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The legacy of the Sammartinos was richly celebrated during this year’s Academic Convocation, held September 29 at the College at Florham. Peter Sammartino, the University’s founder and first president, was the focus of the keynote address by Malcolm Sturchio, professor emeritus of chemistry, and Sister Margherita Marchione, Peter and Sally Sammartino’s biographer and professor emerita of languages, was presented an honorary doctor of humane letters degree.
The Academic Convocation, which officially commemorates the new academic year, is held annually and honors distinguished faculty and outstanding staff members.
The Distinguished Faculty Awards were presented to: Anthony Adrignolo, engineering technology and director, graduate and preprofessional advising (Metro), for service; Richard Panicucci, professor of quantitative analysis and assistant provost (Metro), for teaching; and Linda Reddy, psychology and director, Center for Psychological Services (Metro), for research. The Distinguished Faculty Award recipients are selected by their peers.
The Pillars of FDU Awards, which are given to nonfaculty members who have made “extraordinary contributions to the character and quality” of the University, were bestowed upon Victoria D’Alessandro, coordinator, New College (Metro); Ann Gulino, associate director, athletics (Metro); Diane Richton, director, developmental mathematics (Flor); and Maria Webb, assistant director, library (Flor).
In addition, President J. Michael Adams awarded Presidential Citations to Hania Ferrara, associate vice president for finance/controller (Metro); Teresa Montani, education (Metro), and Elise Salem, English and assistant dean for academic planning, Becton College (Flor). These citations are given to faculty, staff or administrators who have “successfully initiated an innovative program or process — a program that upholds the academic excellence we hold in such high regard and one that provides students with new opportunities to achieve a global education.”
President Adams also delivered remarks during the ceremony praising FDU’s founder. He said, “Peter Sammartino’s life is a testament to the human capacity to envision something greater than ourselves, to persevere in the face of daunting obstacles and to devotedly strive to fulfill those visions.”
He added that Sammartino’s dream — “to build a university of international renown and to prepare students for leadership in a global age — is today my dream.” The president concluded by saying that he wished he had the opportunity to thank Sammartino. “I would thank him for building an incredible foundation on which we now can add new levels of excellence. And I would express how grateful I am for the inspiration he provided.
“Now we go forward, inspired by Peter’s vision and his life’s work. Fortiter et Suaviter, with strength, conviction and with pleasure, we now seek to continue his mission and add our chapter and verse to an extraordinary tale of innovation and distinction.”
“Peter Sammartino: A Different View” was the title of Sturchio’s address. Sturchio, who joined Fairleigh Dickinson more than 50 years ago, shared some of his personal remembrances of Sammartino. He was a visionary, Sturchio said, who deserves great credit for not only establishing this University but for other accomplishments like founding the International Association of University Presidents and leading the restoration of Ellis Island.
But, Sturchio added, he was “also ahead of his time in one thing I don’t think we remember,” namely his efforts to introduce good nutritional habits. Sturchio recalled how, in the early 1950s, Sammartino “decried there would be no candy, no cigarettes and no soda sold on campus. He brought in Dannon yogurt and gave it away free because he thought everybody should eat it. Today, we don’t think that’s so crazy, but in 1954 we did.”
He described a man who was “very warm and compassionate” — at one point telling Sturchio to go to a clothing store in Rutherford and buy any suit jacket he desired and charge it to him — and a man who also often desired to control the smallest details — like the time he ordered in advance the precise food and wine for Sturchio and other dinner guests.
Sturchio also told about the time Sammartino gathered administrators in the Mansion after purchasing the Hamilton-Twombly estate. “For a half hour he asked everybody what they thought we ought to do with the campus. And then proceeded to tell us exactly what we were going to do with the campus.”
Educator, scholar and longtime FDU faculty member Sister Margherita, who was entrusted by the Sammartinos to chronicle their lives in Peter and Sally Sammartino (published in 1994), was honored for her educational accomplishments and her “dedicated efforts to preserve the Sammartinos’ legacy,” her citation stated. It added that Peter and Sally Sammartino “dreamed of a university where students of all ages, from every corner of the globe, could receive an education ‘of and for the world.’ A dear and trusted friend to them both, your life has luminously embodied the essence of those ideals.”
A Fulbright Scholar and Columbia University Garibaldi Scholar, Marchione is perhaps best known for her research on figures such as Philip Mazzei and Pope Pius XII. The author of 40 books and more than 100 articles, she was inducted into the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame in 1993. A sister with the Religious Teachers Filippini, Marchione recently wrote her autobiography, The Fighting Nun: My Story.
Marchione said she was “truly indebted” to Peter and Sally Sammartino, and accepted the honor in their name. She emphasized that the Sammartinos taught many lessons, including the value of loyalty and commitment. She added, “Peter and Sally instilled respect for the ideas of others, the cult of personal dignity, an openness toward the most diverse currents of thought, a deep love of freedom and a passion for research. Peter and Sally never paused to serve the cause of peace and international friendship. … They gave students a purpose, an intellectual challenge, knowledge of other cultures and other centuries, ultimately self-knowledge. … Their vision, enthusiasm, energy and purpose radiated everywhere. The world was their family.”
Because of the foundation they provided, she said FDU students will take their place as leaders of the 21st century and “will enrich the world.”
Adrignolo’s citation described him as a “success in every sense of the word,” who was honored for contributing his service to so many endeavors “and for becoming a person whose value knows no limits.”
A graduate of the University, Adrignolo, BSIE’63 (Metro), has taught for 42 consecutive years as an engineering faculty member. He also has served as chairman of industrial engineering and management science for 13 years and director of preprofessional studies for seven years and is currently the director of aeromotive enterprise studies.
Active in many voluntary roles throughout the University, he has served as faculty leader, president and vice president of the University Senate; a member of the Board of Trustees’ Facilities and Planning Committee, the University Planning and Budget Committee and the Campus Strategic Planning Committee; and chair of the Educational Policies Committee and the College Personnel Review Committee.
In 1997, he was elected the first speaker of the Faculty Assembly. He also was a member and chair of several search-and-screen committees, including the committee that selected President J. Michael Adams.
Active in many voluntary pursuits, he has served Hackensack University Medical Center as the only lay representative on the Patient Education Committee. And, he is a member of the Bergen County Medical Society’s judicial committee. He also represents the University on the Teaneck Advisory Board on Community Relations.
Panicucci was honored “for epitomizing the essence of a true educator,” his citation declared. An FDU student at both the Rutherford and Teaneck campuses, Panicucci graduated with a BS in chemistry in 1964 and an MBA in management in 1966.
He then began teaching here and, over the years, has taught such courses as Business Statistics and Introduction to Business, and developed Quantitative Managerial Techniques and Intermediate Quantitative Methods. More recently, he chaired a University-wide committee that designed the freshman course, Business in a Global Society, which he also teaches.
Panicucci has been named Teaneck-Hackensack Campus Professor of the Year, FDU Alumni Outstanding Teacher and, last year, was selected for the Silberman College of Business’ first Anthony P. Ambrosio Award for excellence in teaching and honored by the Student Government Association as faculty member of the year.
Active in many campus and collegiate-wide efforts, he also has served in various administrative posts, including his current role as assistant provost.
His citation quoted the words of students who praised him for his “genuine care and concern,” his desire to “teach everything he has” and for being “one of a kind.”
