Winter 2019 Ramapo Magazine

WINTER 2019

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FUND CELEBRATES 50 YEARS OF SUCCESS

President Mercer helps celebrate the College’s 49th birthday on Founders’ Day 2018.

FROM THE DESK of the PRESIDENT Dear Friends, A recent study conducted by the American Psychological Association found that, since 2014, Millennials are the most stressed generation and are also the generation most likely to report that their stress has increased in the past year. This study was highlighted in a recent article

by The Atlantic’s Julie Beck, who correlated this increased stress with growing popularity of Astrology among millennials. Yes, Astrology—the pseudo-study of the movements of celestial objects in the belief that they affect people’s personalities and lives. This growing preoccupation with Astrology was also discussed in an essay in The Baffler by Lauren Oyler.

Oyler described Astrology as equivalent to a permission slip that allows its increasing number of enthusiasts to embrace a “growing passivity toward the way things are” adding that its popularity represents a desire for a “benevolent abstract authority.”

Many of our students are Millennials, though I would argue that most would rightly eschew the label, and they are stressed. Nationally and at Ramapo, the demand for on-campus counseling and support services has skyrocketed in recent years. In addition, a growing majority of our students and students across the state, attend college full-time, work one or two part-time jobs, and have critical familial responsibilities. While Ramapo has maintained the lowest cumulative tuition increase among our peer institutions since 2013, year after year, we enroll more and more students who have ever more significant financial need.

For those of us who have experienced the stress of having a bill go unpaid or a birthday uncelebrated because of financial limitations, we know that the resultant self-imposed shame can bring with it a host of difficult decisions and debilitating stress. However, an unpaid electric bill is the choice that some of our students’ and their families have to make when the alternative is putting their youngest child to bed with an empty stomach or advising their eldest that they can’t return to campus in the fall. The responsibility and the capacity to mitigate choices like these rests with so many of us. Scholarships that are needbased, support programs that recognize the socio-economic impact of college enrollment on first generation students, and mentorships that provide consistent, compassionate, and valuable guidance have the capacity to mitigate such choices.

The Ramapo College Foundation’s Business Partners Program welcomed the Honorable Tim Sullivan, CEO of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, as keynote speaker at the Fall 2018 Luncheon. (L-R): William F. Dator, Chair, Board of Trustees, Susan A. Vallario, Vice Chair, Board of Trustees, President Mercer, Honorable Tim Sullivan, Debra M. Perry ’85, Chair, Board of Governors

Whether or not you attribute your willingness to help others to being a Capricorn, credit your compassion to being a water sign, or associate your steadfast advocacy for others with being a Libra, as a friend/alumnus of Ramapo College who donates your time and resources to support our students and our mission, you are, indeed, a benevolent authority in the lives of our 6,000-plus Roadrunners. We celebrate your support of our mission and of our students which has been integral to our success. Your continued benevolence is needed now more than ever.

Peter P. Mercer, Ph.D. President, Ramapo College of New Jersey

Tiffany Minniweather, MSW student, Stephan Lally ’20, President Mercer and Dylan Heffernan ’19 at the opening of the Food Pantry

PRESIDENT’S CABINET Peter P. Mercer, J.D., Ph.D. President Stefan Becker Provost Cathleen Davey Vice President for Institutional Advancement Kirsten Loewrigkeit Vice President for Administration and Finance Nicole Morgan Agard Chief Equity & Diversity Officer Director of Employee Relations Christopher Romano Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs Michael A. Tripodi Vice President and General Counsel Brittany Williams-Goldstein Chief of Staff and Board Liaison BOARD OF TRUSTEES William F. Dator Chair BOARD OF GOVERNORS Debra M. Perry ’85 Chair Carolyn Merkel ’78 Chair, Alumni Association Board RAMAPO MAGAZINE Cathleen Davey Editor-in-Chief Mary Cicitta ’07, ’16 Production Editor Angela Daidone Copy Editor Janelle Ferraro ’14 Graphic Designer Carolyn Herring Photography Editor José Hernández ’98 Contributing Photographers Elizabeth Brand Angela Daidone Claudia Esker Contributing Writers This magazine can be made available upon request in alternate media. 201.684.7611.

Alumni contact and change of address: Joanne Favata, Director of Alumni Relations at 201.684.7115 Student Relations contact: Melissa Van Der Wall, Dean of Students at 201.684.7457 Ramapo Magazine is produced by the Office of Marketing and Communications: Melissa Horvath-Plyman AVP Marketing and Communications

(L-R): Mahwah Police Officer Dombrowski, Ramapo Trustee Secretary Gary L. Montroy, Congressman Gottheimer, Ramapo Trustee Chair William F. Dator, and Marilyn J. Clark ’79

HOMETOWN HEROES Congressman Josh Gottheimer was on campus to celebrate the extraordinary deeds of North Jersey residents who made outstanding contributions to the community. The Congressman feted 42 “Hometown Heroes” in a special ceremony in the Trustees Pavilion.

Among those recognized were alumna Marilyn J. Clark ’79, of Woodcliff Lake, who has worked to improve senior services and beautify the town through her work with the Shade Tree Commission and Green Team. Ms. Clark has established scholarships at the College and has provided significant support for the new Learning Commons. Also recognized was Mahwah Police Office Michael Dombrowski who donated bone marrow to a stranger through the national blood donor system.

in this issue ANNUAL REPORT / WINTER 2019 | COLLEGE MAGAZINE FEATURES

2 Feature: EOF A Path to a Bright Future 8

Feature: Berrie Center 20 Years

DEPARTMENTS 14

College News

20

Alumni: Gone and Back

17

Foundation + Grant News

22

Class Notes

19

Athletics

ON THE COVER Ebony M. Samuel ’06 BSN and ’10 MSN, EOF Trailblazer

FOLLOW RAMAPO ON SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook.com/RamapoCollege RamapoCollegeNJ RamapoCollegeNJ

www.ramapo.edu

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(L-R): Jaime Valezquez ’19, Alejandro Cepeda ’21, Raquel Belen Tejeda ’21, Trustee Sharlene Vichness, Juliana Florez ’20, EOF Director Barbara Harmon-Francis, Vice President Chris Romano and Stephan Lally ’20 at the planting of the EOF tree.

Educational Opportunity Fund:

A PATH TO A BRIGHT FUTURE

by Teri Gatto

S

ince its establishment 50 years ago, the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) has graduated more than 45,000 students from over 50 New Jersey colleges and universities. The program provides college access, academic support, and financial assistance to deserving New Jersey students from underprivileged backgrounds, who may have graduated from underperforming high schools. Ramapo College is among those New Jersey public colleges and universities that offer EOF assistance.

“I am a product of the EOF program,” says Barbara Harmon-Francis, Ramapo College’s EOF director. “I don’t know how I would have been able to attend college if it wasn’t for the support that EOF provided me. There are many EOF alumni who will tell you that if it wasn’t for the program they would not have had the financial support or the academic jumpstart that they needed to thrive in college.”

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Ramapo College Magazine | Winter 2019

New Jersey requires that an EOF program consist of approximately 10 percent of the incoming freshmen class. Each year there are more than 1,000 applicants for the 100 EOF spaces available at Ramapo.

