2026 Alumni Showcase

Discover how alumni participation shapes the culture, momentum, and success of Purchase College. Chat with members of the PCAA Board and the Office of Alumni Engagement to explore ways to stay connected and make an impact.

Decades ago, Associate Professor Ted T. Kivitt of the Purchase College Conservatory of Dance embarked on a passion project: capturing striking photographs of the Company’s ballet students to create a stunning visual archive chronicling the evolution of dance. These timeless images are now being shared publicly, offering alumni a nostalgic journey and a captivating tribute to the artistry and grace that have defined generations of dancers at Purchase. 

Paula Kelly captures nocturnal landscapes and botanical subjects illuminated by dramatic, saturated light. Working at night, she explores the interplay of color, shadow, and perspective, transforming familiar forms into luminous, otherworldly scenes that feel immersive and quietly cinematic.

Olga Chemokhud-Doty creates oil-on-canvas works built from individual square panels that come together as a single, expansive image. In her Reflections series, shifting light, layered brushwork, and immersive perspective invite viewers to move closer and discover new details within the whole.

Ayanna (Sims) Kaplan creates original paintings on canvas and plexiglass that explore bold line work, contrast, and color. Their work moves between atmospheric scenes and graphic, nature-inspired imagery, using layered materials to create pieces that feel both expressive and contemporary.

Blending painting, memoir, and social witness, Lori Schreiner creates work that explores memory, justice, and human resilience through both image and text. Her interdisciplinary practice moves between portraiture, artist books, and collaborative projects that bring visual art and poetry into conversation.

Tom Franklin is an award-winning photojournalist, filmmaker, and visual storyteller whose work has spanned more than 30 years. He is also a professor of multimedia journalism at Montclair State University.

Kim V. Do presents a collection of landscape paintings created on site, outdoors. Working from direct observation, his paintings capture the shifting qualities of light, atmosphere, and movement, ranging from carefully rendered studies to more gestural, painterly compositions. Across the work, a consistent throughline emerges: a vivid sense of air, light, and immediacy.

Kellyann Petry is a photographer whose work centers on quiet, observational studies of the natural world—sky, woods, and water—captured through traditional and alternative photographic processes.

Sarah Soara is a digital and traditional artist whose work blends anime and cartoon influences with elements of semi-realism. She focuses on expressive characters and stylized imagery that reflect her love of illustration and contemporary visual culture.

Maria-Cristina Necula is a Romanian-American writer whose work is shaped by a lifelong engagement with language, music, and storytelling.

Corinne Santiago Moore is a writer, editor, and educator who discovered her love of writing at a young age and continues to champion its power for personal expression and growth. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from SUNY Purchase and a Master of Fine Arts in creative nonfiction from Sarah Lawrence College, and has served as Lecturer of Writing at Purchase since 2019.

Mary Flatley is a poet and disabled Marine Corps veteran whose work reflects a lifelong engagement with writing, shaped by personal experience, resilience, and a deep belief in the power of the arts. She began writing poetry as a student at Purchase and has continued to develop her voice through publication in anthologies and community engagement.

Stephen Singer  considers himself a conceptualist above all else, unbound by a single medium, tool, or style. His work explores the intersection of image, object, and text through pseudo-product action figures and long-form conceptual documentation.

Diana Rosado-Sandoval is a counselor and family consultant who has spent more than 15 years working with children and families to strengthen social-emotional learning and early childhood development. Using toys, play therapy techniques, and creative engagement, she creates supportive learning environments where neurotypical and neurodivergent children can build confidence, empathy, and resilience.

Raditia Lasry is the founder of Mindful Being, a practice grounded in mindfulness, self-awareness, and human connection. Her work centers on helping individuals and groups navigate uncertainty, deepen emotional awareness, and engage more meaningfully with themselves and others.

Global Writes is a nonprofit organization that promotes literacy, communication, and collaboration among young people through the integration of the arts, community building, and technology. Led by Co-President John Ellrodt ’85, the organization works with schools and community partners to create engaging educational experiences that connect local learning with global collaboration.