Reddy was praised for her “remarkable research and scholarship” along with her “extraordinary depth of compassion.” She serves as the director of the University’s Center for Psychological Services and the Child and Adolescent Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Clinic, and as co-director of the Child and Adult Mental Retardation and Developmental Disorders Clinic, all on the Metropolitan Campus. Reddy has distinguished herself nationally as a leading researcher in the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with special needs, in particular ADHD.
Since joining the University in 1996, she has published 30 articles and book chapters, including pieces in prominent journals like Behavior Therapy, School Psychology Review and School Psychology Quarterly. She also has co-edited three books: Innovative Mental Health Interventions for Children: Programs That Work; Inclusion Practice in Special Education: Research, Theory and Application; and, her most current book, Empirically-Based Play Interventions for Children, a collaboration with fellow FDU professor Charles Schaefer, psychology (Metro).
Reddy serves various professional organizations, is on five journal editorial review boards and is the editor of The School Psychologist. Last year, she was awarded the Emerging Researcher Award for scientific contributions to psychology from the New Jersey Psychological Association.
As the director of FDU’s Center for Psychological Services, a community-based mental health and research center, she has co-developed nine new specialty training clinics, increased revenues, and doubled the number of doctoral students trained there.
A graduate of the University, BS’87 (Metro), who also teaches in the Silberman College of Business and New College of General and Continuing Studies, Ferrara began at FDU as assistant controller in 1992. In 2002, she was named associate vice president for finance and controller.
She was honored in particular for her leading role in the refinancing of the University’s bonds of 1993. “The task of retiring the 1993 bonds and refinancing a new series of bonds at a lower interest rate through the New Jersey Educational Facilities Authority was indeed a monumental challenge,” President Adams said. “And it was complicated by a very tight timeline required to achieve maximum savings.”
Adams added that her “determined leadership and essential expertise” eventually led to a significant financial benefit, namely, an annual reduction in debt status in the future and a cash infusion of nearly $2 million between last fiscal year and this one. “You are worth millions,” Adams said, “and I gratefully present you this Presidential Citation.”
Montani and Salem were honored for their efforts as co-chairs of the University’s Internationalization Laboratory Team, which over the last year, working in collaboration with the American Council on Education (ACE), completed a comprehensive study of internationalization efforts at FDU, including surveys of community attitudes and perceptions and detailed recommendations.
President Adams praised the two for guiding and uniting a diverse group of faculty and administrators through the yearlong evaluation. “With skillful precision and tenacious resolution, they listened intently and moved the team forcefully through the varying levels of discussion and deliberation,” he said. “Complementing each other in two-part harmony, they blended Teresa’s inquisitiveness, graciousness and organizational proficiency with Elise’s high-octane energy level, multicultural experience and literary expertise.”
He concluded, “For helping light the way toward future distinction in global learning and for producing indispensable guidance and direction during a critical time in FDU’s history, I gratefully present Presidential Citations to Teresa Montani and Elise Salem.”
D’Alessandro’s “exemplary work ethic and close attention to detail” were particularly highlighted in her citation, which observed that at New College she handles a great variety of concerns on behalf of a very diverse group of students. There, it added, she has “become indispensable as a model of concern and understanding, acutely familiar with the long list of academic programs and policies, and equally well versed in the notions of sensitivity and empathy.”
D’Alessandro is well known for her positive demeanor and prevailing patience. A supportive and well-respected member of the community, she is a familiar face at many University functions.
In her nearly two decades of service to FDU, Gulino has been “the backbone of an athletics program that is marked by integrity and distinction,” her citation read. Twice she has assumed the role of acting director of Division I athletics, “achieving both continuity and progress during periods of transition.”
She is particularly known for her advocacy of gender equity and has led the development of new women’s sports. She also has twice directed the NCAA certification process and raised the bar of academic standards. Her citation stated, “The outstanding records of our student-athletes on the scoreboard and in the classroom reflect the tone that you set.”
Gulino has also served numerous other volunteer efforts and campus groups such as the Threat Assessment Task Force.
For more than 20 years, as her citation put it, Richton, BS’75, MS’77 (Flor), has “tirelessly fought for your FDU family, making sure that your students and your colleagues get nothing but the best.”
In teaching developmental mathematics, she has helped countless FDU students to build a foundation of academic success and personal confidence. She also has served important groups like the Academic Review Committee, and gained widespread admiration.
Her citation added, “Demanding but fair, you uphold the highest standards of quality and civility, and you motivate others to reach just as high. To your students, you are more than a teacher; you are a caring adviser and guide to whom they can turn with their personal concerns.”
Webb was honored as one of the leaders of a talented and knowledgeable group of librarians who well support students and faculty in their academic mission. As her citation pronounced, “You possess an uncanny knack to quickly map the exact route to the desired information, while courteously handling numerous requests.”
Webb was especially praised for being an expert not just on the library but on all facets of FDU operations. As her citation added, “With your typical friendly manner, you navigate users through the many library resources, while also serving as a valuable source of information about nearly every aspect of studying, teaching and working at the University.”
Webb can frequently be found visiting classes, holding workshops and developing special guides to assist library users.
Captions:
Sister Margherita Marchione, center, is congratulated by President J. Michael Adams after she received an honorary degree from the University. Keynote Speaker Malcolm Sturchio, emeritus, chemistry (Flor), looks on.
Faculty honored with the Distinguished Faculty Award were, from left, Anthony Adrignolo (service), Richard Panicucci (teaching) and Linda Reddy (research and scholarship).
Presidential Citations recipients were, from left, Elise Salem, Hania Ferrara and Teresa Montani.
Pillars of Fairleigh Dickinson University Award recipients were, from left, Victoria D’Alessandro (Metro), Maria Webb (Flor), Diane Richton (Flor) and Ann Gulino (Metro).
