Ramapo College Magazine Fall 2001 by Ramapo College

A Conversation With Dr. Rodney D. Smith: Ramapo’s President Shares His Vision for the College Happy Anniversary: 30 Years of Quality Liberal Arts Education Joshua Orwa Ojodeh: Recipient of the College’s 2001 President’s Award of Merit

DID YOU KNOW?

Graduates of the Class of 2001:

They Proved Themselves at Ramapo; Now They’re Ready to Show the World

RAMAPO Magazine

Executive Officers of the College

Fall 2001

Rodney D. Smith Ed.D. President

Volume 2, Issue 2

Pamela M. Bischoff, Ed.D. Vice President for Student Affairs Victoria H. Bruni, Esq. Vice President for Administration and Finance Donna Crawley, Ph.D. Vice President for Academic Affairs

Diplomas in hand, the Class of 2001 moves on to new challenges. For some, it will be studying for an advanced degree, while others eagerly enter the workforce. Ramapo turns out many exceptional students. In fact, this past year the College achieved a 100 percent acceptance rate for School of Theoretical and Applied Science students who applied to medical and professional schools. Here, we highlight three from the Class of 2001 who have excelled as students and who have a blueprint for their futures. Leyla Amzi of Nutley, NJ, a graduate of the School of American and International Studies, was accepted in the Near Eastern studies master’s degree program at New York University. Leyla also was awarded a Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship by the U.S. Department of Education. The Bosnian native, who emigrated to the United States almost five years ago to escape the strife in her homeland, says, “I’ve always been interested in this topic. I don’t feel the history and culture of the Near East is known in general.” Leyla spent a year after high school—on scholarship in a program sponsored by the government—at Ankara University in Turkey studying Turkish. Also fluent in Bosnian, at NYU she plans to study Arabic and conduct research on social movements. “I want to research how culture and religion influence society historically and in the contemporary world.” A co-winner of Ramapo’s Outstanding International Student Award, Leyla worked at the Bosnian Consulate in New York City while attending Ramapo and maintained a 3.79 GPA. She has always had an idea of her own “big picture” and credits faculty advisor Clifford Peterson, Ph.D., a professor of international politics, with helping to refine it. Poised and energetic, Leyla worked with student Jasmina Bisanovic, alum Edin Agic, and Professor William Frech, Ph.D., on a successful proposal to the Ramapo College Foundation. With funding of $4,000, the group will create an eight-week cooperative education position for a Ramapo student and a teaching opportunity for a Ramapo professor, both in Bosnia and Herzegovina. “Bosnian students will be given a chance to gain valuable knowledge and attain practical skills that are lacking in Bosnian society,” stated the team’s proposal. The intention, adds Leyla, is to help “refill the pool of edu-

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cated people who have left the country.” Her long-range goals entail earning a Ph.D., teaching at the university level, and conducting research. In addition to beginning graduate school in September, Leyla also became a U.S. citizen. Robert and Joyce Lehmann of Monsey, NY are a remarkable brother and sister team. Both were biochemistry majors, served as emergency medical technicians on campus, and received merit awards. Robert has been accepted into medical school at SUNY Stony Brook, NY and plans to become a pediatrician. “All of the courses in biochemistry and the fundamental sciences lead to medicine,” he says. He enrolled in 1996, spent two years studying in Israel, and returned to Ramapo in 1998 as a part-time student. “I’ve had a varied education. My schedule allowed me to investigate a lot of options off campus.” Robert maintained a 3.9 GPA and received the College’s Merck Index Award for excellence in chemistry. This past summer he completed studying for rabbinical ordination, which, he says, is a personal goal. “My religious studies have given me an insight into who I am and where I’m from. It allows me to give of myself to others. It will make me a better doctor and a better person.” It’s not a coincidence that both Robert and Joyce enrolled at Ramapo. “He had already been there,” recalls Joyce, “and he talked up the program.” Joyce, who maintained a 4.0 GPA, was accepted into a four-year doctor of optometry program at the SUNY College of Optometry in Manhattan. “I knew what I wanted to be,” she says. “Ramapo’s biochemistry program provided a strong academic foundation.” Joyce was awarded Ramapo’s Biochemistry Award and the Fred and Florence Thomases Scholarship for her academic performance and participation in extracurricular activities. Robert and Joyce praise advisor Rena Bacon, Ph.D., of the School of Theoretical and Applied Science for helping them to realize their goals. “The professors take an active role in your learning,” says Joyce. She also appreciated the diversity of the student body. “They come from a variety of backgrounds and they all offer something.”

Cathleen Davey Vice President for Institutional Advancement Rita F. Tepper Vice President for Enrollment Management

Features 6

Expanding Academic Excellence: Dr. Smith’s Vision for the College President Smith, who assumed his position on July 1, outlines his plans and goals for the future of Ramapo. He and his family are living at Havemeyer House.

Board Chairs Arthur C. Ramirez Board of Trustees Thomas Palmer Board of Governors David Berntsen Alumni Association Muff Thayer Friends of Ramapo Ramapo Magazine Staff Editor-in-Chief Cathleen Davey

Executive Editor Rosa Diaz-Mulryan

Ramapo Celebrates Its 30th Anniversary Professor Emeritus and founding faculty member Henry Bischoff contrasts the continuities and changes that have contributed to the continued growth of Ramapo College.

Managing Editor Cynthia Burns News Editor Bonnie D. Franklin Alumni Editors Janet Dengel Bryan Steros

Departments

Foundation Editor Kathleen Austin Sports Editor Dawn DeRosa-LaSalle

Ramapo News

Ramapo Foundation

Alumni

Other Photos: Joe Salmon, unless otherwise noted

Athletics

Information contained in this magazine can be made available upon request in alternate media. Requests should be directed to the Office of Institutional Advancement, (201) 684-7611.

In the Spotlight

Design: Camarès Communications www.camares.com

Calendar Muriel Appram of Englewood, NJ (left) and her mother enjoyed a delectable feast at the Multicultural Pot-Luck Dinner hosted by the Ramapo College Upward Bound Math-Science program.

Alumni contact: Janet Dengel at (201) 684-7179 or jdengel@ramapo.edu Change of address: Call Michele Richnavsky at (201) 684-7612 or mrichnav@ramapo.edu Student Affairs: Call (201) 684-7457 or pbischof@ramapo.edu Visit our Web site at www.ramapo.edu Ramapo Magazine is produced by the Department of Marketing and Institutional Relations Ramapo College of New Jersey 505 Ramapo Valley Rd. Mahwah, NJ 07430-1680

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Dr. Smith is Subject of Black Issues Cover Story Dr. Rodney D. Smith, Ramapo’s president, was featured on the cover and in the accompanying article of the June 21 issue of Black Issues in Higher Education. The article, “The Changing Guard: A Presidential Class Matriculates,” relates the barriers that administrators from historically Black colleges and universities face in ascending to leadership positions in predominately White institutions. In the article, authors Ronald Roach and Linda Meggett Brown state, “While hailing the appointments, observers say they represent exceptional moves by the respective institutions. . . .”

Lech Walesa, Poland’s First DemocraticallyElected President, Is Convocation Speaker Lech Walesa, the first democratically-elected president of Poland, was the guest speaker at Ramapo’s Fall Convocation held Wednesday, October 3 in the gym. “Democracy: The Never Ending Battle” was his topic. Walesa’s leadership of Poland’s underground labor movement and later of the Gdansk Shipyard Strike led to the social revolution F AL L 20 0 1

known as Solidarity. This movement effectively ended communist rule and planted the seeds of freedom and democracy. On December 9, 1990, Walesa became Poland’s first democratically-elected president, winning more than 74 percent of the votes cast. He served until defeated in the election of November 1995. He now heads the Lech Walesa Institute whose aim is to advance the ideals of democracy and free market reform throughout Eastern Europe and the rest of the world.

dean of the UMDNJ School of Nursing. “But there also is an impending shortage of nursing faculty. This program will prepare nurses at the master’s level to work within nursing education.” In addition, a post-master’s certificate program will be offered, designed for those holding a master’s degree in nursing who are interested in pursuing nursing education. The deadline for January admission is October 15; April 15 is the deadline for September admission. For more information about the program, including the course listing and admission requirements, call Kathleen Burke, (201) 684-7749.

Ramapo and UMDNJ Team Up to Offer M.S. in Nursing

Russ Berrie Award Honors 19

Ramapo College and the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey have received approval to jointly offer courses leading to a Master of Science in Nursing with a nursing education track. The focus of the 35credit degree program is on the preparation of nurses to work as nursing faculty in higher education or as nurse educators in health agencies. “It has been acknowledged that there is a shortage of nurses in the state,” says Kathleen Burke, Ph.D., director of the master’s program at Ramapo and assistant

Ringwood resident Sandra Ramos, who founded the first shelter in the United States for battered women,

Russell Berrie (left) and his wife Angelica (far right) congratulate award recipients Joseph C. Martoccia, Sandra Ramos, and Dana Leigh Christmas at the Russ Berrie Award for Making a Difference ceremony.

