Wilbur and Dorothy Breslin Hall named after Long Island's largest Real Estate Tycoon

Many buildings and artwork on Hofstra University campus have been named to honor their donors.

Wilbur Breslin was such a donor.

In 1990, a new state of the art classroom building named Wilbur and Dorothy Breslin Hall at Hofstra University was created.

"I just thought it was some rich old guy", said student Adam Lutz of Amityville, New York. Many students replied with similar comments when asked if they knew who the building was named after.

Breslin founded Breslin Reality in 1953 and built the firm into one of the largest and most successful real estate companies in Long Island.

Breslin's commercial development firm was instrumental in bringing many retail chains to Nassau and Suffolk Counties, such as, K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, The Gap, Pathmark, and Burger King.

When Breslin's firm was mentioned to various students in business and finance, they were aware of who he was but did not realize that he had ties to Hofstra."Oh I know of Breslin, he pretty much does all of Long Island's real estate," said finance major Isaiah Urbino of Teaneck, New Jersey.

Mr. Breslin has had a long association with Hofstra University starting in 1984 as a member of Hofstra’s Board of Trustees.

Breslin served as chair of the University’s Capital Campaign, which raised more than $30 million between 1989 and 1992.

Even though Breslin retired from the board in 2001, he still continues to serve as a member of Hofstra University's President's Leadership Council and is a trustee emeritus.

"After all this time I find out that Breslin hall was named after a very important figure in Long Island", said senior James Wilson of Albany, New York. It seems very few students are aware who the different buildings are named after and their achievements.

In response to his constant contributions, Hofstra established the Wilbur F. Breslin Center for Real Estate Studies on September 19th 2007.

This new center is a place where future real estate professionals can learn the workings of real estate. "I think the center is great," said real estate major Bill Collins of Sayville, New York.

Hofstra's Dutch History

"I have no idea why there is a windmill on campus," said Colby Ionelli, 24, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania," I never really paid any attention to it."

The miniature Dutch windmill near Hofstra University's admissions building is a small symbol of Nassau County's Dutch heritage. Many students may never give it a second glance. But there is a history behind it, as well as other pieces of Dutch history.

Founder William S. Hofstra traced his roots to the the Dutch province of Friesland. He built an estate-style house in Hempstead and named it The Netherlands. It has since been renamed Hofstra Hall.

Hofstra's original seal, created by art professor, Contant van de Wall, in 1937, was inspired by the royal House of Orange of the Netherlands. The insignia is used with permission of the Crown of the Netherlands.

The Hofstra flag was presented in a special ceremony in 1937 by Dr. Alexander Loudon, ambassador for Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. It was the orange, white, and blue flag of William III of Nassau with a Hofstra emblem placed in the middle. Former President James Shuart of Hofstra later replaced the orange with gold, making the flag truer to the original flag of the House of Nassau.

The school was unofficially referred to as the Flying Dutchmen, along with the Flying Dutch and Dutch, also very much derived from the county's roots, and did not officially change to the team name of the "Pride" until 2004.

Those roots date back to 1640, when Dutch pioneers settled in New Amsterdam, now Manhattan, and purchased the Nassau area land from the Massapequa, Marioke, and Rockaway Indians.

After decades of land ownership passing between the British and the Dutch, a citizens' meeting held in 1898 in Mineola proposed the name Nassau County in honor of Dutch William III of Nassau, Governor of the Netherlands and, later, King of England.

Hofstra incorporates the tradition of celebrating its Dutch heritage at its annual Dutch Festival. This year, the event takes place on Sunday, May 3 and will feature Dutch food and drink, music and entertainment including Dutch jazz musicians.

With Donors Now Broke, Buildings Go Unnamed

Like many colleges, the academic buildings at Hofstra University have the kind of regal sounding names one would expect from an East Coast institution steeped in history. Dotting the map are names like The Frank G. Zarb School of Business, Cornelius Vander Starr Hall and the Augustus B. Weller Hall. Such names conjure up the images of wealthy donors, famous alumni and stuffy trustee meetings. So it begs the question, how did Hofstra's newest complex get a name so void of meaning as the New Academic Building?

Well, the building is in fact quite new, having opened to students and faculty in October, 2006. The New Academic Building is a state of the art complex designed to house various administrative offices but contains no classrooms. Other notable features include a 230-seat black box drama theater, music storage and practice facilities, and small conference rooms for graduate classes.

