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The University’s 62nd Commencement exercises will be held Monday, May 16, at 10 a.m., at the Continental Airlines Arena, East Rutherford, N.J.
During the ceremony, the University will honor four distinguished leaders who will receive honorary doctor of humane letters degrees. Two thousand graduates will receive doctoral, master’s, bachelor’s and associate degrees. Honorary degrees will be conferred upon Malcolm Borg, chairman of the board of North Jersey Media Group; Rami Chhabra, an activist, writer and journalist from India; alumnus and New Jersey Acting Gov. Richard Codey, BA’81 (Flor); and investigative journalist Seymour Hersh, who will deliver the comnmencement address.
The campus provosts will present the Student Pinnacle awards to a student from each FDU campus who has demonstrated academic excellence, public service and commitment to the University.
Kenneth Greene, interim provost (Flor), will present the College at Florham Student Pinnacle Award to Mark Bullock, who completed a five-year accelerated program leading to both a bachelor of science in biology and a master of arts in teaching. Bullock has twice been elected president of the Student Government Association and has served as student representative to the University Board of Trustees and a resident assistant. Bullock was named a Fairleigh Dickinson University Charter Day Scholar three times, received the Burden Award for Meritorious Achievement and is a member of Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. A substitute teacher throughout his collegiate career, Bullock has been serving since January as a student teacher at Wayne Valley High School in Wayne, N.J.
The Student Pinnacle at the Metropolitan Campus will be presented to Kelley Kramer by Metropolitan Campus Provost Joseph Kiernan. Kramer, a communication major, served as managing editor and then editor-in-chief for the last two years of The Equinox. Under her leadership, the paper earned honorable mention in the 2003 New Jersey Press Association’s Better College Newspaper Contest. She also has been an orientation leader and media board senator for the Student Government Association. Her honors include the Emerging Leader of the Year award from the division of student affairs, being named to Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges and receiving a Campus Service Grant. Off-campus, she is a volunteer youth group leader and has worked as an intern and production assistant for “Inside Edition,” WTXF-FOX 29 and “Live! With Regis and Kelly.”
Greene and Kiernan will read the graduates’ names. For detailed commencement instructions for faculty and staff see “Commencement Logistics” below.
Honorary Degree Recipients
Malcolm Borg
Malcolm Borg represents the third generation of his family to lead the company that started with ownership of the Bergen Evening Record — now The Record, and New Jersey’s award-leading newspaper and flagship of North Jersey Media Group. In 2004, the company was ranked as the 103rd largest media company in the United States. In addition to his corporate accomplishments, Borg’s prodigious contribution to and involvement in civic, educational, health and environmental activities is a testament to his deep commitment to New Jersey and the nation. He has served more than 40 civic, professional and charitable organizations.
Rami Chhabra
An activist and a pioneer journalist in both print and the electronic media, Rami Chhabra has focused her work on population issues and women’s development. She has served as a senior administrator with the Indian government in national family planning efforts and has worked with many nongovernmental organizations worldwide. Chhabra has been and remains a steadfast and independent voice for women in India.
Richard Codey
New Jersey’s Acting Gov. Richard Codey, BA’81 (Flor), has long played a significant role in the state. His distinguished legislative career began in 1973, when he became the youngest legislator ever elected in New Jersey. In 2004, Codey became Senate president and has been a leading advocate for education as well as health and mental health issues. He has earned a reputation as a skillful leader who brings people together to achieve bipartisan goals. Numerous organizations and associations have recognized Acting Gov. Codey for his contributions to the state and to the people of New Jersey, awarding him “Legislator of the Year” many times.
Seymour Hersh
One of the nation’s leading investigative journalists and the author of eight books, Seymour Hersh is a regular contributor to The New Yorker. His journalism and publishing honors include the Pulitzer Prize, five George Polk Awards, the National Magazine Award and more than a dozen other awards for investigative reporting on the My Lai massacre in Vietnam and the C.I.A. bombing of Cambodia during the Vietnam War, Henry Kissinger’s wiretapping spanning his tenure under Richard Nixon as national security adviser and secretary of state and the C.I.A. efforts against Chile’s President Salvador Allende, among other topics. In 2004, Hersh was responsible for exposing the Abu Ghraib prison scandal in a series of three pieces in The New Yorker. In 2005, he was awarded the National Press Club’s Lifetime Achievement award.
For full background information on the four 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. For security reasons, backpacks and large bags will not be permitted within the arena. All should enter the arena between Gates A and D and proceed on the escalators to the floor level. There, signs will be posted for faculty 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 and shake hands with President J. Michael Adams. 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 Office of Enrollment Services on each campus starting June 13, or if preferred, diplomas can be mailed to the graduates’ homes.
The College at Florham marshals’ meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 11, at noon in the Bottle Hill Room, Student Center. Metropolitan Campus faculty and staff marshals must attend a training session on Wednesday, May 11, at 3 p.m. in the Rutherford Room, Student Union Building. Individuals who are volunteering (nonmarshals) should attend a pre-Commencement meeting on Wednesday, May 12, at 4 p.m. in the Rutherford Room, Student Union Building.
Faculty and staff must return their academic regalia in the original boxes to their respective campus bookstores — at the College at Florham — no later than 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 17, and at the Metropolitan Campus — no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 17. Charges will be incurred if the regalia is not returned on time. Metropolitan Campus bookstore hours are Monday and Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The College at Florham bookstore is open Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information on commencement, go to http://view.fdu.edu/default.aspx?id=1566 .
Caption:
Seymour Hersh, right, will deliver the commencement address and receive an honorary degree. Other honorary degree recipients will be, from left, Richard Codey, Malcolm Borg and Rami Chhabra.
At ceremonies on April 28, the University dedicated the Anthony J. Petrocelli College of Continuing Studies in the Auditorium, Edward Williams Hall, Metropolitan Campus.
Petrocelli, an alumnus (BS’69 [Flor]) and a University trustee, and his wife, Antoinette, have made a $4 million commitment to Fairleigh Dickinson.
At the dedication ceremony University President J. Michael Adams said, “Today, we celebrate a wonderful donation to Fairleigh Dickinson University. We mark this milestone in our history by renaming a college known for innovation, creativity and lifelong learning. And in doing so we honor a person who epitomizes those things that we cherish most at Fairleigh Dickinson University: hard work, creativity, honesty, integrity and vision.”
The college opened in April of 1998 as New College of General and Continuing Studies, dedicated to addressing the special educational needs of nontraditional students, including adult learners. The college’s programs are designed to respond to the career needs of lifelong learners.
“This honor,” said Adams, “is particularly appropriate because Tony Petrocelli has long been passionate about lifelong learning and creating opportunities for nontraditional students.”
Kenneth Vehrkens, dean, Petrocelli College (Metro/Flor), said, “Petrocelli College currently enrolls 4,000 students in credit programs. When he enrolled at Fairleigh Dickinson 40 years ago, Tony Petrocelli took advantage of the opportunity presented by FDU to get his degree. The University, through the Petrocelli College, will continue to provide access and opportunity for students of all ages.”
