MAHWAH, N.J. – In a strategic move to bolster academic excellence and innovation, Ramapo College of New Jersey is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Joyce Shim as Vice Provost for Academic and Faculty Affairs.��

Shim, who assumed the role on July 15, 2024, will oversee the development and implementation of academic policies, facilitate faculty affairs, and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of academic programs. Her experience and vision will be invaluable in supporting faculty and enhancing educational offerings to meet the evolving needs of Ramapo’s students and communities.

“Our mission of academic excellence through interdisciplinary and experiential learning and international and intercultural understanding requires skilled and visionary academic leadership,” said Ramapo College Provost Dr. Michael Middleton.�� “I am thrilled that Dr. Shim will join us in support of that mission. Her experience and vision will be invaluable in supporting our faculty and enhancing our educational offerings to meet the evolving needs of our students and communities.”

Shim joins Ramapo from the State University of New York (SUNY) Delhi where she was instrumental in supporting faculty in their teaching and research endeavors, fostering an inclusive academic community, and supporting global education and sustainable innovation. She oversaw the restructuring of schools with responsibility for onsite and online degree programs spanning nursing and arts and sciences, which align with the College’s digital learning and diversity initiatives.

A distinguished researcher and publisher, Shim has been honored twice as a Fulbright Specialist (Russia 2018, Colombia 2021). She is also the recipient of the New Jersey Senate Award and General Assembly Award for Distinguished Contribution to Immigrant Communities, and currently serves on the board of Master Foundation and Transdiaspora Network.

Shim holds a doctorate and dual master’s degrees from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University-New Brunswick. She is a proud Korean American, daughter of immigrant parents, and sister of a U.S. Army chaplain.��

MAHWAH, N.J. – Ramapo College of New Jersey is one of the , according to Money Magazine’s 2024 list. Only the top 745 colleges and universities in the nation made the list.

Factors including graduation rates, cost of attendance, and financial aid were analyzed to determine the number of stars (with five being the highest) an institution received. Ramapo College is in good company with its 4.5 star rating, just behind the two five-star ranked New Jersey institutions: Princeton University and New Jersey Institute of Technology.��

“This honor affirms Ramapo’s commitment to and prioritization of accessible and affordable education to all students,” said Ramapo College President Dr. Cindy Jebb. “We also know that much of what makes Ramapo so special is not always captured in college rankings—our inclusive community, academic distinction, culture of mentorship, and focus on student well-being.”

As noted by Money in its rating, “Ramapo College has made a name for itself in the 50 years since its foundation in 1969.” With almost 3,000 four-year colleges and universities in the U.S., being on the shortlist is testimony to the college’s continued ascension.

In 2023, Ramapo College enrolled its largest class in five years, which was also the most diverse and second largest in college history. In 2024, students, faculty, and staff were awarded internationally renowned Fulbright awards. Next month, Cheickna Traore ‘23 will be the college’s first student athlete to compete in , and for the seventh year in a row, Ramapo is #1 in New Jersey and ranked top 2% nationally for best residence halls.

Photo credit: Ian Dubac/Ian Matthew Photography

To learn more about Ramapo College, visit ramapo.edu.��

MAHWAH, N.J. – President Joe Biden has appointed Ramapo College Ombudsman John Woods, Jr., to the . The ICSID is the premier global institution specializing in resolving disputes between investors and states through international arbitration. Woods will serve a six-year term through 2030 on the panel.

“I am humbled that I was selected by President Biden to serve in this capacity,” said Woods. “From the quest to sustain industrial peace to formulating equitable solutions in addressing international investment disputes, the world is increasingly leaning in and leveraging Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to resolve both domestic and cross-border conflict. I am excited to serve and contribute to advancing this effort.”

In his capacity as Ramapo College Ombudsman, Woods serves as a confidential resource to assist in resolving disputes such as interpersonal and workplace conflict through ADR processes such as mediation. He identifies systemic organizational issues and trends as well as provides recommendations that contribute to organizational development and training to address such issues, which positions him well for the work he will perform on the ICSID panel. “Conflict is inevitable. Therefore, forward-looking and successful organizations, industries, as well as countries, develop systems to adequately process conflict,” he shared. With his appointment to the World Bank-ICSID panel, Woods will also apply ADR processes to assist in resolving international investment disputes. ��

The ICSID functions as a global court for international investment disputes that was established in 1966 by treaty, the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States.�� ICSID provides for the settlement of disputes by conciliation, mediation, arbitration or fact-finding. Countries (nation-states) have agreed on ICSID as a forum for investor-State dispute settlement in most international investment treaties and in numerous investment laws and contracts.����

Woods is also the founder of the , for which he was awarded the Fulbright Scholars Award in 2024. The GNDI is a training, capacity building, and technical assistance program designed to train students and future leaders from U.S. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), as well as African and Caribbean institutions. The principles of ADR and processes are integrated within international development efforts. Woods will also serve as a visiting/guest faculty member at the University of the West Indies (Cave Hill Campus, Barbados) where he will provide instruction on international dispute resolution.

This season’s lineup is packed with talent. Enjoy the musical stylings of:

Captain Jack (Billy Joel tribute): Thursday, June 27

The Infernos Salute to America: Thursday, July 11 (fireworks at dusk)

Asbury Fever (Bruce Springsteen tribute): Thursday, July 18 (rain date for fireworks)

Super Trans Am (Super 70s concert experience): Thursday, July 25��

All concerts are from 7 – 9 p.m. rain or shine at Ramapo College, 505 Ramapo Valley Road, Mahwah, NJ. Admission is free. Parking is $5 per car. Concertgoers should bring chairs and blankets. In case of inclement weather, the shows will be held indoors in the air-conditioned Bradley Center Arena. Please email foundation@ramapo.edu or call 201-684-6834 with questions.��

