Graduating student charts a path to Disney

Students around the world will be crossing the stage to become RIT alumni as the global campuses celebrate their 2025 spring commencement ceremonies. A highlight of the celebrations will be RIT Kosovo honorary commencement speaker Drena Kusari Berisha, vice president and general manager at Microsoft. Kusari Berisha received her master’s degree from Harvard Business School and held executive roles at Goldman Sachs, Lyft, and Bumble before joining Microsoft. RIT Kosovo’s commencement, featuring nearly 150 graduates, is May 21. RIT Dubai will be graduating more than 300 students on May 20. The growing campus located in the Silicon Oasis is currently in phase two of new construction projects. The building growth will enable campus enrollment to reach 4,000 students once it is completed in 2027. In Croatia, graduates will be recognized on May 22 in Zagreb and May 24 in Dubrovnik. Nearly 200 students across the two campuses will receive degrees. Upwards of 650 graduating students from RIT’s global campuses are part of the more than 4,800 students at all degree levels earning diplomas this spring. The new class will join more than 150,000 RIT alumni across the globe. “Congratulations to all our students receiving diplomas this spring,” said James Myers, associate provost for International Education and Global Programs. “The growing number of graduates at our global campuses is a testament to RIT’s reputation on the world stage.” For more information on RIT’s 2025 spring commencement, go to the commencement website.

Hockey is constantly evolving, expanding into new communities and welcoming new voices. RIT alumna Julia Takatsuka ’18 (graphic design) is helping lead that change from one of the NHL’s youngest outposts: her native Pacific Northwest. Takatsuka coaches for the Seattle Kraken’s Youth Hockey Association, a USA Hockey-sanctioned league growing the game in Washington state. She also serves as the Goalie Development Coordinator for USA Hockey’s Pacific District, representing the Pacific Northwest and identifying emerging goaltenders with national potential. Takatsuka stands at the forefront of an innovative grassroots approach to goaltender development, helping to reshape how the league, and the sport, thinks about coaching. Takatsuka’s unique path to the NHL dekes tradition: she didn’t play pro or college hockey, nor did she come up through elite coaching networks. For her, preparation consistently met unique opportunities. Growing up, she played the position competitively and attended USA Hockey select camps. But when Division I hockey didn’t feel like the right fit, Takatsuka felt like she was left with two options: play college hockey or attend a school with a great design program. She focused on education and enrolled at RIT. It was a decision that would subtly shape her future behind the bench. ‌ Provided Julia Takatsuka ’18, left, has been with the Seattle Kraken since the team’s NHL debut in 2021. Over four years, she has helped grow the organization’s youth program to include more than 50 goaltenders across multiple age levels. “RIT helped me to think outside the box,” Takatsuka said. “I found myself in that creative sense, and it helped me as I got into coaching.” She stayed active on campus as a two-year member of the RIT Crew team, found a home with a local women’s ice hockey team, and honed her design skills. Returning to Washington after graduation, she realized that hockey still had a significant hold on her. Coaching hadn’t been on her radar, but a chance pairing with a local goalie coach changed that. “I never thought I’d coach,” Takatsuka admitted. “I didn’t want to work with kids at the time. I got pulled in and paired with a goalie coach, and suddenly I was using all these tools I’d learned in design to connect with kids, meeting them where they are, and helping them embrace all the boring aspects of training. It all fell into place.” Her ability to connect with younger and marginalized players caught the attention of hockey leaders as she moved up the ladder. By 2020, she had become the Female Goaltending Development Coordinator for Western Washington. As Takatsuka was building connections and knowledge in the hockey world, the NHL awarded Seattle an expansion franchise with the Seattle Kraken in 2021. Takatsuka stepped into a rare opportunity: to build a goaltending model from the ground up. “I felt like I was in the right place at the right time,” Takatsuka said. She saw a better way to make the goaltending position accessible and appealing to young players, including providing “quick change” gear for beginners and allowing them to try the position without a large upfront investment. She is also educating individuals off ice as well, incorporating a three-pillar education system for players, coaches, and parents, so everyone involved better understands what goalies need to thrive. The program’s success was evident, expanding from six teams to 37 in four years, with over 50 goalies having their own equipment. Takatsuka runs weekly goalie clinics, with many traveling from neighboring states like Alaska, Idaho, and Oregon. In 2024, she became one of 30 individuals to earn gold level training from USA Hockey, and that June, presented her thesis at the inaugural USA Hockey National Goaltending Symposium. Her work has received national attention, drawing features from the NHL and USA Hockey. She still laces up the pads in adult leagues and participates in community events like the annual Seattle Pride Classic, where she receives strong support from the young athletes she coaches. “They love to come out and make signs and support,” Takatsuka said. “They’re like, ‘you’re so good,’ and I’m like ‘I’m so bad!’ But it’s great to see them.” As a queer woman in a male-dominated coaching world, Takatsuka doesn’t seek the spotlight but recognizes the power of visibility as she helps redefine what success looks like in the crease. “For a while, I tried to not think about it in that way,” Takatsuka said. “For me it’s just trying to help grow the knowledge of the position and the game and be a good role model for them.”