“While I was working at Allied Chemical,” said Petrocelli, “I benefited from the company’s tuition remission program and began my studies as a part-time evening student [in business management]. I understand the difficulty of balancing work, family and classes. So it is particularly gratifying to me that I am able to support the University’s outstanding work in this area and I applaud what Fairleigh Dickinson University has done and is doing for this important adult population.”
Petrocelli in particular thanked his wife for her support while he attended the University at nights and weekends. Earning his degree, he said was a “defining moment in my life. It allowed me to participate professionally at all levels.” He added, “This is an overwhelming honor for me and my family. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
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. He serves as Vice Chairman of the Better Materials Aggregate Board, Berkeley, W. Va.
He and his wife, Antoinette, have one daughter and one grandchild. They divide their time between their homes in Morris County and in Florida.
George Martin, a graduate of the college, BA’87 (Metro), former FDU trustee and vice president, sports financial services, AXA Financial Services, said the Petrocelli commitment was more than a financial commitment. “This is a unique and wonderful investment in our most precious resource: the human mind, body and spirit. This is something that will last for all eternity.”
Adams concluded the dedication by telling the Petrocellis that “your generous example will help to shape not only the Anthony J. Petrocelli College of Continuing Studies but this University’s future and its philanthropic programs for many years to come. We are grateful and we are proud that one of our own has done this for us.”
Captions:
Left photo: Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees Robert Hallenbeck, right, and the audience applaud Anthony J. Pertrocelli after his remarks.
Right photo: Anthony J. Petrocelli
Left photo: President J. Michael Adams and Anthony J. Petrocelli chat during the reception.
Right photo: Anthony J. and Antoinette Petrocelli
Left photo: Kenneth Vehrkens, center, dean, Petrocelli College, introduces Roger Koppl, left, economics/finance (Flor); and John Schiemann, second from left, administrative science (Metro), to Anthony J. Petrocelli.
Center photo: Students from the International School of Hospitality and Tourism Management planned the reception and prepared and served the food and beverages.
The Petrocelli College sign on Edward Williams Hall, Metropolitan Campus.
Right photo: Richard Wisch, right, director and associate dean, international hospitality/tourism management (Metro/Flor) shared a light moment with Anthony J. Petrocelli.
A Memorandum of Understanding creating the Higher Education Outreach Project among the United Nations, acting through its Department of Public Information (DPI), Fairleigh Dickinson University and the United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA) will be signed May 4.
The three organizations have agreed to develop the Higher Education Outreach Project, using videoconferencing as a communication and learning tool. Students at Fairleigh Dickinson and other colleges and universities in the United States — if they possess the required technical capabilities — will be able to follow and participate in discussions among U.N. ambassadors, diplomats and other distinguished individuals. Fairleigh Dickinson University is the only organization or institution with which the United Nations DPI has a memorandum of understanding regarding videoconferences.
As of May 4, the three organizations will begin to organize and develop discussions, meetings, lectures, panels and similar events at U.N. Headquarters in New York City that are suitable for interactive videoconferencing.
For each U.N. event transmitted to FDU via videoconferencing, the University is authorized to distribute it to other colleges and universities. The Department of Public Information at the United Nations will approve the participating institutions and be responsible for the topic, program, schedule and content of these U.N. events.
The University will post the videoconferences on its Global Issues Gateway (http://www.gig.org) Web site and distribute videotapes to the participating institutions or other academic institutions.
The memorandum will be signed at U.N. Headquarters by Shashi Tharoor, undersecretary-general for communications and public information, U.N. DPI; William Luers, president, UNA-USA; and J. Michael Adams, president, at U.N. Headquarters.
This project is being created because the three organizations believe that students should learn how people from different backgrounds and different viewpoints could come together to solve global problems and promote peace. “A university education,” said FDU President J. Michael Adams, “should contain an understanding of and possible interaction with the United Nations. Current and future students should have opportunities to experience the vital role of the United Nations in working toward world peace, sustainable development, adequate natural resource deployment and the welfare of individuals and nations.”
Adams added, “This is an exciting collaboration. It is a direct path to the rich resources within the United Nations, and it is our intention to develop a broad college/university audience, building bridges between academia, the United Nations and the world. Fairleigh Dickinson is very proud to be part of this unique collaboration.”
International activities this summer include a variety of programs at Wroxton College, Korean students visiting FDU and a cultural trip to Italy.
Italy
The department of modern languages and literatures at the College at Florham is sponsoring its ninth Cultural Trip, this time to Italy from July 11 to July 22. Two courses are linked to this program: Italian Conversation and Culture and Contemporary Italy. The 26 participants will be visiting Venice, Florence and Rome. Students will learn about Italy via face-to-face interaction as well as online upon their return. Angelo Spina, Italian (Metro), and Josephine Spina, Italian (Flor), will accompany the group and guide them throughout Italy.
Korea
Fifty-two students, two faculty members and two assistants from Kyungnam University, Masan, Korea, will be on the Metropolitan Campus participating in the American Language and Culture program for three weeks beginning June 28. They will attend 45 hours of intensive English courses. This program has been located at the University for approximately 20 years, most recently at the College at Florham. This is the first year it will be held at the Metropolitan Campus.
Wroxton College
Special seminars and courses will be offered at Wroxton College, Oxfordshire, England, this summer.
The International Corporate Communication and Culture Seminar is scheduled for May 29 through June 10. The academic component of this graduate offering includes panel discussions and lectures by international experts from business, academia, politics and the media. For additional information contact Gary Radford, communication studies and director, MA in corporate/organizational communication (Flor).
The School of Criminal Justice, Metropolitan Campus, will run the undergraduate course, The Art and Science of Homicide Investigation, June 14 though June 24. The course meets for two days prior to the trip. A Scotland Yard detective will be featured. For additional information contact Robert Vodde, director, criminal justice (Metro), at 201-692-2465.
Charles Schafer, psychology (Metro), is taking a play therapy (psychology) study group on June 18 for a week. An international perspective will be given to the discussions, presentations and networking.
Two Seminars in International Business will be conducted at Wroxton. The two, two-week sessions include on-site industrial visits. For further information contact Braimoh Osehale, economics/finance (Metro), 201-692-7215.
Comparative Health Systems, a course in the graduate MBA in health systems management, will run July 11 through July 27. Internationally recognized experts in developing a comparative understanding of global health-care issues will be featured. For additional information contact Bonnie Diehl, assistant director, Center for Healthcare Management, at 201-692-7204 or diehl@fdu.edu.
Charter Day and PINNACLE Awards — two prestigious University awards — will be presented in one evening.
Fred Hassan, chairman of the board and chief executive officer, Schering-Plough Corporation, will be honored at the 16th Annual Charter Day on Friday, June 10, at the College at Florham. The evening honors individuals who have distinguished themselves as outstanding leaders in their professions and their communities. Proceeds support Charter Day academic scholarships.
Co-chairs for the event are Anthony Cuti, MBA’70 (Metro), chairman, president and chief executive officer, Duane Reade, Inc.; and Robert Hallenbeck, vice president, business development and strategic investments, BD.
For information on, support for and participation in the event, contact Laura Reynolds, director of donor relations and special events, at 201-692-7036 or laura_reynolds@fdu.edu or go to http://www.fducharterday.com.