In addition to TD Bank, the Summer Concert Series is sponsored by Liberty Cars of New Jersey and Friends of Ramapo. A snack bar, sponsored by Inserra Supermarkets, along with Conrad’s Homemade Ice Cream Truck and Kona Ice of Paramus, will be available. Visit the Summer Concert Series website for a full list of sponsors and to inquire about sponsoring this summer favorite series.��

To learn more about Ramapo College, visit ramapo.edu.��

Mahwah, N.J.-�� Ramapo College has been selected as New Jersey’s northern region climate change education center for K-12 school districts. The $650,000 is the largest amount awarded by the New Jersey Department of Education for its initiative.��

As New Jersey’s top public liberal arts college, Ramapo College is well-positioned to deliver professional development with an interdisciplinary approach, which is fundamental to its liberal arts education, values, and mission. New Jersey school teachers will be equipped to incorporate climate change education into lesson plans in not only science and social studies, but art, world languages, and physical education, to name a few.��

“Preparing teachers and local education agencies will result in increasing student understanding of the most critical issues facing the planet,” said Dr. Adam Fried, assistant dean for teacher education at Ramapo College. “Alignment of the plan with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in all content areas will result in an interdisciplinary, real-world approach to the issues resulting from climate change necessary to solve the problems we are facing.”

The Learning Commons, home of the George T. Potter Library

Ramapo College has established three regional training centers, known as community-based organizations (CBOs), to serve seven counties in the northern region: The in Bergen County, the in Morris County, the in Sussex County. Ramapo College will deliver in-person training for teachers and educators at the sites. Virtual instruction opportunities will be provided along with a robust climate change interactive website that includes a library of resources by grade level for all content areas as well.��

New Jersey is the first state to mandate the incorporation of climate change education across subjects in the K-12 curriculum. “Our nation-leading climate change education standards are setting New Jersey students up for a successful future as climate literate leaders of tomorrow,” said First Lady Tammy Murphy.

For more information about Ramapo College and teacher education, visit .

“Lieutenant Governor Way is an inspiring public servant and sincere advocate for the students of New Jersey. We are honored to have her celebrate this day with us,” said Ramapo College President Cindy Jebb, adding, “She is a leader who exemplifies Ramapo College’s commitment to developing empathetic problem solvers, ethical change agents, and responsible leaders. Her influence and decision-making continues to enhance the quality of life for all New Jerseyans.”

The Lieutenant Governor’s commitment to education and leadership mirrors the values of Ramapo College. “I am thrilled to join Ramapo College later this month to provide commencement remarks to the Class of 2024,” said Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way. “As this year’s graduating class looks to set out into the world, representing the best of what an education from a New Jersey institution has to offer, I look forward to providing words of encouragement as they enter the next chapter of their lives. This talented group of graduates will undoubtedly make their mark as the future leaders of our state and country.”

The ceremony will be held at Prudential Center in Newark on Wednesday, May 29, 2024. Doors will open at 7:30 a.m. The ceremony will begin with the academic processional at 8:40 a.m. Persons unable to attend may enjoy the ceremony via livestream on ramapo.edu/commencement.��

The Class of 2024 includes more than 1,160 degree candidates. Nursing major and first-generation student Nashari Payano of South Amboy, N.J. will address her classmates as the Undergraduate Student Speaker.��

The Honor Guard is composed of graduates selected by their respective school deans for their scholarship and contributions to Ramapo College. The following students will lead their schools during the ceremony by carrying their school’s gonfalon and addressing their peers:

• Dynazia Holness of Camden, N.J., School of Social Science and Human Services
• Rojja Kharel of Kathmandu Nepal, School of Humanities and Global Studies
• Anna Kozan of Lincoln Park, N.J., School of Theoretical and Applied Science
• Mia Schutz of Metuchen, N.J., School of Contemporary Arts
• Chris Vedra of Maywood, N.J., Anisfield School of Business

Madison Weeks of Mount Laurel, N.J. was selected by the Student Government Association to carry the Ramapo College gonfalon.��

The Ramapo College Graduate Programs Commencement will be held on its beautiful Mahwah campus on Wednesday, May 22, 2024.�� The degrees of more than 280 master’s and doctoral students will be conferred this year. Doors will open at 4 p.m. and the academic processional will begin at 5:15 p.m. The graduates will be led by Kelly O’Reilly of Wayne, N.J. and Joan Pollner of Phillipsburg, N.J., who comprise the Honor Guard. The 2024 Graduate Student Speaker is two-time alumnus and Ramapo College EOF Student Development Specialist Keivon Hemmings of Newark, N.J., who also served as the 2018 Undergraduate Student Speaker. Tickets are required for all guests. Additional information can be found on the Ramapo College Commencement website: ramapo.edu/commencement.

Tahesha L. Way, Esq.

Tahesha L. Way serves as New Jersey’s 3rd Lieutenant Governor. She was appointed to the position by Governor Phil Murphy on September 8, 2023.

A lifelong public servant, Lieutenant Governor Way has devoted her entire career to improving the lives of her fellow New Jerseyans. Over the past two decades, she has served at numerous levels of local and state government.

As Lieutenant Governor, Ms. Way brings her extensive experience to bear on addressing the greatest challenges facing New Jerseyans — from making life more affordable, to protecting fundamental freedoms—like access to reproductive health care and equality under the law — to maintaining New Jersey’s reputation as the best and safest state to raise a family.

In addition to her role as Lieutenant Governor, Ms. Way also serves as New Jersey’s 34th Secretary of State — a position she has held since the beginning of the Murphy Administration.

As Secretary of State, Ms. Way leads one of the nation’s oldest constitutional offices and directs a department with a diverse portfolio. In her capacity as New Jersey’s top election official, she has overseen the state Division of Elections and its work in securing our democracy and ensuring broad, fair access to the right to vote. In addition to the critical work protecting what lieutenant Governor Way calls the “fraternal twins of democracy,” she also oversees the state government offices supporting New Jersey’s vibrant arts, culture, history, and business communities. Under her leadership, the state’s tourism economy has generated record-high revenues.��

Following her 2022-2023 service as the first Black person and first Secretary from New Jersey to lead the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) as President, Lieutenant Governor Way continues to serve on the NASS Executive Board as Immediate Past President.