New Faculty
Maxwell Becton College of Arts and Sciences
Robert Barron, assistant professor, theater (Flor) — MFA, Yale School of Drama; BA, Brown University
George Cochrane, lecturer, studio art — MFA, Hunter College, City University of New York; BA, Sarah Lawrence College
Robert Houle, assistant professor, history (Flor) — PhD, MA, University of Wisconsin-Madison; BA, University of Minnesota, Morris
Bethany Rabinowitz, lecturer, English (Flor) — MS, University at Albany, State University of New York; BA, Fairleigh Dickinson University
Alice Shumate, assistant professor, biology (Flor) — PhD, Dartmouth College; BA, Wellesley College
Francis Sullivan, assistant professor, mathematics (Flor) — PhD, MS, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; BA, University at Albany, State University of New York
Silberman College of Business
Hee-Kyug Cho, assistant professor, management information systems (Metro) — PhD, New Jersey Institute of Technology; MS, Carnegie Mellon University; MBA, BS, Seoul National University, Korea
Kent Fairfield, senior lecturer, management (Metro) — PhD, MS, Columbia University; MBA, Harvard University; AB, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
New College of General and Continuing Studies
Deborah Gonzalez, senior lecturer, business (Metro) — JD, New York Law School; BA, Metropolitan College of New York
Joseph Tormey, senior lecturer, hospitality management (Metro) — MS, Fairleigh Dickinson University; BS, Pace University
Kirsten Tripodi, senior lecturer, hospitality management (Metro) — MA, Cornell University; BA, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
University College: Arts • Sciences • Professional Studies
Ellen Campbell, assistant professor, education (Metro) — EdD, MEd, Teachers College, Columbia University; MEd, BS, Kutztown University
Zong Chen, assistant professor, computer science/management information systems (Metro) — PhD, New Jersey Institute of Technology; MS, Southeast University, China; BS, East China Institute of Technology, China
Alkis Dimopoulos, lecturer, civil engineering technology (Metro) — MS, Stevens Institute of Technology; BS, New Jersey Institute of Technology
Joseph Graves, professor, biological sciences (Metro) — PhD, Wayne State University; BA, Oberlin College
Richard Gray, assistant professor, criminal justice (Metro) — PhD, Union Institute & University; MA, Fordham University; BA, Central College
Carol Karpinski, assistant professor, education (Metro) — EdD, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; MA, BA, University of California
Paul Ortenzio, assistant professor, education (Metro) — EdD, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; MA, Kean University; BS, University of Dayton
Elizabeth Parietti, associate professor, nursing (Metro) — EdD, EdM, MA, Teachers College, Columbia University; BSN, College of Mount Saint Vincent
Catherine Parilla, senior lecturer, English composition (Metro) — PhD, New York University; MA, BA, Fairleigh Dickinson University
Marilyn Rubin, lecturer, allied health (Metro) — EdM, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; BS, Montclair University; Diploma, Northeastern University
Kerri Smith, lecturer, English composition (Metro) — MFA, Columbia University; BA, University of California, Berkeley
Chao-Hui Sara Wu, assistant professor, computer science/management information systems (Metro) — PhD, MS, Ohio State University; BS, National Chiao Tung University, Taiwan
Promotions
Maxwell Becton College of Arts and Sciences
To Professor
Gary Radford, communication (Flor)
To Professor Emerita
Gloria Dyer, biology (Flor)
To Associate Professor
Robin Barkley, computer graphics (Flor)
Gloria Gadsden, sociology (Flor)
Judy Moonelis, art (Flor)
Silberman College of Business
To Professor
Theodore David, taxation (Metro)
New College of General and Continuing Studies
To Professor
Thomas Swanzey, English (Metro)
University College: Arts • Sciences • Professional Studies
To Professor
Jane Braden-Maguire, psychology (Metro)
Vicki Cohen, education (Metro)
Cynthia Radnitz, psychology (Metro)
Su-Mei (Grace) Tsai, computer science (Metro)
To Associate Professor
Mihaela Leonida, chemistry (Metro)
Marion McClary, biological sciences (Metro)
Jason Scorza, philosophy/political science (Metro)
Tenure
Maxwell Becton College of Arts and Sciences
Robin Barkley, computer graphics (Flor)
Gloria Gadsden, sociology (Flor)
Judy Moonelis, art (Flor)
Silberman College of Business
James Almeida, entrepreneurial studies (Flor)
Gerard Farias, economics (Flor)
University College: Arts • Sciences • Professional Studies
Marion McClary, biological sciences (Metro)
Jason Scorza, philosophy/political science (Metro)
Sabbaticals
Maxwell Becton College of Arts and Sciences
Ronald Carlin, human physiology (Flor), academic year
Jennifer Lehr, communication (Flor), spring semester
Kiron Sharma, computer science (Flor), spring semester
Judith Waters, psychology (Flor), fall semester
Geoffrey Weinman, English (Flor), spring semester
Silberman College of Business
John Skarbnik, taxation (Flor), spring semester
University College: Arts • Sciences • Professional Studies
Bernard Dick, English/communication (Metro), fall semester
Gertrude Levine, computer science (Metro), academic year
Paula Hooper Mayhew, English literature (Metro), spring semester
Cynthia Radnitz, psychology (Metro), fall semester
Thinking about “getting a grant” for your program or project? The process is not as easy — or as difficult — as it may seem, but it is complex. To be successful, the faculty or staff member must play an essential role.
Corporation and Foundation Grant Seminars
In a series of free workshops over a light lunch, Chris Groff, director, and Marilyn Gross, assistant director, corporate and foundation relations, University advancement (Metro/Flor), are helping to demystify the world of grant seeking. The emphasis is on private, as opposed to public — or government — funders, though information on government grants and contracts may be included in future programs.
Repeating and enhancing the initial presentations they provided last February, Groff and Gross share insights about the “ins and outs” of grantsmanship, “how-tos” of grants research and proposal writing and trends in private philanthropy — especially as they relate to higher education in New Jersey.
An introductory-level presentation was held on October 7 at the College at Florham, and a similar one is scheduled for Wednesday, October 20, 11 a.m.–1 p.m., in the Rutherford Room, Student Union Building, Metropolitan Campus. For registration or information call 201-692-7010. A more advanced workshop will be held on each campus in February. Practical handouts and references to valuable Web sites will be provided, and there will be time for questions and answers.
Details on the February workshops will be provided early in the new year. For more information, contact Marilyn Gross at 201-692-7010, or e-mail mgross@fdu.edu.
Government Grants
In addition, the University has an Office of Grants and Sponsored Projects, with bi-campus responsibilities, which focuses primarily on federal, state and county government agencies. The office’s role is to advise and train faculty and staff in all aspects of grantsmanship including research, pre-award and post-award activities, and to act as a liaison between faculty and staff and outside funders. A new director of grants and special projects, Laurie Treleven, who reports to the Metropolitan Campus provost, has just joined the office.
For the past 18 years, she has worked with nonprofit organizations, identifying fund sources and developing proposals and managing grants and contracts. Much of her fund-raising work has had a global dimension. She has managed a $4-million project that brought African leaders here for training; programs to promote civic education in Egypt, Indonesia and several Central American countries; a training project that brought 450 Asian educators, government officials and business people to the United States; and a $3.3-million project involving 320 students from Central Asia.
Alumnus Anthony Petrocelli, BS’69 (Flor), of Morristown, N.J., has been named to the Board of Trustees.
J. Michael Adams, president of the University said, “We welcome Tony Petrocelli to the board and look forward to his counsel and expertise. His interest in education and humanitarian causes, in addition to his business expertise, will make him an invaluable addition.”
Petrocelli has been a long-time supporter of the Link Community School — a nondenominational independent middle school established to help rebuild the community of the North Ward of Newark, N.J. He is a recent addition to its board.
A semiretired entrepreneur who specializes in leveraged buyouts in the chemical industry, Petrocelli joined with D. George Harris and Richard Donahue in 1988 to found a company that specializes in management buyouts. Since its inception, D.G. Harris and Associates has completed more than 30 acquisitions. Petrocelli serves as vice chairman of the Better Materials Aggregate Board, Berkeley, W. Va.
He established the Anthony J. Petrocelli Charitable Trust in 1998. It has a geographic focus of New Jersey and an interest in housing and shelter.
Petrocelli is a 1969 graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University with a degree in business management. While working at Allied Signal, he benefited from the company’s tuition remission program and began his studies as a part-time evening student.
He and his wife, Ann, have one daughter and one grandchild. They divide their time between their home in Morris County, N.J., and their home in Florida.