Using a non-traditional, micro-organism separation method, researchers at Rochester Institute of Technology discovered a faster technique that can be used to distinguish cells that are resistant to antibiotics or cancer. Alaleh Vaghef-Koodehi, a doctoral candidate in RIT’s Kate Gleason College of Engineering, led elements of the work to improve lab-on-chip devices, specifically an insulator-based electrokinetic system, a method that manipulates charged particles, such as microorganisms, through applied electrical capabilities. Lab-on-chip devices are small instruments that can analyze several biological samples through chemical and electrical methods. Their small size allows for portability, and continued advancements like the new work by Vaghef-Koodehi and RIT biomedical engineering faculty-researcher Blanca Lapizco-Encinas is a promising diagnostic tool for clinicians. Lapizco-Encinas and Vaghef-Koodehi have been at the forefront of improving lab-on-chip devices. Their most recent paper was detailed in the journal Electrophoresis. The article “Dielectrophoresis in Carcinoma Diagnosis: Recent Developments and Applications,” is one of several the researchers published about how lab-on-chip devices are becoming more sophisticated. The process, not widely researched until recently, is being seen as a reliable means to detect slight variations in microorganisms, which can improve response to diseases. “We hope lab-on-chip devices will be as common as things like pregnancy tests,” said Vaghef-Koodehi. “We are still in early stages in developing this important technology, but these separation techniques are already showing promise, especially in cases where it is critical to assess the fragile components first.” General findings by the research team include advances in distinguishing bio-particles based on variations in size, shape, and surface charge, enabling improved separation and characterization of microorganisms and other biological samples using electrokinetic techniques. Results are more accurate and can potentially decrease waiting time to determine possible healthcare interventions. Separation of similar microparticles by exploiting minute differences in the electrical charges in cell analysis is a means to quickly identify altered cells due to infection or mutations, for example. “Alaleh was one of the first to demonstrate and validate the use of specific, varied voltages to separate complex samples using nonlinear electrophoresis,” said Lapizco-Encinas, professor of biomedical engineering and director of the Microscale BioSeparations Laboratory in RIT’s Kate Gleason College of Engineering. “Traditional cell culturing is effective, but takes a long time, sometimes 24–36 hours. It means a patient may not have immediate treatment because you are still testing. The process developed by Alaleh enables faster and more reliable cell differentiation by leveraging significant changes in the electrical properties of biomarkers.” Vaghef-Koodehi was recognized for this work and received the Blue Fingers Student Award from the American Electrophoresis Society, during its fall conference. The award is given to the most outstanding student paper submitted by graduate and doctoral students. Vaghef-Koodehi, who has been studying at RIT since 2021, expects to defend her doctoral dissertation this summer and after graduation wants to continue work in the development of lab-on-chip devices. “I want to help people especially in countries where people may not have direct access to hospitals. By developing these systems and devices life will be easier for many people.”