Lieutenant Governor Way is a graduate of Brown University, where she served as Vice President of the collegiate chapter of the NAACP, President of the Iota Alpha chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. taught religious education, and was a radio announcer for WBRU-FM. She holds a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law at Charlottesville, where she clerked for the Virginia Legal Aid Society and the United Steelworkers of America.

Lieutenant Governor Way lives in Wayne, New Jersey with her husband Charles and their four children Fallon, Farrah, Faythe, and Fiona. She was raised in the Bronx by her late parents, Robert and Rosa Wright, who also devoted their careers to public service as employees with the New York City Transit Authority.

Hours through May 15 will be Tuesday through Friday from 12-6 p.m. and Saturday 2-6 p.m. Special Arching Day hours on May 23rd TBA.

Exhibiting artists:

Abby Vatasin

Belanna Valerio

Dean Smith

Ori Shem-Tov

Jai Snow

Jake Tennant

Mason Murphy

Megan Mitchell

Mia Schutz

Chantal Peña Martinez

Raven Bavos-Chen

Samantha Hernandez

Sarah Caldwell

Stephen Blake

Lauren Wilson

Michael Otero

Tzvetozara Filkova

The Kresge and Pascal Galleries are located in the Berrie Center for Performing and Visual Arts on the Ramapo College campus. For more information contact Sydney Jenkins at 201-684-7147.

DeSare has won critical and popular acclaim for his concert performances throughout North America and abroad. He has performed at jazz clubs, Carnegie Hall, and in Las Vegas, headlining with Don Rickles and major symphony orchestras.

DeSare has earned four top 10 Billboard jazz albums under his belt and has been featured on the CBS Early Show, NPR, A Prairie Home Companion, and the Today Show, and his music has been posted by social media celebrity juggernaut, George Takei. He is also an award-winning composer, who has not only won first place in the USA Songwriting Contest but has written the theme song for the motion picture, “My Date With Drew.”

Arch Performances is a community resource generously funded by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Mid Atlantic Arts, and Impact 100 Garden State.�� Events are open to the public with discounts for children 17 and under, and they offer easy access and free parking. For exact event information and tickets, please visit .

Mahwah, New Jersey—Ramapo College of New Jersey has earned the 2024-2025 Military Friendly® School designation. For more than ten years, Ramapo College has been named a Military Friendly® institution, earning the Gold Award the last three years.��

Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2024-2025 survey with 537 earning special awards for going above the standard.��

“I know firsthand how important it is to set the conditions for a learning environment that takes into account the unique experiences, contributions, and needs of veterans and service members to include active, Reserve, National Guard, and ROTC cadets,” said President Cindy Jebb, a 39-year veteran of the U.S. Army and former Dean of the Academic Board at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. “At Ramapo, we continue to be highly intentional about setting these conditions, and this designation, along with the success of our students, are a testament to those efforts.”

Ramapo College offers a committed veteran student success team to assist students from the time interest is expressed in applying through graduation. Priority registration, a dedicated lounge, and an active Veteran Student Organization are part of the robust support services and resources available to veteran and ROTC students.��

The 2024-2025 Military Friendly® Schools list will be published in the May and October issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at . Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly ® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for Student Retention, Graduation, Job Placement, Loan Repayment, Persistence (Degree Advancement or Transfer) and Loan Default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.��

“Military Friendly® is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our designation process. Our standards provide a benchmark that promotes positive outcomes and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the Military Community. This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages Institutions to evolve and invest in their programs consistently. Schools who achieve awards designation show true commitment in their efforts, going over and above that standard.” – Kayla Lopez, National Director of Military Partnerships, Military Friendly®.��

For more information about the Ramapo College student veterans program, visit .��

Mahwah, NJ-�� U.S. Marine Corps Captain Everett Leland Yager died in a military training exercise in July of 1951. All of his remains were recovered in the Riverside County, California area and buried in Palmyra, Missouri, or at least thought to have been. Fast forward years later to a child who wanted to build a rock collection, and increased said collection by one during a scavenging exploration, presumably in Arizona. But it was not a rock; it was a human jaw bone. For the time being, the bone belonged to Rock Collection John Doe.

That was until January 2023 when the (YCSO) and Yavapai County Medical Examiner referred the case to the Ramapo College Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center. In May, the North Texas Center for Human Identification sent the extract from Rock Collection John Doe to Intermountain Forensics in Salt Lake City, Utah, where whole genome sequencing and bioinformatics were performed. A profile was developed and uploaded to GEDmatch Pro and FamilyTreeDNA.

This photo of Captain Yager appeared in the Palmyra Spectator newspaper December 20, 1944.

In July, students in the Ramapo College IGG Bootcamp worked on the case. It took them, along with IGG Center intern Ethan Schwartz, fewer than 2 days to produce a candidate lead which was then handed over to YCSO. The following month, a DNA sample was taken from the daughter of Capt. Yager to directly compare to the jaw bone profile.

It was not until March 2024 that the DNA sample from Capt. Yager’s daughter confirmed a parent/child relationship, resolving the case and confirming that Rock Collection John Doe was indeed Capt. Everett Leland Yager.

No one is quite sure how the jaw bone ended up in Arizona since the accident took place in the air over California. One theory is that a scavenger, such as a bird, picked it up and eventually deposited it during its travels over Arizona. Plans are being made to reunite the remains with the family.

This is the first case resolution performed by the IGG’s summer bootcamp student cohort, and New York resident and Suffern High School student Ethan Schwartz is reportedly the youngest person to ever contribute to an investigative genetic genealogy case resolution.��

“This case was a lesson in expecting the unexpected, and a testament to the power of IGG education at Ramapo College of New Jersey,” said Cairenn Binder, assistant director of the Ramapo College IGG Center. “The team that worked on this case at our IGG bootcamp included some truly outstanding researchers, and we are so proud of them for helping to repatriate Captain Yager’s remains and return them to his family.”