Currently there are 320 EOF students enrolled at Ramapo and more than 12,000 EOF students across the State.

One of countless EOF success stories, HarmonFrancis attended Trenton State College (now The College of New Jersey) where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Communications and graduated with honors. Subsequently she served two years with AmeriCorps, earned her master’s in Communications at Temple University, held a position in Hudson Community College as an EOF counselor and spent eight years at Rutgers University’s EOF program where she oversaw a caseload of more than 600 students as the program’s assistant director.

FEATURE

“THE EOF SUMMER PROGRAM IS A TYPE OF BOOT CAMP ...

IN A TRADITIONAL BOOT CAMP YOU EXERCISE YOUR BODY. IN OUR PROGRAM YOU EXERCISE YOUR MIND.” »» BARBARA HARMON-FRANCIS EOF DIRECTOR

“College is not easy, so we look for those who are in need of financial support, are highly motivated and are willing to persist,” says Harmon-Francis. “Our students really want to be on a college campus and earn a degree because they want to change their lives as well as their family’s lives.”

To be eligible to participate in the EOF program, students must meet strict income and State residency guidelines. In addition, individual colleges and universities can add their own requisites to the selection process.

For example, Ramapo is especially interested in those students who are the first in their family to attend college. “While this is not a criterion for admission to the program, at Ramapo we like to adhere to the spirit of EOF,” adds Harmon-Francis.

BOOT CAMP FOR THE MIND A key component of EOF is the Freshman Bridge Program, a six-week prerequisite summer program that helps participants to prepare for their freshman year.

“The EOF Summer Program is a type of boot camp,” says Harmon-Francis. “In a traditional boot camp you exercise your body. In our program you exercise your mind.”

Often EOF students enter the program having been academic superstars in their high schools; yet it is not uncommon to find that their schools did not prepare them well for college.

“Many come into the program, sit in a college classroom for the first time and are shocked to see how underprepared they are.”

EOF students and members of the Black Student Union attended the Bryant Student Leadership Conference in Arlington, Virginia.

The theme of the conference was “Leading with Crazy Faith.”

The rigorous six-week program includes two basic-skills or college-level classes, depending on the student’s proficiency. These morning classes, for example, can be in mathematics, writing or social science. After lunch, the students attend an EOF seminar where they work with their assigned EOF advisors on areas such as time management, study and test-taking skills and how to adjust to college life. They also spend time in the library, working on their own or with tutors, on homework assignments. After dinner, students and their tutors review the material they covered during their two morning classes.

Students are required to take eight credits and earn a minimum 2.2 grade point average during the summer program in order to be eligible for EOF funding. “They are doing a lot of work, but they come out stronger and ready for that fall semester,” says Harmon-Francis.

www.ramapo.edu

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FEATURE

A unique aspect of the program is that the students work with the same EOF advisor until they graduate.

EOF SCHOLARSHIPS More than 20 private scholarships are awarded specifically for EOF students each academic year.

EOF Endowed Scholarship Sidney J. Geltman Memorial Scholarship Milton and Granville Gittens Scholarship Mary Ippolito EOF Scholarship Dr. Jean EOF Advantage Scholarship Lorne Weems EOF Scholarship

“From the time they enter college to the time they graduate there is someone who mentors the students and treats them more like family than advisees,” says Harmon-Francis.

“Our EOF advisors get to know their students and are really invested in their success. We not only look at the academics, but we are also interested in what is going on with the students’ personal lives because this can have a big impact on their academic performance and affect their ability to be successful.”

A CHALLENGING JOURNEY TO SUCCESS On average, EOF students take five to six years to complete their academic work and their graduation rate is 60 percent.

According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, the six-year college graduation rate in New Jersey is 67.2 percent. “Our goal is to be in the 70th percentile,” says Harmon-Francis.

There are two main reasons why EOF students may interrupt their education; one is financial hardship, the second is that they find that college is not a good fit for them.

Lorne Weems worked for Ramapo for 18 years.

After his death the EOF Scholarship was renamed in his memory.

Some students, because of their family income, cannot live on campus because they also need to work to help support their families. “Our students are really hardworking,” says Harmon-Francis. “Many of them have to live at home, as well as work one or more jobs, and may not be able to juggle both college and work.”

Each year President Mercer and Dr. Jacqueline EhlertMercer host the incoming EOF class at the Havemeyer House.

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Ramapo College Magazine | Winter 2019

EOF Trailblazers honored at the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the EOF program proudly display their certificates.

In those cases, counselors may offer to help them transition to a trade school, community college, or to a college closer to their home.

“Every student has the right to succeed or fail. The first year is a good opportunity to find out if this is the right path for them or if, perhaps, they should pursue an alternative career. We try to help our students make good choices,” says Harmon-Francis. “It is not uncommon for students to ‘opt out,’ but then they return and complete their degrees.”

When she was an advisor, Harmon-Francis had a student who had no choice but to quit college because her mother died. “The student had to support herself now so she trained in a trade, but years later she returned to college for her degree,” she recalls. “It was a seven-year journey of working with a student who persisted under very challenging circumstances and ultimately achieved her dream of becoming a teacher.”

Recently, Ramapo celebrated EOF’s 50th anniversary and honored 32 EOF alumni Trailblazers. See next page for four of their profiles. One Trailblazer is now working in a U.S. embassy.

“WE OFTEN SAY THAT EOF NOT ONLY STANDS FOR EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FUND; BUT IT ALSO STANDS FOR EXTENSION OF FAMILY.” »» BARBARA HARMON-FRANCIS EOF DIRECTOR

“That student said that if it hadn’t been for the EOF summer program and her EOF advisor, she does not believe she would have had the skill set that she needed to graduate from Ramapo and embark on a successful career in government,” says Harmon-Francis. “EOF can truly change your life. We often say that EOF not only stands for Educational Opportunity Fund; but it also stands for Extension of Family.”

www.ramapo.edu

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EOF T RAILBLAZERS

PATRICK COUNCIL ’94

GABRIELLA PRIETO ’17

Rev. Patrick Council has been one of the most consistent, charismatic and humble leaders in the city of Newark, N.J., for more than 20 years. He has committed himself to empowering and fighting for resources for the residents of Newark as a community activist, mentor and leader.

As pastor of St. John Baptist Church, he is charged with developing and growing disciples for Christ while continuing to fight for the oppressed and downtrodden.

Gabriella Prieto graduated from Ramapo College in 2017 with a degree in Communication Arts and a concentration in Global Media. Prieto was an honor student, worked on campus, and says the most important aspect of her college experience was the opportunities she was offered as an EOF student. “If it wasn’t for the EOF program at Ramapo, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Ramapo and the EOF program prepared me for my future and beyond — opening so many doors,” she says. Through participation in EOF, Prieto learned the important skill of networking and she developed close relationships with advisors who pushed her to get out of her “comfort zone.”

Rev. Council has spent a great deal of time developing and working to create a safe haven for youth and young adults, not just in church but in the South Ward of Newark where he is co-founder of Jackie Robinson Little League and founder of Jackie Robinson Pop Warner Football and Cheering Squad.