Caption:
Anthony PetrocelliFaculty and staff members are encouraged to nominate alumni for the FDU Alumni Association Awards, which honor individuals whose outstanding professional accomplishments and volunteer services have contributed to the success and reputation of Fairleigh Dickinson University. “We know that faculty and staff are familiar with the accomplishments of our alumni, and we urge them to nominate those whom they feel are qualified for one of the three awards,” said Steve Kimmons, University director of alumni relations (Metro/Flor).
The Elia G. Stratis CASTLE Award is the highest award the Alumni Association presents and is given to a graduate who has demonstrated a lifetime of outstanding loyalty and service to Fairleigh Dickinson University. Recipients have made significant contributions to a specific college, school or program within the University or have served with distinction in organizations such as the Alumni Association Board of Governors or the University Board of Trustees. Two previously separate awards, the Elia G. Stratis Service Award and the CASTLE Award, have been combined to create the Elia G. Stratis CASTLE Award.
The Outstanding Young Alumni Award is presented to a graduate who has achieved exceptional success in his or her profession, and who has graduated in the past 15 years. Recipients are recognized for being emerging leaders in their fields or for service to the University and/or the Alumni Association.
The Volunteer of the Year Award is given to alumni who have contributed significantly to one or more of the following areas of the University: academic programs, admissions, athletics, career development, chapters, fund-raising and student life.
The deadline for nominations is December 31, 2004. A list of past award recipients and a nomination form can be found at http://inside.fdu.edu/alumni/awards.html.
A new marine biology educational facility is up and running in the Dominican Republic. Established by the School of Natural Sciences, the facility, on the Samana Peninsula on the northeast corner of the Dominican Republic, will operate from September to December.
Eleven marine biology majors are now studying there in three-week modules of four three-credit courses (Tropical Marine Vegetation, Tropical Marine Invertebrates, Tropical Marine Vertebrates and Environmental Sciences, and Ecosystems) taught by FDU faculty. Alice Benzecry, biological sciences (Metro), just returned from the Dominican Republic; Marion McClary, biological sciences (Metro), is there now through October 29; and Enrique Pugibet Bobea, Jeanette Mateo and Lorraine Caruso, all natural sciences (Metro), will finish the period. A research project and an optional online course will provide students with a full schedule of classes.
“This beautiful peninsula offers a small salt marsh area and coral reef adjacent to the FDU facility,” said Rick Isquith, executive director for global partnerships and director, natural sciences (Metro). “There is a barrier reef on the north end of the peninsula and many of the beaches are in coves surrounded by large rocks that attract many invertebrate animals, including snails, barnacles and mussels. A mangrove area is nearby, so we have a variety of ecosystems for our students. There are real advantages to the Dominican Republic facility,” Isquith said. “The students have access to a broad range of undisturbed habitats for study. In addition, we have a facility with very good living conditions. And, there is a bonus — our students experience living in a different culture. This fulfills the mission of the University — to educate global citizens for the 21st century.”
For information contact Lisetty Nigrinis, coordinator, multicultural programs, and assistant director, global partnerships, 201-692-2392, lisetty_nigrinis@fdu.edu.
Captions:
Alice Benzecry, wearing glasses, biological sciences (Metro), works both in the field and in the laboratory at the marine biology facility.
Left photo: Students are pictured on the shoreline with the administrator of the FDU facility.
Kneeling: Kris Swenson
Front row from left: Rita Sellares Balasco, Mire Torello Raventos, Lois Moriel Robles, Marta Pastor-Andres, Anna Fauquet-Palau and Lisetty Nigrinis, coordinator, multicultural programs, and assistant director, global partnerships
Back row from left: Benjamin Ford; Justin Ficaro; Vanessa Rojas-Sotomayor; Diego Valentin Rivas, retired microbiologist, Santo Domingo government office, and administrator of the FDU facility in Dominican Republic; Jeffrey Beaser; and Amanda Wills.
Right photo: Amanda Wills views a specimen through the microscope.
The landscape architecture of Frederick Law Olmsted will be the focus of a lecture, a dedication and a photography exhibit on Sunday, October 24, at 3 p.m. at the College at Florham. The free events are sponsored by Friends of Florham, who invite all to enjoy a reception following the presentations.
Marta McDowell, specialist in historic landscapes, will offer her overview of Olmsted in a presentation “Frederick Law Olmsted: Estates, Parks, Campuses and Communities: A brief survey of the life, work and influence of the man who invented the practice of landscape architecture in the United States.”
The photography exhibit in the College at Florham Library gallery showcases the campus’s outstanding Frederick Law Olmsted Cut Leaf Maple Garden, just steps away from the library. The Friends will dedicate the garden and offer a brief tour of the area. James Griffo, emeritus, biology; former provost (Flor); and an invited guest and participant in the dedication ceremony, said it has been called “probably the most outstanding forest” of Japanese cut leaf maples in the world.
McDowell teaches landscape history at the New York Botanical Garden and Drew University, Madison, N.J., and works in the restored gardens at the Reeves Reed Arboretum in Summit, N.J. Her articles have appeared in The New York Times, New Jersey Monthly and Fine Gardening. Her book, Emily Dickinson’s Gardens, is scheduled for publication by McGraw-Hill in November 2004.
The Friends of Florham is a University organization of committed and enthusiastic area residents whose goal is to assist the University in preserving and restoring the historically important buildings and grounds of the College at Florham.
For more information on the October 24 event, call 973-443-8515.
Caption:
The Frederick Law Olmsted Cut Leaf Maple Garden at the College at Florham.
A team, seven alumni, a coach and a benefactor were inducted into the Division I Athletics Hall of Fame on September 18 at a ceremony, reception and dinner at the Rothman Center, Metropolitan Campus. The group included two current staff members and a member of the Board of Trustees.
Three different decades and eight different groups were represented (baseball, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, boosters, women’s fencing, men’s soccer, tennis and track and field), and it was the first class to have multiple-sport athletes inducted.
This year’s Fairleigh Dickinson University Division I Athletics Hall of Fame inductees are:
• 1960 Women’s Fencing Team (Carol Kuzen Black, BS’62, MA’67 [Metro], currently director of University publications; Jeanette Reid, BS’62 [Metro]; Madeline Miyamoto Dwyer, BS’63 [Metro]; Harriet Winters Luben, BS’62 [Metro]; Marcia Mosley Stanger, BS’62 [Metro]; Florence Peirano Tees, BS’63, MBA’95 [Metro]; and Virginia O’Reilly Thomas, BS’62 [Metro])
• Rita Bernert-Glocker, BS’93 (Metro), Women’s Basketball
• Diane Campbell, BS’89, MBA’91 (Metro), Women’s Basketball
• Tom Fox, BS’62 (Metro), Men’s Basketball/Men’s Soccer
• Melanie Jones, BA’94 (Metro), Women’s Fencing
• Ira Miller, MBA’87 (Metro), Tennis Coach 1985–88, 1994–98
• Sharlene Milwood-Lee, BA’95 (Metro), Track and Field, currently head track and field coach
• Joseph Murphy, BS’64 (Metro), Track and Field/Men’s Soccer/Men’s Basketball
• Sal Racoboldo, BS’95 (Metro), Baseball
• Mary Kay Mastronardy Stratis, BA’69 (Ruth), MAT’71 (Metro), Benefactor, currently a member of the Board of Trustees
For more information go to http://fduknights.collegesports.com/genrel/091804aab.html.