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received the top cash award of $50,000 at the Russ Berrie Award for Making a Difference ceremony held at Ramapo in May. Dana Leigh Christmas of Paterson, who helped rescue students from a residence hall fire at Seton Hall University in January 2000, received a $35,000 cash award. Joseph C. Martoccia of Pompton Lakes, a 97-year-old man who has served the Pompton Lakes First Aid Squad for more than six decades, was awarded $25,000. Sixteen additional New Jersey residents received cash awards of $2,500 each. The 19 finalists were selected from a total of 295 nominations—an all-time high and a 50 percent increase over the 196 nominations received in 2000. Now in its fifth year, the Making a Difference program recognizes unsung heroes from throughout New Jersey who have made a significant difference in the well-being

of their communities. The Russ Berrie Award for Making a Difference was established in 1997 by philanthropist Russell Berrie and Ramapo College of New Jersey. The awards ceremony included a tribute to previous Making a Diff e re n c e winners and a keynote address by Nora McAniff, group president of People magazine. “These people dedicate their lives to improving or helping others,” says Berrie, who is founder, chairman, and CEO of Russ Berrie and Company, Inc. of Oakland, NJ, which generates more than $270 million in sales and employs more than 1,500 people worldwide.

William Frech Selected as Visiting Professor in Kosovo William J. Frech, Ph.D., associate professor of international business and marketing, was selected to join 24 European and American professors to lecture in the first Kosovo Summer University (KSU). The objectives of KSU are to integrate the Kosovo higher education system into the European and American systems and to establish ongoing relationships between the University of Pristina and the universities of the visiting professors. The program ran July 16 to August 10.

Ramapo College professor Ira Spar, Ph.D., conducts research at The Metropolitan Museum’s Department of Ancient Near Eastern Art.

Ira Spar Is Co-Author of Metropolitan Museum’s Series on Cuneiform Texts

Frech was selected in an international competition for the 25 teaching positions. In addition to teaching a course in international business, he did research and co-authored (with a professor at the University of Pristina) a paper on privatization issues. Frech was a recent Fulbright Scholar in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The project is a joint initiative of the University of Pristina in Kosovo and the Academic Training Association, which is headquartered in Amsterdam. The KSU is funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and by the Open Society Institute.

Cuneiform Texts in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Volume 3: Private Archive Texts from the First Millennium B.C. admits us to the private worlds of several of the leading financial families of Babylon during the New- and Late-Babylonian periods of Mesopotamian history. Co-authored by Ramapo College Professor Ira Spar, Ph.D., and Eva von Dassow, with contributions by J. N. Postgate and Linda B. Bregstein, this new vol-

ume is one in a series of four scholarly publications focusing on the collection of cuneiform tablets and inscriptions in The Metropolitan Museum’s Department of Ancient Near Eastern Art. These objects were acquired largely during the 1880s, when the Metropolitan became the first American museum to collect a substantial number of cuneiform texts. Today their holdings total about six hundred texts and fragments. The four volumes in this series will make these texts available in a manner that will instruct and inform as wide an audience as possible. Volume 3 illuminates the management and investment practices of familyrun Babylonian enterprises. Four Assyrian tablets illustrate business practices during Neo-Assyrian times as well. The 164 texts and fragments that comprise the Museum’s holdings from private family archives written during the first millennium B.C. are presented in a format that includes copies, transliterations, translations, and commentary together with drawings, photographs, and commentary on stamp seal, cylinder seal, and ring impressions. Spar is a professor of history and ancient studies and a research Assyriologist at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. For ten years, he was director of the

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RAMAPO NEWS

This young girl’s festive dress—despite her impoverished living conditions—captured the attention of Raquel Tavera, one of fifteen students who traveled to Oaxaca, Mexico as part of the Alternative Spring Break program. Ramapo students taught children reading skills and helped younger ones with numbers and colors.

New Jersey Archaeological Consortium excavation team that unearthed the 3,000 year-old center of Geshurite civilization, located at Tel Hadar, Israel on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.

Alternative Spring Break “It was the best week of my life,” declares Kathleen Kirby on returning from Oaxaca, Mexico, where fifteen Ramapo College students, a professor and a staff member spent spring break mentorF ALL 20 01

ing some of the town’s children, ages three to ten. “All my Spanish came together— my Spanish teacher was amazed.” Marisol Perez agrees. “The trip had a great impact on my life. You go in

with the idea that you’re going to help these people and the opposite happens. The people helped me. They filled a lot of gaps.” The students, representing the Community Builders’ Coalition on campus, worked with the children of seven families while the fathers went to work and the mothers performed household chores. The Ramapo team taught reading skills and helped the younger children with numbers and colors. They found the children with whom they worked to be curious about their lives back in the United States. They were also eager to learn English. “It put a lot of things into perspective,” continued Kirby, “and put a face to everything you’ve learned; it makes you appreciate everything you have.” The Ramapo students were impressed by how welcome they were made to feel by their hosts. “They make you a part of the family and want to make you comfortable. They want to give you what they have.”

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Prior to leaving for Mexico, Kirby and fellow student Kimberly Rude solicited donations from Barnes and Noble and private sponsors for forty-one Spanish children’s books. Other students conducted a clothing drive which resulted in their taking an extra four suitcases of clothing, shoes, and toys with them. These were distributed to the families they visited. The Ramapo students also took advantage of the opportunity to see the area. Via public transportation they took side trips to nearby villages to visit the craftspeople who produce the area’s unique black pottery, textiles and woodcarvings, as well as to tour the ruins at Monte Alban. “It’s a little hard to adjust, coming back,” says Perez. “In Mexico, the water was limited and there was less choice in food. I think of that now. This is a make-believe world, not the reality for the rest of the world,” she explains. She remains in touch with the families she stayed with,

thanks to the Internet. “We shared so many things. Now we send messages to each other,” states Perez. “They save up for a few weeks, go to an Internet bar, and send us an e-mail.” In addition to forging a relationship with Oaxaca and its residents, the students found they bonded with each other. “We went as fifteen strangers and came back as fifteen friends,” states Kirby, who expects the group members to stay close. Both Kirby and Perez consider the trip a lifechanging experience, one that has influenced the direction of their plans. This past summer, both

participated in Ramapo’s Study Abroad Program in Costa Rica, where they studied Spanish language and literature. Perez hopes to return to Oaxaca on her next spring break and to Costa Rica to teach English during the summer of 2002. Kirby has put in an application for the Peace Corps. This is the second year that Ramapo students have spent spring break working in Oaxaca. Last year they worked with children with disabilities. Students Alison Garbutt and Kerri McDowell along with Charles Carreras, Ph.D., a professor with the American and International Studies department, went both years. Elizabeth

Caraballo, Bette Farber, Joe Froyan, Ronnie Jackson, Jovana Petrovic, Michael Picciotolli, Kimberly Rude, Raquel Tavera, Brian Wilson, and John Yao also participated in this year’s Oaxaca Alternative Break program. The trip was arranged through the Maryknoll Call and Response program; the students stayed in dormitory-style housing provided by Maryknoll. Funding was provided by the Office of Student Activities, the Ramapo College Foundation, Sharp Electronics, The Cahill Center for Experiential Learning and Career Services, and the Educational Opportunity Fund Program.

Grant Awarded The Office of Specialized Services has been awarded a four-year Student Support Services Grant. The award totals $234,484 for the first year. Funding, which comes from the United States Department of Education, will provide support services for students with disabilities to enhance their retention and graduation rates. The grant will fund services over and above what the College provides to assure equal access to college programs and services.

Residence Hall Fire Simulation Teaches Important Lessons Ramapo students and campus visitors experienced the terrifying effects of a fire at a residence hall fire safety simulation last spring. An actual-size model of a residence hall room was set on fire and monitored by fire safety agencies. The simulation educated students to the realities of fire and was planned to motivate fire-safe behavior. The fire simulation also emphasized the importance of sprinklers. The model residence hall room, unlike Ramapo’s residence halls, was not sprinklered and illustrated the ferocity of a fire in a room

without them. Coordinated by Gina Mayer-Costa, Ramapo’s director of environmental health and safety, the event was a combined effort of Ramapo staff and students, Mahwah Fire and Police departments, the Bergen County Law and Public Safety Institute, and the Department of Community Affairs Fire Division. The simulation was incorporated into a video as part of a fire safety educational program. In addition, the Bergen County Law and Public Safety Institute is developing a program to be presented throughout New Jersey.

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President Smith’s Vision:

Expanding on Ramapo’s Academic Excellence by Bonnie D. Franklin

Dr. Rodney D. Smith, an immigrant from The Bahamas who earned a doctorate in higher education administration, planning and social policy at Harvard and served, most recently, as vice president of planning and dean of the Graduate College at Hampton University, became the third president of Ramapo College of New Jersey on July 1, 2001. In a move reminiscent of the “academical village” concept established by Thomas Jefferson at the University of Virginia early in the 19th century, Smith and his family have chosen to live on campus. His goals for Ramapo are far-reaching, with the four pillars of a Ramapo education (international, interdisciplinary, intercultural and experiential) serving as the foundation.

Dr. Dr. Smith, his wife, Dr. Christina Ramirez-Smith, and their two children, Samantha, 12, and Sean, 6, are settling into the historic Havemeyer House.