“The EOF program served as a catalyst to not only provide me with an educational opportunity but an opportunity to expand life experiences,” says Rev. Council. “It was the perfect uniting of bridges between person and institution.”

While at Ramapo, Rev. Council served as president of the Organization for African Unity, founder of Brothers Making a Difference, Student Government Association Senator, and was among the first class of Ramapo Student Ambassadors to conduct tours on campus. He graduated with a degree in Communication Arts and minors in Literature and African Studies.

“I realize the importance of strong organizational strength and the power that it has to change lives,” he says.

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Ramapo College Magazine | Winter 2019

“I used the resources on campus to study harder, set my career goals, and find the right internships,” Prieto says, explaining that her last internship before graduation was at an experiential marketing agency in New York City, which was eventually acquired by Condé Nast. After graduation, she continued to do freelance work for the agency, which resulted in her being hired full-time as a Client Services Junior Manager at concierge.com by Condé Nast. “I am fortunate to have landed the job of my dreams. Thank you, Ramapo College and the EOF Program for giving me the ability to do so!”

FEATURE

TERRENCE KNOX ’89

EBONY M. SAMUEL ’06, ’10

Terrence Knox earned his degree in American International Studies. “The Ramapo College EOF program provided great assistance and mentoring from [Thelmon and Fred] Newman during my time at the College. These men were instrumental in my development into manhood. I am forever grateful for the example that they set for me to follow,” says Knox.

Ebony Samuel MSN-ED., RN-BC, NPD, is a Nursing Professional Development Specialist who partners with nurses and other interdisciplinary healthcare professionals in an acute care setting to ensure patient safety, evidencebased best practice, and supportive nursing professional development opportunities. She has been a nurse for approximately 13 years and has a professional background in medical-surgical nursing, behavioral health nursing, neonatal intensive care, and nursing education. “I know how important it is to connect with the heartbeat of others,” Samuel says.

Knox is currently teaching middle school English with the Paterson, N.J., public school system and has completed two masters programs, has completed the coursework for a doctoral degree in education and is currently working on his doctoral dissertation.

“The experience I had at Ramapo prepared me for the many challenges that I would ultimately face as an adult in society,” says Knox. “Ramapo was a great place to learn cultural differences and how to handle difficult situations. I learned a great deal about others and it helped shape me into the man I am today.”

Pictured above is Knox with Deirdre Bright Foreman, Associate Director of EOF

As a Nursing Professional Development Specialist with Englewood Health, she has extensively taught nurses and offered continuous support to assist in their transition to practice and achievement of their goals.

Sensitive to global healthcare needs, she participates in humanitarian efforts in Africa and the Caribbean. Samuel looks forward to future innovative experiences that will continue to support the art of nursing.

“I selected Ramapo College due to its reputable nursing programs and highly-skilled Dean of Nursing and faculty.

I was fortunate to travel with the Ramapo faculty and students to Sierra Leone, West Africa in 2011. I was given the opportunity to teach on the topic of preventative health care at the University of Sierra Leone and offer clinical care to natives at clinics we developed.

Humanitarian work such as this has led me to continue to offer support in other countries such as Cuba and Togo.” www.ramapo.edu

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Members of the cast of Frankenstein enjoy a back-stage moment with alumna and director Megan Callahan ’03 during the play’s run in November.

(Left): Berrie Center exterior at night (Right): Sharp Theater interior

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Ramapo College Magazine | Winter 2019

BERRIE CENTER 20 YEARS

Trustee Millicent Anisfield with benefactors Angelica and Russ Berrie at the Opening of the Berrie Center for Performing and Visual Arts in 1999.

ARTS ALIVE The Angelica and Russ Berrie Center for Performing and Visual Arts celebrates 20 years When The Angelica and Russ Berrie Center for Performing and Visual Arts opened in the spring of 1999, there was a buzz of excitement for the wonderful new addition to Ramapo College’s campus and the regional community. More than its name suggests as a facility for the arts, The Berrie Center also was designed to be a place where artistic expression could come to life.

Now, 20 years later, that remains truer than ever and the excitement continues to surpass the founders’ expectations.

K-8 students are invited to Ramapo College to watch their classroom studies come to life with performances linked to New Jersey Core Curriculum Standards in productions including Ellis Island Stories: Gateway to a Dream, Kinetics: The Physics of Juggling, and Tales From The Garden.

www.ramapo.edu

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BERRIE CENTER 20 YEARS

Renowned star Judy Collins (in white) was among the professional artists who performed at the Berrie Center and provided opportunities for the Ramapo choral groups to join them on stage. Above, Collins with the Ramapo Chorale in 2004; at left, Assistant Professor of Music Mark Brandon with the Ramapo Gospel Chorus performed with Eileen Ivers in 2015.

“Twenty years ago, Russ understood the vital need for a performing arts center at Ramapo College,” said Angelica Berrie, who remains a strong supporter of the College. “The presence of a center for arts and culture is an asset that enables the college to attract students while enriching the cultural life of our community.”

From its beginning, The Berrie Center had a dual purpose: to serve students as a cutting edge learning facility and the community as a performance and exhibit space. Students hone their skills in The Mann Costume and Scenery Shops, a photo shooting studio, drawing and painting studios, an electronic music composition room, rehearsal rooms, a computer art room and numerous classroom spaces. The Sharp Theater, a 350-seat theater with a generously-sized stage, and The Adler Theater,

a round experimental theater with an overhead catwalk are ideal venues for student and visiting artists performances. The Kresge Foundation and Pasqual galleries have shown some of the world’s most respected artists.

Gallery Director Sydney Jenkins said the galleries have exhibited a vast array of collections, from the renowned Selden Rodman Haitian collection and related self-taught and folk collections to involve collectors, scholars, diplomats and experts from around the world. “One of our most prominent donors and supporters was the late film director Jonathan Demme,” said Jenkins. “The collections here are a hidden treasure, and we sometimes mix collection works in with contemporary shows in The Berrie Center galleries, attracting new audiences such as Caribbean diaspora populations from as far away as Brooklyn.”

(Left): The Sarakasi All-Stars from Nairobi, Kenya performed dance and acrobatics in 2006.

(Right): Members of the Redhawk Native American Arts Council offered traditional Native American dance in the smaller, more intimate Adler Theater.

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Ramapo College Magazine | Winter 2019

Jenkins said the galleries have received media coverage in a range of publications, including the Wall Street Journal, Sculpture magazine and the New York Times, which listed Ramapo as one of its favorite college galleries in the region.

“One of the challenges I face – and it’s not a bad thing – is that when inviting artists or seeking loans from collectors or museums for exhibitions here, and they see the roster of globally renowned high profile artists, they don’t believe it… that such a list could have shown at a college in New Jersey!” Jenkins stated.

“We’re widely known for inventive exhibitions and programs. For example, for more than twenty years our annual Ramapo Curatorial Prize collaboration with Bard College’s prestigious Center for Curatorial Studies graduate program brings international curators to campus to work with students at Ramapo to actualize an exhibition,” he added. “I see the galleries as a fertile educational resource and a lab for experimentation.

Our exhibitions can be interdisciplinary and provocative.”