For more information about Ramapo College, the IGG Center and its offerings, visit ramapo.edu/igg.

David Alexander
Mauro Altamura
Kevin Backman
Gary Boni
Robbie Bulilan
James Danielson
Rachel Dickstein
Douglass Dresher
Lauren Fedorchak
Holly Fletcher
Barbara Kalina
Bob Martin
Tyler Manuele
Michael Pacheco
Brianna Pflug

There will be a closing reception with artist talks on Thursday, April 4, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. ALBUM was juried by Ramapo Photo Lab Supervisor Eva Fazzari and Professor Emeritus of Photography David Freund.

The Pascal Gallery at Ramapo College is located in the Berrie Center for Performing and Visual Arts on the Ramapo College campus. Gallery hours are Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 1-5 p.m., and Wednesday 1-7 p.m. RAMAPO COLLEGE IS CLOSED FOR SPRING BREAK THE WEEK OF MARCH 18. For more information contact Director of Art Galleries Sydney Jenkins at 201-684-7147.

Feature image credit: Mauro Altamura,��Untitled��(Beach Figures #5), 2020, 6 inches x 4 inches

Co-sponsors include Columbia University’s Cultural Memory University Seminar, the Master of Arts in Holocaust and Genocide Studies program at Stockton University, the Sara and Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center at Stockton University, and Temple Kol Tzedek of Philadelphia.

This free event will be held Tuesday, March 26 at 7:00 p.m. in the Anisfield School of Business Room 136 and is open to the public. Complimentary parking will be provided and no registration to attend in person is required. Visitors should request directions from the booth at the main entrance to campus. Attending via Zoom is also an option. To register for Zoom, click .

For more information and questions, contact Gross Center director Dr. Jacob Ari Labendz: holgen@ramapo.edu / (201) 684-7409.

About the book

At the turn of the millennium, Middle Eastern and Muslim Germans had rather unexpectedly become central to the country’s Holocaust memory culture—not as welcome participants, but as targets for re-education and reform. Since then, Turkish- and Arab-Germans have been considered as the prime obstacles to German national reconciliation with its Nazi past, a status shared to a lesser degree by Germans from the formerly socialist East Germany. It is for this reason that the German government, German NGOs, and Muslim minority groups have begun to design Holocaust education and anti-Semitism prevention programs specifically tailored for Muslim immigrants and refugees, so that they, too, can learn the lessons of the Holocaust and embrace Germany’s most important postwar democratic political values.

Based on ethnographic research conducted over a decade, Subcontractors of Guilt explores when, how, and why Muslim Germans have moved to the center of Holocaust memory discussions. Esra Özyürek argues that German society “subcontracts” guilt of the Holocaust to new minority immigrant arrivals, with the false promise of this process leading to inclusion into the German social contract and equality with other members of postwar German society. By focusing on the recently formed but already sizable sector of Muslim-only anti-Semitism and Holocaust education programs, this book explores the paradoxes of postwar German national identity.

About the author

Esra Özyürek is the Sultan Qaboos Professor of Abrahamic Faiths and Shared Values at the University of Cambridge. She is the author of Being German, Becoming Muslim: Race, Religion, and Conversion in the New Europe (2015).

Collaborative printer Shore worked for Dick Solomon at Pace Prints (starting out under Ruth Lingen and Bill Hall) for over a decade before opening her own workshop to collaborate with emerging and established artists to create original prints which are hand-printed in very limited editions with the direct involvement of the artist. Shore Publishing prints are in the collections of the New York Public Library, The Cleveland Clinic, The Whitney Museum, The Museum of Modern Art, NYC, Memorial Sloan Kettering, Stanford Health Care, the Beinecke Library at Yale University, The Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation, Detroit Institute of Arts and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Shore Publishing is a member of the IFPDA.

The exhibition will be on view through April 4. There will be a Closing Reception on Thursday, April 4, from 4-6:30 p.m. Shore Publishing Director Mae Shore will give an informal gallery talk at 4:30 p.m.

The Kresge Gallery at Ramapo College is located in the Berrie Center for Performing and Visual Arts on the Ramapo College campus. Gallery hours are Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 1-5 p.m., and Wednesday 1-7 p.m. RAMAPO COLLEGE IS CLOSED FOR SPRING BREAK THE WEEK OF MARCH 18. For more information contact Director of Art Galleries Sydney Jenkins at 201-684-7147.

Image credit: William Villalongo,��Vitruvian’s Daughter, 2014, woodcut, linocut, and pochoir on Hosho white paper, 22 x 22 inches.�� Edition of 20. Printed and published by Shore Publishing.

Mahwah, NJ – In another historic win for the Ramapo College Adler Center of Nursing Excellence, a remarkable 106 students in the Class of 2023 sat for and passed the National Council of Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) on the first attempt, making for a 100% pass rate in the graduated class.��

Ramapo College consistently boasts above national average passing rates. What makes this year’s accomplishment even more impressive is that 2023 was the first year the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN), the updated NCLEX, was administered. All nursing students must pass the exam in order to become licensed registered nurses in the U.S.

One significant change between the old and new exam is how clinical judgment is measured. Rather than an emphasis on information recall applied to clinical situations, the NGN assesses the ability to analyze patient data and make sound clinical decisions. This is done, in part, through an increase in case study questions that reflect real-world situations and ask students to identify the best course of action.

And this is one area in which Ramapo’s nursing curriculum excels at preparing students for practice. “The nursing faculty and staff carefully prepare their teaching methodologies to focus on clinical decision making. They integrate case studies and simulation in all classes, enabling students to critically assess situations and make sound clinical judgments,” said Dr. Kathleen Burke, professor of nursing and assistant dean of nursing programs. “I applaud the students on their accomplishment, and thank the faculty and staff for their tireless support and work.”