The president’s first order of business is to listen and seek input. “I believe everyone’s opinion, everyone’s idea has merit. I’m not just talking about members of Ramapo College proper, but of the surrounding community, anyone who has an interest in or association with Ramapo College. I’m interested in developing a collective vision. I believe that faculty, staff, students, members of the board, friends of the College, and members of the foundation are all persons who genuinely care for this institution and want to see it advance. I think together we will make a great team.” Smith’s vision for Ramapo begins with an emphasis on academic excellence but extends much further. “We should refine and expand our academic offerings and our plans for new facilities. We will reach out to the wider community across the United States as well as internationally, not only for support, but also for networking relationships. Subsequently we will work toward interweaving more internationalism into the curriculum as well as more interdisciplinary approaches. I would like to take the foundations of what we have now and

expand on the four pillars. When people talk about Ramapo College I would like for them to picture a United Nations or Harvard School of Government setting, whereby people from all over the world are represented and come here to speak and to learn. I would like to see us expand our summer programs to offer ongoing development institutes for professionals from around the globe. I would like to see us expand and develop relationships with Washington as well as with the United Nations’ member countries so that we can provide some of the training that is needed in their respective regions. I can see this campus becoming an international microcosm, basically a living international community; everything is here for it. When anyone walks on this campus in the future, they should be able to sense Ramapo’s strong emphasis on international and intercultural education,” he says. “Whenever anyone thinks of attaining a global education, Ramapo College will be thought of within the top ten institutions nationally. What we’re going to be concentrating on is quality. We’re going to continually raise the bar higher and higher.” 7

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“I am committed to maintaining a very strong public for the ongoing funding of technology advancements. In liberal arts college,” continues Smith, “with an emphasis order to remain proactive, it might be necessary to establish on college, not on university, and a further emphasis an endowment for technology. That money has to be there on liberal arts education. I believe that Ramapo College is on a regular basis.” ideally suited to an undergraduate population of about Joining the president in facing these challenges is his 5,000 students and a graduate population of 1,000, placing wife, Dr. Christina Ramirez-Smith. Ramirez-Smith was dean the institution around 6,000 maximum. I think that of the largest college at Christopher Newport University, should be the capacity of the institution.” the College of Liberal Arts and Education. She is widely The challenges faced by the College and its president published and highly respected as a consultant in educaare both regional and national. Smith notes that the imme- tional administration. Though she was offered a provost diate regional challenge is one shared by all the New Jer- position, she has put her career on hold to support her hussey public colleges and that is the band and their two children, kind of financial support the colSamantha, 12, and Sean, 6. leges receive. “The state support for Ramirez-Smith plans to work public colleges in New Jersey has closely with the community in supbeen decreasing over the years port of Ramapo. She will take an which means there is a need to active interest in the Mahwah increase fundraising efforts from community, particularly in its hisprivate as well as public sectors. It’s torical significance, and in the inadvisable to rely on increasing preservation of the character of the tuition and fees at any institution, Havemeyer House. whether private or public. So, there About his family’s decision to will be a more concentrated effort live on campus, the president says, toward fundraising.” “It’s important to know what it’s Smith recognizes the challenges like here on the weekends and at nationally, those faced by state night. I come in to the office to institutions across the country, as work on the weekends, walking ones dealing with student populafrom the house to the office and tions – for example, “what we need back. This gives me an opportunity Joining the president is his wife, Dr. Christina Ramirez-Smith. She to be teaching our students, how will take an active interest in the Mahwah community, particularly to meet students, faculty, and staff we should be preparing the next its historical significance. members. That makes a big differgeneration or even this generation. We need to be think- ence. It helps to make a campus a residential community. ing ten to twenty steps ahead of where society is today – When you have the president living close to the instituthat is where we need to be. We must pay particular attention, right across the street, it begins to feel like a more tion to cultural diversity on campus. Often times we open solidified community. That is what I’d like for Ramapo.” the doors and make the campus accessible to other culAt Hampton University Smith is known for administures but we fall short of making the environment sup- trative effectiveness and efficiency and for building strong, portive – it’s the difference between recruitment and reten- effective teams. His legacy includes increased retention tion. We need to develop programs that are designed to and graduation rates, as well as an increase in the acadeenhance retention activities for students, faculty, and staff.” mic standards of the institution. He oversaw the developSome of the challenges have to do with technology. ment of graduate programs, and spearheaded the “Technological advancements are such that the institutions development of a ten-year strategic plan and the implein America that are going to be affected more are those in mentation of the campus-wide code of conduct. higher education. We have to keep abreast of advancements At Ramapo, Smith says, “What I bring that I think is new in the training and preparation of individuals to go out and is the fact that I am not American-born; I am an immigrant. work in the corporate sector. Unfortunately, the majority of And, just the mere fact that my family and I are a part of this American colleges tend to be reactive to technological institution brings an international richness; it brings a difadvancements and to the market as opposed to being proac- ferent perspective. I think I bring to Ramapo College what tive based on the needs of the institution. Those institutions Ramapo College is all about. This is an institution that we that are more proactive are the ones that are planning ahead have chosen, one that provides the foundation within its FA LL 20 01

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mission statement of what we sought in an institution of higher learning. I am grateful for this wonderful opportunity; grateful to be a part of this respected community of scholars; and, grateful to all faculty, students, staff, friends of Ramapo, members of the Foundation, and the Board of Trustees. I am especially grateful to all those persons who have gone the extra mile to help my family settle in here at Ramapo College and to the Mahwah community.”

Smith’s fall semester agenda will bring exciting changes to the Ramapo landscape, and new academic and communitybuilding opportunities. His priorities include developing a college strategic plan, the search for a provost in Academic Affairs, meetings with alumni, planning for the recreation center, groundbreaking on a 528-bed townhouse complex, and the launch of an institutional image campaign. (For more information on Dr. Smith, refer to the spring 2001 issue of Ramapo Magazine.)

The Havemeyer House In a reversal of the 20th century tendency for college and university chief executives to live off campus, President Rodney D. Smith and his family have opted to live in the Havemeyer House, the renovated historic mansion on the west side of Rt. 202. The College recently acquired the Havemeyer House and the surrounding 4.7 acres of property. The Havemeyer House was built by Henry Hagerman in 1949 for his son, Andrew. Henry and his wife, Anna Hopper Bogert, lived in an adjacent house formerly owned by her grandfather, Andrew Hopper, which served as one of Washington’s headquarters during the American Revolution. The Continental Army encamped nearby on the land now used as Ramapo College’s athletic fields. In 1861, Andrew Hagerman sold the property. It changed hands several times before it was rented to Theodore Havemeyer of the Havemeyer and Elder Sugar Refining Company in 1877. When the property owner’s business failed in 1878, the Havemeyer family decided to buy the house along with the surrounding acreage. Havemeyer developed a model farm and estate of over 1,000 acres and made many improvements to the house. The financial success of the American Sugar Refining Company, a trust created by Havemeyer and his brother in the late 1880s, enabled Theodore to build a $100,000

mansion for his daughter and her husband, the current administration building on Ramapo’s campus, and to remodel his own home. In the process, the workers dismantled the historic Andrew Hopper house to make way for a new wing of the Havemeyer House that included a kitchen, servants’ quarters and laundry. A fireplace from the old house was preserved and added to the servants’ kitchen. The mansion remained in the Havemeyer family, becoming the home of grandson Henry O. Havemeyer in 1936. Upon his death in 1993, the home was purchased by Timothy Bray, who completed an extensive renovation in 1999.

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Ramapo’s 30th Anniversary A Time to Reflect on the Past and Celebrate the Future

George T. Potter, the first president of Ramapo College (l.) admires “One Man in Memory of Six Million,” by sculptor Judith Peck (r.). Peck, who is a professor of art education in Ramapo’s School of Contemporary Arts, recently celebrated 50 years as a sculptor. The work is permanently installed adjacent to The Mansion.

As Ramapo celebrates its 30th anniversary and the arrival of its third president, Dr. Rodney D. Smith, the editors of Ramapo Magazine have asked me to analyze the continuities and changes at the College during the last five years based on the work I developed in my earlier account of its first 25 years. Most striking to me are the new buildings and the plans underway for additional construction that reflect the continuing vitality and attractiveness of the College. Within the last three years two residences, now filled to capacity, have been completed, as well as a satellite dining pavilion. Groundbreaking has taken place for an additional garden apartment-style residence for 528 students scheduled to open in August 2002. There are now 1,800 students living on campus and by next year this will increase to 2,200. Plans are being formulated for twin 300person residences to open in 2003 and in 2005. This activity reflects the growth in the number of full-time students, improved retention, more incoming freshmen, and an increase in students coming from throughout New Jersey and beyond. Pamela Bischoff, vice president for Student Affairs, reports that 85 to 90 percent of incoming full-time freshmen are now requesting on-campus housing. She states, FA LL 20 01

“Ramapo is increasingly becoming primarily a residential college. This strengthens community life at the College, but also requires added student facilities and activities. All residences have been wired for voice, video, and data access, and they all have sprinkler systems for fire protection. The Ramapo residences are a prime attraction as students consider a number of college choices.” Attention also has been given to the College’s academic buildings. The long-promised improvement in facilities for Contemporary Arts students has in part been fulfilled with the completion of the Angelica and Russ Berrie Center for the Performing and Visual Arts. Within it are a modern theater of 350 seats and a smaller “black box” theater, specialized classrooms, a photography lab, offices, and a café. An extensive schedule of cultural events is offered to students, staff, and the public. Academic buildings A, B, and H are in the process of being renovated. This will include new classrooms and offices for the schools of American and International Studies and the School of Administration and Business as well as state-of-the-art facilities for the College’s large communications major. A Center for Sustainability Education is being built on the site of the outdated Alter10