Noted film director Jonathan Demme donated to Ramapo College more than 60 works from his collection of Haitian art. The College is home to the largest concentration of Haitian art collections in any academic institution in the United States with more than 500 works.

“In so many ways, The Berrie Center connects the College and its students to the community,” said Ms. Berrie. “It represents the value of its arts education program, and fulfills the cultural aspirations of the institution, its student body and the community.”

Among other special programs held at The Berrie Center is the College’s annual Performing Arts Dinner Series, which includes top-notch entertainment and dinner for patrons and guests. In addition to enjoying wonderful stage and musical performances, the Series provides a unique opportunity to support student scholarships and special projects at the College. Before each performance, student scholars offer guests personal insights on how their donations are used and appreciated by Ramapo students.

The Sharp Theater is regularly used as a venue for visiting lecturers like Nobel Memorial Prize awardee Paul Krugman, right, who spoke in 2010 at the opening of the Eastern Economic Association and Arun Gandhi, left, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi who spoke in 2015 at the Annual Diversity Convocation.

www.ramapo.edu

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“Arts and culture are powerful drivers of change and we must not miss the opportunity to tap into that power.”

- ANGELICA BERRIE

International mask specialist Alaric Chagnard works with students to create masks for the production of Voltaire’s Candide.

Last year the Berrie Center was voted “Best for Live Entertainment” in Bergen Magazine’s 2019 Best in Bergen Readers’ Choice Awards, an accolade that Ms. Berrie holds dear.

“Russ loved the theater and was an investor in Broadway productions,” she said. “More than recognition and awards, he would have been happy to know that his generosity enables students to have a performing arts center with the level of excellence that meets the highest professional entertainment standards.”

With so much success in the first 20 years, the future surely holds great promise.

“Arts and culture are powerful drivers of change and we must not miss the opportunity to tap into that power,” said Ms. Berrie. “The Berrie Center provides a platform upon which to create cultural programming that provokes a dialogue about human values at a time when we are wrestling with issues that touch all our lives. It isn’t enough to have a nice performing arts center. We have to be relevant, to engage, stimulate, provoke, challenge and inspire.”

- A.D.

The first ever production in the newly opened Berrie Center was the student presentation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream directed by Associate Professor of Theater Terra Vandergaw. As part of the 20th anniversary celerbration of the Berrie Center, Vandergaw will again direct students in the Shakespeare classic.

(Right): Megan Callahan ’03 in the first production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

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Ramapo College Magazine | Winter 2019

BERRIE CENTER 20 YEARS

ALUMNUS PRODUCED SINGLE ON GRAMMY-NOMINATED ALBUM When the glitz and glamour of the music world came together in Los Angeles for the 61st Annual Grammy awards in early February, Ramapo College alumnus Brandon Korn was among the anxious hopefuls in the audience.

Korn, whose professional stage name is BKorn, was one of the producers on American rapper Travis Scott’s “Astroworld,” which was nominated for Best Album in the Rap/Hip Hop category. Korn worked on the album’s first cut, “Stargazing.”

“This is an unbelievable dream come true,” said Korn, a Woodcliff Lake, N.J., native who graduated in 2014 from Ramapo’s School of Contemporary Arts. “It hasn’t really sunk in yet.”

Korn’s love of music began early – he and his friends formed a rock band in middle school and played through high school. Brandon played guitar and said he was always more interested in the instrumentals than lyrics. So when he came to Ramapo, majoring in music production was the logical choice.

“What made it even better was the faculty,” Korn said. “They didn’t just study music and decide to teach. They actually worked in the industry and had first-hand experience working in a studio and creating sound. That was the biggest inspiration for me.”

Ben Neill, Professor of Music and Production, said Korn had a “very strong focus as a student.”

“He knew exactly what he wanted to do, he had the skills and the musicality,” said Neill. “His is an amazing success story,” adding that Korn did an internship at P.Diddy Recording Studio in New York City (owned by music mogul Sean Combs) while he was a student.

“I was a nervous wreck the first week I was there,” said Korn. “But everyone made me feel comfortable and I got to meet a lot of big music names. Things just took off from there.”

Korn is grateful for the opportunities he had at Ramapo. “It would be awesome to win, but the whole experience has been awesome, so I couldn’t be happier.”

Grammy-nominated alumnus Brandon Korn ’14 in his home studio Photo Courtesy of Brandon Korn

INTERNSHIPS FORGE PATH TO OSCAR-WINNING FILM CAREER Look closely and you will spot the name Brian Walters in the credits of one of the most successful animated films of 2018. Walters, who graduated in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in Directing in the School of Communications Arts, was the Rough Layout Lead for the blockbuster hit “Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse,” which won the Academy Award for Best Animated Film, the Golden Globe Award and swept the Annie Awards which recognize excellence in animation arts.

“Rough layout is in charge of cinematography and blocking out all the character animation,” Walters explained, crediting his experiences while at Ramapo for creating the path into filmdom.

“In the summer of 1999, I interned for Robert Redford at Wildwood Productions in Santa Monica, California. They were in pre-production of ‘The Legend of Bagger Vance’ at the time. I was offered the position of personal assistant to director Milos Forman on ‘Man on the Moon’ with Jim Carrey, a gig I got through [former Ramapo faculty member] Fred Strype.”

Alumnus Brian Walter ’01 was the lead animator for the blockbuster film “Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse.”

Photo Courtesy of Brian Walters

He said his studies in filmmaking and visual effects provided the ideal jumpstart when he began working in computer-generated animation projects. “I realized that everything I loved about filmmaking could be achieved in CG, but in animation, being free from real world constraints, my creativity and passion exploded.”

Walters spent five years with Sony Imageworks in Culver City, California, before moving to Vancouver, Canada, where the company opened a new studio. His work includes popular animated films like “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2,” “Hotel Transylvania” and “Arthur Christmas,” the 2011 film that listed Walters’ first on-screen credit. “That was definitely one of my ‘Holy cow, I’ve made it’ moments,” he said. “’Spider-verse’ was definitely a special and challenging project. I spent almost 18 months on it,” said Walters. “Getting to work with the creative force that is [producer and writer] Phil Lord was quite an experience.”

And quite a rewarding one. The movie also recently took home the top trophies, including Best Feature and six other categories, at the annual Annie Awards, which recognizes animated filmmaking.

“It’s all been so exciting and a little surreal,” said Walters.

He also did work on the Tom Cruise film “Edge of Tomorrow,” in which he blocked out all the computer-generated soldiers, boats, tanks and aircraft in the beach sequences. “Basically everything that isn’t Tom Cruise or [co-star] Emily Blunt,” said Walters.

He is currently working on the sequel to the “Angry Birds” movie and joined the production team for “Spiderman: Far From Home.” www.ramapo.edu

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COLLEGE NEWS

HILLEL HOLDS KADDISH CEREMONY FOR SYNAGOGUE VICTIMS Ramapo College Hillel, together with the College community, held a Kaddish candlelight ceremony to remember the victims of the shooting in Pittsburgh at the Tree of Life synagogue where 11 people died in the fall. The somber ceremony, which attracted hundreds of students, staff and faculty, evoked heartfelt words from student members of Hillel.