That same evening, seven alumni will be inducted into the exclusive PINNACLE Society at a ceremony at the College at Florham. The PINNACLE was introduced by the University in 1989 to formally recognize and acknowledge the contributions and achievements of its most distinguished alumni.
The PINNACLE inductees will be John Monninger, BA’65 (Flor), president, Bergen County Dodge, Inc.; Gregory Olsen, BS’66, BS’68, MS’68 (Metro), chairman, Sensors Unlimited, Inc.; Anthony J. Petrocelli, BS’69 (Flor), entrepreneur and FDU trustee; Donna Rienzi, AA’79 (Metro), special education teacher, New Beginnings Preschool; Vincent Rienzi, BS’78 (Metro), president, Rienzi & Rienzi Communications, Inc.; Steven Rudnitsky, MBA’85 (Metro), chairman and chief executive officer, Cendant Hotel Group; and Joseph Tort, BS’80 (Metro), partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
Caption:
Fred Hassan
A newly-published brochure on the protocol for threat response at the University has been issued and is available through the provosts, deans and public safety offices. The University-wide recommendations were derived from the work of the Metropolitan Campus’ Threat Assessment Task Force headed by James Kenny, criminal justice (Metro), and David Miles, University director of public safety (Metro/Flor). A Web-based training program for faculty and staff on “Recognizing and Averting Workplace Violence” is planned.
As described in the protocol, “Fairleigh Dickinson University recognizes that civility, understanding and mutual respect toward all members of the University community foster a climate intrinsic to excellence in teaching and learning. Violence or threats of violence on campuses or at campus-sponsored events will not be tolerated.”
Threats of violence include, but are not limited to, any situation initiated from internal and external sources that:
• Endangers the safety of any employee, student, visitor or faculty member;
• Has an impact on an individual’s physical and/or psychological well-being;
• Causes damage to personal or University property; and
• Creates a hostile campus environment.
Violence prevention is best accomplished by stopping the process before it gets started. Attention must be given to the early warning signs of possible violence. Maintaining a healthy campus environment and addressing minor violations of University policy lower the risk of aggressive responses and increase the possibility of peaceful solutions.
The protocol suggests several ways to defuse a situation. In dealing with an aggressive person, it is best to refrain from hostile, threatening or apathetic communications. Rejecting demands from the start, showing disrespect, trivializing the situation or invading the individual’s personal space can set the individual off. Avoid challenging body language such as placing hands on the hips, moving toward the person or staring directly at the person. One should remain seated and not attempt to physically touch the individual. One should not agree or argue with distorted statements. The following steps to DEFUSE a situation should be considered:
• Do stay calm and control your anger.
• Establish ground rules; take breaks to calm the person down.
• Focus on positive outcomes and the consequences of violent actions.
• Uncover what the person wants; repeat what is requested.
• Speak slowly, confidently, quietly; using active listening techniques.
• Encourage the person to consider possible solutions; offer support.
There are several guidelines for post-crisis response. Do not expect or pretend that business as usual conditions exist after there is a serious violent attack. You should expect that many will feel stressed following an incident. The following strategies should be considered:
• Provide detailed facts (who, what, where, when how) to public safety, human resources and the dean of students.
• Discuss/debrief the incident with your staff/faculty and/or students.
• Consider the need for immediate counseling services.
• Don’t feel that you should have all the answers; ask for help.
• Look for signs of stress in individuals.
• Change locks; add alarms and other types of physical security as necessary.
Some Important Numbers
Imminent Threat — In the event of an imminent threat, contact public safety immediately: Metropolitan Campus — 201-692-2222 or College at Florham — 973-443-8888;
Preventive or Nonemergency Assistance — For any type of preventive or nonemergency assistance, the contact(s) are listed below:
Verbal Threats — Public Safety, 201-692-2222 (Metropolitan Campus) and 973-443-8888 (College at Florham);
Physical Violence — Public Safety, 201-692-2222 (Metropolitan Campus) and 973-443-8888 (College at Florham); and Human Resources, 201-692-2702 (Metropolitan Campus) and 973-443-8940 (Florham); and
Sexual Harassment — Human Resources, 201-692-2702 (Metropolitan Campus) and 973-443-8940 (College at Florham).
The department of student counseling and psychological services is available to any University member and student — Metropolitan Campus at 201-692-2174 or College at Florham at 973-443-8504.
An additional note: the Relational Violence Committee, chaired by Joan Leder, senior program director, continuing education (Metro), received a $1,000 grant from Target stores for the distribution of resource materials for the committee’s informational campaign.
“Global Issues Gateway (GIG) [found at http://www.gig.org] has been showing steady progress in its efforts to advance the University’s global learning mission and increase the University’s positioning as the leader in global education,” said Michael Sperling, vice provost for global learning (Metro/Flor).
Since its external launch in October 2004, GIG has grown tenfold, from 205 monthly users to 2,177 monthly users. At the same time, GIG has risen to number 15 (out of about 1,800,000 hits) on a basic search for “global issues” using Google, the most popular Internet search engine. Nearly 100 non-FDU Web sites around the world now link to GIG.
The site presently includes pages dedicated to politics, science, ethics, culture, economics and K-12 education, as well as archives of streaming video from the University’s U.N. Pathways lecture and videoconference series, Interrogating Boundaries Faculty Seminars and original essays written by members of the Global Virtual Faculty (GVF).
Future plans for GIG include development of a major “GIG Communities” section — “GIG Forums,” for public discussion of global learning topics; “GIG Blogs,” for members of the GVF to post content and interact with site visitors; “GIG Courses,” for global learning opportunities for site visitors; and “GIG Wiki,” a Web platform for collaborative development of a global issues research guide.
The University has developed a number of exciting online degrees and certificates, with specialized programs for employees at organizations including Verizon Wireless Communications, Booz Allen Hamilton and World Trade Centers Association, and for former FDU students who have not completed their degrees.
The programs are offered through the Petrocelli College of Continuing Studies and through University College: Arts • Sciences • Professional Studies, in collaboration with the recently formed Office of Online Programs.
In its first year of operation, the Office of Online Programs, under the auspices of the Office of Global Learning, has enjoyed outstanding growth. Currently, 75 students are taking approximately 100 classes, better than double the results since last summer, the office’s first trimester.
In March, the University signed an agreement with Verizon Wireless Communications that will allow the University to provide an online degree-completion program to Verizon’s 50,000 employees, announced David Epstein, executive director of online programs (Metro/Flor).
This agreement follows the model established between Fairleigh Dickinson and the international management consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton. FDU enrolled the first cohort of Booz Allen Hamilton employees in the summer of 2004 and additional cohorts in September, January and this month (April).
The most popular online program, the degree completion program leading to a bachelor of arts in individualized studies (BAIS), is designed for working adults who have completed some college work. FDU accepts college credits awarded at other institutions. Students enrolled in the program also may earn credits by demonstrating that they have mastered the content of specific courses through work experience and by submitting evidence that they have participated in corporate-training programs deemed equivalent to college-level work. All students must complete a minimum of 30 credits at FDU.