Captions:
The 2004 Hall of Fame Division I Class of 2004, front row, from left, five members of the 1960 Women’s Fencing Team (Jeanette Reid, Marcia Mosley Stanger, Carol Kuzen Black, Florence Peirano Tees and Virginia O’Reilly Thomas) and Melanie Jones; back row, from left, Ira Miller, Sal Racoboldo, Rita Bernert, Diane Campbell, Mary Kay Mastronardy Stratis, Sharlene Milwood-Lee, Tom Fox and Joseph Murphy.
This year’s class included two staff members and a member of the Board of Trustees.
Left photo: Track and Field Coach Sharlene Milwood-Lee
Center photo: Board of Trustees Member Mary Kay Mastronardy Stratis (Benefactor) with David Langford, left, athletics director (Metro), and Joseph Kiernan, provost (Metro).
Right photo: University Publications Director Carol Black
The College at Florham dedicated the newly renovated Robert T. Shields Field at a halftime ceremony during the football game against King’s College on September 18. The Devils won 15-10.
The Field Turf surface was used for the Devils final two home games last season, but the seating structure was not completed at that time. The September 18 game marked the first time that the team played in the finished complex. The press box and the scoreboard were the finishing touches.
Welcome and introductions were given by William Klika, director of athletics Division III (Flor); Kenneth Greene, College at Florham interim provost; and President J. Michael Adams. Honoree Robert T. Shields, former director of athletics (Flor), attended as well as his wife, Millie, and their grandson; Michel Baumeister, BS’66 (Flor); his wife, Lynn; and Richard Wellbrock, BA’60, MA’64 (Flor), with his family.
About Robert T. Shields
The description below was included in the day’s program.
“Robert T. Shields, the campus’s first athletics director, was also a coach, mentor and friend.
As the men’s lacrosse coach, Shields is the winningest coach in Devils’ history. He compiled a 71-61 record (.540 winning percentage) from 1963–1973. He led the lacrosse team to the 1966 Lydecker Division Championship with a 12-2 mark and the 1967 Lydecker Division Title with a 11-2 record. Shields also captured the New York Metropolitan Championship with a 13-2 record, which set a school record for wins in a single season.
As a golf coach, he holds the all-time winningest record as he guided his players to a 147-91 mark from 1974–1989. Shields coached the golf team to five “top five” finishes in the Middle Atlantic Conference, including the conference championship in 1982 (a best-ever 14-2 record) and 1983 (10-3 mark). He also directed the 1982 squad to its only NCAA tournament berth.
From 1960–1963 and in 1975–1976, he was the men’s basketball coach. Shields was also called into action as the men’s soccer coach from 1961–1967, in 1970 and again in 1986; his 1964 team posted a 10-4-1 record.
But most of all, Robert Shields is remembered for his love of Fairleigh Dickinson University and his friendship toward his student-athletes.”
Captions:
Robert T. Shields
At the dedication are, from left, Kenneth Greene, interim provost (Flor); Lynn and Michel Baumeister; Robert Shields with his wife, Millie, and grandson; Richard Wellbrock and his family; President J. Michael Adams; and William Klika, director of athletics (Flor).
Update
Peter Woolley, political science and director, PublicMind (Flor), was the guest speaker at the Women at Leisure meeting on October 12 at the Lautenberg Family Jewish Community Center. He talked about November election issues.
Jason Scorza, philosophy/political science; director, English/philosophy/humanities; and interim director, art/media studies (Metro); Martin Green, English and assistant campus provost for planning/assessment (Flor); and Pamela Schneider, assessment coordinator, educational technology (Flor), presented a pilot learning outcomes assessment of the The Global Challenge (University Core A) at the American Association of Higher Education Assessment Conference, held in Denver, Colo., on June 15. The Global Challenge assessment was conducted in spring 2003 and was developed by a special task force that included Scorza; Green; Catherine Kelley, assistant provost, educational technology (Flor); Walter Cummins, emeritus, English (Flor); Paula Hooper Mayhew, English literature (Metro); and Christopher Devine, chemistry/philosophy (Metro).
At the Division I alumni baseball game on October 3, Dennis Sasso, retired, baseball coach (Metro), was honored by having his number (13) retired from duty. Sasso guided the Knights for 19 seasons. During his tenure, he led the program to three conference championships, three Northeast Conference regular season titles and a divisional crown. He had been named NEC Coach of the Year three times and enjoyed more than 340 career wins.
Mark Sapara, visual/performing arts and assistant dean, transfer students/retention initiatives (Flor), and an alumnus, BA’91 (Flor), has been elected to the FDU Alumni Board of Governors.
Michael Goodman, English and director, Corporate Communication Institute (Flor), was a featured speaker during the October 1 meeting of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA), held at the American Management Association offices, N.Y.C. His talk was titled “Meeting the Global Challenges of the Contemporary Business Environment.” Goodman also led the short course Best Practices in Corporate Communication Public Affairs and Issues Management in Lagos, Nigeria, which was attended by local communications professionals from October 4 to 7.
Gerhard Haas, natural sciences (Metro), was honored as a Society for Industrial Microbiology (SIM) Fellow during the Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology Conference in Anaheim, Calif., in July. Fellowship status is awarded to acknowledge the individual’s sustained record of significant research and/or service contributions to the profession of applied microbiology. His current research includes an interest in plant-derived antimicrobials. He is the holder of 37 patents and co-author or author of 42 publications.
Marilyn Rye, English, and assistant provost, College at Florham, has been appointed director of the University Honors Program (Flor). She had been acting director of the program since January.
CHOICE: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries, one of the two leading American library publications, reviewed The Continuum Complete International Encyclopedia of Sexuality, co-edited by Robert Francoeur, emeritus, biological sciences (Flor), and Howard Hanson in Theory and Practice, written by Allen Cohen, music (Flor). Both books were “Highly Recommended” by CHOICE.
“Still Moved,” an exhibit of paintings and drawings done before and after the attacks on September 11 by Jacqueline Lima, art (Metro), will run through October 22 at The Madelon Powers Art Gallery, East Stroudsburg University, Pa.
In Memoriam
Irvin Citron, professor emeritus of chemistry, died on September 6 at the age of 80. He joined FDU in 1962 as assistant professor of chemistry on the Rutherford Campus and retired in 1992 as chairman of the science, engineering and chemistry department. He is survived by his wife, Gladys; a son, Howard; and two grandchildren. The family asks that memorials to Citron go to the Jewish National Fund, 800-542-8733.
Eleanor Hudak, retired, coordinator of budgets, grants and regulatory compliance (Ruth), died on September 27 at the age of 81. She joined the University in 1962 and retired in 1989 as facilities planning assistant. She is survived by her daughter, Marilyn Cote; three grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren. Memorial donations may be made to Grace Episcopal Alter Guild, 288 W. Passaic Avenue, Rutherford, N.J. 07070.
Willis Rudy, professor emeritus of history, died on September 12 at the age of 84. He joined the University in 1963 as an associate professor and retired in 1982 as a professor of history. During that period he was chair of the history department on the Metropolitan Campus. He is the author of several books, the most recent of which, Building America’s Schools and Colleges, was published in 2003. Rudy is survived by his wife, Dorothy; and daughters, Dorothy, a paralegal who is a student in FDU’s MAT program; and Willa, BA’91 (Metro), MAT’95 (Metro).