By Henry Bischoff

nate Energy Center. Within the buildings on campus there has been a constant updating of technology, partially supported by special loan funds from the state. In addition to the wiring of the entire campus, there are numerous computer labs, high tech classrooms, and increased technology in the library. The growth in the number of full-time students has been accompanied by increased selectivity, including rising SAT scores and class rank among incoming freshmen. Approximately 40 percent of students who apply are accepted; average SATs stand at 1120 for the class of 2005. There has been an increase in available student aid, including scholarships for 60 high-achieving incoming students. These achievements have been accompanied by a widening recognition of Ramapo’s quality of education. A graduate education program, part of the vision of the founders of the College, was launched in the early 1990s with the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS). The curriculum, as well as several students and faculty members in MALS, has received national recognition. From this beginning, the College has gone on to develop three additional masters’ programs in educational technology, business administration, and in fall 2001, a Master of Science in Nursing geared to those who wish to teach nursing. There has been an expansion in the number of students who enroll in the College’s education programs. The certification program for high school teachers has grown to more than 200 students and a new elementary education program now has 300. In response, a teacher education complex has been created in the G Building. And, there are 300 students in an undergraduate nursing program offered in conjunction with UMDNJ. Additionally, a biochemistry major and a tract in criminology in the law and society major have been established and consideration is being given to a major in aviation science. Environmental studies and science remain an important part of the College and their experimental facilities will be transformed into an exciting Sustainability Center. Ramapo has been a leader among public liberal arts colleges since its beginning. It was a founding member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges (COPLAC) and remains an active and influential member of this national group. According to Martha Ecker, associate vice president for Academic Affairs, Ramapo’s general education curriculum has been made more cohesive and there has been a strengthening of its emphasis on thinking skills and on the study and application of values. This liberal arts core curriculum retains its central place in the education of all Ramapo College undergraduates. Ramapo has continued to strengthen its four pillars of undergraduate education. International and intercultural perspectives, interdisciplinary, and experiential learning have been notable features of its curriculum since its founding. In fact, the international focus has been substantially enhanced according to Kwesi Aggrey, assistant vice president for Academic Affairs. More than 200 international students continue to bring global perspectives into the classrooms and the residences. Exchange faculty comes from Shanghai and Volgograd and, through an arrangement just made with the University of Science and Technology, in Ghana. New Study Abroad programs in South

Africa and Greece and opportunities for MALS and MBA students have increased the already strong international study and co-op ed activities of Ramapo students. During the spring 2002 break, incoming freshmen will have the opportunity to experience an introduction to the Study Abroad Program in Puerto Rico. The International Studies and International Business majors continue to draw students; there is more international content in regular courses; new language labs are available to students; the Model United Nations and other international clubs continue to be active; and the International Food Festival continues as one of the most popular events on campus. Ramapo welcomes regular full-time faculty from Liberia, Ethiopia, Germany, Madagascar, and Nigeria, joining colleagues from Sweden, Ecuador, China, Cuba, Ghana, India, Canada, Iran, and Lebanon. It is likely that most Ramapo students will have “international experiences” on the campus or abroad. The intercultural aspects of Ramapo have been enhanced by the growth in the number of immigrant and Latino students. All students can benefit from the activities of the Culture Club and its publication, The Cultural Journal, as well as from the International Students Organization, which seeks opportunities to connect American students of all backgrounds with their members. There has been a strengthening of the Educational Opportunity Fund Program (EOF) with more diverse and better-prepared students, greater retention rates, and a higher rate of graduation. The African-American Studies minor and the Organization of African Unity continue as important components of the College as does the Organization of Latino Unity. Ramapo’s focus on an interdisciplinary education is an underpinning of many majors and individual courses. The newer undergraduate majors and the graduate programs are strongly interdisciplinary. Experiential education is valued by an increasing number of students and faculty members. This has been aided by the work of the Cahill Center for Experiential Learning and Career Development. Named for a former governor who was an early supporter of Ramapo, it has received special state funds. Service learning is growing; co-op education remains very strong and many courses and majors require a substantial amount of fieldwork and/or structured internships. There remains an important nucleus of founding and pioneer faculty members (persons hired in the first five years of the College) who work vigorously at carrying forward many of the original ideas of Ramapo as an innovative college. The infusion of new faculty, many of them from strong, prestigious graduate schools, has only strengthened the commitment Ramapo has to its original ideals. The crosscurrents between the new and old have created positive intellectual ferment not only for the faculty and staff, but most importantly, for the students. Henry Bischoff is a Professor Emeritus of history and urban studies and a founding faculty member of Ramapo College. He is the author of Innovations and Realities: A History of Ramapo College of New Jersey: the First Quarter Century, 1971-1996 and, with Mitchell Kahn, M.S.W., From Pioneer Settlement to Suburb: A History of Mahwah, New Jersey, 1700-1976. Another book, Immigration Issues, will be published by Greenwood Press this November. Bischoff teaches multicultural America in MALS and is director of historical studies at The Hermitage, a national historic landmark in Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ.

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2001 Foundation Mission Award Millicent G. Anisfield, Manfred H. Edelman, and Mark W. Grannon are recipients of the 2001 Ramapo College Foundation Mission Award. The Award recognizes outstanding leadership and service to the Ramapo College Foundation Board of

Governors. Combined, the recipients have provided more than thirty years of service to the Foundation. They also co-chair the Foundation’s Development Committee. Both Edelman and Grannon are past chairmen of the Board of Governors. Anisfield is past chairwoman of the Ramapo College Board of Trustees.

ships to more than 75 high school and college students. CIT has an on-site tutoring program for 30 children from a Newark elementary school and the company provides internships for college-bound students. In addition, many CIT employees serve on the boards of various educational organizations. Three Ramapo students —Andrea Ayers, Elsie Byers, and Keturah Hicks—were selected as CIT scholars this year. A student in the challenging biochemistry program, Ayers is thinking about majoring in nursing with a psychology minor. Hicks would like to major in business administration/ management. Byers is planning to major in literature, minor in theater, and earn her teaching certification. “I probably would have had to get a job, take fewer classes, or take out loans if it weren’t for my CIT scholarship,” said Hicks. “The scholarship has made it easier for me to focus on my school work and get good grades.” “We are very impressed with the quality of education Ramapo gives its students,” said Joe Leone, executive vice president and chief financial officer of CIT and a Ramapo College Foundation board member. “Together, CIT and Ramapo have been able

Philanthropic Lender CIT Group The CIT Group has often been featured in Ramapo Magazine, and, for good reason. The commercial and consumer finance leader and its employees have

Above: Millicent G. Anisfield, Mission Award recipient. Right: (l. to r.) Cathleen Davey, Executive Director, Ramapo College Foundation; Mark W. Grannon, Mission Award recipient; and Thomas Palmer, chairman, Board of Governors at the Mission Awards presentation. Below: Manfred H. Edelman, Mission Award recipient.

been faithful supporters of the College for more than six years. “Symbolic of CIT’s role as a responsible corporate citizen is its support in the area of education,” said Albert Gamper, president and chief executive officer. Since 1992 the company has provided nearly $1 million in academic scholarFA LL 20 01

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to provide an education to students who may not have had the wherewithal to attend college. Since education is a big part of CIT’s corporate giving program, and we are located in New Jersey, supporting Ramapo is a natural match for our philosophy.” On behalf of the Ramapo community, thanks, CIT!

Keturah Hicks, Andrea Ayers, along with Elsie Byers (pictured separately) were selected as CIT scholars. “Together, CIT and Ramapo have been able to provide an education to students who may not have had the wherewithal to attend college,” said Joe Leone, executive vice president and chief financial officer of CIT and a Ramapo College Foundation board member.

The Foundation Performing Arts Series sponsored by CIT Group presents four performances this season at the Berrie Center. Patrons of the Series will be enchanted by the prestigious Moscow Boys Choir on December 7, the resonant chords of Kenny Rankin on February 8, the amazing agility of the Peking Acrobats on March 17, and another offering in the spring. Series supporters dine before the performance and “meet the artist” at a recep-

Konica Photo Imaging Konica Photo Imaging has joined the Business Partners program at Ramapo College and a strong relationship between the company and the College is underway. Konica’s new North American headquarters is a welcome neighbor to the Ramapo College campus and other corporations in Mahwah’s Darlington section. After visiting the campus, Konica’s president Robert E. Striano said, “We want to be involved with the College. I would like to see coop students and interns working at Konica, and we

tion afterwards. Proceeds benefit the ongoing work of the Ramapo College Foundation. “The Series is a creative demonstration of how Ramapo is growing in new ways that continue to help students,” said Joe Leone, executive vice president and chief financial officer of CIT and a Ramapo College Foundation board member. For more information call the Ramapo College Foundation office at (201) 684-7613.

want to find out how we can assist the photography program.” Since its founding in 1875, Konica has explored unknown business territories and developed new products. Over the years, Konica’s pioneering spirit has yielded many innovations including Japan’s first brand-name camera, the first camera with built-in flash, and the first automatic focus camera. As people everywhere move into a networked, digitized age, Konica is positioned to provide imaging solutions in information processing, communications, and image storage.

Mark Grannon (right), co-chair of the Foundation’s Development Committee, recognized the Yampells (left) and international student recipient Harsh Shah (center) at the spring Scholarship Reception.