Students are eligible to sit for the exam around 45 days after graduating. If they do not pass, they have to wait a minimum of another 45 days to retake the exam. This adds a considerable amount of time to become licensed and able to begin practicing. With an impressive first-time pass rate for so many students, New Jersey hospitals and healthcare centers were able to fill vacant positions quicker.

Ramapo College of New Jersey continues to see record numbers of applications for its undergraduate nursing program. In the last three years, applications to the BSN program increased 36%, with more than 1,280 submitted to-date for the upcoming academic year. This increase in demand, coupled with the January launch of the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN), led to the current expansion of nursing facilities on campus and increase in nursing faculty, thanks to a $1M appropriation from a legislative resolution co-sponsored by and to help mitigate the nursing shortage in New Jersey.

To learn more about all of the nursing programs offered at Ramapo College, visit ramapo.edu/nursing.��

Mahwah, NJ – Ramapo College of New Jersey held its 18th Annual Diversity Convocation on February 21, 2024, featuring keynote speaker . The Convocation additionally featured remarks from Ramapo College President Cindy Jebb, Ph.D., Chief Equity and Diversity Officer Nicole Morgan Agard, Esq., Student Trustee Gloria Jeong, and Student Government President Victor Oluwagbemi.

President Jebb emphasized in her opening remarks that Ramapo puts forward a culture of belonging, and that the community must hold one another accountable and elevate the voices that often go unheard. “We know who we are, and we know our identities are our assets. Our diversity makes us better, smarter, and kinder,” said Jebb.

Lt. Governor Way spoke about being raised in the Bronx, NY, by two hard-working parents who underscored the importance of education. She shared with the audience of students, staff, and faculty, the message her mother instilled in her: Be present. Take up space in the room. Show up for yourself. “We should embrace individuality, embrace people as their full authentic selves rather than trying to make everyone the same,” she said, while stressing the importance of public service, diversity, and education. “And we’re richer for it…especially in government, where it isn’t just our goal, but our lawful responsibility to serve ALL the people.” Lt. Governor Way closed with a powerful message on the importance of diverse and inclusive spaces to create a better world.

L to R: Pres. Cindy Jebb, Lt. Gov Tahesha Way, and EDIC VP Nicole Morgan Agard

The Diversity Convocation is hosted annually by the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Compliance (EDIC). EDIC serves to ensure compliance and coordinate leadership for college-wide equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice to uphold the College’s commitment to foster a safe and inclusive space of belonging for all students, faculty, and staff.

Tahesha Way serves as New Jersey’s 3rd Lieutenant Governor. She was appointed by Governor Phil Murphy on September 8, 2023 to fill the term of the late Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver. She additionally serves as the state’s 34th Secretary of State, a position she has held since the beginning of the Murphy administration. Lt. Governor Way is a graduate of Brown University and the University of Virginia School of Law, as well as a strong advocate for financial aid, youth voter engagement, equal protection under law, and inclusive census counting.��

The exhibit includes rare family photos, Les behind-the-scenes, famous musicians, and pictures of the man with a larger than life sense of humor and an amazing curiosity for innovation. Guests at the exhibit can follow along while viewing each photograph on the web-initiated story lines for each rare image. Les Paul spent much of his life in Mahwah, New Jersey. The Les Paul Foundation honors and shares the spirit and legacy of his life.

“Les was an icon. His inventions paved the way for musicians all over the globe. His curiosity gave us the most important inventions in the music industry today. Since we want to celebrate him all year we created the Les Paul Thru the Lens gallery exhibit. Guests will have the opportunity to find out more about Les through the beautifully displayed photographs depicting important people and moments in his life. We hope you love it as much as we do,” said Michael Braunstein, Executive Director of the Les Paul Foundation.

The exhibit at Ramapo College is on loan from the Les Paul Foundation and co-sponsored by the Mahwah Museum. Learning Commons hours are: Monday-Thursday 7:45 a.m-12 a.m., Friday :45 a.m. – 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., and Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. For more information, contact Director of Art Galleries Sydney Jenkins at 201-684-7147.

Mahwah, NJ- The Ramapo College Foundation will honor four individuals for their professional achievement, commitment and community service at its Annual Distinguished Citizens Gala on Friday, April 5, at the Rockleigh Country Club in Rockleigh, N.J.

The Honorable Paul A. Sarlo

Paul A. Sarlo is the Deputy Majority Leader of the New Jersey Senate. He has served as Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee since 2010, making him the Committee’s longest serving chairperson in state history. He is a member of the Judiciary Committee and Chairperson of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, and former Chairperson of the Judiciary Committee and the Labor Committee.

Senator Sarlo has been the prime sponsor of more than 300 bills which have been signed into law, and has played a leading role on legislation to promote job creation and economic development. He has been the prime sponsor of bi-partisan legislation which reformed the state’s school funding formula, lowered income taxes for the middle class, working poor and senior citizens, strengthened the fiscal health of the state pension fund, and provided dedicated funding for the Transportation Trust Fund to finance vital infrastructure projects throughout the state. He has also sponsored bills which reformed New Jersey’s worker’s compensation system, criminalized the illegal trafficking and distribution of prescription drugs, required schools to adopt bullying prevention policies and upgraded penalties for identity theft.

Senator Sarlo’s career in public service spans nearly three decades. He has served as Mayor of the Borough of Wood-Ridge since 2000 and served on its Borough Council from 1995-2000. In 2001, he was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly, a position he held until May 2003 when he was sworn in to the New Jersey Senate to fill an unexpired term. He was elected to a full term in the New Jersey Senate in November 2003 and was re-elected in 2007, 2011, 2013, 2017, 2021 and 2023. Mr. Sarlo represents the 36th legislative district, which includes 15 municipalities in Bergen and Passaic Counties.

A licensed professional engineer and licensed professional planner, Senator Sarlo holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, where he was a Division III All-American baseball player. He is the Chief Operating Officer of Joseph M. Sanzari Construction Inc., where he has been employed since 1998.