Until now, the Booz Allen Hamilton program has been largely confined to employees at the company’s headquarters in McLean, Va. Epstein said that FDU is planning to extend the program next fall to employees at other locations. The company maintains large offices in a number of domestic and international locations.
Epstein added that FDU is working on educational partnerships with other organizations, including the United Nations, with whom FDU is developing a bachelor’s degree-completion program with a specialization in global safety and security. “This specialization, once developed in conjunction with the United Nations, should prove attractive to corporations, especially to those with international security needs,” he said.
In addition, FDU has signed an agreement with the World Trade Centers University for an online master’s degree in electrical engineering. Epstein said, “We anticipate that this is a first step, that will lead to a more extensive relationship with the World Trade Centers Association, an organization that has 750,000 members worldwide.”
Finally, the office recently contacted hundreds of former students who have left FDU since 1996 without completing their degrees. Epstein said, “We offered them the opportunity to transfer the credits they had earned at FDU to our BAIS degree and to complete the degree online, and have received a tremendous response. We believe that this demonstrates our commitment to our students by providing them an innovative opportunity to complete their work.”
For the current trimester, 43 former students are enrolled in 54 courses. JoAnna Steiner, coordinator of online student services (Metro/Flor), said, “We are especially pleased that such a large percentage of former students who responded to our letter actually signed up for our online courses. This reaffirms our sense that the University has developed an outstanding online program.”
Fairleigh Dickinson University Press announces its recently published books. They include:
• Dancing in the Dark: Reflections on the Problem of Theodicy, by Eric Carlton;
• Eurabia: The Euro-Arab Axis, by Bat Ye’or;
• Francis Rawdon-Hastings, Marquess of Hastings: Soldier, Peer of the Realm, Governor-General of India, by Paul David Nelson;
• Francophone Women Film Directors: A Guide, by Janis Pallister and Ruth A. Hotell;
• Sí pero no: Fabián Dobles and the Postcolonial Challenge, by Ann B. González; and
• Tracking Thoreau: Double-crossing Nature and Technology, by John Dolis.
For further information on these books or others published by the FDU Press, call Harry Keyishian, English (Flor), and director, editorial committee, FDU Press (Flor); or Louise Stahl, editorial/circulation coordinator, FDU Press (Flor), at 973-443-8564. A catalog is available.
Orders for books should be directed to: Associated University Press, 2010 Eastpart Boulevard, Cranbury, N.J. 08512; telephone: 609-655-4770; fax: 609-655-8366; or e-mail: aup440@aol.com.
Update
Kenneth Vehrkens, dean, Petrocelli College (Metro/Flor), wrote an article, “Our Presidential Electoral Process — The Lessons and Legacy of Every Four Years,” which was published in the winter 2005 edition of Meadowlands USA.
Bernard Dick, English and communication (Metro), wrote to the editor of Daily Variety magazine regarding the article “Who’s the Boss,” which suggested that Darryl F. Zanuck and Irving Thalberg were studio presidents. In his letter, which was published in the magazine’s April 6 issue, Dick pointed out that this was inaccurate; Thalberg was hired as vice president in charge of production while Zanuck played a similar role at Fox.
A book version of The Literary Traveler, an online series from Walter Cummins, emeritus, English (Flor), and Thomas Kennedy, creative writing (Flor), was published by Del Sol Press in March 2005. Illustrated by many photos, the book chronicles their journeys to locations where writers and artists such as Bernardo Soares, Baroness Varvara, Emanuel Vigeland, Robert Graves and Voltaire lived and created.
On Sunday, May 1, at 1 p.m., Eamon Doherty, administrative science (Metro), will discuss his book Computer Recreation for Everyone, coauthored with Gary Stephenson, at a book signing and panel discussion at Cheshire Home, Florham Park, N.J.
Kent Fairfield, management (Metro), was elected to the board of directors of the Organizational Behavior Teaching Society, an organization of teaching and learning in the management disciplines. He will serve a three-year term starting June 15, 2005.
William “Pat” Schuber, administrative science (Metro), discussed “The Civil War of the United States of America” during the February 15 meeting of the Activities Club in the Fellowship Hall of the Community Church of Glen Rock, N.J. The Activities Club comprises retired and semiretired men from Glen Rock and neighboring towns.
Lona Whitmarsh, psychology and director, MA in clinical/counseling program (Flor), spoke on “Launching Your Teen — Steps Toward Independence,” at Madison (N.J.) High School on February 16. She discussed dating, curfews, driving, substance abuse and jobs.
Richard Gray, criminal justice (Metro), was one of four recipients of the NLP World Community Award. The award honors individuals who have used Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) to make significant community contributions to peace, the environment and education. Gray created The Brooklyn Program in 1997, an outpatient substance abuse program that has helped hundreds of federal probationers live sober and personally-directed lives.
Paintings by Jacqueline Lima, art (Metro), were exhibited at the Romano Gallery at the Armstrong-Hipkins Center for Arts at Blair Academy, Blairstown, N.J., from February 8 to March 12. The show, which was dedicated to “all humans past, present and future who have lived on this fair earth,” displayed her drawings of tsunami victims and survivors.
R. Gordon Perry, biological sciences (Flor), and his wife, Jean Perry, visual/performing arts (Flor), were invited to exhibit their artwork and photography of the Lehigh Canal at the Weissport (Pa.) Canal Festival on June 4, 2005. The Galleries Committee of the Pocono Arts Council has approved the Perrys’ artwork and photographs for exhibition in public galleries. The Perrys also will display their work at the Monroe County Bar Association in Stroudsburg, Pa., in August and September, and at the office of Pennsylvania State Representative Mario Scavello in Mount Pocono, in October and November. The Perrys will hold a major nature exhibit, “Camouflages and Reflections,” at the Monroe County Environmental Education Center, Bartonsville, Pa., in November.
Bernard Reiner, political science (Metro), is a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. In February, he received the Coast Guard Auxiliary Meritorious Service Award — the second highest award the Coast Guard Auxiliary bestows for duty other than risking life to save lives. Reiner has completed various Coast Guard training courses on team coordination training, introduction to intelligence analysis and mentoring. He also taught courses, including writing workshops, team coordination training and leadership and management studies. Reiner currently works as a lieutenant commander, coordinating Activities New York’s Congressional Liaison project. In addition Reiner has written approximately 60 speeches for Coast Guard officers.
College at Florham public safety officers completed and passed a First Responder Course in March. Now all of the officers can administer basic first aid and oxygen and use of an automated defibrillator. Completing the course were Harry Macon, Kayon McKen, Anthony Mirra, Glenn Preismeyer, and Fred Rosser, all sergeants, and Ben Agyei, Yvette Beshier, Jerome Bullock, Philip Johnston, James Mimy, Adesina Samson, Andre Shand, Shirley Sims, Gregory Wallace, Florence Whitten and Malvis Williams, all officers.
The Knights Head Men’s Basketball Coach Tom Green was named Division I Coach of the Year by the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) and Met Basketball Writers Association (MBWA), while junior Gordon Klaiber earned All-Met Second Team honors and senior Tamien Trent was to the All-Met Third Team. Green guided the Knights to their best season in recent history as they posted a 20–13 overall record, while capturing their first Northeast Conference (NEC) Tournament championship and NCAA Tournament bid since 1998.