Growth in Foundation Scholarships and Awards Over 170 recipients received awards totaling $315,000 during 20002001, a 198 percent increase from FY ’98 through FY ’01. Growth in the number of endowed funds, plus an increase in market values of these funds, allowed the Foundation to assist more student scholars and projects that support the mission of the College. The market value

Todd Tereshkow, (l.) vice president for technical service, Konica Photo Imaging, demonstrates a color processing system in the Berrie Center’s photography lab for David Freund, M.F.A.(r.), professor of photography and Charles Marano, Mac systems administrator (background). Konica recently joined the Business Partners program at Ramapo College.

of College and Foundation endowment funds has increased 416 percent from FY ’96 through March 31, 2001 in FY ’ 01. One of the newer endowments was created by Bernice Yampell, former director of International Student Services, and her husband. Upon her retirement in 2000 they established the Bernice Yampell International Student Scholarship to recognize needy students from overseas who are quietly striving to complete their education. RA M A PO MA G A ZI N E

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Joshua Orwa Ojodeh ’90 Member of Parliament of Ndhiwa, Kenya Recipient of the 2001 President’s Award of Merit at Ramapo College Parents Advisory Council Is Growing

•Serve as advisors to College staff. •Assist the admissions office in attracting The Ramapo College qualified students. Parents Advisory Council •Garner support for the has accomplished a lot College and the Parents since its inception a year Fund. ago, thanks to the enthusiasm of its members. The •Plan events for parents Parents Council was formed to enjoy with their sons to give parents a way to and daughters. In addition to adopting a mission and bylaws, Council members participated in a number of on-campus activities including a Ramapo Bob Cottignies (r.), co-chair of the Parents Advisory Council, welcomes image camKen Rath, the father of a Ramapo College freshman, to the Council. paign focus group. They also talked to stay involved in their chilparents of incoming freshdren’s education and to get men during the Freshmen involved in the future of A d v i s o ry and Registration Ramapo College. The (FAR) days. A highlight of group’s mission is to: •Provide a means of the year was attending two-way communica- an event at the Berrie tion between parents Center with their Ramapo students. and the College.

by Janet Dengel

2001 Evelyn L. Atwater Scholarship recipient Cesarina Baez (right) attended the prestigious Tribute to Women and Industry (TWIN) Award Dinner with 2000 Atwater Scholarship recipient Elizabeth Caraballo (left) and presenter Susan Borea (center). This annual $1,000 award recognizes promising female Ramapo students whose goal is to pursue a career in business or industry.

“Joining the Parents Advisory Council gives you a voice on campus,” said Bob Cottignies, co-chair. “You feel that you are doing your part to make Ramapo College the best place for your son or daughter to be.” Last spring the Council launched an “Honor With Books” library bookplate program. Parents looking for a meaningful way to mark a special occasion—a birth, wedding, anniversary,

birthday, or graduation— can buy a bookplate that will be placed inside a new book in Ramapo’s George T. Potter Library. The bookplate will include the name of the person honored and the donor’s name. To join the Parents Advisory Council, or order a bookplate, call Janet Dengel, director of alumni relations and annual giving, at (201) 684-7179.

Minolta Summer Concert Series John Reardon (r.), vice president and general manager of Minolta Corporation and Dr. Rodney Smith, Ramapo College president, welcomed a large audience to the first of four summer concerts at the College sponsored by Minolta Corporation. Additional support for the series was provided by Commerce Bank North, Hudson United Bank, The Friends of Ramapo, and McBride Enterprises.

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Over 6,000 miles from his native Kenya, Joshua Ojodeh to Ramapo College to pursue a bachelor’s degree; he had always strolled the Ramapo campus on Commencement Day 2001 feel- planned to use his education to help his countrymen. While at ing right at home. Flashing a huge smile at his former professors Ramapo, Ojodeh majored in environmental studies and interna—who approached for a handshake or hug—marked a reunion tional business and was vice president of the International Stuafter a decade that has brought change to both Ramapo’s and dents Organization. Ojodeh’s worlds. After returning to Kenya, Ojodeh returned to his Ojodeh made his political alma mater to receive one of debut in 1992. Following a the highest honors bestowed failed run for Parliament, by the College: The PresiOjodeh spearheaded drastic dent’s Award of Merit. Initiinternal reforms to fight corated in 1994, the award recrupt elections. His outspoken ognizes accomplishments by criticism of the Kenyan politiRamapo College alumni and cal structure resulted in his serves as an inspiration to arrest, but also led to his vicboth alumni and students. tory by landslide margins in “To be here at Ramapo 1994 and 1997. Political and to receive this award is observers view Ojodeh as a one of my best moments,” liberal democrat, an active, says Ojodeh. “It comes as an p ro - re f o rm crusader for his honor not only to me, but constituents. His determinaalso to my entire contion and approach to issues stituency and my country. Let has earned him respect and me congratulate my profesadmiration within his country. sors at Ramapo, since they Referring to his activism, were inspirational and supOjodeh says, “A number of portive. They taught me to economic reforms are taking translate a vision into reality.” place. I am supportive and in Ramapo was home to favor of liberalization. HowOjodeh when he took part in ever, I will rise to fight should a student exchange prothe reform policies dictate gram. He received a liberal against the interests and ecoarts education, shared his culnomic welfare of my people. ture with other students, There are 28 million people grew stronger in his vision, in Kenya. Our main needs and gained the foundation are for a health center, needed to fulfill his dream: water projects, and school to return to Kenya and make improvement.” Alumnus Joshua Orwa Ojodeh, a member of Parliament in Kenya and recipient of the C o l l e g e ’s 2001 Pre s i d e n t ’s Aw a rd of Merit, addresses the Class of 2001 at commencement. a difference. Today, he is a Ojodeh’s visit was brief. member of Parliament repreParliament was still in session senting Ndhiwa, Kenya and a leader in his country’s transition to and his return flight was scheduled the day after commencea multi-party democracy. He was recently named an assistant min- ment. He left with words of thanks to the Ramapo community for ister for education, science, and technology. Known as the diplo- the education he received, for a donation of computers to stumatic flag-bearer of his political party, the National Development dents in Kenya, and for scholarships that allow students from his Party, Ojodeh is emerging as a driving force in Kenya for democ- country to receive an education at Ramapo that they could not racy, government reform, improved health care, and education. afford or obtain at home. He made one last stop on campus—the Ojodeh spent his childhood in a rural section of Kenya, an College bookstore to buy a fishing hat embroidered with area regarded by the elite as primitive. After high school, he came “Ramapo College of New Jersey.” 15

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The Ramapo Experience: An Imprint on the Lives of Several “First Grads” Back in the 1970s, those who enrolled in Ramapo—the new state college—were pioneers. Today, they are still pioneers—leaders in business, the environment, social work, and law. And, they remain dedicated to Ramapo College. Here, we highlight several Ramapo “firsts.”

Geri Squire, Esq. ’74 developed a passion for learning and teaching at Ramapo that led to a B.A. in psychology, two master’s degrees, and a law degree from Seton Hall. Squire has her own practice in Hackensack, specializing in family law, teaches at Seton Hall, and has published chapters in the New Jersey Transaction Guide. “Ramapo prepared me for real life. I like being in the courtroom. I’m proud to be part of the legal profession.” Jeffrey Warren ’73, senior director of alliance development at Pfizer Health Solutions in Parsippany, gives back to the students at Ramapo College. Warren and his wife Andrea established an endowed scholarship fund to benefit students with physical or learning disabilities in the School of Contemporary Arts. “Looking back, I fully appreciate the unique opportunities at Ramapo that helped shape my career,” said Warren. “In establishing a scholarship we hope to help a new generation of Ramapo students fulfill their dreams.” The first Jeffrey and Andrea Warren Scholarship was awarded for the fall 2001 semester. For Kay Dundorf ’78 , being executive director of One Stop Senior Services in Manhattan is a bigger challenge than it first appears. This FA LL 2 0 01

community center serves over 2,000 seniors and spans a “neighborhood” that stretches from 59th to 125th Street and Central Park West to the Hudson River. The One Stop Senior Support Project (OSSSP) is a new program for victims of elder abuse/neglect and their families. “As Ramapo celebrates its 30th anniversary, One Stop celebrates 20 years of service,” said Dundorf. “Ramapo nurtured me in my interest—the field of aging and the opportunity for humans to grow as we age.” After graduating Ramapo with a B.S. in environmental science, Joe Gearo ’78 pur-

Dennis Bonagura ’77 (center), president of EXTOL Incorporated, a leading provider of electronic business solutions located in Franklin Lakes, keeps the business in the Ramapo family by hiring other alumni and Ramapo students. Pictured above are (l. to r.): Ramapo student Thomas Van Beuzekom, James Piccione ’94, Ralph Cross ’01, and Ehren Hozumi ’99. EXTOL is also a new member of the Ramapo College Business Partners program.

tion. “I still wear my Ramapo ring and have my diploma mounted on my office wall,” said Gearo.

Donald J. Mahoney ’73 has always kept strong ties with Ramapo, serving on the executive committee of the

Distinguished Citizens Dinner in 1997. He also is a member of the Cancer Research Institute and serves on the board of directors of the Metropolitan Golf Writers Association.

Carry the Arch in Your Wallet

sued his dream of working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Gearo’s career has taken him around the country working on teams for the Superfund Program, the Clean Air Act, the EPA’s Emergency Response Team, the Safe Drinking Water Act, and more. Most recently, the U.S. Department of Energy appointed him as the director of environmental programs at the U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground, the nation’s chemical and biological defense installa-

Ramapo College Foundation Board of Governors for five years and the Foundation Golf Committee for four. His professional career includes serving as vice president of sales for Time Inc. Golf Properties. Mahoney was honored at the 16

Carry the Ramapo College Platinum PlusSM MasterCard® credit card—featuring the Arch—and support the College. Issued through MBNA America Bank, N.A., the Ramapo College credit card offers benefits including no annual fee, a low introductory annual percentage rate, fraud protection, 24-hour customer satisfaction, and access to Palladian Travel Services®. For each account opened and retail purchase made, a percentage is donated to the 2002 Annual Fund. Request your card by calling toll-free 1-866-GET-MBNA. (Use priority code B5QB.)

(l. to r.) Scholarship recipients Jennifer Mutch of Toms River and Yanivis Fragozo of Hawthorne receive congratulations from Mark W. Grannon, past chairman of the Ramapo College Foundation Board of Governors, and Kristan Mathews, Alumni Association Board member.

