kate Strathdee, who helped create the corporation’s award-winning mental wellness program in 2020.

Kaitlyn Czerow joined Envision Architects full time in June, after she interned at the firm during the spring 2024 semester. “I am currently collaborating on a few workplace designs for public agency buildings,” she said. “Another very interesting project that I am working on involves the interior design for a historic local building.

English, Writing, and Culture graduate Natoria Carey is an operations manager at The New York Times, where she’s assigned to the Politics and Metro desks. Everything related to logistics falls on her plate, including the buildout of The Times’ onsite newsrooms for the Republican and Democratic parties’ 2024 national conventions.

Theatre grad Lucas Aurelio ’18 stars in season three of Netflix’s popular and sexy period drama Bridgerton and recently finished filming a movie alongside George Clooney.

Jenna Gaidusek is an interior and spatial designer and the creator of AI for Interior Designers, an online platform that educates interior designers on using artificial intelligence tools in their work.

“I’ve been able to apply almost everything I learned in the Expressive Arts in Mental Health program in my classroom,” says Lindsey Deichler, a graduate program instructor at the Anderson Center for Autism in Poughkeepsie, New York, and an aspiring occupational therapist.

Russell Sage College is one of only 38 colleges and universities in the country to partner with Navy ROTC and offer full-tuition scholarships to Bachelor of Science in Nursing students. “If anybody wants to serve, it is a wonderful opportunity to not miss out on,” said Lieutenant Commander Amanda Jack ’08, the Chief Health Informatics Officer, Defense Health Network, Pacific Rim.

“I became a playwright at Sage. I became a director at Sage,” said Brian Sheldon ’11, who also had plenty of opportunities to act as he pursued a degree in Theatre. Today, he’s executive director of the Sand Lake Center for the Arts as well as a busy actor, director, and playwright.

From survey design to software testing, Jamal Sanders says his Applied Nutrition master’s degree enhances his work in information systems for New York State WIC program.

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Biology and Physical Therapy grad Mason Horne was a PT at a hospital in New York City, called upon to help care for patients with COVID because of the overwhelming numbers. That re-sparked his interest in becoming a physician — and even though he’d been out of Sage for a few years, RSC’s pre-med advisor helped guide him through the medical school application process. Today, Horne is a member of Albany Medical College’s Class of 2025.

As an Interior + Spatial Design major at Russell Sage College, Kait Bates gained hands-on experience and built a strong portfolio of work during her capstone project and two internships. Shortly after earning a BFA in 2022, Kait joined Hyman Hayes Associates in Latham, New York, as an interior designer for healthcare, higher education, and government clients.

Julia Gerringer earned her bachelor’s in Biology from Russell Sage in May 2023 and started Touro College of Dental Medicine in July. “Sage is such a wonderful school to get your Pre-Med education for medical school, dental school, or vet school. I couldn’t have asked for a better school to help me out and encourage me to go do amazing things,” she said.

Dana Fowler owns Common Crumb, a local products-focused cafe just a few miles east of Russell Sage’s Troy campus. “Health for the self and health for our community is why I focus on local,” the Nutrition Science  graduate said, emphasizing that Sage definitely helped her refine her thinking about running a socially responsible business.

Karlie said three internships during her business bachelor’s degree helped her develop the confidence to establish her own social media marketing business. Now she creates online content for her own clients in fashion, food and beverage, and other industries.

Poet and translator Hajar Hussaini  grew up in Kabul, Afghanistan, before attending Sage and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. In this Q&A, she talks about her writing and how her bachelor’s in English, Writing & Culture  prepared her for a prestigious graduate program and her work as a literature professor.

Hayden Crandall was interested in using her dual Sociology degree and Psychology degree in human services or other helping professions. She worked with Russell Sage College’s Career and Self-Discovery Center to find a great starting point for her career, at the Vermont Veterans’ Home.

Kyle Peterson graduated from the CUNY School of Medicine in 2022 and is now a physician assistant in orthopedic surgery at Harlem Hospital. He can list several opportunities he found in Sage’s Biology program and Pre-Med program that helped him build a strong application for his physician assistant graduate program — and to succeed in PA school.

Biology graduate and Biomedical Science doctoral candidate Lindsey Tolman is a member of a New York State Department of Health laboratory that researches therapeutics to respond to a variety of infectious agents, from the virus that causes COVID-19 to the bacteria that causes whooping cough.