Announcing
Weddings
Craig Cannon, graphics arts/typesetting specialist, communications/marketing (Metro), and Carolyn Bradley, BA’91 (Metro), were married on September 25.
Eric Knigge, BS’98 (Flor), MBA’03 (Metro), senior accountant, finance (Metro) — son of Patricia Knigge, payroll administrator, human resources (Metro) — and Janet Schreffler, BS’98 (Flor), were married on September 26.
Birth
Lana Tiersky, psychology (Metro), and her husband, Howard, announce the birth of their son, Foster Hayden, on September 22. Foster joins two sisters, Rachel and Jessica.
Welcome
The University welcomes new full-time and part-time employees who joined FDU as of September 27, 2004.
Welcome to Colleen Coppla, campaign director, University advancement (Metro); Gerald DeFabbia, head baseball coach, athletics (Metro); Roland Francia, clerk, Weiner Library (Metro); Brandon Gantt, assistant women’s track and field coach, athletics (Metro); Maria Garippa, administrative assistant, executive MBA, Silberman College (Flor); Dawn Garrison, senior general clerk, communications/marketing (Metro); Carol Karpinski, coordinator of MAT program, education (Metro); Joseph Lizardo, head men’s/women’s tennis coach, athletics (Metro); Paula Mensch, University admissions counselor, admissions (Flor); Jean Moran, assistant to director, nursing/allied health (Metro); Cathy Paris, administrative assistant, public safety (Metro); Gerald Picca, accountant, finance (Metro); Jessica Presco, clerk, enrollment services (Flor); Erica Ruppert, administrative assistant, biological/allied health sciences (Flor); Ada Serrano, adviser, international student services (Metro); Joymarie Swanson, assistant women’s basketball coach, athletics (Metro); Evan Warshaw, facilities supervisor, athletics (Metro); and Elizabeth Weiss, counselor, Regional Center for College Students with Learning Disabilities (Metro).
Captions:
Dennis Sasso
One of Jacqueline Lima’s artworks currently on exhibit.
Maxwell Becton College of Arts and Sciences
USA PATRIOT Act and Presidential Election Explored
Two political affairs events are planned for Tuesday, October 26.
At 12:45 in Lenfell Hall, the Mansion, College at Florham, Edward Barocas, legal director, American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey, will speak on “The USA PATRIOT Act and Civil Liberties.”
At 6 p.m., a Roundtable on the 2004 Presidential Election with faculty and students participating also will be held in Lenfell Hall.
Both presentations are free. For information, contact Bruce Peabody, political science (Flor), at 973-443-8729.
Plays to be Performed
There is still time left (Thursday–Saturday, October 14–16, at 8 p.m and Sunday, October 17, at 2:30 p.m.) to see the performance of “Museum,” Tina Howe’s satire of the modern art world, a parable of humanity that takes place on the last day of an exhibit in a Manhattan art museum. A cast of 40 characters walk through and comment on the art, themselves, each other and life in general.
“Museum” is directed by Stephen Hollis, theater and director, theater arts (Flor), designed by Michael Auszura, with lights by David Landau, electronic filmmaking (Flor). Tickets are $5 for students and FDU community and $10 for the general public. Tickets can be purchased at the door or by calling 973-443-8644 (ext. 4) in advance.
Next to be produced by the visual and performing arts department is “The Good Doctor,” a selection of Chekhov’s short stories adapted by Neil Simon, scheduled for Wednesday, November 17, through Sunday, November 21, with a matinee for high school students on Friday, November 19. Hollis describes the production as “a very funny evening of different sketches and comic pieces, again with a variety of acting opportunities.”
For further information call 973-443-8467 or e-mail hollis@fdu.edu.
Shakespeare and Politics
Don’t forget “Shakespeare and Politics,” a free day-long colloquium, Saturday, October 16, in Room S-11, Science Building, College at Florham, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Speakers will discuss not only Shakespeare’s treatment of politics, but also the politics of performing his works in the 21st century. Harry Keyishian, English (Flor), organized the event. This is the 12th seminar in this popular series. For details see http://inside.fdu.edu/prpt/politics.html. For further information, call 973-443-8714 or e-mail harry_keyishian@fdu.edu. Registration is not required but is strongly encouraged.
Broadcasting in Global Society
David Elstein, chairman, British Screen Advisory Council, will speak on “The Changing Shape of Broadcasting in a Global Society” on Thursday, November 4, at 2:15 p.m. in Hartman Lounge, the Mansion, College at Florham. Sponsored by the English, communication and philosophy department, the lecture is free, but registration is recommended. For registration call 973-443-8711/8710. Elstein is also chairman of Really Useful Theatres Ltd., Screen Digest Ltd, Broadcasting Policy Group, Commercial Radio Companies Association, Sports Network plc and Sparrowhawk Investments Ltd.; vice chairman of Kingsbridge Capital Ltd.; non-executive director of NTL Inc.; and a visiting professor at the University of Stirling, in Scotland, and the University of Westminster, in England, both in the United Kingdom.
CCI Executive Briefing
“Why Can’t Our Employees Write Better?” will be explored by Jack Appleman, communication (Flor) and founder and president of SG Communications, at a Corporate Communication Institute (CCI) Executive Briefing on Tuesday, October 19, from 8 to 10 a.m., in Hartman Lounge, the Mansion, College at Florham. Appleman is an award-winning writer who brings 25 years of combined experience as a writing trainer, public relations professional and journalist. Costs are $40; CCI members $20, graduate students $15 and faculty free. To register call 973-443-8709.
Silberman College of Business
Alumnus Eli Amdur, BA’68 (Ruth), and a resident of Teaneck, N.J., has been named senior executive fellow for leadership and talent development at Silberman College of Business’ Center for Health-care Management Studies.
Donald Zimmerman, executive director of the center (Flor/Metro), said, “We envision a stronger focus on the leadership element in our MBA programs, and we are looking to Eli Amdur to develop this vision.”
Amdur currently teaches Executive Communication and Leadership in the MBA program — a course that enrolls students from 32 countries. He has done extensive research on leadership and talent development and has authored articles in this field.
The center offers a range of corporate training programs focused on developing the leadership skills and knowledge needed in today’s rapidly changing world of health care and the life sciences marketplace.
Amdur sees this new position as both an honor and a challenge. “Don Zimmerman is a visionary leader,” he said, “and a recognized expert on national and global healthcare issues. I look forward to contributing to this growing program.”
New College of General and Continuing Studies
Booz Allen Degree-completion Program
On September 22, Fairleigh Dickinson University received the Innovative Partnership Award, presented at the Booz Allen Hamilton’s Center for Performance Excellence in McLean, Va. The award was for the online Undergraduate Degree-completion Program developed by New College in collaboration with the Office of Global Learning. The University is the exclusive online provider for Booz Allen Hamilton, an employer of more than 14,000 individuals. Other learning partners for in-person delivery are the University of Virginia, Charlottesville; Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md.; and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.
Online Graduate Certificates Expanded
Courses in two online graduate certificates in global security and terrorism studies and emergency management administration began on September 27. The online certificates were developed through a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Defense through the National Guard Bureau. During 2003–2004, the content from 13 in-person courses was converted into an online delivery. The courses were then vetted and approved by the National Guard. A second year of funding in the amount of $500,000 has been appropriated to convert the graduate certificate in computer security and forensic administration to an online format.