“We will always remember the horrific acts that occurred during the holocaust in the 1930s and 1940s. Now, 73 years after World War II ended, we are left with nothing but disbelief that this amount of violence and hate still exists,” said Hadar Baron ’19. “Our hearts ache. We’re here to say, once again, ‘never forget’ - but I urge you to do more. I urge you to speak up and engage in discussions with people who may not think about these things too much, and to urge your friends and family to step out of their comfort zones and do the same, as well. We never realize how important it is to stand up for what we believe in until it’s too late. Let this be our call to action - because just remembering isn’t enough.”

Patricia Giudice ’20 added, “Antisemitism is alive and well in today’s world. Nobody deserves to live in a world where the

Students held a candlelight ceremony to remember victims of the Pittsburgh shooting.

fear of violence for being the wrong religion, color, gender, sexuality, should be a part of daily life. It’s getting hard to think of anywhere as safe anymore.”

Also representing Hillel were Alyssa Rabinowitz ’19, President of Ramapo College Hillel, and Talia Mizikovsky, Director of Jewish Student Life, Hillel of Northern New Jersey.

Hillel, an international organization that serves Jewish students on college campuses, offers religious and cultural programs including trips, holiday observances, historical commemorations, lectures, films, and leadership and personal growth opportunities. In addition, Ramapo College’s Gross Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies provides multiple resources to promote an understanding of the pernicious consequences of anti-Semitism, racism, ethnic hatred, other forms of bigotry, and violations of human rights.

COLLEGE CELEBRATES 49TH BIRTHDAY WITH FOUNDERS’ DAY EVENT The College celebrated its 49th birthday during a celebration of Founders’ Day on Wednesday, November 7 at the historic Havemeyer Arch and in the campus Grove. The event was sponsored by the Student Government Association and the Office of the President.

President Mercer addressed the crowd of students, faculty, staff and guests, highlighting the progress Ramapo has made over the past 49 years and added that the College will “rise to the top of its buoyancy next year at the 50th anniversary.” He then led the crowd in a rousing singing of “Happy Birthday,” and also acknowledged and thanked the founding faculty members, some of whom are still with the College.

(L-R): Stephan Lally ’20, President Mercer, Board Trustee Vice Chair Susan A. Vallario, Board Trustee Chair William F. Dator and Karen Aguirre ’20

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Ramapo College Magazine | Winter 2019

Also in attendance were Board of Trustees Chair William F. Dator, who has been actively involved with the College since its founding, and Susan A. Vallario, Board Vice Chair.

All in attendance enjoyed a delightful lunch buffet and refreshments and festivities, including a photo station, music and a caricaturist.

RAMAPO COLLEGE #1 IN NJ FOR HISTORY MAJORS Students interested in pursuing a career in History have the best opportunity at Ramapo College of New Jersey, according to Zippia.com, a website dedicated to providing job seekers with the resources to find opportunities in their chosen field of study. The ranking is focused specifically on return on investment, value and career outcomes.

Ramapo College ranked Number One of all New Jersey colleges for History majors, the website reported.

Zippia.com based its findings on several factors, including data from the National Center for Education Statistics and College Score data from ED.gov to determine which History departments offered the best career opportunities for graduates. Among the information gathered were career results (earnings after six and ten years); percentage of graduating class that are History majors; and school performance (admission and graduation rates, average cost of attendance and median amount of debt).

After collecting the data from each school for the “History Quality Index,” Ramapo received the best scores.

Film students are all smiles after taking the top prize at the New Jersey Web Festival.

Photo Courtesy of Kelly Dolak

FILM STUDENTS EARN TOP EDITING AWARD FOR WEB SERIES “Deep End,” an original five-episode Web Series written and produced by Ramapo College film students, garnered the top award for Best Editing at the New Jersey Web Festival, held in the fall. “Deep End” bested 14 competitors in the category to earn the honor.

Associate Professor Kelly Dolak, who teaches Web Series Production in the College’s School of Contemporary Arts, served as Executive Producer.

MUSIC PROGRAM LAUNCHES RAMIX VOLUME 2 The College Music Program launched RAMIX Volume 2, the second compilation on the College-based independent record label. Ramix is dedicated to developing and promoting Ramapo student talent and providing Music majors with hands-on, real world experience. This edition features 10 Ramapo artists and bands who are either current students or alumni of the Music Program.

In December, the label artists performed in the Adler Theater to celebrate the launch of the new recording. Ramix Volume 2 features 10 songs by current Ramapo Music majors and recent Music Program graduates. The recording was released through all major digital outlets. The wideranging genres represented on the second release include hip-hop, indie rock, and EDM, reflecting the Music Program’s diverse student interests. A new set of label branded merchandise will also be available through the Ramix website at www.ramixrecordings.com

“The Web Series course is known for its intensive time commitment,” said Dolak. “Students worked more than 30 hours a week producing, writing, filming and editing ‘Deep End,’ and this class met the challenge.”

Dolak said one major logistical and creative challenge to filming “Deep End” was that students needed to obtain permission to hire lifeguards for the pool scenes. “They also incorporated underwater photography which became an important visual language for the story,” she added.

“Deep End” is a story of a talented college student who is offered the life-changing opportunity to study abroad. She must decide whether to embark on this journey or give up her dream in order to save her relationship. The decision gets harder when her boyfriend’s possessiveness reaches an all-time high.

“Deep End” screened at the Clairidge Theater in Montclair, N.J., and was also nominated for Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Drama Series. According to Dolak, the festival programmer said he was “stunned” to find out that the series is a student-made production.

For information about the festival, visit www.newjerseywebfest.com www.ramapo.edu

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COLLEGE NEWS

NEW STUDY ABROAD COURSE INTRODUCES STUDENTS TO PRACTICE OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE The Roukema Center for International Education has added to its Study Abroad offerings a course in Community Health and Traditional Chinese Medicine. The two-week summer program will be held in conjunction with the School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, and led by Ramapo Associate Professor of Biology Yan Xu. The four-credit course, open to all students regardless of major, is designed to provide an understanding of the relationship between “Western” medicine and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which has been practiced for thousands of years in China. Today, it is particularly attractive to patients with health conditions when no definitive conventional therapy is available, such as some cancers and cardiovascular diseases.

“Many students who are interested in the healthcare-related professions are enthusiastic about exploring how TCM can complement conventional health treatment,” said Professor Xu. “The TCM hospital students will visit in Nanjing treats more than 20,000 patients each day. They will get a first-hand look at how powerful the TCM system is in the modern world.”

TCM treatments may include dietary modifications, massage, cupping, herbal medicine, Qigong (movement similar to Tai Chi), nutraceuticals (plant-based medicines) and acupuncture. These therapies are usually designed to restore balance and harmony to the human body by stimulating the body’s natural curative powers. Students will engage with physicians, TCM practitioners and other students in community health clinics, public hospitals and biomedical research facilities at the University.

Professor Xu added that TCM does not exclude traditional medical techniques. “The students also will visit the municipal CDC (Center for Disease Control) and the Red Cross sites. One of the course objectives is to have the students observe the integration of TCM and conventional medicine in a populous city, comparing and contrasting them. They also will discuss how food, transportation, physical exercise and social habits, such as smoking and drinking, factor in community healthcare.