Michael Goodman, English and director, Corporate Communication Institute (CCI) (Flor), lectured on “Meeting the Global Challenges of the Contemporary Business Environment” as part of Purdue University’s Colloquia series on Ethics and Public Affairs. As a result of his visit, CCI has been invited to collaborate with Purdue’s Krannert School of Management on the next round proposal for CIBER (Center for International Business and Research) designation. CIBER is an initiative of the U.S. government. On March 18, Goodman met with Peppercorn management and public relations professionals to facilitate a discussion on ethics and public relations in response to the controversy concerning journalist William Armstrong and comments on legislation.
Ann Gulino Thompson, associate athletics director (Metro), is a finalist for the Katherine Lay Award awarded by the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC). The award honors someone of demonstrated leadership ability, a proponent of women’s issues and a role model for women coaches and administrators.
The Maddy Awards, created by the Student Government Association (SGA) in recognition and appreciation of those individuals for their outstanding contributions, service and unselfish dedication to the student body, the Universty community and specifically the College at Florham, were presented April 27. This year’s faculty and staff recipients include Outstanding Staff Member — W. Scott Giglio, sports information director; Outstanding Faculty Member — Peter Woolley, political science and director, PublicMind; SGA Auditor’s Choice Award — Barbara Dawson, special assistant to the vice president for strategic/ international/government affairs; SGA Auditor’s Choice Award — Elizabeth Feeley, physical education; director, health/physical education; and associate dean of student services, Becton College; and SGA President’s Choice Award and Adviser of the Year — Willie Thornton, campus director, public safety, and adviser to Latin American Student Organization (LASO).
In Memoriam
Marion Herr, retired bibliographer/researcher, library (Flor), died on February 7 at the age of 88. She joined the library in 1972 and retired in 1985 when she moved to Williamstown, Mass. She is survived by her son, Douglas; her daughter, Carolyn; and four grandchildren.
Welcome
The University welcomes new full-time and part-time employees who joined FDU as of April 18.
Welcome to Kelly Bacon, coordinator/accountant, facilities (Metro); Susan Bernstein, administrative assistant, computer sciences/engineering (Metro); Dolores Bonifacio, service clerk, admissions (Metro); Joseph DeSalvo, officer, public safety (Flor); Monica Hinojosa, administrative assistant, English/philosophy/humanities (Metro); Safiyanu Ibrahim, assistant women’s soccer coach, athletics (Flor); Jennifer Migliorino, counselor, career development (Metro); Sean Mullen, professional tutor, Educational Opportunity Fund (Metro); Paul Muro, service clerk, admissions (Metro); Laurence Seidenberg, librarian, Weiner Library (Metro); Denise Shaw, administrative assistant, residence life (Metro); and Kimberley Wilcox, officer, public safety (Flor).
Captions:
Left photo: Walter Cummins, top, emeritus, English (Flor), and Thomas Kennedy, creative writing (Flor); are pictured with their book The Literary Traveler.
Right photo: Eamon Doherty, right, administrative science (Metro), signed his book for alumnus Peter Lacerda, MS’04 (Metro), after the panel discussion and presentation, “Computer Gaming and Therapeutic Applications for Various Populations,” at the Metropolitan Campus.
College at Florham Public Safety Officers Ben Agyei and Yvette Beshier, second and third from left, received the highest scores in their first responder class. They received certificates for their achievement. At left is Willie Thornton, campus director, public safety (Flor), and at right is William Van Wert Jr., captain, public safety (Flor).
Maxwell Becton College of Arts and Sciences
‘Hair’ Plays Host
“Hair” was host to high-school students and was also performed off campus. Approximately 160 high school students enjoyed a special matinee performance of the musical, produced by the visual and performing arts department, on April 15. Newark Technology High School sent approximately 100 students. In addition Robert Barron, visual/performing arts (Flor), directed a performance by 20 students from the cast of “Hair” for a Madison Tsunami Benefit Concert at the Presbyterian Church in Madison, N.J. The students performed five songs from the musical accompanied by Allen Cohen, music (Flor). The concert raised more than $50,000 to help build a new telemedicine facility in the Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal.
Communication Presentation
Hestor Coan, communication (Flor), accompanied 14 communication students to the New Jersey Communication Association conference, where she and the students presented their papers. Student Irene Nasser received a Top Student Paper Award for “Women in a Globalized World: A Global Women’s Perspective.” Coan was awarded two curricular enrichment (CEP) grants to take the students to the conference and to engage in a group research project. Curricular enrichment grants were instituted by Becton College in 2001 to support experiential learning activities for its students. Applications are reviewed and approximately 20 grants are awarded by the college curriculum committee.
Cultural Diversity in Corporate World
The Corporate Communication Institute in cooperation with the Office of Global Learning will present its next executive briefing, “The Challenge of Addressing Cultural Diversity in the Corporate World,” by Juliana Roth, professor in intercultural communication at Munich University, Germany, on Tuesday, May 10, at 8 a.m. in Hartman Lounge, the Mansion, College at Florham.
For more information on this event and other CCI upcoming activities visit http://www.corporatecomm.org/calendar.html.
Silberman College of Business
Seth Gerszberg, co-founder and president of Marc Ecko Enterprises, South River, N.J., will give the seventh annual Richard M. Clarke Distinguished Entrepreneurial Lecture in Lenfell Hall, the Mansion, College at Florham on May 4.
Gerszberg’s lecture will be held in conjunction with the awards ceremony for the 2005 East Coast Collegiate Entrepreneurial Awards program. The finest undergraduate student entrepreneurs from New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Delaware will be recognized in a program that is now in its eighth year.
As president, Gerszberg is responsible for business development and strategic planning that ensures the Company’s growth. He has turned a modest T-shirt company into a $1 billion clothing and lifestyle empire.
Along with Head Designer Marc Ecko and Executive Vice President Marci Tapper, Gerszberg founded *ecko unltd. in 1993 as a T-shirt company with six popular graffiti-inspired shirts. Today, the urban fashion company continues to transcend the boundaries of traditional business with interests ranging from clothing to automobile rims and video game design and production.
A reception begins at 6 p.m., followed by the awards at 6:45 p.m., and the lecture at 7:15 p.m. The event is free, but attendees must be preregistered. For further information and registration, call 973-443-8842 or visit http://www.fdu.edu/rothman. The event is sponsored by the Rothman Institute of Entrepreneurial Studies. For information on additional events scheduled for May and June visit http://www.fdu.edu/rothman.
Anthony J. Petrocelli College of Continuing Studies
Motorcycle Awareness Month
To start the month, the FDU Motorcycle Safety Education Program, based at the Metropolitan Campus, is hosting a course for new RiderCoaches. This intense three-day, three-weekend course is conducted by Miriam Romais, a Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) certified national RiderCoach Trainer and director of RiderCoach development (Metro). Upon successful completion of the RiderCoach Training, candidates will be eligible to apply for New Jersey state certification to teach the Motorcycle Safety Education courses in our state. To meet this requirement, students must submit for a fingerprint and background check and maintain an acceptable driving record. Romais was instrumental in bringing the Motorcycle Safety Education program to Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1996 and she travels throughout the United States for many kinds of two-wheeled training for the MSF.
