Inspiring U | Jun 4, 2026
What's New With U? May 2026
Now that our Spring Scholarship Drive is underway, Usdan educators, Usdan parents, and Usdan alumni have shared why they believe every student should have access to a summer at Usdan. One alum wrote:
“Usdan isn’t just a place — it’s a culture, a state of mind, and a way of life. It’s its own little world that fosters true passion for the arts from childhood until forever."
— Lauren Blake Lamonsoff, Usdan alum
As commencement season begins, I want to congratulate the 2026 graduates, including Usdan students graduating from high school, young alumni graduating from college, and our faculty and alumni graduating with advanced degrees.
As a parent of a Usdan alum and 2026 college graduate, I am especially aware of all the teachers, mentors, family members, and artistic communities that shape a young person’s confidence and sense of possibility. Usdan is proud to be a part of that journey.
Below is a list of graduates from the Usdan community, marking the beginning of a new tradition of celebrating our graduates and sharing where they are headed, in case you may be there, too.
Thank you, and I look forward to seeing many of you on campus NEXT month.
Lauren Brandt Schloss
Executive Director
WHAT'S COMING UP AT USDAN
- Tour for Prospective Families
- Sun, Jun 7 at 11:00 a.m., 12:15 p.m., or 1:30 p.m.
Tours fill up quickly! Registration required.
- Sun, Jun 7 at 11:00 a.m., 12:15 p.m., or 1:30 p.m.
- Family Orientation for Enrolled Families
- Thu, Jun 18 from 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
- Strongly encouraged for new and returning families. RSVP required.
- Save the Date for 2026 Community Gatherings
- July Community Day: Wed, Jul 22 from 10:00 a.m. – 3:05 p.m.
- Hip-Hop Pool Party: Sat, Aug 8 from 12:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
- August Community Day: Wed, Aug 19 from 10:00 a.m. – 3:05 p.m.
Text 631-646-1677 with any enrollment questions or to schedule a one-on-one phone call. You may also reach us Mon – Fri, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at enrollment@usdan.org or by calling 631-643-7900.
Did you know about these tuition discounts?
If you believe Summer Arts Camp at Usdan is a valuable place for children to experience the transformative power of the arts, we hope you will take a few minutes today to think of a child in your life who would thrive at camp and share our program with them.
Friend Referral Discount: For every new family who enrolls and was referred by your family, you will receive a $150 tuition discount.
Alumni Referral Discount: Any new student referred by a Usdan alum—a former Usdan student who has completed a summer at Usdan and has graduated grade 12—will receive a 10% tuition discount. This includes children of alumni, extended family members, and friends.
Sibling Discount: Two children: $500 off the second 8-week child enrolled; $250 off the second 4-week child enrolled. Three or more children: $1,200 off each additional 8-week child enrolled; $600 off each additional 4-week child enrolled.
Scholarships and discounts cannot be combined to total 25% or more of the original tuition and are not available for our 1-week Recreational Camp Program. Learn more.
NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Usdan receives feature in The Long Island Business News
Read Adina Genn's Long Island Business News article on Usdan's collaboration with world renowned orchestral collective The Knights here.
NYS calls young artists 10-25 to submit POV
Call for all young people ages 10 to 25 in New York State to submit a creative piece commenting on the choices that lead to underage alcohol, cannabis and drug use. "Drop Your POV" here.
Community Editorial:
Former Art faculty member Dr. Heather Heckel shares her story of friendship and growth at Usdan. Read Heather's article here.
Heather recently published the book, "10 Summers and 250 Years," edited by Usdan alum Rudy Malcom.
Interested in volunteering at Usdan this summer?
Email volunteers@usdan.org if you are interested in contributing to the transformative power of the arts on campus this summer!
Graduate Spotlight: William Herbert
(L-R) 2026 Roger Rees Emerging Artist William Herbert with Usdan Senior Coordinator of Family & Alumni Engagement and 2012 Roger Rees Outstanding Performer Award Winner Kyra Leeds.
William Herbert attended Usdan from 2022–2023, where he majored in Musical Theater and participated in the Usdan Troupe. This year, William earned his second consecutive nomination for the prestigious Roger Rees Awards for Excellence in Student Performance and took home the Emerging Artist Award in the category of Outstanding Performance in a Musical.
Usdan: How has your experience at Usdan influenced your growth as an artist?
William Herbert: Usdan has been a place for me to not only grow as an artist, but also grow as a person by exposing me to many different types of art, especially in the fields of music and theater. This exposure has led me to experiment as an actor and embrace performing in new ways.
U: What is one lesson from your time at Usdan that you will carry with you into the future?
WH: One of the most important things about being an artist is being “Uniquely U” because art is a way to express yourself and your emotions. And the greatest art is created when people use their own creative thoughts and experiences as inspiration.
U: What creative pursuits are you looking forward to after high school?
WH: Continuing my passion as a performer and earning my BFA in Musical Theatre at the University of Michigan.
U: What advice would you give to other young artists pursuing their creative passions?
WH: It is extremely important not to compare yourself on your own artistic journey to anyone else. Everyone has their own path and respecting the time and work that it takes to achieve your goals is what makes them possible.
Other Usdan students honored in the 2026 Roger Rees Awards include (L-R) Miles Cohen, 2026 Nominee for Outstanding Performance in a Musical, Rohan Nair, 2026 New Faces Honoree, and Gabriel Jaffe, 2026 Student Reporter Award Winner.