Brian and Diane Flynn ‘85

Brian Flynn is a partner at PKF O’Connor Davies, LLP, the leading North American firm in the PKF International network of independent accounting and advisory firms. He is a member of the executive committee and managing partner for the firm’s New Jersey market.

Brian has more than 30 years of audit experience with closely-held corporations, educational institutions and not-for-profit organizations. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Monmouth University. He serves on the board of Lakeland Bank and is an active participant in numerous community and professional groups. Brian often serves as a conference leader and speaker at industry events and sits on the boards of several local not-for-profit organizations.

Diane Flynn is a Ramapo College alumna, having earned a bachelor’s degree in information systems in 1985. She has worked in human resources/employee benefits and has been an editor at Paulist Press.

The Flynns have been longtime donors to Ramapo College, having made a major gift to the capital campaign to build the Berrie Center for Performing and Visual Arts. The couple has also supported the Distinguished Citizens Gala and Golf Outing. O’Connor Davies performs the annual audit of the Ramapo College Foundation. Over the years, Brian has been instrumental in securing significant corporate support from PKF O’Connor Davies for Ramapo College events and projects. The Flynns live in Wyckoff.

Nicole Cicalo DeCaro

Nicole is head coach of the Bergen Barracudas swim team, a parent-run, non-profit organization founded in 1980 that practices on the Ramapo College campus and competes at venues across northern New Jersey. She has over 22 years of coaching experience. Nicole is a lifetime member of the American Swimming Coaches Association and is ASCA Level 3 certified. She holds a master’s in childhood special education from Fordham University and two master’s degrees from Ohio University: a master’s of science in recreation and sports management; and a master’s in business administration. Nicole serves on the Friends of Ramapo board as the nominating chair; she has also served as chair and vice chair of the board. With Nicole’s assistance, the Bergen Barracudas have supported the Friends of Ramapo, Summer Concerts, Annual Fund and the Distinguished Citizens Gala. Nicole’s husband, Lawrence, is a construction project manager. The couple lives in Blauvelt, NY.

Sponsorship and participation information can be found at ramapo.edu/dcg or by contacting Liz Kloak at lkloak@ramapo.edu or 201-684-6834.

Mahwah, NJ-�� Students of the Ramapo College of New Jersey Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) Center have successfully uncovered the identity of “Beaver Creek John Doe,” now known to be Mr. David Emil Jacobsen, through DNA testing and investigative genetic genealogy.��

In 2011, the deceased body of a male subject was discovered near a hiking area in Beaver Creek, Yavapai County, Arizona. This decedent had no wallet or identification on his person to aid with his identification, which hampered the investigation.�� More than 12 years passed while hoping for a match through NamUs or the Cogent Automated Fingerprint Identification System, which both yielded unsuccessful results to help identify Beaver Creek John Doe.

Enter the Ramapo College Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center.

Ramapo IGG partnered with the YCSO to provide free case support. A blood blot card for John Doe was sent to Intermountain Forensics in Salt Lake City Utah for DNA extraction, whole genome sequencing, and bioinformatics. Intermountain successfully generated a SNP profile which was uploaded to the DNA databases GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA.��

Students in the Ramapo College Investigative Genetic Genealogy Certificate Program discovered the most likely candidate to be David Emil Jacobsen. The discovery of a candidate was brought about by the combination of family tree research and the presence of unique circumstantial details observed by the students. “The case was challenging due to recent immigration on both sides of John Doe’s family trees,” said Cairenn Binder, assistant director of the Ramapo College IGG Center.��

Mr. Jacobsen’s identity was confirmed by the Yavapai County Medical Examiner’s Office through MtDNA comparison from a DNA sample from one of Mr. Jacobsen’s siblings. Mr. Jacobson died of natural causes due to heart complications.

“The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office appreciates the efforts of Ramapo College and their students’ diligent work in this endeavor. We hope to partner with them on other cases in the future,” said Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes.

The Jacobsen family is very grateful to everyone for their efforts to bring closure to this painful experience.

For more information about Ramapo College and the IGG Center, visit ramapo.edu/igg.

Mahwah, NJ–The 12th annual Les Paul Concert at Ramapo College will feature a performance by Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Amythyst Kiah and her band on Saturday, February 10 at 8 p.m. in the Sharp Theater.

The concert, generously supported with funding from the NJ State Council on the Arts and the Schomburg Distinguished Visiting Scholars Program, is a collaboration between the College’s esteemed music department and Ramapo’s Arch Performances.

With a 2019 Grammy Award nomination for Best American Roots Song and a Song of the Year win at the 2019 Folk Alliance International Awards, Kiah — who Rolling Stone calls “one of Americana’s great up-and-coming secrets” — has an unforgettable voice that’s both unfettered and exquisitely controlled. In her solo work, she expands on the uncompromising artistry she revealed as part of Our Native Daughters, an all-women-of-color supergroup.

In addition to the concert, the School of Contemporary Arts is thrilled to present Les Paul “From Start to Finish” on Saturday, February 10 at 5:30 p.m. in the Adler Theater. Presented by longtime friend and Mahwah mayor, Jim Wysocki, the event is a chance to hear great stories and see Les Paul’s personal guitars, studio equipment, and additional memorabilia. The ticket cost is $150 and includes Les Paul “From Start to Finish,” reception, and a ticket to the Les Paul Concert. Proceeds will be used to purchase equipment for the Les Paul Recording Studio at Ramapo College which supports over 100 music students each year. Tickets are available .

Arch Performances is a community resource generously funded by the New Jersey State Council of the Arts, Mid Atlantic Arts, and Impact 100 Garden State.�� Events are open to the public with discounts for children 17 and under, and they offer easy access and free parking. For exact event information and tickets, please go to ramapo.edu/berriecenter.

“The Ramapo College Board of Trustees is a group of truly dedicated, thoughtful, and discerning fiduciaries who embody the values that mark our institution. I am excited to work with and learn from Trustee Helmy and know that her expertise will be a wonderful addition to the Board and to the College at large,” said College President Cindy Jebb. “We all look forward to serving with her to leverage her talents in support of our students and in furtherance of our mission as NJ’s premier public liberal arts college.”