Each of the certificates can be applied toward a master of administrative science degree from FDU. The National Guard distance-learning initiative is being administered by the Office of Global Learning and the faculty and administration of the School of Administrative Science.
Hospitality, Tourism Management at Cendant
After establishing a pilot degree-completion program at the Cendant Corporation during 2003–2004, the International School of Hospitality and Tourism Management is offering the bachelor of arts in individualized studies with a hospitality management specialization and the master of science in hospitality management studies at the firm. Cendant has more than 10,000 employees in New Jersey and is the umbrella company for Howard Johnson, Travel Lodge, Days Inn, Budget and Avis car rental, Century 21 and Coldwell Banker as well as several others. John Hughes, hotel/restaurant/tourism management (Flor), and the administrative coordinator for the program, reports that 55 students are enrolled in the undergraduate and graduate programs during the fall semester.
“Voces Unidas” Concert to Be Held
In September, the Puerta al Futuro program began a partnership with Latin-American consulates in New York City, resulting in “Voces Unidas,” a concert of national hymns from Latin-American countries, to be held on Sunday, October 24, at the Auditorium, Edward Williams Building, on the Metropolitan Campus, from 2–5 p.m. For more information, contact Ruth Soto, administrative assistant, at 201-692-2625.
Exhibits in Edward Williams Gallery
“Melody from the Silence of the Soul,” a Hispanic Heritage Month exhibit featuring oil on canvas, mixed media on canvas and mixed media on paper by Antonio Carreno, is being held in Edward Williams Gallery, Edward Williams Building, Metropolitan Campus through October 29.
Carreno, who went to the National School of Fine Arts in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, was inspired by cherished memories of his early life in the islands when creating his mixed media paintings and pastels. His paintings are structured methodically with emphasis in detail and symmetry, redefining the legacy of surrealism in Latin American art with lively lines and colorful concepts.
Also in Edward Williams Gallery, an exhibit, “Entr’Acte” with works by Griselda Healy is scheduled to open Monday, November 1. On Sunday, November 7, a reception will be held in the Edward Williams Building Lobby with a concert “From Paris to Vienna” by the All Seasons Chamber Players in the building’s auditorium from 3 to 5 p.m.
The Gallery hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m., and Saturday, 9:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. The exhibits are free and open to the public. For more information call 201-692-7028.
University College: Arts • Sciences • Professional Studies
Gang Violence, Awareness and Prevention
On Tuesday, November 9, the School of Criminal Justice will present a symposium on “Gang Violence, Gang Awareness and Prevention,” at 3:30 p.m. in Room 100, Robison Annex, Metropolitan Campus.
Participants will include officials from the New Jersey Department of Corrections. An insider’s view will be presented by two former gang members currently incarcerated in the New Jersey state prison system. The event is free and is open to the FDU community. Patrick Reynolds, assistant director, criminal justice (Metro), says, “We are hoping to have the lecturers present a comprehensive overview of the gang problem, specifically the issue of peer pressure and recruiting techniques used by gangs to expand their membership.”
Alcohol and Alcoholism
“Alcohol and Alcoholism: Recognizing and Dealing with Our Susceptibilities,” sponsored by sociology and psychology is being offered on Thursday, October 21, at 7 p.m., in Wilson Auditorium, Dickinson Hall, Metropolitan Campus. Featured at the free event will be speakers from Alcoholics Anonymous.
Color Rhythms Exhibit
“Color Rhythms,” by Rita Baragona is an exhibit through November 5 at the University College Art Gallery, Room 11, University Hall, Metropolitan Campus. During a reception on October 14, the artist spoke about her work.
She was reviewed in The New Republic — “Baragona combines an overall soft luminosity with a steely pinpoint accuracy and brings this unpredictable painterly attack to her quiet violet-and-yellow bouquets and her gardens ranging with rainbow-hued flowers.”
Wroxton College
The Conference on Corporate Communication 2005, scheduled from Friday, June 10, through Monday, June 13, at Wroxton College, has sent out a call for papers.
Sponsored by the Corporate Communication Institute in association with Corporate Communications: An International Journal, the conference’s focus will be on the theory, practice, roles, processes and issues of concern to corporate communication scholars and practitioners.
The three-day conference will feature speakers from the industry and universities. Countries represented in the past have included Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Finland, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary proposals for original research, complete sessions devoted to an issue, panel discussions, case studies, workshops and demonstrations are sought. Areas of interest include image, identity and reputation management; corporate branding; corporate governance, policy and practice; investor relations; research; and theory and practice; among others, see http://www.corporatecomm.org/conference.html.
The deadline for submission of proposals to the Corporate Communication Institute is January 17. A 300- to 500-word abstract of the paper or summary of ideas should be sent to cci@corporatecomm.org, attention Michael Goodman, English and director, CCI (Flor).
A PDF of the Call for Papers and details for submission of conference papers are located at http://www.corporatecomm.org/conference.html. For more information, e-mail cci@corporatecomm.org or call 973-443-8709.
Captions:
Left photo: “Staten Island” by Griselda Healy
Right photo: “Melody From the Silence of the Soul” by Antonio Carreno
Rita Baragona, “Spectral Abundance,” acrylic
Robert Barron
Assistant Professor of Theater
College at Florham
What book or film did you recently enjoy? Why would you recommend it?
I finally got around to watching “Bowling for Columbine,” and everybody should see all of Michael Moore’s documentaries. You’ll know why after you see them.
What do you most value in your friends?
Loyalty, humor, honesty and wisdom.
Complete the phrase: People would be surprised to know that I ...
… am a great cook, and I love to garden!
My hobbies are ...
Since I work in the theater, I’d have to say that my hobbies are my vocation. Teaching acting, directing shows, writing plays … for me, that’s not what I call work!
Who would be your perfect dinner guest? What would you serve?
My perfect dinner guest would be the Dalai Lama. As for dinner, I’d probably order out, because I’d rather not spend time in the kitchen when I have such a great guest in my house.
What profession other than your own, would you most like to attempt, and what profession would you want nothing to do with?
I’d like to be a foreign correspondent for The New York Times, covering Europe in the 1930s. OK, OK, so I don’t have a time machine. So then I’d have to say that I’d enjoy restoring old houses. I love old homes, and the stories and the history they have. [And I wouldn’t want to do] anything where I had to sit around all day crunching numbers.
Joseph Graves, Jr.
Professor of Biological Sciences and University Core Director
Metropolitan Campus
What book or film did you recently enjoy? Why would you recommend it?
Taylor Branch’s Pillar of Fire: America in the King Years, 1963–65, which offers fascinating insights into the thinking of some of the principal leaders of the period, including the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; President Lyndon Johnson; FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover; Diane Nash, one of the passionate leaders of the sit-ins and freedom rides; Rabbi Abraham Heschel, the Hasidic theologian who bonded with King in devotion to the Hebrew prophets; Robert Moses, the Mississippi Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) leader who became undone due to the human suffering he witnessed during the Freedom summer; and Fannie Lou Hamer, the sharecropper who became a powerful voice for the poor, disenfranchised and unlettered masses. We should read this book to remember how we got here, how far we have to go and what we stand to lose if our nation continues on the path of unjustified wars against poor and helpless nations.