Alumni Welcome Class of 2001 On May 20, the eve of the 43rd Commencement, graduating seniors and their families gathered for a toast to congratulate the Class of 2001. Sponsored by the New Alumni Committee, the event hosted 175 people in the Grove for an outdoor welcome to our newest alumni. All ages had a great time honoring the Class of 2001: Shown (l. to r.) Margaret Griffin, Gladys Kahn, Leigh-Ann Lewis ’01, Jana Kahn ’01, Eileen Smith, Julia Smith ’01, and Charles Smith.

Alumni Association Scholarships Make Students’ Dreams Possible Created with gifts from former Ramapo students, the Alumni Association Scholarship endowment has grown dramatically thanks to the success of car raffles and the golf outing. Every year one freshman in each of Ramapo’s five schools receives an Alumni Scholarship. This year, the recipients were: Yanivis Fragozo, Jonathan Lasky, Jennifer Mutch, Kevin Pertusiello, and Kristin McCrea.

Where in the World Are Ramapo Alumni?

Alumni Board Welcomes New Members

A revised Ramapo College of New Jersey Alumni Directory will be the most up-todate and complete reference of alumni ever compiled. This volume, published by Bernard C. Harris Publishing Company, Inc., will include the current name, address, phone number, academic data, plus business information bound into a library-quality edition. All alumni with addresses on file in the alumni office will receive a questionnaire in the mail. Please complete and return it before the deadline indicated to be included in this publication. It’s a great way to reconnect and keep in touch.

Three new members were elected to the Ramapo College Alumni Board: Laurisa Palmer Sampson ’89, Jaguar Cars in Mahwah; Peter Morris ’96, second vice president - investments for Salomon Smith Barney; and Suzanne Adrion ’83, an adjunct professor at Ramapo. Suzanne, who is relocating to Rochester, NY, will serve as the first member of Ramapo’s National Alumni Board.

Fraternity Scholarship Established The Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity has established the Daniel F. Boylan Memorial Scholarship to perpetuate the memory of their beloved fraternity brother and alumnus of Ramapo College who died on March 2, 2001 at the age of 28. “Dan was always helping us out,” said junior Jordan Heykoop, a member of the fraternity. “This scholarship in his memory will benefit an active member of Alpha Epsilon Pi.” For information, call Claudia Esker at (201) 684-7374.

Laurisa Palmer Sampson ’89 and Peter Morris ’96

We at Ramapo College are deeply saddened by the tragic destruction of life in the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and in Pennsylvania. Our thoughts and prayers are with the injured or lost including the rescue workers. If we can reach out in any way to alumni, parents, friends, students, and the Ramapo family community, please let us know. RA M AP O M A GA Z IN E

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Alumni Board Members Sought The Ramapo College Alumni Board of Directors is looking for new committee members. If you have an interest in career networks, minority recruitment, business partners, special events, new alumni (five years or less), golf or other sports, please contact Janet Dengel at (201) 684-7179.

Golfers Enjoy a Day on the Links David Berntsen ’84, golf committee chair, did an outstanding job of putting together the annual golf outing. He motivated alumni to reach out to their companies and clients to support this event. Proceeds, totaling more than $5,000, will benefit student scholarships through the Alumni Association Endowed Scholarship Fund.

Did You Know?

Calendar

The Class of 2001 now brings our total number of alumni to 17,456 proud Ramapo graduates. Out of the more than 870 new alumni, 122 were students with double majors or minors; 128 received their degrees cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum laude; thirty one were international students from a total of thirteen foreign countries; seventy-three received master’s degrees; and seventysix were students in the EOF (Educational Opportunity Fund) program. Congratulations to all!

Check online at www.ramapo.edu for more information on these upcoming events. Alumni Art Auction (wine and cheese social)— November 30, 2001 at 7 p.m., The Robert A. Scott Student Center. Alumni who are interested in providing works of art for the auction may contact Bryan Steros ’98, assistant director of annual giving and alumni relations at (201) 684-7115 or e-mail bsteros@ramapo.edu.

Births

Weddings

Nancy (Zaczek) Collentine ’89 and Dan, a daughter,

to Lisa Cappelluti

Giuseppe Castellano ’98

Paula Ann Montalbano ’98 to Mathew C. Rubenacker Karen A. Pascale ’83 to

Tanya Michelle Cole ’96

Danielle Joy

Mary Berntsen Hutchins ’90 and Curtis, a daughter, Sarah Nicole

Russ Klepper ’87 and Eileen, twins, Maeve Bridgit and Cornelius Quinn

Alumni Basketball Reunion—February 9, 2002 Last year 27 former players took the court. Will you be among them this year? Get together, shoot some hoops, and have fun!

to Stephen Giordano

Richard J. Apgar

Scott Engelhardt ’98 to Kathryn DiGiovanni ’96 Marc David Lewis ’92 to

David Liss

Constance Lee Gucker

to Yael Nagler

Alumni Ice Hockey Reunion—March 2002 Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame—April 27, 2002 The committee is working on the selection of candidates for this prestigious honor. If you know of a deserving Ramapo athlete, contact Bryan Steros.

Below: The Student Alumni Association, a club with the goal of bridging the gap between students and alumni, hosted a Student Alumni Banquet in March. The event provided an opportunity for students and alumni to meet and network.

Lehmann works with the New York State Division of Veterans as a counselor. He wrote to share a memory: “Ramapo opened its arms to many veterans returning from Vietnam. Many times over the years, I have talked to Vietnam veterans who are suffering with post-traumatic stress disorder. I invariably think back to Ramapo and reflect on the support system we had there. The College allowed

Rabbi Shefa

ulty, and staff at Ramapo on the topic of “Living with Wonder and Wisdom: Exploring the Connections Between Spiritual Well-Being and Our Career Paths.”

’82

Barbara

Baldacci received a promotion to assistant treasurer and assistant controller in Interchange Bank’s accounting

Right: Thanks to the generous donations of local businesses and the green thumbs of the New Alumni Committee, the garden by Mahwah’s train station is in bloom!

Mike

Michael Zimerman ’00

Gold spoke to students, fac-

as a salesperson in the computer field. He also has his own Internet business buying, selling, and trading sports cards and sports memorabilia on eBay. Domonkos is active with organizations that support and protect the Second Amendment. He and his wife Connie reside in Manchester, NJ.

Jonathan Harelick ’97 Barbara Pape ’80

Christine Tibaldi ’94 to

’78

’74 Kenneth Domonkos is employed

’75

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In Memoriam

department. She also serves as the treasurer of Fair Lawn High School Friends of Music.

Martha “Marty” Tappan received West Milford’s Mary B. Hasse Lifetime Achievement Award for her years of volunteer work and leadership in the borough with Cub Scouts, the West Milford Garden Club, the League of Women Voters, the West Milford Band Parents Association, the Highlands Audubon Society, the Skylands Association, the West Milford

us to function, grow, heal, learn, and make something of ourselves.”

’76

Marian L.

Sennett teaches at Coral Springs Middle School in Coral Springs, FL. As a surprise for Teacher Appreciation Week, May 6-12, the principal of the school contacted the Ramapo College Alumni Office, which then sent a letter of congratulations to Sennett and a CD holder printed with the Ramapo Arch.

’75-76 Ramapo College Ice Hockey Team was inducted into the Ramapo College Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001. Coached by Artie Chill ’74, this “super team” had a 29 game unbeaten streak, a 15 game winning streak, outscored opponents 285-73 goals, and boasted eight shutouts. They dominated the competition en route to the league championship.

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’84

CLASS NOTES

Bruce Mitchell

was elected chairman of the Waldwick Zoning Board of Adjustments. He and Joann Frijia Mitchell ’86 celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary this year.

’85

Robert C. Vliet was named first vice president of Valley National Bank, Wayne and will be responsible for collection of delinquent retail loans. He is active in his home community of Wayne as a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity.

Joseph Kelly ’77, his mother Kathryn ’88, and his daughter Carolyn ’01 have made history by becoming the first family to have three generations graduate from Ramapo College. Joseph graduated with a fine arts degree, teaches in the Jersey City school system, and is pursuing his master’s degree in special education at New Jersey City University. Kathryn, now a retired substitute teacher, worked at Ramapo and obtained her degree as an adult student. Carolyn received her degree in history and a teacher certification at this year’s 43rd Commencement. She is the assistant director of School Age Childcare in Leonia’s afterschool program.

Environmental Commission, and the Friends of the Librar y. Tappan also serves as a church elder and the director of Christian education at West Milford Presbyterian Church.

’83

is proud that the department is celebrating its 30th anniversary, now enrolls more than 2,000 students, and has twenty students majoring in black studies. Conyers received his doctorate in African-American studies from Temple University.

James Conyers serves as the department chairman of the University of Nebraska’s Black Studies Department. He

Robert J. Skead

’89

Lesley Maklin

graduated from Fordham University’s School of Education in May 2001 with a professional diploma in School District Administration and Supervision. Maklin is an executive member of the Ramapo College Alumni Association.

Andy Latincsics teaches chemistry at Lenape Valley Regional High School in Stanhope.

’94

Kirk Schuh

joined Shoppers Charge Accounts in Mahwah, as a

’91 Timothy Greene was inducted into the Ramapo College Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame for 2001. Green achieved 1,208 career points at Ramapo, earning him a ranking of third on the All-Time Scoring list. Greene holds the record at Ramapo of 23 (l.) Todd Meyer welcomes Timothy Greene rebounds in one game ’91 into the Ramapo College Alumni Athletic and led the New Jersey Hall of Fame. Athletic Conference in rebounding in ’89, ’90, and ’91. He was Ramapo Basketball’s Most Valuable Player in ’88 and ’90 and College Athlete of the Year in 1990. Greene was honored by being chosen for the All-NJAC in ’90 and ’91 and All East Coast Athletic Conference in ’91.