Hofstra administrators hired a prominent New York architecture firm and spent nearly $16 million on construction. The University initially decided to call it the New Academic Building simply as a placeholder, operating under the assumption that a wealthy donor would come forward cash-in-hand eager to pay a hefty fee to attach their name to the building.

Naming troubles surrounding the New Academic Building and others represent a growing problem that the university administration is struggling to deal with. Several other buildings on campus have also gone nameless for years before attracting the deep pockets of a donor. While Hofstra does not disclose the value of cash gifts, universities of similar size report seven figure requirements for the naming rights to a major academic building.

With donors presumably tapped out after the millions put up to host the third Presidential Debate last year it's anyone's guess how long it will take before the New Academic Building gets a proper name.

Hofstra's Hitchhiker

Many students at Hofstra can’t help but smile as they leave the campus.

The last thing man drivers see is a lanky hitchhiker who stands near the road propositioning a Boston sign, with a large suitcase propped up next to him.

Candace Shoureck, 18, a freshman at Hofstra says the sculpture is “really funny, and random. I laugh every time I notice it.”

She says that this statue was permanently imprinted in her mind when she noticed it after leaving freshman orientation. “It was so random, I couldn’t help but to stare at it.” When asked about the statues origin, Shoureck simply shrugged.

Another student, Masha Chernousov, 18, considers the statue to be “really confusing, but interesting.” Chernousov goes on to question the statue’s meaning. “What’s up with Boston?, That’s random? I think it’s really weird but that’s why it’s so interesting.”

The statue has become part of the schools culture, yet many students are not aware of the origin of the sculptor.

John Seward Johnson II, 78, is the sculptor behind this Hofstra icon. Johnson began his career as the heir to the Johnson & Johnson corporation, and worked as a painter. In 1968 he made the decision to switch to sculpting. Johnson’s statues are created to be realistic, yet silent participants in everyday life. Since 1968, Johnson has created over 250 pieces that are scattered throughout the world in private collections. “Hitchhiker” was donated to the university in 1983, and made popular in 1985 when Johnson held an exhibition of his work on Hofstra’s campus.

Former Athlete Providing the Pride a Home

Hundreds of Hofstra students walk by Margiotta Hall everyday and do not even know that the building exists.

Margiotta Hall is the building located at the head of James H. Shuart Stadium and houses Hofstra's football team as well as the men's and women's lacrosse team.

Each team has their own locker room in the three story building, all have which been renovated in the past year. A two-level, 2,600 square foot locker room occupied by the football team is plastered with photos and posters of players, past and present, along with five 60 inch flat screen televisions.
A 3,500 square foot weight room with adequate equipment resides on the first floor and is a key component to the success of the Pride.
A gallery of Hofstra Athletic's memorabilia, trophies and awards sits on the second floor. Hofstra athletics is proud of its past and likes to show off its accomplishments.
A theater and the lacrosse teams' locker rooms reside on the bottom floor of the facility.

Margiotta Hall is named after Joseph M. Margiotta.
Joseph Margiotta was a graduate of Hofstra in 1950 and was a member of the university's football team.
After graduating Mr. Margiotta remained an active part of of the Hofstra football program by giving numerous donations aside from the building, including scholarship funds for students.
I call him Mr. Margiotta because as a member of the school's football team now, I had the honor of meeting such a great man and this is what we as players would refer to him as.

The head football coach of the Pride, Dave Cohen refers to Mr. Margiotta as a, "big time Hofstra supporter" and "truly embraced me when I took over the head coaching job in 2006."

Joseph Margiotta is also a well known name in the Nassau County community. From 1967 to 1983 Mr. Margiotta was the chairman of the Nassua County Republican Party. Prior to this he represented Uniondale as a six term assemblyman.

Joseph Margiotta died in November of 2008, and Dave Cohen said that, "The university, football program, and myself have lost a great friend and mentor this past year."