When a mental health crisis in 2009 prevented Sarah Collins from finishing her bachelor’s degree from RIT, a college education felt far out of reach. An unexpected path led Collins back to RIT, and she graduated on May 9 from Roar to the Finish, a degree completion program in RIT’s School of Individualized Study (SOIS). “I knew that going back to school as an adult learner would be challenging,” but I was ready for it,” Collins said. “And I built momentum.” Collins, a senior technical copywriter and published poet, learned about SOIS and the degree completion program through a connection between the school and her employer, Partners & Napier, an advertising agency in Rochester, N.Y. Agency founder Sharon Napier, RIT alumna and Board of Trustees member, established The Napier Leadership Experience (TNLE), an annual fellowship program for 15 to 20 SOIS students. Collins leads a personal storytelling workshop during the daylong experience and gets to know each cohort. From the start, the students’ journeys and multi-disciplinary backgrounds felt familiar to her. Their stories, along with support from the SOIS staff, motivated Collins to finish her RIT education. She met with James Hall, dean of University Studies and executive director of SOIS, and Sydney Wyse, assistant director of non-traditional student outreach and, in January 2023, Collins started the degree completion program. “I saw myself in many of the students, and I could relate to the tension of knowing where you want to go with your career and figuring out how to get there,” Collins said. “SOIS filled that gap for me, and I received so much encouragement from everyone.” RIT is one of the few private institutions that has a formal degree completion program, according to Wyse. Since 2016, Roar to the Finish has helped nearly 150 returning students graduate with an RIT degree. Initiatives at public universities to increase the college-educated workforce inspired Hall to launch RIT’s degree completion program. “The reality is we want students to earn their RIT degree and become active alumni,” Hall said. “That’s really important, especially when students have invested so much time and money into the university without a degree to show for it or the benefits the credential can provide them.” While Collins discovered the degree completion program through her SOIS connections, many people first learn about it via an email from Wyse. She informs them of their eligibility, seven to 30 years after leaving RIT, and invites them to consider finishing their education. Wyse identifies potential candidates in good standing through collaboration with colleagues in the registrar’s office, Institutional Research, Data and Analytics, and throughout RIT’s nine colleges and two degree-granting institutes. Sometimes students hold onto Wyse’s message for years until they are ready to take action. “I’m still getting emails from students I contacted in 2018 and 2019, and who saved my email because they weren’t ready,” Wyse said. “Or, sometimes students will reply right away and the conversation drops off until they revisit it again.” She facilitates students’ return to RIT, in person or remotely, and encourages adult learners to consider pursuing a general BS degree if curricular changes make their original degree an impractical and costly option. Collins faced a similar decision when she considered her incomplete graphic design BFA degree. Not only had the field changed since 2009, but also, her professional focus had shifted toward copywriting. Wyse mapped a plan for her to finish the remaining requirements in a timely and cost-effective manner, and Collins followed it. While she continues to support the Napier Experience through her employer, as a new alumna, Collins is ready to give back to SOIS on a personal level. Already this semester, she started engaging with students in the classroom as a guest speaker, sharing tips about creating a personal brand and an online presence. “Talk about coming full circle at RIT and how beautiful that is,” Collins said. “I’m also still in touch with many of the Napier Fellows from previous years through LinkedIn. It’s really important to have that sense of continuity in community.”

Academic Convocation keynote speaker Astro Teller compared graduation to completing the “tutorial level” of life—where graduates have learned how to work the controls and are now heading into the game of life in exploration mode. ‌ Carlos Ortiz/RIT Astro Teller, entrepreneur, engineer, scientist, and ‘Captain of Moonshots’ at X Google’s Factory and innovation lab, addressed the graduates during Academic Convocation and encouraged them to capture the essence of The Fool, which is its potential. Emphasizing the power of a creative mindset over mastering the pursuit of excellence, he urged the Class of 2025 to embrace the journey ahead with curiosity, humility, and a willingness to be intentionally foolish. “The only thing on the door of my office is a poster of the tarot card ‘The Fool,’” said Teller, an entrepreneur, engineer, scientist, and “Captain of Moonshots” at X Google’s Factory and innovation lab. “The Fool is setting out on an adventure, looking up as he steps off of a literal cliff into the figurative unknown. The essence of The Fool is potential. Just like each of you in this moment.” More than 4,800 students are graduating from RIT this year, including those attending global campuses in Croatia, Dubai, Kosovo, and China. Individual college commencement ceremonies honoring the graduates will continue throughout the weekend. A hooding ceremony followed Academic Convocation on May 9 for 56 graduates earning Ph.D. degrees. Photo gallery See a photo gallery of the four honorary degree recipients. Four honorary degrees also were awarded at RIT’s commencement ceremony, which was the last one for retiring RIT President David Munson. Prabu David, provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs, served as master of ceremonies. Teller drew upon his experiences as Captain of Moonshots, which calls for him to teach people how to start new and audacious journeys and be willing to be exposed and connected to others. He offered advice to graduates, including having an attitude of openness, non-judgment, and lack of preconceptions. “Take advantage of your naïveté and switch fields, if necessary, to get this freshness back,” he said. “The beginner’s mindset is what unlocks creativity. Having a daily reminder to stay open, curious, lighthearted, and silly in my approach to even serious things keeps my beginner’s mind active and that does show up in how I brainstorm.” Munson, who will retire June 30 after