Since 1996, FDU’s continuing education department has been providing the metropolitan area’s motorcycle riding population with classroom and riding-range instruction that focuses on essential safe riding and life-saving techniques. The Motorcycle Program can be seen operating in North Lot.
FDU is approved by the chief administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) to offer these courses, and the curriculum is provided by The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF), a nationally recognized, nonprofit organization helping riders avoid accidents by learning how to improve their skills.
The MSF implemented its latest curriculum update in 2001, and it was adopted by New Jersey last year. Discarding the previous overall style which was heavy on lecture and regimented, the MSF instead now uses a learner-centered structure. Students take responsibility for their own learning and are active participants in the classroom. MSF RiderCoaches serve as informed facilitators rather than all-knowing moto-gurus.
These adult learning and teaching techniques are applied to all of the motorcycle safety classes offered at FDU: a Basic RiderCourse (BRC); an Additional Riding Basic RiderCourse (A-BRC) and two different Experienced RiderCourses (ERC Practice 1 & Skills Plus 2). BRC students are introduced to the basic aspects of the motor skill of riding, plus the mental “street strategies” that come with taking that skill to the street. These fundamental riding techniques then require practice in places like parking lots and quiet streets. The A-BRC is for individuals who have taken a basic course and would like more riding practice. Both BRC and A-BRC students learn on FDU’s small-sized motorcycles while ERC students ride their own bikes.
According to Senior Program Director Joan Leder (Metro), enrollment for motorcycle classes has increased every year and is currently triple what it was at the program’s inception. Classes are offered five days a week to help meet the demand. Although a class is not mandatory for students to earn motorcycle endorsements on their licenses, a New Jersey state waiver for the MVC road test is issued upon successful completion of a written test and a riding skills evaluation in the BRC. Miriam Romais, who originally helped bring the program to FDU, said, “When you live in one of the most densely populated areas of the country, you have to think about what you can do so other traffic sees you — but also take the responsibility to make sure your skills are refined, in order to cope with those tight moments should they arise. That’s why we’re here, to make sure everyone has access to learning the techniques to help keep them safe.”
For additional information on the courses, call 1-800-338-3887, e-mail ridesafe@fdu.edu or visit the Web site http://www.fdu.edu/motorcycle.
Hospitality Tourism Event Raises Scholarship Money
The International School of Hospitality and Tourism Management sponsored its annual fund-raising dinner on February 26. The sold-out event took place at Dolce Hamilton Park Conference Center, Florham Park, N.J., and approximately 300 guests from industry, families, alumni and the University community attended. More than 150 students participated in areas of culinary arts, service management, facilities planning and entertainment. This year’s event had a Latin-American theme and focused on the global mindset, as the school has many students of Latin-American heritage and new partnerships with hospitality schools and universities in the Caribbean and South America. More than $20,000 was raised by the dinner and silent auction.
In addition, the proceeds from the New Jersey Annual Wine and Food Classic, to be held May 5 to May 7 will benefit the scholarship fund of the International School of Hospitality and Tourism Management. Thursday, May 5, will feature six wine dinners. Friday, May 6, will be a Grand Tasting and Silent Auction. On Saturday, May 7, eight wine and food seminars will be conducted. For more information visit http://www.njwineandfood.com. George Staikos, international hospitality/tourism management (Metro), is the event coordinator. He can be reached at 908-284-4930.
Camp Discovery
Camp Discovery is offering a new summer program, Leader in Training (LIT), for campers entering eighth and ninth grades. This program will teach leadership skills and provide leadership opportunities to these students as part of the Camp Discovery program. The campers will also go on three field trips and complete a community service project. The program, held at the College at Florham, runs from July 18 to August 12 in two sessions. For more information call 201-692-6500 or visit the Web site at http://www.fdu.edu/campdiscovery.
School of Administrative Science
The Educational Policy Committee (EPC) of the Anthony J. Petrocelli College of Continuing Studies voted unanimously at its meeting on March 30 to endorse the Academic Program Review for the master of administrative science degree program.
Puerta al Futuro
On April 15, 12 Puerta al Futuro students attended a ceremony at the Colombia Consulate in New York City, where they were awarded graduate Diplomatic and International Relations Certificates.
On Thursday, May 19, the Puerta Achievement Dinner will be held at 7 p.m. in Lenfell Hall, the Mansion, College at Florham. The cost is $50. For more information and reservations, contact Ruth Soto at 201-692-2625.
University College: Arts • Sciences • Professional Studies.
On April 15 and 16, the School of Computer Sciences and Engineering played host to the American Society of Engineering Educators (ASEE) Mid-Atlantic Section Spring 2005 Conference titled “Evolution and Innovation in the Engineering Classroom” in Muscarelle Center, Metropolitan Campus.
Also on April 15, the School of Natural Sciences and the Hudson-Bergen Chemical Society presented the Seventh Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium in Dickinson Hall, Metropolitan Campus. This is a forum for undergraduate students and their mentors to present the results of their research. High school students from the area were also invited to attend. Alumna Mary Eustace (BS’84 Metro), a forensic scientist from Westchester County (N.Y.) Forensic Laboratory, and chemistry (Metro), spoke on “Finding the Chemistry in Forensic Science.”
During the month of April the School of Art and Media Studies held senior student art exhibits in University College Gallery, University Hall.
Wroxton College
The annual Conference on Corporate Communication will be held Friday, June 10, to Monday, June 13, at Wroxton College.
The three-day event features speakers from industry and universities. Past representation has been from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Finland, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The conference takes a global perspective. Interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary proposals for original research, complete session devoted to an issue, panel discussion, case studies, workshops or demonstrations are encouraged.
The conference is sponsored by the Corporate Communication Institute in association with Corporate Communications: An International Journal. For additional information visit http://www.corporatecomm.org/calendar.html.
Captions:
Left photo: President J. Michael Adams, center, is pictured with students from the Institute of Management Technology (IMT) in Ghaziabad, India, who are at the Metropolitan Campus this semester studying in the joint MBA in global management program. Students spend one semester in classes in the spring which is followed by a 6-credit internship in the United States.
Right photo: Seth Gerszberg, co-founder and president of Marc Ecko Enterprises, South River, N.J., will give the seventh annual Richard M. Clarke Distinguished Entrepreneurial Lecture in Lenfell Hall, the Mansion, College at Florham.
Left photo: Miriam Romais, director of RiderCoach development, motorcycle program (Metro), holds a class in the Northpointe parking lot, Metropolitan Campus.
Right photo: Kenneth Verhrkens, dean, Petrocelli College (Metro/Flor), is served by Chiara Giordano, student (Flor), during the Annual Student Scholarship/Benefit Dinner for the International School of Hospitality and Tourism Management held at Hamilton Park, Florham Park, N.J.