A partner with The Manna Helmy Law Group, Helmy brings a nuanced understanding of governance, compliance, and ethical considerations to the board. Helmy is passionate about making a positive impact on the educational landscape, teaching at local schools and sharing her expertise in elder law and guardianships with social workers to help them secure valuable continuing education credits for licensure.��

“I am honored to have the responsibility to serve the Ramapo College community as a Trustee especially during this time in its demonstrated rising excellence,” said Helmy. “As a big proponent of interdisciplinary learning and the importance of a broad holistic understanding, I am excited to contribute towards this mission.”

Helmy is the newest member of the Board of Trustees, following the May 20, 2023 appointments of Michael Ben-David of Franklin Lakes, Chris Lopez of Oakland, and Albert C. Nieves of Wood-Ridge.��

Marize Helmy, Esq.

Helmy is a practicing attorney specializing in Elder Law and Estate Planning at , formerly known as Michael A. Manna & Associates. She holds a BA in Visual Arts from Fordham University and a JD from SUNY at Buffalo Law School. During her time in law school, Helmy was president of the Buffalo Public Interest Law Program and raised funds to support and fund otherwise unpaid internships. She also worked in the career services office and was also involved with student conduct, later serving as the Assistant Chief of the Student Wide Judiciary. Upon graduation, she received an award from the law school for the greatest contribution to the community. While studying for the bar exam, she volunteered her time translating and filing immigration applications for domestic violence victims and also dedicated her time to rehabilitative and innovative court developments such the Newark Drug Courts and Child Welfare Improvement Project. Helmy teaches at the local community schools as well as to social workers for their mandatory continuing education credits on topics relating to elder law, guardianships and other ethical issues. She is board member and acting treasurer of her church in Bergen County and is a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, and the Bergen County Bar Association. Helmy has been honored by Thomson Reuters as a New Jersey Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Mahwah, N.J.- Ramapo College aims to graduate more licensed nurses to address the shortage in New Jersey with the addition of the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. The innovative program enables qualified candidates to complete the degree requirements in only 16 months. As U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) , New Jersey is one of the top ten states with the most open nursing positions. The state also expects a shortage of more than 11,000 nurses by 2030, according to President and CEO Cathy Bennett.��

Ramapo College nursing students working together in the simulation lab on campus.

The ABSN is a full-time, 16-month program beneficial to those with an undergraduate degree and interested in a career change into nursing, those currently working in healthcare and wish to become RNs with a BSN, and community college students with a non-nursing associate’s degree and want to earn a BSN. For candidates who might not have the necessary prerequisites, a bridge program that offers the required coursework for the ABSN is available.

Students will enjoy special flat-rate program tuition, a cohort model that fosters collaboration and support with classmates as well as the state-of-the-art facilities in the Adler Center for Nursing Excellence. Ramapo has long-standing partnerships with a number of esteemed area hospitals and centers for clinical site placements including Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Paterson, University Hospital in Newark, Holy Name in Teaneck, New Bridge Medical Center in Paramus, HMH Hackensack University Medical Center, and Atlantic Health System hospitals.

This program can be attributed to a legislative resolution co-sponsored by and that provided Ramapo with a $1M appropriation to meet the expected need for more nurses in New Jersey. The funds awarded are being used to increase the number of clinical simulation rooms and hire additional faculty to meet the demands that increasing enrollment will create.

Nursing students processing in the time-honored tradition of Arching at Ramapo College.

Interest in nursing is growing, as evident in the more than 900 applications for Ramapo College’s direct-admit BSN program, an increase of more than 30% over this time last year. Nursing programs at Ramapo College have been revered for years, with consistently impressive rankings that include having one of the top three BSN programs, the #1 online RN to BSN program in New Jersey, and the #5 MSN in Nursing Administration program in the nation. The college graduated its first Doctor of Nursing Practice students in May 2023.

The ABSN program will enroll its first cohort to begin in May 2024, and the portal to submit applications is now open. Online information sessions about the program will run . Visit the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing webpage for additional details about the program. To learn more about all Ramapo College nursing programs, visit ramapo.edu/nursing.

Mahwah, NJ-�� Students of the Ramapo College of New Jersey Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) Center have successfully uncovered the identity of “Rhinelander John Doe,” now known to be Mr. Norman Grasser of Chicago, IL through DNA testing and investigative genetic genealogy.��

The Chronology

On March 19, 1980, the Oneida County Medical Examiner’s Office along with the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call about a body found in the snow in a field in the Town of Pine Lake, WI approximately 46 yards off of Highway 17. No identification was found on the body. A forensic autopsy performed at the University of Wisconsin determined that the male died from cold exposure due to hypothermia. Fingerprints sent to the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory and Federal Bureau of Investigation did not confirm an identity. The case continued to be investigated through missing persons reports and press releases through the years.��

In 2019, the unidentified male was entered into NamUs. Multiple potential matches were all confirmed to be negative.��

In April 2021, the Oneida County Medical Examiner’s Office exhumed the body of John Doe 1980. The body was taken to the Fond du Lac Medical Examiner’s Office to be processed for DNA collection. The collected items were sent to the FBI Laboratory in Quantico for DNA profiling.����

In January 2023, the Ramapo College IGG Center was enlisted by the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office in Rhinelander, WI to assist with identifying “Rhinelander John Doe.”��

In February, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office sent a portion of John Doe’s lower jaw to Intermountain Forensics where DNA extraction, whole genome sequencing, and bioinformatics were performed.��

In May, the same month that Intermountain successfully generated a SNP profile which was uploaded to the DNA databases GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA, students in the Ramapo College IGG Certificate Program investigated genetic matches of “Rhinelander John Doe” and identified Norman Grasser as a candidate.

