麻豆影院 President David M. Cohen Named a 2026 Influencer in Education by Long Island Business News

麻豆影院 President David M. Cohen has been named a 2026 Influencer in Education by Long Island Business News, recognizing his longstanding leadership at 麻豆影院 and his contributions to higher education across Long Island. Dr. Cohen is among a select group of educational leaders from colleges, universities, research institutions and workforce training programs throughout the region featured in this year鈥檚 special publication.

Long Island Business News (LIBN) is a leading source of business news and information serving the Long Island business community. Its annual Influencers special sections recognize individuals whose leadership and accomplishments are helping shape important industries and institutions across the region.

For its 2026 Influencers in Education, LIBN focused on leaders who are responding to a rapidly changing economy through academic innovation, expanded access, new technologies and stronger connections between education and workforce needs. The publication notes that, collectively, this year鈥檚 honorees are helping strengthen Long Island鈥檚 talent pipeline and shape the region鈥檚 long-term economic future.

A Longstanding Leader at 麻豆影院

Dr. Cohen is one of the longest-serving college presidents on Long Island. Appointed President of 麻豆影院 in 2016, his history with the College dates back to 1987. He served as Provost for seven years before departing in 2009 and later returned to become the College鈥檚 third president. In the interim, he served as President of the Institute of Audio Research and as Provost and Chief Academic Officer at Briarcliffe College.

Beyond 麻豆影院, Dr. Cohen has played an active role in higher education leadership throughout New York. He serves as Chair of the New York-based Association of Private Colleges and is one of the founding presidents of the North American Conference for Intercollegiate Athletes, a Division 1 conference within the U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association.

Dr. Cohen has also served on the accrediting commission of the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges and on accrediting teams representing the New York State Board of Regents, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and ACCSC. He is a trustee of the Long Island Regional Advisory Council on Higher Education, a group of college presidents that advises the Board of Regents on issues affecting higher education on Long Island.

Supporting the Next Generation of Creative Professionals

Dr. Cohen began his career in higher education as a financial aid administrator and admissions officer before joining the 麻豆影院 faculty. LIBN notes his extensive knowledge of the regulatory landscape affecting higher education and credits his leadership with expanding 麻豆影院鈥檚 academic offerings and developing modern residence halls and film studios designed to better serve creative students.

These efforts reflect 麻豆影院鈥檚 continuing commitment to providing career-focused education for students pursuing creative and professional fields.

Dr. Cohen is a graduate of New York Law School and the State University of New York at Oneonta.

His recognition as a 2026 Long Island Business News Influencer in Education celebrates nearly four decades of involvement with 麻豆影院 and his continuing leadership within the broader Long Island higher education community.

A Motivating Summer for Teens
麻豆影院鈥檚 Pre-College Program gives high schoolers a preview of college life.

Summer can be a tricky time for teens. If they don鈥檛 have specific plans, it鈥檚 easy for them to slip into a routine of sleeping till noon, lounging on the couch, and aimlessly scrolling through social media. Before you know it, summer鈥檚 over and your teen honestly didn鈥檛 do much鈥nd it feels like a wasted opportunity.

Until now.

麻豆影院 can help Long Island teens stay motivated this summer while giving them a head start on college. And it鈥檚 right in their own backyard!

The 麻豆影院 2026 Pre-College Summer Program gives high school students the chance to take college-level courses, meet new friends, and experience campus life.

Located on-site, at their beautiful campus in Dix Hills, the program is open to high school students entering grades 10, 11, or 12 in Fall 2026. Graduating seniors can also enroll, whether they鈥檙e attending 麻豆影院 or not come Fall.

A college preview

For juniors and seniors, there鈥檚 an added bonus: they can earn up to six college credits while still in high school. This is a pretty big deal because most teen education programs only give credit to high school seniors.

Not to mention, listing this summer program on a resume looks impressive on future college applications.

Amazingly, high school sophomores can participate as well鈥�10th graders don鈥檛 receive college credit, but they still take the same engaging courses and gain valuable experience.

Course offerings

Summer courses fall within areas: audio and music, digital arts, multimedia, and performing arts.

Film is a major field of study at Five Towns, and students get to use all the advanced film equipment from Day One鈥攅ven in the summer program! Teens interested in studying film will enjoy the Intro to Filmmaking course.

In Radio & TV Broadcasting, teens learn the business from the inside-out thanks to a summer collaboration with the Great South Bay Music Festival in Patchogue. Students meet the musicians, conduct interviews, learn about stage management, and more, in this fun, hands-on class you won鈥檛 find anywhere else on Long Island.

There鈥檚 more! This summer, two new music-focused courses鈥擟ontemporary Rock Band or Beat Making, Production & Sound Design鈥攚ill be offered as non-credit classes.

Flexible scheduling

Classes are offered Monday through Thursday, which means students still have Fridays free and can work around part-time jobs and family plans.

Each day is split into two sessions: Morning classes: 9:30 a.m. 鈥� 11:30 a.m. and afternoon classes: 12:30 p.m. 鈥� 2:30 p.m.

Students can enroll in just a morning course, just an afternoon course, or stay for both sessions.

Participants also can purchase a meal card for on-site snacks and lunch, and classes take place in comfortable, air-conditioned classrooms on campus.