C.V. Starr Hall Named for Founder of One of Nation's Largest Insurance Agencies

Who would’ve guessed that the most talked-about investment group in the U.S. has ties to Hofstra University?
C.V. Starr Hall is named after the founder of The American International Group, Inc., better known as A.I.G. Cornelius Vander Starr. Most students, however, only know its name and purpose, and little about the man for which it is named.
C.V. Starr Hall is home to Hofstra University’s Frank G. Zarb School of Business.
A state-of-the-art technologically advanced building, C.V. Starr Hall opened for classes in the fall of 2000 and houses the Martin B. Greenberg Trading Room complete with a stock ticker that is delayed only 15 minutes from Wall Street.
Born on October 15, 1892 in Fort Bragg, California, Starr founded his first business – an ice cream stand – at age 19.
Starr served in World War I, and later headed to the Far East with only 300 yen in his pocket.
In 1919, Starr founded what would be one of the nation’s largest insurance corporations, the American International Group Inc.
He represented American insurance companies in fire and marine insurance coverage.
Successful in his first insurance venture, he began opening up more insurance businesses throughout the world.
He moved company headquarters to the United States in 1926, and insured American risks outside the U.S. In 1939, Starr moved the company headquarters to New York, expanding into Latin America.
After World War II, Starr established himself in Japan and Europe. His business grew exponentially, and he split it into two corporations, with A.I.G. domestic headquarters in New York and international headquarters in Bermuda.
He is also responsible for establishing The Starr Foundation which gives grants in areas such as: education, medicine and health care, human needs, public policy, culture, and the environment.
Starr died in 1968 at age 76, and A.I.G. became an industry leader in developing new initiatives, such as finite risk insurance, a multi-year insurance contract in which the insurer bears limited underwriting, credit, investment and timing risk.

A Conversation That Anyone Can Join

On the North side of the Hofstra University campus, between Memorial and Hauser Hall, Greek philosophers Plato and Socrates hold a permanent conversation.

The sculpture, “Plato Having a Dialogue with Socrates” by Mihail Chemiakin, shows Plato seated on a low column table, having a conversation with Socrates. Next to the table is an empty seat. Between the seat and the low column table is ample room for persons with disabilities to sit comfortably. This was requested by the Yuker estate in memorial of Yuker’s desire to making Hofstra barrier free to disabled persons.

Yuker, who had cerebral palsy, was hired as a professor of psychology at the university in 1948. In the early 1960s Yuker began focusing his efforts on making the university more accessible for those with disabilities.

In 1963, the Program for the Higher Education of the Disabled began to install ramps, elevators, modified restrooms and water fountains throughout campus. By 1981 Yuker’s efforts had made Hofstra the first university in the country to be accessible to people regardless of their physical disposition.

Chemiakin's piece which was built in memory of Yuker's commitment to making Hofstra barrier-free is routinely misinterpreted.

"My professor told my class that the empty seat was there for the next great thinker to sit in, and that thinker could be any student in the class," said Matt Remis.

Senior Abbie Menard said she thought it a place where anyone can join in a conversation between two great philosophers.

The university is home to one of the largest collections of private art in the New York metropolitan area. The collection includes over 75 sculptures , many of which lack name plates.

Hofstra University Residence Halls Rendered an Important Part of Dutch History:

by: Giavanna Peppe

Hofstra University is known for its Dutch ancestry.

Founder William Hofstra, a second generation immigrant from the Netherlands, built Hofstra Hall in 1903 for him and his wife Kate.

After dying in 1932, Williams widow Kate stipulated in her will that Hofstra Hall be used to honor her husbands memory. She requested that the land be used for a charitable, scientific or humanitarian purpose, and to be named after William.

Established in 1935 Hofstra University illustrated its Dutch history in various locations on campus in an effort to exemplify it's Dutch backgrounds significance.

Even after more than 70 years, Hofstra still reflects its dutch heritage.

The Netherlands Residence Halls at Hofstra is home to about 600 first-year students and withholds a great amount of Dutch History throughout each of the 11 buildings in the complex. Each building, strategically named after an important part of Dutch history whether it be Dutch countries, symbolism, or important figures in Dutch society, houses about 55 students in each.

Delft, Groningen, Hague, Leiden, Rotterdam, Tilburg, Utrecht, Orange, Rensselear, Breukelen, and Amsterdam are the buildings that make up the complex, but while many freshman students inhabit these houses, few know the significance of each house name. Hofstra University Freshman, Amalia Richards said “I live in Amsterdam, and all I know about Amsterdam is that a lot of marijuana is smoked there legally.” Amsterdam, the capital of The Netherlands was one of the first houses named in the complex.