Barbara Klemt will be profiled in the 2001 Directory of American Scholars, a Gale Group reference book that features the best scholars in the United States and Canada. Klemt is being recognized for achievement in English and journalism. She recently adopted a chow mix from an animal shelter and named the dog J.D. in honor of late entertainer John Denver, the subject of Klemt’s doctoral dissertation and three conference presentations. 20

was inducted into the Ramapo College Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame for 2001. Ramapo named Schifano “Woman Athlete of the Year” and “Most Valuable Player.” Bergen County honored her as one of the “Women of Strength and Vision” who sucAssistant athletic director Kathleen Finnegan cessfully combines ath(r.) welcomes Barbara Schifano into the letic excellence, leaderRamapo College Alumni Athletic Hall of Fame. ship, and academic achievement. As a freshman catcher, Schifano had 120 putouts and 30 assists without committing an error in regular or post-season play. In 1987, she was rated number one in the country with 53 RBI’s and reached the Top 10 in the country in batting average and doubles.

Eric Melniczek is a graduate student at Virginia Tech pursuing a master’s degree in higher education and student affairs administration. He works in the university’s Career Services Office and can be reached at emelnicz@vt.edu.

Larry Moran

is the vice president of sales and marketing for Econium, Inc. in Totowa, a technology consulting firm which specializes in building customized communications solutions for businesses.

Ed Sroczynski

works as an employment specialist for Lighthouse, a Manhattan organization that works with the visually impaired. Sroczynski, visually impaired since birth, discovered a love for music and shares his folk, jazz, rock, and classical music at local restaurants and coffeehouses in New York and New Jersey.

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is the author of a children’s book, Hitting Glory: A Baseball Bat Adventure, recently published by Cross Training Publishing. He is the author of two other children’s fiction novels, Safe At Home: A Baseball Card Mystery and Elves Can’t Dunk.

Noeline M. Grefrath is a teacher at Jessie F. George School in the Township of Washington. She recently graduated with honors from Iona College with a master of science in teaching (MST). Grefrath is also a member of the Westwood Library Board, serving as an alternate for Dr. Roy Montesano, superintendent of schools, and has served the board both as vice president and treasurer.

’92 Barbara Schifano

national account manager. He previously worked for DialAmerica Marketing in Mahwah.

’95

Maureen Marrone, manager, visual merchandising, at Hunter Douglas, Inc. was named a 2001 TWIN (Tribute to Women in Industry) Honoree. Marrone is responsible for the company’s visual merchandising image. She also served as co-chair of a Women in Industry event, raising $140,000 to fight breast cancer.

Johann Grimm received a commission from the United States Army as a Second Lieutenant in Military Intelligence. He has also begun coursework for a master’s degree in International Relations at George Mason University.

Marcella Runell is the

Damien McKeever is the associate director of information systems with the New Jersey Education Association. He develops new and existing custom software applications as well as the organization’s Website and Internet applications.

coordinator of student and club development at New York University. She received her master’s degree from NYU in higher education administration with a concentration in multicultural education. Runell just returned from Poland as a facilitator for the March of Remembrance and Hope, which gathered 400 college students from around the world for a mission to study prejudice and hate during the Holocaust.

’96

Natascha Estep is the president of her own liqueur importing company. She imports the first and only German plum liqueur into the United States, which is served at many fine restaurants in New Jersey.

’00

’97

Claudia

Lori Ebanietti

received the Bergen County technology fellowship from the New Jersey Department of Education. She travels to conferences in Bergen County, the state, and nationwide to speak on how to infuse technology into teaching and teacher training. Ebanietti also presented at the Tech Share 2001 Confer-

BS ’01 MBA Bakhtiary is

employed as a materials planner for Wyeth-Ayerst in Pearl River, NY. She is in the children’s vaccine division.

ence at Bergen Community College. She graduated from Ramapo with a master of science in education technology.

Iva Cadmus is a freelance writer covering sports for The Star Gazette and a substitute teacher in special education.

Judy Keyes has been named market research officer at Columbia Savings Bank in Fair Lawn. Keyes will be responsible for research and analysis of present and potential markets, products, and services in support of Columbia’s marketing objectives.

’01

Glenn Fallon

is the manager of media relations for the Newark Bears minor league baseball club. He was an intern there during his senior year at Ramapo and joined full-time after graduation. He reports that the Bears had a great season!

How long has it been since your fellow graduates at Ramapo College have seen your smiling face? Now they can— right on the pages of Ramapo Magazine! Send us a recent photo along with the latest news on your careers, family, milestones, and events in your life. Mail to: Bryan Steros, assistant director, Annual Giving and Alumni Relations, 505 Ramapo Valley Rd., Mahwah, NJ 07430. Visit our new and improved Web pages at www.ramapRA o.MA edPO u. M We’d love to AG A Z IN E hear from you!

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Athletes and Coaches Pave Winning Road Valloni, a catcher and the baseball team’s batting leader, led the Roadrunners to its first-ever Easter College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Metro Championship and its first NJAC playoff slot since 1989. Valloni hit .346 with 12 homeruns and 33 RBIs.

finishing the year eighth in the nation in points per game and third in assists. The Rookie Athletes of the Year were R o n n a Killins of Harrisburg, PA and Kris Fraser of Lakewood. Killins had an outstanding indoor track season winning the 800M run, was a member of the second place distance medley team, and the third place 4X400 relay team at the NJAC Championship. Continuing her success in outdoor track and field, she was crowned the NJAC 800M champion and qualified for the ECAC Championship. Fraser helped lead the men’s volleyball team to a 25-6 overall record and the NECVA Metro West Division Championship. He totaled 319 kills, 139 digs, 84 blocks, and 75 service aces and was named to the Northeast Collegiate Volleyball Association (ECVA) All-Conference Second Team for his efforts.

Above: Jason Valloni (l.) and Corey Brown are the Robert Hartman Male Athletes of the Year. Right: Advantage Bette Farber and Ramapo! Farber led the women’s tennis team to its best overall record in more than five years. For her efforts she was named a Betty Logan Female Athlete of the Year.

Students who participate in Ramapo College’s competitive sports programs serve as off-campus ambassadors for the College by demonstrating cooperative e ff o rt, skill, and spirit. These highly motivated students were recently honored at the annual Sports Award Luncheon along with their coaches. It was a festive celebration of yearlong achievements. Senior Corey Brown of East Orange and junior Jason Valloni of Katonah, NY were honored as the Robert Hartman Male Athletes of the Year. Brown led the men’s basketball team to an 11-13 overall record and was named to the NJAC AllConference Second Team after averaging 14.8 points per game and shooting 59 percent from the floor. F AL L 20 0 1

Bette Farber of Yardville and Amy Gordon of Middletown were named the Betty Logan Female Athletes of the Year. Farber led the women’s tennis team to its best overall record in more than five years (8-6) and finished the season with an 8-2 singles’ record. She was also named to the NJAC All-Conference Singles Team. Gordon led the women’s soccer team to a 9-7 record, the best in the history of the program. She finished the year with 17 goals and 14 assists, leading the NJAC in both categories and

Ramapo women’s soccer player Amy Gordon finished the year eighth in the nation in points per game and third in assists. The Betty Logan Female Athlete of the Year led the College’s team to a 9-7 record, the best in the history of the program.

ROADRUNNERS Three head coaches shared the Coach of the Year Award. Women’s tennis coach Chuck McBreen guided his team to an 8-6 overall record, bringing them over .500 for the first time in more than five years. Don Vanderbeck coached men’s volleyball, capping an outstanding season with a NECVA Metro West Division Championship. Rich Martin led the baseball team to a 25-13 record, its first-ever ECAC Division III Metro Tournament Championship, and a NJAC Playoff slot.

Baseball Claims ECAC Championship In his first season as head coach, Rich Martin did what every coach sets out to do: take his team to a post-season championship. Under his guidance, the 2001 baseball team was crowned the ECAC Division III Metro Champions—the first time in the history of the program. The Roadrunners earned the top seed in the four-team tournament and defeated conference rival Kean University (9-7) on the Ramapo home field in Mahwah. An eighth inning rally gave the Roadrunners the tournament title as Ramapo scored six runs on four hits with two Cougar errors, retiring four Kean pitchers in the inning. Ramapo defeated FDU Madison (43) in the opening game of the tournament. The Most Valuable Player of the tournament was Roadrunner junior catcher, Jason Valloni. In two games he went 3-8 with two RBI and three runs scored. The Roadrunners ended the season with an outstanding 27-15 record, their best finish in more than ten years. Throughout the regular season, the team enjoyed an 11-7 NJAC record and had impressive victories against William Paterson (19-7), Rowan (10-7), and Rutgers Newark (12-1). The

Champion Highlights

Roadrunners’ most important regular season win came when they swept a double header against Rutgers Camden (12-2/10-9) to earn the fourth spot in the NJAC Championship Tournament.

tive victories in a season. The team went on to earn the fourth seed in the NECVA Championship Tournament.

Softball Earns Tournament Bid

Men’s Volleyball Crowned Regular Season Champions

The Roadrunner softball team ended the 2001 season with a 23-16 overall record and earned the number three seed in the ECAC Division III South Softball Championship. This was the Roadrunners’ first tournament appearance since 1993.