CONGRATULATIONS 2026 GRADS!
High School Graduates
- Amerkya Castillo: Kings Park High School → St. Joseph’s University
- Alexandra Tsang: Herricks High School → School of Visual Arts (SVA)
- Cole Johnson: North Shore High School → Boston Conservatory at Berklee
- Ethan Vilmenay: Babylon High School → SUNY Purchase
- Gabriella Ferra: West Babylon High School → Berklee College of Music
- Jessica Palen: North Shore High School → SUNY Fredonia
- Joanna Kim: North Shore High School → Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Josef Hunter: North Shore High School → Ithaca College
- Susan Kobet: Syosset High School → Adelphi University
- William Herbert: Farmingdale High School → University of Michigan
- Xander Gruszecki: Bard High School → Early College at Queens College
College Graduates
- Greta Schloss, graduating from Wesleyan University
- Saydie Grossman, graduating from Wesleyan University
PhD Graduate
- Matthew Jihoon Pellegrino, Lead Classical Composition Teacher, graduating from Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University with a Doctor of Musical Arts in Music Composition. Thesis: "The Sound of Capitalism: Musical Characteristics of Third Gen. K-pop".
Young alum are encouraged to stay connected to our Usdan Alumni Community!
Update your information to keep in touch here Usdan Alumni Survey! – Fill in form, and/or join the Usdan Alumni LinkedIn Group.
MEET THE 2026 POET IN U COHORT
We are thrilled to introduce you to this year's 2026 Poet in U Laureates!
After reviewing dozens of applications received from across Long Island and around New York City, Usdan chose two young artists to receive full four-week Poet in U scholarships in 2026. Two runners up were awarded the Leonard Riggio Scholarship*, and six young writers were awarded honorable mentions.
Keep reading to hear from these creative young writers.
Lila Olesh
8th Grade | Poet in U Recipient
"Understanding myself has always been a bit hard for me, because all my thoughts feel so messy. But in poetry, I can make sense of things. I can turn my ideas into something pretty or gritty or raw, whatever I want really."
— An excerpt from Lila's response to the question "Why would you like to attend Usdan?"
Svaha Williams
6th Grade | Poet in U Recipient
I am from clothing lines and mugwort
From Lysol and Clorox
I am from the old house in Brooklyn over on 39th and D
Big beige and beautiful
I am from the soil my ancestors stepped in.
The cold and hard dirt that connects me to my roots
I’m from Cooking with my family, and the thick, tangled hair we all are adorned with
From Great Gran Norma
And Great Aunt Eulene
I’m from the loud overtaking each other
To being told to listen more than I talk
From being told not every space needs my voice
To being told to express myself and not be meek, and be who I am
— An excerpt from Svaha's poem, "The Ancestors That I Am From"
Inara Hosein
7th Grade | Leonard Riggio Recipient
"John glanced outside, it was still the afternoon. He was sure it had been hours, it should be nighttime.
“Hey,” John said. “Shouldn’t it be nighttime?”
Instead of responding with a vague answer, the Bartender answered with an unsettling honesty.
“Yes, it should be. But not to you.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means it’ll be the afternoon forever. To you.”
John freezed. He looked at everyone in the bar.
Everything was the same as earlier, but now… they all seemed fake. Like forgotten mechanical dolls. They were ghost-like. They were there, just not aliveALIVE!
John finally recognized the sweet taste in the drinks. It was a lotus flower.
— An excerpt from Inara's short story, "The Bar"
Rayna Giberstein
9th Grade | Leonard Riggio Recipient
“A”: Who will question you?
“F”: Anyone can.
“G”: Get on with it, little wise-man.
“F”: “A”, tell me. When did you find Z?
“A”: At 6:03, when you all were in bed.
“F”: When you saw him, he was certainly dead?
“A”: He had to be! He lost his head!
“F”: Why did you go down to the dock?
“A”: I stopped over there for my morning walk.
“C”: He’s a morning person, we should arrest him for that.
“G”: Not funny, you worthless gnat!
“C”: How come you can't handle a little sarcasm?
“G”: Your lack of awareness makes my mind spasm.
— An excerpt from Rayna's poem "# # #"
Honorable Mentions:
Alexander Ingles | Benjamin Rossman | Billie Sanchez | Catherine Rodriguez | Kira Scanlon | Zaina Rivera
*The 2026 Leonard Riggio Creative Writing Scholarship offers two Poet in U runners up in the Senior Division (grades 6–12) $5,000 awards to study Creative Writing at Usdan this summer. Established in 2025 by the Klipper Family Foundation, in memory of Barnes & Noble Executive Chairman Leonard Riggio, the scholarship helps ensure that young, aspiring writers with financial need have the opportunity to nurture their talent at Usdan for years to come. Thank you to the Klipper Family Foundation for this scholarship!
Usdanites Out & About
(L-R) Usdan supporter Clay Tarica, Executive Director Lauren Brandt Schloss, and friend of Usdan Lisa Gutting at the "Angels for Arts Education: Broadway Benefit for the NYC Arts in Education Roundtable on Tuesday, May 12.
Do you have any Usdan news we should know about? Write to us at media@usdan.org or tag us on Instagram @usdanarts, and we may feature it in our next newsletter or on our social channels!