Of the 11 buildings in the complex, four of them are Provincial capitals including Amsterdam. Hague is the capital of Southern Holland, a province in which the City of Delft can be found. Utrecht is the capital of the Province Utrecht where Breukelen can be also be located in the country of Netherlands, and last but not least, Groningen, the capital of its own province in Holland.

The placement of each Netherlands dormitory building mirrors the location in which each country is on a Netherlands map. Delft, a city in Southern Holland, found between Rotterdam and Hague if located on a map, was accurately placed between the two buildings. Leiden and Tilburg are both countries located in the Southern Provinces of Netherlands and can be found directly next to each other in the Netherland Complex as well. Orange house was named after the colors of the Dutch royal family and is the only building in the Complex that is not a country besides Rensselear, which was named after a Dutch merchant with a significant affect in the Colonial American Trade.

The University was architected by H. Craig Severance and Wellington Ward. Ward can be credited with designing the Hofstra home named “The Netherlands” in an effort to recognize William Hofstra's Dutch ancestry.

For more information on Hofstra Universities on campus dorming visit: Hofstra Residence Halls

Adams Playhouse celebrates golden anniversary

The John Cranford Adams Playhouse celebrated its 50th anniversary last March.

However, the building's history has been so obscured that few Hofstra students know much about it.

I discovered this as I stood outside of the playhouse and asked passers-by if they had any knowledge of its history.

"I don't know any history per se," said freshmen Eric Levy, 18, "but I know that it has been around at least since the 70s and it houses productions, lectures, concerts, etc."

Freshman Melissa Freemer,18, said, "Why would I know anything about it? I just need to know where it is."

The playhouse was built in 1958 and designed by Aymar Embury. In 1974 it was officially named after Hofstra's second president, John Cranford Adams, who was a renowned Shakespeare scholar.

Adams served from 1944-1964 and was President Emeritus at the time of his death in 1986.

Adams began the Drama Department's annual Shakespeare Festival that same year in addition to creating a large scale model of the Globe theater to display within the playhouse.

The former president was so obsessed with the playwright that he wrote his doctoral dissertation, "The Structure and the Globe Playhouse Stage", about the Globe theater.

Adams worked on his dissertation for another 10 years before it was published my Harvard in 1942.

His passion for all things Shakespeare did not stop at his mastery of Tudor architecture or at his study of Elizabethan theater and Globe documents.

Dr. Adams was so enamored by Shakespeare that he designed and built a three-dimensional replica of the theater.

After being displayed at Hofstra since 1950, the model was moved to the then newly constructed playhouse, whose structure was considered with the replica Globe theater in mind.

The John Cranford Adams Playhouse has also hosted such famous names as Susan Sullivan, Phil Rosenthal, and Francis Ford Coppola, who directed a show there.

Coppola reminisced about his experiences on the Adams stage in a promotional video on Hofstra's website.

The playhouse has also hosted several notable concerts, speakers, and productions.

Meaning Behind Hofstra University Statue

An eye-catching statue outside the James M. Shuart Stadium at Hofstra University shows a mythic figure called Hippomenes balancing on his right foot reaching up into the sky.

Hundreds of students pass by it every day but few know what it depicts.

A student Erika Feltman said, "Hofstra tries to make the campus look nice by putting up sculptures." While another, David Muscat said, "because Hofstra paid to have it here."

However, the story behind the statue of Hippomenes is what made it attractive to Hofstra.

Hippomens is a mythic figure from the Roman poet, Ovid.

The legend tells that Hippomenes fell in love with the famous athlete and hunter Atalanta who challenged him to a race.

If he won the race she would marry him, but if not, she would kill him.

Hippomenes turned to Aphrodite and she gave him three golden apples to drop during the race and distract Atalanta. The apples worked and Hippomenes won the race.

However, Hippomenes did not thank Aphrodite and she turned him and Atalanta into a lion and lioness as they made love in a sacred temple.

The lion and lioness represent the Hofstra mascot.

This bronze sculpture was created by the artist, Greg Wyatt, in 1999, which is one of the two sculptures he has at Hofstra.

Wyatt created another "Victory Eagle" which stands in the Veterans' Memorial Plaza.