What do you most value in your friends?
I have staked my life on an uncompromising commitment to social justice. Therefore I value in my friends compassion, courage and the intellectual rigor to achieve this end.
Complete the phrase: People would be surprised to know that I ...
… was born and raised in Westfield, N.J. I am the son of laborers who migrated to New Jersey to escape their lives of Jim Crow segregation in Virginia. I am the first generation in my family to receive a college degree, and the first African-American to earn a PhD, hold a tenure-track faculty position, earn tenure and be promoted to the rank of full professor in the field of evolutionary biology in the history of the United States.
My hobbies are …
Before I ruptured my Achilles tendon last April, I played basketball three days a week. Now, I spend most of my free time studying chess and reading fiction. I periodically play in professional chess tournaments and have games published in professional chess databases, such as Essentia 2.0.
Who would be your perfect dinner guest? What would you serve?
Stephen King. I am sure he would arrive in a haunted or interdimensional car, and want something undercooked, maybe a “lobstrosity.” I would have a steak, medium well.
What profession other than your own, would you most like to attempt, and what profession would you want nothing to do with?
I would most like to write fiction, particularly science or horror. My first attempt at a novel was such that after my literary agent read the manuscript she suggested I take basic classes in writing and call her later! I co-authored a registered screenplay, but like the novel, everybody hated it.
I would have nothing to do with professional politics. I could never learn to lie with a straight face, so I would make a lousy politician.
Bethany Gang Rabinowitz
Lecturer of English and Assistant Director of Freshman Intensive Studies
College at Florham
What book or film did you recently enjoy? Why would you recommend it?
A Widow for a Year by John Irving. I enjoy Irving’s descriptive writing style in addition to the plot twists.
What do you most value in your friends?
Dependability and honesty.
Complete the phrase: People would be surprised to know that I …
… am a “do-it-yourself” home decorator. I strip furniture, remove wallpaper, paint and apply wallpaper.
My hobbies are …
… visiting museums and historic sites, walking and gardening.
Who would be your perfect dinner guest? What would you serve?
I would have to say that I don’t aspire to meet and greet any famous or infamous person. I would rather have the opportunity to once again share my table with my father. I would certainly prepare what were his favorites.
What profession other than your own would you most like to attempt, and what profession would you want nothing to do with?
I would love to be in the home-building business. I would never want to go into medicine. The responsibility for life-and-death decisions would be too stressful.
Kirsten Tripodi
Senior Lecturer of Hospitality Management and Director of Professional Development
Metropolitan Campus
What book or film did you recently enjoy? Why would you recommend it?
I’m currently reading Sirio Maccioni’s autobiography Sirio: The Story of My Life and Le Cirque. I’m fascinated by the lives of famous people of all sorts, but particularly those in the hospitality field.
What do you most value in your friends?
A great sense of humor.
Complete the phrase: People would be surprised to know that I ...
… tended bar while in college with Jimmy Gandolfini (Tony Soprano).
My hobbies are …
I have no hobbies at this time, I have a beautiful 18-month-old son and am in a doctoral program. Oops, I changed careers recently, too.
Who would be your perfect dinner guest? What would you serve?
In my career in hospitality management, I have had the great fortune to meet many interesting, famous and infamous people. My perfect dinner guest would be John F. Kennedy, and I would have my husband, who is a chef, prepare a gourmet meal so that I would be able to concentrate on learning as much as I could about his fascinating life.
What profession other than your own would you most like to attempt, and what profession would you want nothing to do with?
I’ve often thought of working in a different sector of the service industry. I would’ve liked very much to be a firefighter or an emergency medical technician (EMT). I can’t imagine having to sit at a desk for 40 hours a week, doing anything.
• A $10,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts has been awarded to The Literary Review in support of three issues. The journal showcases the work of featured writers from the United States and abroad. René Steinke, English (Flor), is editor-in-chief of the publication.
• For the first time, adults and graduate students will be able to attend a regional college fair designed exclusively for them to investigate educational programs. More than 50 colleges and universities, including FDU, most of them located in New Jersey and New York, will come together under the sponsorship of the Higher Education Consortium of the New York Metropolitan Area (FDU is a member.) and offer College Expo 2004 on Saturday, October 30, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Rothman Center, Metropolitan Campus.
• Approximately 1,000 students attended the pep rally Friday night, October 1, as part of Family/Homecoming weekend, October 2, on the College at Florham. On Saturday, hundreds of faculty, staff, students, family members and alumni attended the Homecoming and visited the club booths, enjoyed the food, football game and reception. “This was the best Homecoming we have had in a long time,” said Kenneth Greene, interim provost (Flor). This year, the Metropolitan Campus held a tailgate in the Northpointe parking lot and provided a shuttle service to the football game.
COOLCATNJ Launched
A ribbon-cutting ceremony that launched the online catalog of the libraries of Fairleigh Dickinson University and the College of Saint Elizabeth involved the two presidents of the cooperating institutions, J. Michael Adams of Fairleigh Dickinson University and Sister Francis Raftery of the College of Saint Elizabeth. The ceremony was held at the College at Florham Library on September 29. An introductory session was also conducted at the Metropolitan Campus on September 30. COOLCATNJ provides public access to anyone with Internet service to the complete catalog of both colleges.
For more information see http://inside.fdu.edu/prpt/coolcatnj.html.
Captions:
From left are: James Marcum, University librarian (Metro/Flor); President J. Michael Adams, FDU; Sister Francis Raftery, president, College of Saint Elizabeth (CSE); Brother Paul Chervenie, director, Mahoney Library, CSE; and Neal Sturm, associate vice president for information resources and technology and chief information officer (Flor/Metro), FDU.
Left photo: College at Florham graduaate students Sri Lakshmi Pakuri, left, and Ratna Magu paint The Rock announcing the event.
Right photo: COOLCATNJ as it appears on a computer.
Wellness Fair
More than 40 tables offering information on a variety of wellness topics, including fitness, nutrition, stress management, academic wellness, spirituality, financial wellness and more, were set up in the Fitness Center to celebrate Thrive 365, the Metropolitan Campus Wellness Fair, on September 28. All pictured individuals except the Bollinger Insurance representative are from the Metropolitan Campus.
Captions:
Left photo: At the new benefits table are Charles Guenther, left, human resources assistant, and Joseph Mignon, senior vice president, Bollinger Insurance.
Center photo: At the student counseling and psychological services Stress Management table are, from left, undergraduate student Lashawn Johnson, PhD student Debbie Mattei and Ebony Diggs, administrative assistant, student counseling and psychological services.
Right photo: Marion McClary, left, biological sciences, and Samuel Feinberg, psychology, helped with stress and classroom etiquette and handed out the Metro Manners Manual for Classroom Survival.
Left photo: Ann Mahan, director, student health services, with her common cold exhibit.
Second from left photo: Student Sujan Shrestha, left, speaks with Christine Vitale, assistant to the director, career development, at the career development table.
Second from right photo: Deborah Gonzales, left, business, New College, and director Puerta al Futuro, discusses academic advisement with Tanya Viola, assistant director, academic advisement.
Right photo: At the spirituality table are Unninur Ali, left, Muslim chaplain, and Father John Baron, director, campus ministry.
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