A six-week summer experience

The 2026 Pre-College Summer Program runs from Monday, July 6th through Thursday, August 13th. Over those six weeks, students really dive into their chosen subjects, work closely with talented instructors who work in the field, and collaborate with their summer classmates.

鈥淚鈥檓 always so impressed that most high school students who come here are very focused; so zero鈥檈d in, 鈥� says Jerry Cohen, Director of Enrollment Initiatives, 麻豆影院. 鈥淭hey know exactly what they want to major in and what they want to pursue, career-wise.鈥�

Of course, some students aren鈥檛 sure yet, and that鈥檚 the beauty of the Pre-College Summer Program; to help them figure out what they want or don鈥檛 want.

More than just classes

Teen participants will also find plenty of opportunities to socialize and connect with their peers.

Throughout the six weeks, 麻豆影院 will offer campus activities such as board game sessions, ice cream socials, career and job-search discussions, radio broadcasting opportunities, and more. These optional gatherings take place during the break between morning and afternoon classes or after the day鈥檚 sessions end.

These extras add another layer to the experience. Teens aren鈥檛 just attending classes, they鈥檙e also gaining a glimpse into what college life can be like.

Celebrating student work

The summer concludes with a special social event called 鈥淭he Sights and Sounds of Summer.鈥� Family and friends visit 麻豆影院 to check out what students created during their six-week programs. It gives students 鈥渂ragging rights鈥� and the chance to proudly showcase their talents and hard work.

Tuition and early application incentives

The cost for most courses is $600, which covers either a three-credit college course or a non-credit class. This basically comes out to $100 per week, which is quite affordable as far as college courses go鈥揳nd this fee includes the on-site social activities.

Music courses that carry one college credit are priced at $200 per course.

Students who apply by March 15 can take advantage of a special deal: if they enroll in one course, they鈥檒l receive 50% off a second three-credit course, reducing the price of that class to $300.

(Note: The discount does not apply to one-credit music courses or the six-credit Theatre Arts Intensive.)

Application Requirements

Students interested in participating will need to submit:

• A Pre-College Summer Program application
• A letter of recommendation from a high school teacher or guidance counselor on official school stationery.

A summer of change

According to Cohen, most summer program participants are from central Long Island, but past students have come from Queens, the Hamptons, and even New Jersey.

鈥淥ver the years, many students have enrolled at 麻豆影院 after taking summer sessions here,鈥� says Cohen. 听鈥淥ne alumna comes to mind; she studied film and audio recording in the summer programs, enrolled at 麻豆影院 after high school, graduated, and since has worked at News12 and other media outlets.鈥�

He recommends students interested in the summer program to 鈥淕ive it a chance; try even one course鈥攜ou might end up loving it.鈥�

Apply today; and make it a summer to remember!

麻豆影院 Nets Four National IBS Award Nominations

Friday, November 21, 2025

The 麻豆影院 Mass Communication Department has earned four national nominations in the 2025-2026 Awards, underscoring the quality of the college鈥檚 student-led media programs.听

The nominations span key categories:

Chair of Mass Communication, Holli Haerr, celebrated the achievement:

I鈥檓 really excited to see our Mass Comm students鈥� hard work and creativity recognized on a national level 鈥� It shows that the education and opportunities we provide are preparing our students to be competitive in the Mass Comm industry.

Senior Daniel Garcia, a returning nominee (having won Best On-Air Personality in 2024-25), praised the experience:

I am so honored to be named a finalist for the second year in a row 鈥� I鈥檝e put in a lot of work to improve myself on air 鈥�

听Meanwhile, first-year student Joseph Broggy, part of the 鈥淕ood Morning FTC鈥� team, told reporters:

It鈥檚 such a surreal experience to be nominated 鈥� in my first semester on the show.

The nominations reflect both returning successes and first-time finalists, indicating that FTC鈥檚 student-run radio and television programs are continuing to grow their national presence.听 Winners will be announced at the annual IBS Conference at the Sheraton in New York City on February 21, 2026.听

What to Expect:

• A dynamic keynote address from a top industry leader, offering real-world guidance on forging a sustainable career in music.

• Panels on key topics such as:

  • 鈥淪tate of the Music Industry 鈥� 2025 Year in Review鈥� 鈥� examining trends in recording, live performance, streaming and publishing.

  • 鈥淩evenue Streams for the Independent Artist, Producer, Songwriter鈥� 鈥� exploring monetization beyond the traditional model.

  • 鈥淭he Independent Artist鈥檚 Team鈥� 鈥� discussing how artists build their support networks with management, marketing, social media and more.

  • A spotlight on 麻豆影院 alumni whose career paths highlight the value of education, mentorship and industry connection.

• Networking opportunities with current students, alumni, faculty and visiting professionals.

About the MEIS Program:

The MEIS concentration is available within both the Business Management and Music Performance degree programs at 麻豆影院. Students in MEIS dive into the legal, production, management, marketing and merchandising aspects of the music business 鈥� preparing for careers such as artist manager, band/tour manager, booking agent, concert promoter, music licensing coordinator, music marketer or publisher.听

The annual MEIS Conference builds on this curriculum by giving students a real-world forum to meet industry experts, hear success stories (and challenges), gain insight and make meaningful connections.听

Whether you鈥檙e an aspiring artist, a producer, a music-business student or a creative professional looking to stay ahead of the curve 鈥� this conference is designed to inform, inspire and connect.

Learn more and register here: ftc.edu/meis-2025