“This program is tailored to the College’s mission, encouraging the students majoring in both natural and social sciences to build global visions. There is not much difference among medical personnel worldwide, in terms of their passions and dedications to provide the best care to all patients,” said Professor Xu.

(Top): Nursing students in the simulation lab with Associate Professor Yan Xu, far left, and Chen Mengqing from Nanjing Medical University, China Assistant Dean of Nursing Kathleen Burke, left, and Professor Xu, in one of the medical labs at Nanjing Medical University

FOOD PANTRY FEATURED Cable station MeTV visited campus earlier this year to do a feature piece on the College’s Food Pantry, which opened in fall 2018 to assist persons with food insecurity. Reporter Ellen Kolodziej spoke with Karen Booth, Assistant Director for Student Involvement, Student Government President Stephan Lally ’20, and Tiffany Minniweather, master of social work student and Pantry coordinator. The Ramapo Food Pantry is available various hours and is open to Ramapo students, staff and administrators.

Those interested in making a donation can email wecare@ramapo.edu Tiffany Minniweather, MSW student, is interviewed on camera.

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Ramapo College Magazine | Winter 2019

FOUNDATION + GRANT NEWS

LES PAUL FOUNDATION GRANT BRINGS WORLD CLASS GUITARIST TO CAMPUS Late guitarist, inventor and technologist Les Paul used to host Ramapo students in his Mahwah home studio. His support of Ramapo students endures through a grant from the Les Paul Foundation, which continues the tradition of the Annual Les Paul Festival. This year’s festival, in its eighth year, brought guest speakers and workshops to campus, and culminated in a concert featuring renowned guitarist Bill Frisell, hailed as one of the most distinctive and original improvising guitarists of our time.

The multi-day festival included performances by current students and alumni and a showcase of music featured on the RAMIX Recordings label, comprised of Ramapo student talent.

Renowned guitarist Bill Frisell was the headliner at the 8th Annual Les Paul Festival in February.

NIH GRANT TO PROVIDE TOOLS FOR TEACHING ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH LITERACY TO NURSING STUDENTS Ramapo College nursing students are part of a group of researchers from NYU/Langone, MIT, and the University of New Mexico studying the genetic effects of toxins on Native American populations.

Each partner in the study is developing assessment tools that can be administered to Native American populations in their area of the country. Ramapo students already hold “Healing Circles” with people of the Ramapough Nation in nearby Ringwood, New Jersey, on topics such as maternal/child health and diabetes prevention.

“The tools we develop as part of this grant will increase our knowledge of how toxins that are common in tribal sites alter physiological responses in the peoples of Indian nations,” says Kathleen Burke, Assistant Dean of the Ramapo College Nursing Program.

Dr. Kathleen Vandiver of MIT, standing, works with Ramapo nursing students to help them better understand the influence of toxins on genetic variances.

“We will be threading this content through the nursing curriculum, so that students will be aware of the causes of genetic variances and bring this knowledge to their practice.” The study is being conducted as part of a grant from the National Institutes of Health. www.ramapo.edu

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RAMAPO PROFESSOR TO STUDY IMPACT OF GEOTHERMAL ENERGY DEVELOPMENT ON NATIVE HAWAIIANS Development of geothermal energy may have potentially dangerous environmental exposures to people living in the communities in and around the proposed development, but can also cause psychological stress for residents, affecting their lifestyle, lifescape and overall well-being. For Native Hawaiians, tapping into the power of volcanos has even greater implications.

"The goddess Pele is an important deity in Hawaiian culture," says Michael Edelstein, professor of environmental psychology at Ramapo. "She represents the continuous cycle of destruction and new creation, epitomized in the volcano Kilauea where she resides."

“When a geothermal power plant was built on Kilauea, native Hawaiians saw it as an affront to Pele. By harnessing the steam from the volcano, native Hawaiians saw the plant as stealing Pele's power," explains Edelstein.

A recognized expert on the psycho-social impacts associated with environmental contamination, degradation and siting of hazardous facilities, Professor Edelstein received a grant from non-profit Ohana Ho’opakel to study the effects of geothermal development on native Hawaiians. He will first research native belief systems, and the history of western influence on Hawaiian culture. His work will include in-depth interviews with residents, including native and non-native people, leaders, and other key informants. Ramapo undergraduate students will help in this effort.

"The goal is to better understand why geothermal is so deeply disturbing to native Hawaiians," Edelstein says, "and to explore why geothermal is so incompatible with native beliefs."

RETIRED FACULTY AND STAFF ASSOCIATION Members of the Retired Faculty and Staff Association presented their yearly scholarship to junior Victor Georgiev, (seated front right), a computer science major who is also the President of the International Student Organization. The endowed award was created in 2014 to recognize accomplished student leaders.

“Awarding this scholarship gives our active group of Ramapo retirees an opportunity to stay connected to the students,” says Robby Saiff, who serves on the Executive Board. “It’s gratifying for our group to give back to the students, and encourage them to take on meaningful leadership roles.”

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Ramapo College Magazine | Winter 2019

ATHLETICS

Fast Facts on Joseph Fala: »» Scored the game-winner to help propel the Roadrunners to that Sweet 16 appearance in a 1-0 win over Connecticut College in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. »» Started all 23 games for the Roadrunners.

(L-R): Men’s Soccer Head Coach DJ Pinton ’99 and Joseph Fala ’20

All-American Joe Fala Moves Roadrunners Forward Ramapo Junior Joseph Fala has been amassing soccer kudos – All-State, All-County, All-Conference, Rookie of the Year — since his days at Middle Township High School in Cape May County. So it’s no surprise that the 6-foot-7 forward continues to earn accolades as part of the Roadrunner squad.

Following an incredible Ramapo season in 2018, which saw the Roadrunners reach the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in school history, Fala was named to the 2018 United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division III All-America Third Team. He also was awarded the 2018 South Jersey Soccer Coaches Association Male College Player of the Year, given to the most outstanding athlete who played their high school career in South Jersey. Athletes are chosen from schools across all three NCAA Divisions and Fala became only the 7th NCAA Division III male athlete to earn this award since 1972.

»» Also was named United Soccer Coaches NCAA All-South Atlantic Region First Team, New Jersey Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, NJAC First Team All-Conference and ECAC Division III Offensive Player of the Year. »» Will play this summer with Atlantic City FC, which includes players from D-I, D-II and D-III schools in the area. »» At one point in the 2018 season, was #2 in goal scoring in all divisions.

Head Coach DJ Pinton said the coaching staff had a good feeling heading into the season. “We could see the maturity level of the players and their enthusiasm coming in. And the transfer class made us even deeper, so we felt we could do it.”

The Roadrunners, and Fala, proved the coaches right.

“I credit all the work Joe did in the summer before the 2018 season for the success he had this year,” said Pinton. “He came back physically stronger after working with our strength and conditioning coach and played with a good summer club team at home.

He was definitely committed.”