Attending the Seventh Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium held at the Metropolitan Campus are, from left, Christopher Devine, chemistry/philosophy (Metro); James Daino, biology major and presenter of a poster; speaker Mary Eustace, BS’84 (Metro), chemistry (Metro) and forensic scientist, Westchester County (N.Y.) Forensic Laboratory; Mihaela Leonida, conference organizer and chemistry (Metro); Senghane Dieng, chemistry major and presenter; Stephen Chung, chemistry major, presenter and recipient of the Outstanding Senior Chemistry Major award; and Yuegao (Golden) Huang, biochemistry major and presenter.
Robin Barkley
Associate Professor of Computer Animation
College at Florham
How long have you been at FDU?
I have been teaching at FDU for 10 years, three years as an adjunct and seven years as a full-time faculty member.
What book or film did you recently enjoy? Why would you recommend it?
When you phrase the question and use the word “enjoy,” I have to laugh. I read a lot, but not much for pleasure anymore. Due to the nature of my profession I have to continuously read software manuals to keep abreast of the newest techniques. So if you ask what book have I recently read, I would have to answer Core Perl, which is a manual about high-end, Web-site scripting. Perl is quite a complicated technical subject matter that does calculations, information collection and information distribution on the Web. Nobody, except people in my industry, would even know what Perl meant, nonetheless say it was enjoyable reading. However, for me it gives me pleasure to challenge the logical side of my brain while blending it with the creative side. So I have to say I would not recommend it to anyone except those who share my thirst for this kind of knowledge.
I watch HBO movies and try to keep up with the newest animated films when I can. In my opinion, Pixar Studios creates the best animated films. They are very well done, and the stories can be enjoyed by both young and old.
What do you most value in your friends?
I really value my friends. The people who stick with me for life are those who are honest with me no matter what, have a terrific sense of humor and don’t expect me to be anything else than who I really am. Each of my friends is very different from myself and also from each other. True friends appreciate the differences in one another and are always supportive of each other. If we were all the same, how boring would that be?
Complete the phrase: People would be surprised to know that I ...
... traveled the country for three-and-a-half months living out of a van.
When I was 19, my husband and I bought an old shell of a van that had a fiberglass top so you could stand up on it comfortably. Our plan was to take off in this van to explore the United States and parts of Canada. During the months before our departure, we worked full-time in a factory and spent our spare time fixing the van up for our trip, installing a shower, sink, stove, heater, created cushions for a side couch that turns into a bed, sewed curtains for the windows, re-upholstered the driver’s and passenger seats and finally filled it with the necessities we would need for daily living. We said goodbye to all of our friends and took off for the experience of a lifetime. We got to see many parts of the country that most people would not see on a normal vacation. We explored so many out of the way places as well as some of the more popular commercialized places such as Yosemite National Park, Mount Rushmore, The Petrified Forest, Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon. In the evenings we would pull over in some out of the way place to plan our next day and get a good night’s rest. Along the way we met the most interesting people and saw many breathtaking landscapes. We discovered that there were a lot of retired couples on the road doing the same thing we were, but in a bit more luxurious accommodations such as Winnebagos. They would tell us that they wish they had it when they were younger, but life took over and they had to wait until their later years.
There was a slight snag when we were returning from Canada. The border patrol thought we might be drug smugglers. I guess we looked the part, and we did have quite a bit of money in a locked safe that my husband welded to the van floor under the driver’s seat. They detained us at the Canadian border for a couple of hours telling us to hand over the drugs (which we didn’t have) threatening that if we did not they would have to impound the van and disassemble it to find them. All the while they were searching our van right down to sniffing the sugar and oregano containers. Once they realized they were probably wrong on this one, they finally released us onto U.S. soil. Well, needless to say, we didn’t attempt to enter Canada again after that. So we continued on across the northern U.S. states, over the Rocky Mountains, down the coast of Washington and California and on to Texas. By the time we reached Texas, we were running low on money and decided that Texas was not the place for us. So we headed back to New Jersey with no real place to live. We pulled up on the doorstep of two friends who invited us to stay. That ended up being our home for the next seven years.
My hobbies are …
Due to the fact that I sit in front of the computer for far too many hours a day, I realize how important it is to exercise. I have been going to the local gym’s morning aerobics classes for several years where I have met some local stay-at-home moms. Some of my other interests are antique shopping, home decorating, vacationing and playing with my two cats.
Who would be your perfect dinner guest? What would you serve?
I never think about this kind of thing, but off the top of my head I would have to say my dinner guest would be Bill Gates. Not because he is a multimillionaire and I have any aspirations to be that, but because where he is today all began with an idea that others said would never succeed. It would be interesting to ask him about his early days and where he found the inspiration and the drive to make his dream a reality. There are many people I know who criticize Bill Gates, but I think they are just jealous. He is a self-made success whose company provides many people with jobs.
As far as what to serve, I probably would cook a simple meal of burgers and salads, maybe a barbecue. Most likely he has been to so many fancy dinners that he might appreciate a relaxed meal in a casual setting.
What profession other than your own would you most like to attempt, and what profession would you want nothing to do with?
There is no other profession that I would rather have than the one I have chosen. I am very lucky to have fallen into a profession that is so creative and so much fun. I never dread a day of work, because it doesn’t feel like work to me. But if I had to pick another profession it would probably have to be something that involves working with animals, maybe a veterinarian or animal-rescue person.
The profession I would want nothing to do with would have to be a salesperson. To me it would be simply a job that pays the bills, not a profession that I could feel passionate about.
Todd Ferris
Academic Adviser, Academic Advisement Center
College at Florham
How long have you been at FDU?
Four years as an undergraduate psychology major and four years as an employee.
What book or film did you recently enjoy? Why would you recommend it?
I enjoy Hemingway a lot, especially the adventure and exotic locales in his stories. However, I haven’t read any of his novels recently. I finished The Old Man and the Sea, right before I started my MBA course work.
What do you most value in your friends?
Honesty is the trait I value most in my friends.
Complete the phrase: People would be surprised to know that I ...
… am a twin.
My hobbies are …
… reading, cooking, boating and spending time with friends and family.
Who would be your perfect dinner guest? What would you serve?
I would like to meet Bill Gates because I am fascinated by his entrepreneurial spirit and would have many questions for him. I would serve whatever he likes the most (provided he pays for dinner).
What profession other than your own would you most like to attempt, and what profession would you want nothing to do with?
I would really like to run my own business someday, where I would be able to help those who are less fortunate. The one profession I would want nothing to do with is host of the television show “Fear Factor.”
Cheryl McKay
Assistant to Vice Provost of Global Learning
Metropolitan Campus
How long have you been at FDU?
Three years and six months.
What book or film did you recently enjoy? Why would you recommend it?
I recently had the opportunity to attend a private screening of “The Agronomist,” the story of Haitian national hero, journalist and freedom fighter Jean L. Dominique, who was assassinated in 2000. I would greatly recommend this documentary for its passionate storyline detailing the struggles of the Haitian people and the determination of such individuals like Jean Dominique and his devoted wife, Michele Montas, a Haitian-born journalist. It’s a definite must-see.
What do you most value in your friends?
I most value the compassionate qualities of my friends.
Complete the phrase: people would be surprised to know that I ...
… have worked with special-needs students — individuals with learning, physical and psychological disabilities — for the past six years.
My hobbies are …
… interior decorating and baking.
Who would be your perfect dinner guest? What would you serve?