leading the university for eight years, encouraged the graduates to serve, innovate, and stay connected as they move on to what’s next. ‌ Carlos Ortiz/RIT RIT President David Munson addressed the graduates at Academic Convocation. “What an honor it has been for me to serve as your president as we celebrate your achievements today,” he said. “I am amazed by your creativity and your devotion to your studies. I am touched by your kindness and care for one another. And I am thankful for the leadership and service you have offered to make our community a better place.” He went on to acknowledge the uncertain times facing both the nation and the field of higher education but stressed that RIT will continue to follow its core principles and defend its values and culture, while upholding freedom of speech, freedom to peacefully assemble, and academic freedom. He also highlighted the success stories among the graduates—from prestigious job offers and startup ventures to military and nonprofit service—while recognizing each student’s unique journey and reminding them of the broader purpose their education can serve. “It is my hope that you will serve the greater good because, from my vantage point, the world needs more RIT Tigers,” he added. “Success is not measured by material wealth or prestige. It is my hope that you wake up tomorrow not solely focused on how to earn a living. Rather, that you go out and do your best to enrich the world.” Looking ahead, Munson expressed his excitement for Bill Sanders, dean of Carnegie Mellon’s College of Engineering, who will serve as RIT’s next president starting July 1. Student Government President Alex Shuron, a fourth-year mechanical engineering major from Syracuse, N.Y., told the graduates to continue to be kind, curious, and resilient. ‌ Traci Westcott/RIT RIT graduates celebrate the conferral of degrees during the Academic Convocation on May 9. “It is your decision whether or not to carry out these requests,” Shuron said. “As a close friend has said to me many times, ‘Words don’t mean anything, actions prove intent.’ Continue to prove to the world your intent through actions, and you will be the change that you want to see.” While the overarching theme for this year’s Academic Convocation focused on remaining connected and resilient, Teller also encouraged graduates to take risks, imploring graduates to find their own way to make their vulnerability feel protective. “I challenge you to judge every unknown for its expected utility, not its risk, and take as many high, expected utility adventures as you can, no matter how risky they are,” he said. “If you want to help the world be meaningfully better and not just more of the same, you’ll need to take these same kinds of uncomfortable bets.” He encouraged graduates to see every challenge as an opportunity and a gift, be grateful, and to approach life not with fear, but with intention. “Don’t just go live your life. Go create it.” Read the speeches The full text of the speeches by President David Munson, keynote speaker Astro Teller, and Student Government President Alex Shuron are available.

Researchers at Rochester Institute of Technology and University of Rochester recently connected their campuses with an experimental quantum communications network using two optical fibers. In a new paper published in Optica Quantum, scientists described the Rochester Quantum Network (RoQNET), which uses single photons to transmit information about 11 miles along fiber-optic lines at room temperature using optical wavelengths. Quantum communications networks have the potential to massively improve the security with which information is transmitted, making messages impossible to clone or intercept without detection. Quantum communication works with quantum bits, or qubits, that can be physically created using atoms, superconductors, and even in defects in materials like diamond. However, photons (individual particles of light) are the best type of qubit for long distance quantum communications. Photons are appealing for quantum communication in part because they could theoretically be transmitted over existing fiber-optic telecommunications lines that already crisscross the globe. In the future, many types of qubits will likely be utilized because qubit sources, like quantum dots or trapped ions, each have their own advantages for specific applications in quantum computing or different types of quantum sensing. However, photons are the most compatible with existing communications lines. The new paper published in Optica Quantum is focused on making quantum communication between different types of qubits in a network a reality. “Photons move at the speed of light and their wide range of wavelengths enable communication with different types of qubits,” said Stefan Preble, professor in the Kate Gleason College of Engineering. “Our focus is on distributed quantum entanglement, and RoQNET is a test bed for doing that.” Ultimately, the researchers want to connect RoQNET to other research facilities across New York state at Brookhaven National Lab, Stony Brook University, Air Force Research Laboratory, and New York University. “This is an exciting step creating quantum networks that would protect communications and empower new approaches to distributed computing and imaging,” said Nickolas Vamivakas, the Marie C. Wilson and Joseph C. Wilson Professor of Optical Physics, who led the University of Rochester’s efforts. “While other groups have developed experimental quantum networks, RoQNET is unique in its use of integrated quantum photonic chips for quantum light generation and solid-state based quantum memory nodes.” RIT microsystems engineering Ph.D. student Vijay Sundaram ’21 MS (physics) is the lead author on the paper. After taking a course in quantum, he realized that quantum optics was where he saw his future. Sundaram explained how quantum entanglement, or spooky action at a distance, is putting quantum at the forefront of new technology. “Quantum particles can be at either end of the universe and they’ll still be completely, perfectly correlated,” said Sundaram. “These experiments have been done using bulk optics and huge telescopes. We’re trying to put all of that onto a single microchip.” Co-authors on the paper include Evan Manfreda-Schulz, Thomas Palone, Venkatesh Deenadayalan, Mario Ciminelli, and Gregory Howland from RIT; Todd Hawthorne, Tony Roberts and Phil Battle from AdvR Inc.; Michael Fanto from the Air Force Research Laboratory; and Gerald Leake and Daniel Coleman from the State University of New York Polytechnic Institute. The research was supported by Air Force Research Laboratory.