That commitment was evident. Fala set a new Ramapo record for goals in a season with 27, surpassing the previous record of 21 set by current assistant coach Rob Santaniello. Fala also set a new program mark in single season points (61) and single season game-winning goals (11). Fala also finished second in goals against NCAA Division I & III athletes and first against NCAA Division II athletes. In Division III-only statistics, he finished first in game-winning goals with 11.

“One thing about him, though. Despite all the stats, Joe appreciates his teammates.

He understands that he can’t win games by himself,” Pinton said, adding the best news of all: “Joe and a core group are back next year.” www.ramapo.edu

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ALUMNI

GONE AND BACK: Alumni Return to Campus for Art Exhibition The Kresge and Pascal Galleries of The Berrie Center for Performing and Visual Arts recently showcased a group exhibition of nine Visual Arts alumni. The project represented artists from different decades, and featured a wide variety of approaches and media. Plans are in the works for a second series in 2020. A few of the artists are featured here.

Amy Cunningham ’13 “Ramapo is where I learned how to be creative, something I do everyday at work. I take different materials, and transform them into something incredible for the stage.” On any given day, Amy Cunningham could be carving out large pieces of styrofoam to make a set piece for a Broadway show, building a prop out of large sections of wood, sewing large swaths of fabric, or making molds. “Each job is different and requires different know-how, and allows me to use my creative skillset,” she says.

As a student, Amy was involved in Active Minds, a club on campus to promote mental health, and used her design skills to help build an interactive tree sculpture that students used to write notes of hope and encouragement. “There are creative opportunities everywhere, even in unexpected places.”

While her day job requires her to take ideas and transform them into physical and discrete structures, her personal artwork is interpretive. “I want to create humorous situations that blur the distinction between what is real and what is parody, and help reveal deep rooted issues about how technology has hindered our ability to communicate.”

Juno Zago ’16 “A lot of the opportunities I’ve had resulted from choices I made midway through my time at Ramapo,” says Juno Zago. The summer after his sophomore year he interned at Gallery Aferro in his hometown of Newark, and after stints at other galleries in Brooklyn and New Jersey, he was hired permanently at Gallery Aferro to fill various roles, including registrar, gallery shop manager and art handler and framer. “It’s not really where you intern, it’s about what you do with that experience once you have it under your belt.

Internships set you up not only for experiences in your desired field of interest but they also give you an idea of the environment you’ll potentially see yourself in and if this is something you’d like to pursue or not.”

Zago’s artwork has developed to reflect his growing abilities as a painter. His images often take the form of self portraits or as paintings of his friends.

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Tom McGlynn ’80 “Artists need to be light on their feet; there can be no assumptions about earning a steady income,” says McGlynn.

“It’s almost as if the gig economy has caught up with an artist’s reality.”

Photo Courtesy of Jacob Feldman ’19

McGlynns’s work is represented in many national and international collections including the permanent collections of the Whitney Museum, The Museum of Modern Art and the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum of the Smithsonian. He is also a contributor and editor-at-large at the Brooklyn Rail, and teaches at Parsons The New School for Design.

“My education at Ramapo was formative,” says Tom, who credits several professors, including David Freund, Carol Duncan, Jay Wholley and the late Robert Bero as essential to his critical thinking and writing skills. “I’m still realizing how significant it was.”

TWO RAMAPO ALUMNI DIDN’T HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR TO COME BACK TO CAMPUS José Hernández ’98 earned his BA in Visual Arts at Ramapo and later received a MFA in Photography at Hunter College. He works as a Graphic Designer at Ramapo, and has shown his work at the College as well as several other galleries in New York and New Jersey. Hernández’s work, represented in his piece titled “Tenant History” is built by combining and layering separate elements of existing artwork or photographs. “Once you layer images on top of other images, something new emerges, but the depth and meaning of the original piece still comes through.”

When Robin Keller ’98, ’02, ’07 isn’t managing the IT functions at the College, she is pursuing her first love, painting. Robin has three degrees from Ramapo, a BA in Visual Arts, a BS in Computer Science, and an MBA, all which reflect her varied interests and talents. Before she heads to campus each day, she spends the pre-dawn hours painting in her home studio. “It’s me, my canvas and the birds.” Her paintings depict everyday life: families, offices, social settings. “My father was from the south and was a prolific storyteller. I like to think that I’m a storyteller as well, but my stories are told on canvas.” www.ramapo.edu

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CLASS NOTES

Class Notes

WHERE WE ARE & WHAT WE ARE UP TO 1975

1996

2005

SUSAN LISBIN (Fine Arts) exhibited her papier-mache artwork at the Carter Burden Gallery in Manhattan in November 2018; the exhibit was titled, On the Wall. Susan holds a master's degree in painting from Montclair State University.

SHERRELL BENDERS-SMITH (Literature) was recognized as a Woman of the Month for September 2018 by P.O.W.E.R. (Professional Organization of Women of Excellence Recognized) for her contributions in the field of education.

Sherrell is a guidance counselor and owns Home of Positive Enlightenment, a nonprofit organization and home for at-risk teens. She earned an M.A. in counseling and an M.A. in administration and supervision from Montclair State University and an Ed.S. from Seton Hall University.

RICCARDO M. DEBARI (Law and Society) has been elected partner of the law firm Thompson Hine LLP. He is a member of the firm's business litigation practice group in its New York office. Riccardo earned a J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law.

1978 RON CEPHAS JONES (Fine Arts) won the Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards in September 2018 for his role on the NBC drama, This is Us. He also won a 2018 Screen Actors Guild Award as a member of the This is Us cast for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. Ron is starring in a new Netflix movie, The Holiday Calendar.

1981 FRANK J. LAVARDERA (Environmental Studies) has been named director of environmental programs for golf at Audubon International. He has served as an environmental consultant and has worked on several golf course improvement projects for the U.S. Navy. He holds a master's degree in urban and environmental studies from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

BRIAN A. WALTERS (Contemporary Arts) served as the rough layout lead for the movie, Spiderman into the Spider-Verse, released in December 2018.

2002 ROBERT HELM (Business Administration) has been appointed vice president, finance and accounting at Children's Place, Inc., headquartered in Secaucus. Robert also holds a B.S. in Accounting from William Paterson University, and is a C.P.A.

2003

Joseph Martino (Communication Arts) has been named news director of the Courier News, Home News Tribune and MyCentralJersey.com. Joe has been working with the Courier News since 2009 as a sports reporter. In 2013, he was named Sports Report of the Year by the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association and Media Member of the Year by the Soccer Coaches Association of New Jersey.

He has served on the New Jersey Sports Writers Association board of governors.

2009 KATELYN AMUNDSON (History) has been named director of athletics at Brookdale Community College. She will also continue to serve as head coach of the women's soccer team. Katelyn has worked for the college for more than 10 years. She holds a master's in liberal studies from Rutgers.

LEONARD VAN DAM (Business Administration) has been appointed first senior vice president, group leader of commercial lending at Lakeland Bank.

Leonard was most recently a business banking manager for Wells Fargo in Paramus and previously held a number of positions at JPMorgan Chase.