Most would give the name of a celebrity but my perfect dinner guest would be my mother. Dinnertime is supposed to be a time of enjoyment, and my mother definitely supplies that for me in my life. I would serve a down-home yet, healthy southern meal all cooked by my dinner guest!
What profession other than your own would you most like to attempt, and what profession would you want nothing to do with?
The profession that I would most like to attempt would be events planning, I would want nothing to do with anything associated with the mortuary business.
Bamidele Ojo
Associate Professor of Political Science
Metropolitan Campus
How long have you been at FDU?
Thirteen years.
What book or film did you recently enjoy? Why would you recommend it?
The books Exterminate All the Brutes by Sven Lindqvist and The World Is Flat by Thomas Friedman. The Lindqvist text provides a critical insight into European imperialism in Africa. From a documentary of facts from diaries and memoirs of missionaries, explorers, military and colonial officers, we are able to see and imagine the extent of European genocide and violence in Africa in the 19th century, which preceded and probably laid the foundation for what we saw later in Europe in the early 20th century. It is a must-read for everyone.
Friedman’s latest attempt at continuing his earlier conversation on globalization is an interesting piece. His optimism about the flattening of the globe is not only fascinating but “requires us not only to run faster in order to stay in place” as he suggested. Despite his optimism and unbeknownst to him, it also confirms the danger inherent in a world where the wealth is so unequally distributed, that the crumbs are never enough to assuage the thirst and hunger that continue to enfeeble the majority in the South. This is a world similar to that described by Lindqvist. But the difference is in the tools used to beat the South into conforming to the needs of the North — from the muskets and the automatic rifles of the 19th century and now to the microchips, the multinationals and the allure of democracy of the 21st century.
What do you most value in your friends?
Trust. This is the final refuge of any friendship, from which truth and understanding can be nurtured.
Complete the phrase: People would be surprised to know that I …
… love to cook. I cook for my family at least twice a week.
My hobbies are …
… reading, cooking, listening to music and playing my saxophone.
Who would be your perfect dinner guest? What would you serve?
My family and friends are my perfect dinner guests but since you ask, I might say a perfect dinner would be at the table with the late Kwame Nkrumah and Nelson Mandela discussing Africa today over an African dish from southwestern Nigeria: pounded yam, egusi soup and goat meat. All served with palm wine.
What profession other than your own would you most like to attempt, and what profession would you want nothing to do with?
I love astrophysics and continue to be fascinated by everything about our universe. On the other hand, my love for medicine is tempered by my fear of blood. I will faint at the slightest sight of blood, hence I will never have anything to do with surgery.
• Fairleigh Dickinson University has signed Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) with the following institutions of higher learning: Universidad Autonoma de Bucaramanga, Bucaramanga, Colombia; Universidad de Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain; Universidad ORT, Montevideo, Uruguay; Woosuk University, Samrye, Korea; and Sedaya College (SIC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Under discussion are the academic programs to be involved and student exchanges.
• The 2005 Communicator Awards print media competition honored several Fairleigh Dickinson University publications. The summer/fall 2004 edition of FDU Magazine earned a Crystal Award of Excellence, the competition’s highest honor. Of the more than 5,000 entries from throughout the United States and abroad, only 13 percent garnered that distinction. In addition, the Web version of the magazine, FDU Magazine Online, and the College at Florham Student Handbook Connecting a Community of Scholars won the Award of Distinction. The University’s 2005 Calendar, produced for the Office of University Advancement, received Honorable Mention.
• The voice of New Jersey libraries and libarians, NJLA, conferred its 2005 Best Publications Program Award to the FDU Library for its weeklong campaign launching COOLCATNJ. The campaign included a logo, promotional toothbrushes, “Brush Up on Your Research”; bags, invitations, flyers, ribbon-cutting ceremony and programs. Maria Kocylowsky, head, business library (Metro), chaired the marketing campaign.
• College at Florham student Jane Cassamassa received the New Jersey Project prize, the Student Achievement Award for Excellence in Feminist/Multicultural Scholarship, for her paper, “The Quadroon Balls of Antebellum New Orleans: The Intersection of Race, Class and Gender in the Deep South.” She was nominated by her history professors, Jasonne O’Brian and Diane Sommerville.
• The Devil’s women’s basketball team came in second place in the Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Basketball Championship. Mike Eineker is the head coach.
• The Knights women’s bowling team placed third in the NCAA Women’s Bowling Championship. Mike LoPresti is head coach, and Alexis Lepore is assistant coach.
• College at Florham men’s basketball player Chris Hendershot was named to the All-Freedom Conference First Team. He led the conference in scoring with a 23.6 points per game average and was seventh nationally in scoring in Division III. In his two-year career at the College at Florham, Hendershot scored over 1000 points. Roger Kindel is head coach. Pete Marion and Tim McCorkle are assistant coaches.
• Twenty-seven Metropolitan Campus student-athletes earned spots on the Northeast Conference (NEC) Winter Academic Honor Roll. The student-athletes that earned recognition spanned six teams including women’s basketball, men’s basketball, men’s indoor track and field, women’s indoor track and field, women’s fencing and women’s bowling (visit http://fduknights.collegesports.com/genrel/041205aai.html).
Graduation Salute
Graduating students pick up their caps and gowns and graduation information, and videotape “Grad Greetings” to be shown at Commencement.
College at Florham
The Mall in the Student Center was the site of Graduation Salute at the College at Florham on April 12.
Metropolitan Campus
Metropolitan Campus graduates visited the Fitness Center for their information, videotaping and forms.
Captions:
William Doran, multimedia specialist, University systems/security (Metro), gets ready for “Grad Greetings” at the College at Florham.
Seated, Robert Brown, right, director, and Elizabeth Barrett, secretary, both residence life (Flor), help out at Graduation Salute.
Left photo: Joan Krohn, assistant director, institutional research/assessment (Metro), helped student Victoria Villarreal fill out survey forms.
Center photo: Student James McCall, left, and Al-Tarique Sanks, second from left, stopped at the alumni relations table. From right, are Marc Cocchiola, assistant director of alumni relations/development (Metro/Flor); Karen Lewis, assistant vice president of alumni relations (Metro/Flor); and Susan McConville, executive director of development (Metro/Flor).
‘The Agronomist’
Fairleigh Dickinson University in association with the United Nations Association of New York and the Museum of Modern Art, N.Y.C., presented a special screening of the movie “The Agronomist,” by Jonathan Demme, on April 7, at the Film Institute of the Museum of Modern Art. Approximately 70 individuals from the University community attended.
The movie covers the life and work of Jean Dominique, formerly an agronomist in Haiti, who became a journalist at Radio Haiti and worked tirelessly to reach out to an exploited population that did not read. He was murdered on April 3, 2000.
Caption:
From left are Michael Sperling, vice provost of global learning (Metro/Flor); Ann Nicol, executive director of the board of directors, United Nations Association of New York; Jonathan Demme, film director, “The Agronomist”; Larry Kardish, senior curator, film and video department, Museum of Modern Art; and Michele Montas, wife of Jean Dominique, slain journalist and subject of “The Agronomist,” and spokeswoman for the president of the United Nations General Assembly.
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