Theresa A. Hotte, Esq., said Sage’s Sociology program was great preparation for law school, and a law career focused on social justice.  As an attorney at the Public Utility Law Project of New York, Theresa works with low-income individuals and on policy to help make electricity, gas, water and other utilities affordable and accessible.

Madison Scisci is a professional videographer in Sage’s Office of Marketing & Communications, and a busy independent filmmaker and fine artist. Her work appears on Sage.edu and Sage’s social media sites, in digital ads and commercials and has aired on local news broadcasts.

Nicole Collazo finished her bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, Law and Behavior Science at Russell Sage College in 2021 and now works at the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York. It’s fulfilling to know she’s part of helping clients access needed assistance, Nicole says.

Special Education teacher Connie Amedore earned a bachelor’s degree and two master’s degrees from Sage’s Esteves School of Education. “This is a really great profession,” she said of her work teaching kindergartners and first and second graders with autism. “You get to make a difference in kids’ lives, in their parents’ lives.”

“I don’t think I could have picked a better major and minor for the work I am doing now,” says Sage Psychology and Women’s Studies graduate Liz Karam, who is the volunteer coordinator and a case manager at St. Peter’s Crime Victim Services.

U.S. Army veteran Andrew Edwards said advice from Sage alumni and professors helped prepare him for medical school. Today, he is a medical student at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Public Health graduate Alice Antwi has an impressive resume that includes a Women & Public Policy fellowship; an adjunct teaching role; and work in Albany Medical Center’s pediatric emergency department.

Physical Education grad Daniel was named athletic director at Schodack Central School District in August 2022.

Ashli is a Russell Sage College History graduate and the executive director at Girls Inc. of the Greater Capital Region.

Santino is a Health Sciences grad in medical device sales at Zimmer Biomet.

Nyla Brotherson is a Criminal Justice, Law & Behavioral Science graduate who recently started her new job as assistant director of Eleanor’s Legacy.

Brooke is working in kitchen and bath sales while she is training for a full-time designer role with Curtis Lumber.

Health Sciences grad Shauna Wheeler is a clinical assistant at Sampson’s Prosthetic and Orthotic Laboratory — and she’s preparing for the exam to become a Certified Prosthetist Assistant.

Tanesha graduated from Loyola University Chicago’s Stritch School of Medicine. She’s now a chief resident at the University of Vermont Medical Center.

Matt oversees health services for a local school district and is an adjunct Nursing professor.

Aliceon is a registered nurse in Florida, on a cardiovascular progressive care unit. She joined the Shared Governance Council at her hospital and will begin her master’s degree in the near future.

Amari initially put her Business degree to work in professional sports. She now works in fundraising and events at the United Way of the Greater Capital Region, and she’s opening an event space in Albany.

“My experience in the theatre industry really guided my career choice,” says Nick, a Musical Theatre grad and law student. “Comparing the working conditions in my non-union contracts versus those I experienced as a member of Actors’ Equity Association motivated my decision to advocate for others’ workplace protections.”

Jennifer’s novel, The Mythic Koda Rose, was published by Simon & Schuster in 2021. “It can be so intimidating sitting in a room full of talented writers waiting to dissect your story or poem,” she said of pursuing an MFA after earning her bachelor’s in English, “but thanks to Sage, I never doubted that I deserved to be among them.”

Carrie accepted her first full-time position the same week she received her Business bachelor’s degree. Five years later, she is a senior legislative associate at a government affairs firm and a rising star on City & State New York’s 40 Under 40 list.

Admission to veterinary school is notoriously hard — there are only 30 accredited vet schools in the country. Thanks to Sage’s “Let’s see how we can make that happen for you” approach, Savanna got in, and graduated from the University of Illinois-College of Veterinary Medicine in 2021, with a position already lined up.

In just a few years, Leah has worked for one of Albany’s major design firms and created her own business with a solid portfolio of work in design, photography and motion graphics.

Alexandra is an RN in the Albany Medical Center Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She provides nursing care to newborn babies and support to their families.

The Troy architectural firm where Meriam interned, Architecture +, hired her after she graduated in 2020.

Ariannah is a first grade teacher and gives Sage’s Childhood Education bachelor’s program credit for preparing her for this demanding career. “I still remember and use so much of what I learned at Sage.”

Monica is a graduate of Sage’s bachelor’s program in Nutrition Science and graduate-level Dietetic Internship program. She owns Mind on Nutrition, a coaching and consulting company in Denver, and is the consulting dietitian for the Denver Nuggets.