James M. Shuart

Kevin Crowley

Every September, Hofstra's football team takes the field for the home opener for another promising year. What they do not know is they are playing in the stadium of a great president for their university.

James M. Shuart Stadium, the home of the Hofstra's football team, is named after one of the University's great presidents, James M. Shuart. Shuart held the position from 1976-2001. In August 2002, 12 months after his presidency the stadium was officially dedicated to Shuart.

Shuart, who attends every home game held in the stadium, has a long association with Hofstra. He graduated from the university in 1953. Shuart’s family holds great honor in knowing how respected Shuart is in the Hofstra community.

Brendan Flagler, Shuart’s grandson, says about his grandfather “To this day he is still so proud of the Hofstra community and loves to watch how much they have grown throughout his time with the University.” Elizabeth Flagler, Shuart’s daughter, said about her father “Growing up it was so exciting to see how much my father cared about all the students. Most parents say they have two kids they have three kids, my father use to say he has a whole university full of kids.”

The stadium was extended from 7,000 to a 15,000 seat capacity. The stadium also includes a brand new lighting system for a TV broadcast, a new Athletic Department building, two new entrances, additional parking, souvenir areas, two locker rooms, and two new brand new scoreboards. Making the stadium the largest outdoor sports and entertainment complex on Long Island.

Shuart told Hofstra.edu, "The renovation and expansion of the Stadium provides our students, alumni, visitors and friends with a first-class facility in which to practice, play or watch their favorite sport, it is one of the top on-campus intercollegiate sports facilities, indoor or outdoor, in the New York metropolitan area."

The stadium has opened itself for not only Hofstra events, but all events involving the Long Island community. Both Nassau and New York State High School championships for football and lacrosse are played in the stadium. It has also hosted NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championships Quarterfinals, the Outback Steakhouse Long Island All-Star Football game, the Long Island Lizards of Major League Lacrosse, and many Long Island high school championship games.

Although maximum capacity is 15,000, the largest two totals for attendance are 12,292 and 10,510. The 12,292 came to see Hofstra play John Hopkins in a quarterfinals lacrosse match in 1999. In 2001, the 10,510 fans came to see Hofstra and Syracuse play.

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The morning's news and more. It was 30 years today that Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat shook hands at the White House. But what sort of peace endures? Martin Indyk discusses the state of Middle East relations on Thursday's TakeawayThe morning's news and more.

It was 30 years today that Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat shook hands at the White House. But what sort of peace endures? Martin Indyk discusses the state of Middle East relations on Thursday's Takeaway

Hofstra Hall: The Heart of Hofstra University

The main focal point of the history of Hofstra University, Hempstead N.Y., is Hofstra Hall. "The building makes Hofstra University what it is today," Geri Solomon, University Archivist.

Hofstra Hall, built in 1904, was originally created as a retirement home for William and Kate Hofstra. The third floor of Hofstra Hall used to be bedrooms where the servants would reside, which were later made into offices for the University. "This room has a bell which would be used by the Hofstra's, alerting the servants for assistance," Mary Schmitt, Director of Hofstra Advertising, has her office on the third floor.

When the University was established in 1935 all of the classes were held within Hofstra Hall. Hofstra University held its first class on September 23, 1935, with 159 students attending class during the day and 621 in the evening.

Hofstra Hall was almost torn down in 1979 but students and faculty fought the demolition by arguing that the Hofstra's home was an inspiration to build Hofstra University as well as a dedication to the Hofstra family. In 1991, the Class of 1941 reunited to celebrate the 50th Reunion of Hofstra University by restoring and refurbishing Hofstra Hall.

Creating on Campus

The bronze man greets the students and faculty each morning. He remains stoic as tardy students dash to class. This sculpture called “Creating” was created by Johnson+Johnson heir Seward Johnson.

Johnson spends two years of intensive labor on each sculpture. The artist uses a 12-inch clay model and a live model as he sculpts the life-size version. The large clay figure is transferred to plaster, wax and then ceramic before it is covered in liquid bronze that reaches 2000 degrees F. The model must dry before it is carved in sections. Johnson uses small drills, air pumps and fabric impressions to give his work a lifelike quality.