DANIELLE WILKINSON (Visual Arts) exhibited her artwork at the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs in Elizabeth. The exhibit was titled, “Photographic Mandalas from Nature.�

Danielle owns the Aquarian Yoga Center, and she teaches workshops in the visual arts as well as spirituality and yoga. She taught art in the Kenilworth public schools for 14 years.

1994

2004

2012

KAREN LYNCH (Business Administration) has been promoted to vice president of the human resources group at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. She had served as assistant vice president since 2011.

Prior to joining the bank, Karen was a vice president with Goldman Sachs and a director with KPMG LLP.

MONIQUE E. KAKAR (Business Administration) has been promoted to senior vice president/chief marketing officer, digital at AMG/Parade. She had been vice president, corporate marketing and video solutions. Previously, she spent eight years working at Parade magazine developing campaigns and working for Eventive Marketing, developing and selling experiential marketing programs.

ASHLEY L. CAMPBELL (Business Administration) has joined beMatrix U.S.A, an exhibit/event production company, as northeast business development executive.

Previously, Ashley was a program manager at the New York Sports Club.

1993

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2001

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Ramapo College Magazine | Winter 2019

2011 DESHAWN M. COOK (Psychology, 2007; MALS, 2010) has joined Barnard College as assistant dean for student life. Deshawn had been director of student life at Butler College at Princeton University. Previously, he was assistant director of residence life and deputy Title IX coordinator at Drew University.

MARIAN POSADA (Psychology) has been appointed head of research at InVibe Labs LLC at its Philadelphia location. The company provides marketing research services.

Prior to joining the company, Mariana served for six years as a project manager at GfK.

2013 ALEXON N. POLANCO (Information Systems) is now a mortgage loan originator in TD Bank's Hackensack office. Alexon has held a number of positions with TD Bank over the past 10 years, most recently as a small business specialist and assistant vice president. He is a member of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce.

RACHEL SHANAGHER (Mathematics) has been chosen by the Berkeley Heights Public Schools as the district’s nominee for Union County Educator of the Year. Rachel has been a first grade teacher at the Mary Kay McMillin Early Childhood Center since 2013. Rachel implemented an after-school enrichment program and serves on the elementary math curriculum committee as well as the council on instruction for the district.

2014

2017

BRANDON C. KORN (Music) has been nominated for a 2019 Grammy Award for co-producing the track “Stargazing” on Travis Scott's album, Astroworld, which has been nominated in the category of Best Rap Album.

STEPHEN G. LAPP (Social Science) is now working for the U.S. Department of Defense at the Defense Contract Management Agency.

2015

BRENDAN FLYNN (Business Administration, ’17) married Jennifer Cotto on September 22, 2018 at the Tides Estate in North Haledon.

DANIEL K. ROOT (MAEL) has been named director of athletics at Watchung Hills Regional High School. Dan previously taught Spanish for 20 years at WHRHS, and has been a longtime athletic coach at the school. He earned his bachelor's degree in Spanish education at Messiah College, Mechanicsburg, Penn.

MARRIAGES

ALEXA MARQUES (Environmental Studies, 2014) married Jeffrey Fantacone on October 19, 2018. Alexa is executive director of the Teaneck Creek Conservancy.

IN MEMORIAM

2016 MATTHEW JOSEPH ROACH (Music) recently joined the Walt Disney Company as an entertainment technician at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

CHRISTINA M. HARTMAN ’89 MARIA DEAN CURRAN ’83 LINDA BOGDANOW ’93 CHRISTINE C. CORCILLO ’01 PATRICIA C. KENNELLY ’05

Save the Dates “A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM” April 5, 2019 | Opening Night 8 p.m. | Sharp Theater SCHOLARSHIP DINNER Tuesday, April 9, 2019 Scholarship Donors meet with Recipients

Carolyn Merkel ’78, right, chairs the Ramapo College Alumni Association Board. She also serves on the Ramapo College Foundation Board of Governors and is a mentor to current student, Kaelea Composto ’20, a Biology major. They recently attended a men’s basketball game with Board of Governor members and their mentees.

PERFORMING ARTS DINNER SERIES Dena Blizzard and Pat Hazell: My Funny Valentine Saturday, April 27, 2019 8 p.m. | Sharp Theater www.ramapo.edu/dinner-series

www.ramapo.edu

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ANNUAL FUND

Karen Aguirre ’20, Berly Rivera ’19, President Mercer and Ryan Greff ’20

Two Exceptional Ways to Support the Ramapo College Foundation IRA Charitable Rollover “The IRA Charitable Rollover provides an outstanding opportunity for an individual age 70 1/2 or older to transfer up to $100,000 a year, tax free, directly from an IRA to one or more qualifying charities. The transfer is treated as a Qualified Charitable Distribution and should be used to satisfy, in whole or in part, the Required Minimum Distribution in the year of transfer.”

Paul Miller | Chair, Ramapo College Planned Giving Committee Simply instruct your brokerage to make an IRA charitable rollover directly to the Ramapo College Foundation (tax identification# 510-244-756) and advise David Terdiman, dterdima@ramapo.edu The impact of your gift will be immediate.

Charitable Gift Annuities A one-time gift provides the benefit of a charitable tax deduction and lifetime income that is partly tax free.

Single Life AGE

RATE

AGE

RATE

65-69

5.1-5.4

80-84

7.3-8.1

70-74

5.6-6.1

85-89

8.3-9.2

75-79

6.2-7.1

90+

9.5

Information on rates for two people is also available. | Rates courtesy of the American Council on Gift Annuities

For information, contact David Terdiman at 201.684.7179 or dterdima@ramapo.edu

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Ramapo College Magazine | Winter 2019

parting shot

Temporary Home FOR GEORGE T. POTTER LIBRARY

“THE BEAUTY AND EASE OF THE LIBRARY’S TEMPORARY HOME EXCEEDS ITS TRANSITIONAL STATUS.” - President Mercer

Potter Library in Linden Hall The Potter Library moved to its temporary location in Linden Hall over the winter break and opened on January 22. The lovely renovated space is fully open, providing all regular Circulation and Research Help services, computer labs with new printers, group study rooms, study spaces, Interlibrary Loan, and print book collections. The Gross Center for Holocaust & Genocide Studies is on the first floor and The Center for Reading and Writing is on the second floor.

“The beauty and ease of the library’s temporary home exceeds its transitional status,” said President Peter P. Mercer, adding that the Learning Commons project is currently on schedule and hitting all of its milestones.

Design plans are currently under permit review and bids for the interior demolition work in the existing Potter Library building are to awarded shortly.

Construction activity is scheduled to start late spring.

The Project will increase the building’s interior space from 60,000 to 80,000 square feet and double its seating capacity, and include many new amenities for students and visitors.

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

505 Ramapo Valley Road Mahwah, N.J. 07430-1623 www.ramapo.edu

50

years of RAMAPO

Ramapo is celebrating 50 years! Alumni, please send us your most cherished Ramapo memory to 50th@ramapo.edu to help us create our 50 most memorable moments.

Ireland

A Literary Tour August 1 - 11, 2019

with Professor Emeritus Donald Fucci

Travel with Ramapo Professors To register, visit goaheadtours.com For more information, please visit www.ramapo.edu/travel/ireland or call the Alumni Relations Office at 201-684-7115.