The men’s volleyball team reveled in a 25-6 overall record, 12-2 NECVA, and ended the regular season in Clarks Summit, PA against Stevens Institute of Technology where they clinched the Division III Metro West Championship Title. This season, the team recorded the best record of all Division III schools in the nation. The Roadrunners’ 25 wins gave them the most victories in five years, closing the season ranked 11 th in the nation with nationally ranked players Chris Baron, Kyle Boettke, and Kris Fraser. Baron ranked ninth in kill average and 20th in blocking, Boettke ranked 11th in blocking, and Fraser third in service ace average. The successful season included an impressive 15-match winning streak with the Roadrunners defeating Mount St. Vincent (3-0), Stevens Tech (3-2), Baptist Bible (3-0), and Rivier (3-2). The streak gave the Roadrunners national recognition for the most consecu-

Fall Sports Kick Off 2001 Season A score of team-sport opportunities are open to athletically minded students. Fall sports action includes men and women’s soccer, women’s tennis, cross-country, and women’s volleyball.

(5-0) and had a repeat performance against SUNY Farmingdale (7-0). Another senior, Amy Gordon, a Betty Logan Female Athlete of the Year, tallied five goals and one assist in the SUNY game. More soccer news… rookie goalkeeper Rich Wolfle recorded his first shutout of the season after blocking two shots in a game against SUNY Old Westbury (2-0). In the first cross-country meet of the season at the William Paterson University Invitational, senior Brian Daly was selected the Big Time Performer of the Week running a time of 29:49 and placing 10th overall. The Big Time Performer for the women was Ronna Killins who placed 6th with a time of 21:23.

Kudos to senior goalkeeper Alissa Calandra who recorded her first shut out of the season as the Ramapo College women’s soccer team defeated St. Joe’s Patchogue

RA M APO M AG A Z IN E

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INSECTION THE SPOTLIGHT NAME

An International Business Major Gains Global Perspective RJ Turchick, a 21-year-old senior, embodies Ramapo’s goal to be the college of choice for a global education. He has participated in the entire spectrum of experiential opportunities: the Study Abroad Program, the Cooperative Education Program, the International Cooperative Education Program, and the National Student Exchange Program. More than forty of the credits he has earned have come from off-campus, and in many cases, international experiences. While a sophomore, RJ, who grew up in Kinnelon went to Costa Rica through Ramapo’s Study Abroad program. “Costa Rica was awesome and the experience made me want to see more of the world,” he says. Now, RJ is the International Cooperative Education Program’s first student to be placed in Latin America. He is participating in a twosemester opportunity to teach English as a second language (ESL) at INTENSA Language School in San José, Costa Rica. “I love Costa Rica and this allowed me to return to friends and favorite places.”

RJ does not speak Spanish fluently and is taking language classes. “Living in a foreign country is the best way to learn another language. I am forced to speak Spanish every day. Whether it is talking with teachers or my friends, there are ample opportunities to properly learn the language.” Turchick says he has gained personal satisfaction and self-respect by teaching ESL. San José is the capital city of Costa Rica. RJ describes it as a developed city with many of the amenities available in the United States. “Once you leave the Central Valley and head into the mountains, you run into the tropical lush countryside with rainforests, beaches, and waterfalls. Since I am earning Costa Rican wages, I can’t afford many things. However, I have a nice apartment with everything I need at the moment.” “When I first met RJ, he was working as a manager for a local furniture store,” says Donna Kauder, Ramapo’s director of international cooperative education. “For such a young person, he already had

assumed so much responsibility in the work world while maintaining a near perfect GPA.” Indeed, his resume is impressive. In 1999, Turchick was placed with Production Groups International (PGI), a global events and conferences company in Manhattan. This placement was part of a dual-city internship that led him to work for PGI in London the following semester. There, he attended marketing functions promoting the company and its services. “Working and living in London helped me grow as an individual,” he says, “not only by adjusting to another culture and country, but also by finding a flat in an unknown place and supporting myself mentally and physically to handle the immense challenge of living and working abroad.” The following semester, Turchick took part in the National Student Exchange Program (NSE) and lived and studied at Florida International University (FIU) in Miami. He continued working for PGI, this time as an on-site staff member providing meeting and greet-

November

8 ing services at local airports and transportation for almost 1,000 program participants. At FIU, Turchick kept his high GPA and was inducted into Delta Mu Delta, the business honor society. Not surprisingly, PGI offered him the opportunity to work in their San José, Costa Rica office. “When the company asked me to stay on, I gladly accepted,” he says. Turchick is matter-offact about his determination. “I have to work to support myself while in school. I always put schoolwork before work. At times, this is difficult, but I get through it. It has made me a stronger person for being able to successfully balance school and work.” Taking life one day, or perhaps one semester, at a time, RJ is not sure what’s next. The international business major plans to graduate in May of 2002. He would like to earn a master’s degree and live and work outside the United States. “I had no idea when I started Ramapo four years ago that my college career would take this turn. I think it is incredible.”

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Recess: Translating the New 1:15 – 2:15 p.m. Disc Jockeys and Musical Mediation: Kai Fikentscher Berrie Center, Adler Theater, Free Club Adler 8 p.m. The Comedy of Flash Rosenberg: Camping in the Bewilderness Berrie Center, Adler Theater, $17, $15, $10, $5

“Freedom and Its Enemies” 5 p.m. John Stossel, ABC News Correspondent, “20/20” Sponsored by the School of Administration and Business and the Business Network The Pavilion

New Jersey Tap Ensemble 3 p.m. Rhythm is Our Business Berrie Center, Sharp Theater, $18, $15, $10, $5 Jazz at the Berrie Center 8 p.m. Friends of WBGO Radio Jazz Jam Berrie Center, Sharp Theater, $15, $12, $7, $5

Recess: Translating the New 1:15 – 2:15 p.m. The Contemporary Curator: Sydney O. Jenkins Berrie Center, Adler Theater, Free Jazz at the Berrie Center 8 p.m. The American Songbook: Of Thee I Swing Dick Hyman, Piano and Ken Peplowski, Clarinet Berrie Center, Sharp Theater, $20, $15, $10, $5 Chinese Theater Workshop 3 p.m. A Presentation of Little Red Riding Hood: the Chinese Opera Berrie Center, Sharp Theater, $15, $12, $7, $5

Winter 2002 Academic Calendar • November 1 - January 1: Winter 2002 Web Registration • November 2 - January 1: Winter 2002 Registration – all students • January 2 - First Day of Classes for Winter 2002

December

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• January 25 – Last day of Winter 2002 semester

York Room Salon Series 3 p.m. Musicora York Room, The Mansion, $7

For events at the Berrie Center, call (201) 684-7844 For tickets for Alumni events, call (201) 684-7115 For Ramapo College Foundation and Friends of Ramapo events, call (201) 684-7613

Fall Colloquium Series 4 – 6 p.m. Professor Ira Spar discusses his current research Sponsored by the School of American and International Studies York Room, The Mansion Moscow Boys Choir 8 p.m. Christmas Around the World Berrie Center, Sharp Theater, $20, $17, $10, $5 Carolyn Dorfman Dance Company 8 p.m. Mayne Mentchn (My People) Berrie Center, Sharp Theater, $20, $17, $10, $5

The menacing, yet magnificent, crater of the Poas Volcano that Turchick visited in his free time.

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505 Ramapo Valley Road Mahwah, NJ 07430-1680

New Jersey’s Public Liberal Arts College

Facts, Figures and “Fun”damentals About the Class of 2005 The Ramapo College community warmly welcomes the incoming freshman class, the Class of 2005.

What percent of the class rated Ramapo as their first or second choice of college? More than 94 percent

Most common first names? Michael James Matthew Brian Daniel Ryan Jennifer Jessica Lauren Heather Kristin Kristen

14 10 9 8 7 6 12 12 11 10 9 8

How many in the Class of 2005 ranked in the top 10% of their graduating high school class?

What percent of the class live in Ramapo residence halls? 85 percent of incoming freshmen live on campus

The class of 2005 re p resents how many states and countries? Members of the class entered from nineteen counties in New Jersey and five other states: New York, Connecticut, California, Pennsylvania, and Vermont. Sixteen foreign countries are represented: Yugoslavia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Kenya, India, Bangladesh, Ukraine, Peru, Pakistan, Ghana, Saudi Arabia, Nepal, Ethiopia, France, South Korea, and Syria.

101 students

How many scored over 1200 on the SATs? 104 students

How many of the Class of 2005 w e re accepted through the Immediate Decision Day process? 144 freshmen

In what activities were our newest students involved during high school? Band Drama Student Council Athletics Religious volunteers Camp counselors Peer Leaders Community volunteers Foreign language clubs

Chorus Musicals Class Officers Cheerleaders Lifeguards Newspaper staff Yearbook staff SADD Chess

What are some of their accomplishments? National Honor Society Who’s Who Edward J. Bloustein Distinguished Scholars Eagle Scouts Gold Award winners Boys/Girls State Selection to the Foundation for Free Enterprise seminar

Most common birthdays? Six students share these birth dates: January 18; March 10; April 6; June 21; July 26 Five students celebrate on each of these dates: January 27; February 3 and 26; March 8, 16, and 22; April 1; June 4; July 17; August 30; September 23; October 11 and 28; November 6

How many applications did the Office of Admissions receive for the Class of 2005? 3,550 freshmen applications

How many freshmen applicants were accepted? 1,497 (42.2%) Ramapo is one of only 115 schools nationwide (out of nearly 2,000) that admits fewer than 50 percent of its applicants.