His scultpures, which are displyed outside and show people in everyday activities, often trick people into believing they are real. On the Grounds for Sculpture website, dedicated to Seward's public sculpture garden in Hamilton, NJ., he said, "I use my art to convince you of something that isn't real. You laugh because you were taken in but you become intimate with it." http://www.groundsforsculpture.org/gfshist.htm

Undergrad Kayce Lustrino said she asked "Creating" for directions the first time she saw it on Hofstra's campus. She said, "It was really embarrassing but I'm sure I was not the first and will not be the last. He is just so realistic!"

Seward's work has been shown from Hofstra’s campus to Paris and Istanbul. Johnson who has appeared on "The Tonight Show" and CNN has also been featured in The New York Times and the Boston Globe.

Johnson, 68, who lives in Princeton, N.J., has been married for over 20 years and has two children. He also founded the Johnson Atelier Foundry and Technical Institute, a non-profit art education facility, to foster young sculptors' talents.

Seward likes o spent time loitering near his artwork to try and elicit negative responses from bystanders. Hofstra students be warned, if a man asks if you like the statue be careful how you reply. Hofstra sophomore Jason Denis said he was not worried about being questioned. Denis has no negative comments. He said, "This guy is the man!" http://www.sewardjohnson.com/site/index.html

Ladies and gents of Hofstra, introducing... Frederick Douglass

A sculpture of Frederick Douglass in the Monroe Lecture Center Courtyard, the newest addition to Hofstra University Museum’s outdoor sculpture collection, is the first sculpture of an African American at the university.

The "Frederick Douglass Circle" is the brainchild of African American artist Vinnie Bagwell, who won the university's national competition for a Person of Color Sculpture in 2007.

The competition began with 26 submissions which the Person of Color Sculpture Committee reduced to five finalists before President Stuart Rabinowitz made the final selection. Now, Bagwell joins renowned artists such as Tony Rosenthal and Seymour Lipton, whose works are featured across Hofstra’s 240-acre campus.

This likeness of Frederick Douglass, a former slave and later an American abolitionist and women’s suffragist, shares the campus grounds with other sculptures of prominent figures in history including Benjamin Franklin, Aaron Copland and, ironically, slave owner Thomas Jefferson.

Several student requests and referenda spurred the University to invest in artwork which celebrated the growing diversity of its student population.

African American students, who make up one in 10 of the student body, felt that Hofstra failed to showcase the progress and achievement of African Americans. Speaking at the dedication on October 29, 2008, President Stuart Rabinowitz said:
“Several individual students also came to speak to me to express their concerns over the statue of Thomas Jefferson on campus and the lack of any on-campus sculpture that celebrated diversity.”

A student who was present at the dedication said, the statue was a fitting addition t a grand tradition and continued with “Frederick Douglass Circle is a rather powerful piece that shows strength and integrity in his face. The insignia on the back of the chair and the quote that encircles the granite calls for the viewer to reflect on their personal struggle to find the strength to overcome it.”

Cats on Campus

A unique feature of Hofstra University is its large cat population. They can usually be found on the academic side of campus, although they sometimes venture across the Hempstead turnpike and make it over to the residential side; a major accomplishment for a feline.

Wherever the cats choose to reside, they have been at Hofstra much longer than any students or faculty. In fact, the cats have been here since founders Kate and William Hofstra made their home here in 1904.

The Hofstras lived in what is now Hofstra Hall. It was originally called "The Netherlands", a reference to Kate and William's Dutch heritage.

Kate was an avid animal lover. While living in Hofstra Hall, she had 25 cats, including both prize-winning cats and street cats.

She served as Vice President of the New York based animal humane organization, Bide-a-wee Home Association from 1903 to her death in 1933, and President of the Atlantic Cat Club.

Kate's cats competed in and won several cat shows at Madison Square Garden. She later created the Hofstra Challenge Cup, which was awarded to the Best in Show cat.

When Kate died, she left the cats that survived her, and a willed stipend to provide for a comfortable lifestyle for them, to her housekeeper.

Since Kate's death, the cat population has multiplied as the groundskeepers continue to take care of the cats and feed them. Many students feel they add something special to the campus community.

"I like seeing the cats around campus. At first I thought it was a little strange, but now I think it adds a special touch to the Hofstra community. Other schools have squirrels and chipmunks, we have cats," said sophomore Danielle Deluca.