Approximately 3,000 graduates will receive doctoral, master’s, bachelor’s and associate degrees at the University’s 64th Commencement ceremony on Tuesday, May 15, at 10 a.m., at the Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, N.J.

The University will confer honorary doctor of humane letters on Thanu Kulachol, recently retired president of Bangkok University and a former senator in Thailand; Martha C. Nussbaum, Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago; and Anthony J. Petrocelli, BS’69 (Flor), entrepreneur and former University trustee (posthumously).

From left are Thanu Kulachol, Martha C. Nussbaum and the late Anthony J. Petrocelli.

The Student Pinnacle awards will be presented by the campus provosts. One student from each campus who demonstrated academic excellence, public service and commitment to the University will be honored. Each winner will deliver remarks.

Jennifer Lehr, communication (Flor), and Joseph Kiernan, economics/finance and campus provost (Metro), will read the names of the graduates.

Student Pinnacle Award Recipients

The College at Florham Student Pinnacle Award will be presented by campus provost Kenneth Greene to Garrett Gilbert, who will graduate with a bachelor of arts in political science degree. Gilbert has been involved in nearly every aspect of campus life, holding leadership positions in a number of campus organizations throughout his college career. He was president of the Student Government Association (SGA), president of the Resident Student Association, chief of staff of SGA and an editor for The Metro college newspaper. He was also involved in the Finance Club, Green Club, Judicial Board and Florham Programming Committee.

Also a leader in FDU athletics, Gilbert was a member of the golf team for four years. He helped his team win the Middle Atlantic Conference Championship his junior year and served as team captain his senior year. Off the golf course, he announced every home game for every major sport during his four years on campus, in addition to working as a statistician and sports writer. He also worked off campus throughout his college career, first as a sales associate at The Sports Authority and later as an insurance data entry specialist at Mark Riley Consulting.

Gilbert was a Dean’s and Honors List student, Collegiate All-American Scholar, Charter Day Scholarship recipient, Who’s Who Among College Students Award recipient and a member of the political science honor society, Pi Sigma Alpha. He plans to stay at FDU for an additional year to earn his MBA in finance.

From left are Andrew Restivo and Garrett Gilbert.

Joseph Kiernan, campus provost (Metro), will present the Student Pinnacle to Andrew Restivo, who will graduate with a bachelor of science in construction engineering technology degree.

Over his four years at FDU, Restivo planned and implemented campus-wide changes to benefit his fellow students.

He first attended FDU as a commuter student and quickly joined the Commuter Council, where he was elected vice president and then president. He was instrumental in changing parking regulations for commuters and bringing council issues to the Student Government Association (SGA).

Restivo was elected SGA president his senior year and moved to campus to be closer to the student body. He successfully obtained a 24-hour study space for students and extended cafeteria hours, among other accomplishments. He also was a member of the Residence Hall Association, Student Programming Board, Multicultural Council, Campus Standards Committee, Student Union Building Users Committee and Campus Strategic Planning Committee.

Restivo was recognized as a Col. Fairleigh S. Dickinson Scholar, Charter Day Scholar and a member of the Phi Zeta Kappa Honors Society and Phi Omega Epsilon Honors Society. After graduation, Restivo will be working for Hollister Construction Services in Teterboro, N.J. He plans to go back to school to earn a master’s degree.

Honorary Degree Recipients

Thanu Kulachol is the recently retired president of Bangkok University and a former senator in Thailand. After receiving his MBA from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1972 and then his PhD in higher education from Southern Illinois University in 1977, Kulachol returned to his native Thailand and assumed the position of vice president for academic affairs of Bangkok University. He was named president of Bangkok University in 1988 and served as president of the Association of Private Higher Education Institutions of Thailand from 1991–1995. In 1996, he was appointed by the King of Thailand to the Thai Senate and served on the Senate Committee on Education and Culture from 1996 to 2000.

Martha C. Nussbaum, Ernst Freund Distinguished Service Professor of Law and Ethics at the University of Chicago, has made significant contributions to an array of disciplines, working within the fields of philosophy, law, classics and political science. She has been recognized by The New York Times for “synthesizing the passion of the revolutionary with the zeal of the self-sacrificing saint,” and has been recognized as one of America’s most prominent philosophers. Her book, Hiding From Humanity: Disgust, Shame, and the Law, won the Association of American University Publishers Professional and Scholarly Book Award for Law in 2004.

The late Anthony J. Petrocelli, alumnus and University trustee, came from humble beginnings and enrolled in Fairleigh Dickinson University while working full time. In 1969, he earned a business management degree and went on to become a successful entrepreneur specializing in leveraged buyouts in the chemical industry. Petrocelli often credited his success to his education and, in 2004, made one of the largest charitable commitments in FDU’s history. In 2005, the University dedicated the Anthony J. Petrocelli College of Continuing Studies, which is committed to addressing the special educational needs of nontraditional students, including adult learners.

Petrocelli was a trustee of the University until his death in 2005. His wife, Antoinette, was elected to fulfill her husband’s term on the board and will accept his posthumous honorary degree at the commencement ceremony.

For full background information on the honorees, visit http://view.fdu.edu/default.aspx?id=751 .

Commencement Logistics

Faculty, staff and candidates for graduation must arrive at the arena no later than 8:30 a.m. Marshals must arrive by 8 a.m. Backpacks and large bags will not be permitted for security reasons. All should enter the arena between Gates A and D and use the escalators to go down to the floor level. There, signs will be posted for robing rooms and for volunteers to receive instructions. Students will be lined up on the arena floor level according to degree and by college. All graduates will have their names called and will walk across the stage; photographs will be taken of each graduate.

The ceremony should end by 1 p.m. Graduates will be able to pick up their diplomas in the Offices of Enrollment Services on each campus starting Monday, June 18, or diplomas can be mailed to the graduates’ homes.

The College at Florham marshals’ meeting will take place on Tuesday, May 8, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Sammartino Room, Student Center. A training session for Metropolitan Campus faculty and staff marshals and volunteers will be held on Thursday, May 10, at 3 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room, Student Union Building.

Faculty and staff must return their academic regalia in the original boxes to their respective campus bookstores no later than 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 17. Charges will be incurred if the regalia is not returned on time. Both campus bookstores will be open Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information on commencement and full background information on the honorees, visit http://view.fdu.edu/default.aspx?id=751 .

April/May 2007

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Flor =
College at Florham, Madison, N.J.

Metro =
Metropolitan Campus, Teaneck, N.J.

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