Mr.Grasser’s brother had been searching for him for over 40 years and even created a page noting that the date of Mr. Grasser’s death was the day he was reported missing, January 20, 1980, in Chicago, IL.��

DNA testing and the work of the Ramapo College IGG Center were able to bring closure to Mr. Grasser’s family, who are grateful for identifying Mr. Grasser after 43 years, and wish for privacy to grieve and process this information.

IGG combines traditional genealogy and genetic genealogy to provide investigative leads in cases involving violent crime and unidentified human remains. IGG can also be used to help exonerate the wrongfully convicted. The first of its kind in the nation, the IGG Center opened in December of 2022 and trains students to become proficient and ethical practitioners using IGG to resolve cases involving violent crime, unidentified human remains, and wrongful convictions. More than 40 cases from across the United States have been accepted since the center opened.��

For more information about Ramapo College and the IGG Center, visit ramapo.edu/igg.

Mahwah, N.J.- Ramapo College of New Jersey is better positioned to address the needs of food access on campus thanks to grants awarded by the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education Hunger-Free Campus Act and the Bergen County Office of Food Security totaling almost $70,000.��

During the Fall 2023 semester, the We Care Program food pantry provided almost 700 bags of food to students, averaging 40-50 bags of food per week. The timing of the Hunger-Free Campus Grant award is critical, given the increase in students experiencing food insecurity. The funds enable pantries on campus to be stocked from now through June 2024 with fresh food and frozen meals in addition to shelf-stable food items. Funds also will be used to increase shuttle service to the Ramsey Farmers Market for additional access to fresh, locally sourced food.��

The almost $68,000 is on top of the $125,000 awarded by the same program in January and May. New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education Dr. Brian K. Bridges visited campus in April to see the first expansion of the food pantry on campus. Since that visit, Ramapo College has been able to add eight satellite pantries on campuses in and near offices with a high-traffic student footprint.��

The Bergen County grant is a first for Ramapo College. In April, visited the food pantry on campus and learned about the increase of food insecurity experienced by students. The funds enable the purchase of an additional commercial refrigerator/freezer and freezer chest as well as digital barcode scanners, carts for transporting food across campus, and storage bins for satellite pantries. The addition of a freezer chest provides the opportunity for a new frozen food satellite pantry, to be located by the Civic and Community Engagement Center, which houses the We Care Program.

“We are very excited to receive these funds and so grateful to the Bergen County Office of Food Security and OSHE for their support to bolster our food insecurity initiatives on campus,” shared Dylan Heffernan, assistant director for the We Care Program and Civic Engagement. “We want to make sure students have both access to fresh food on campus and the ability to obtain food even when the pantry isn’t open. These funds will help make that a reality.”

Mahwah, N.J.- Ramapo College commits to making access to college easier for New Jersey’s adult learners by participating in the statewide initiative . According to state data, more than 790,000 New Jersey residents have some college credit, but did not complete the academic requirements and graduate. The SCND program provides personalized support to help adults re-enroll and earn their undergraduate degree. Ramapo aims to deliver a transformative education in a diverse community dedicated to welcoming and mentoring students who bring with them a range of lived experiences.

“As New Jersey’s Public Liberal Arts College, Ramapo is committed to increasing access to higher education for all underserved populations,” said Ramapo College President Cindy Jebb. “The SCND initiative aligns closely with the goals and objectives of Ramapo’s strategic plan, Boldly Ascending, specifically: furthering academic excellence and student success, fostering an inclusive community, and strengthening agile stewardship.”����

Mission-critical to Ramapo College is an unwavering commitment to supporting both the academic and non-academic needs of its students. The award, provided by the Office of the Secretary for Higher Education (OSHE), affords Ramapo the opportunity to provide grants for persistence, educational supplies, and emergency funds. The award also allows for expanding curricular pathways for SCND students as well as refresher workshops focused on writing, reading, and time management skills in the Center for Reading and Writing.

Recognizing some of the barriers that prevent adult learners from completing their degree might include facing food insecurity and homelessness, the WeCare Program at Ramapo, which opened in 2017 as a food pantry for students, commits to mitigating financial hardships of SCND students with emergency relief funding. Earlier in 2023, New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education Dr. Brian K. Bridges visited the campus to learn about the success of the WeCare Program and how it assists students in need.��

To learn more about the Ramapo College Degree Completion Program, visit ramapo.edu/dcp/.��

Mahwah, N.J.-The Ramapo College Foundation named Harlem Globetrotters CEO and Ramapo alumnus Keith Dawkins ‘94 as the new chairperson of the Board of Governors at the October 26, 2023 Foundation Board of Governors meeting. The decision made history for the Foundation, as Dawkins is the first Black chairperson of the board.

Dawkins, who is president of the and and owns , has served on the board for 12 years, most recently as secretary. Mission-critical to Dawkins is ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion are a vital part of all of his business ventures, community engagement, and service to the Ramapo Foundation. He was honored at the 2013 Ramapo College Foundation Distinguished Citizens Dinner for his many contributions in the world of media, which included growing the viewership of Nicktoons from eight to 61 million as the company’s first general manager as well as partnering with the NFL and co-producing the series NFL Rush Zone.

Keith Dawkins ’94 addressing the Class of 2022 at the Ramapo College Commencement

His involvement and commitment to Ramapo go beyond his board contributions. At the May 2022 Commencement, Dawkins received the President’s Alumni Award of Merit for his service-oriented leadership and continued advocacy of Ramapo. In October 2022, he delivered the alumni address at President Cindy Jebb’s inauguration. He looks forward to working with the board in his new role, sharing that, “Ramapo College has given me so much over the years.�� It’s a place where I furthered my education, started my career journey and met the person that would become my wife of 25 years. Being able to pay it forward and have an impact for future Ramapo students is both a privilege and an honor.”

Dawkins succeeds outgoing chairperson and TonyⓇ award-winning producer Roy Putrino, who served as Foundation chair from 2020-2023. Putrino leaves behind a legacy of noteworthy contributions, for which he was honored through the years. In 2013, he received the Distinguished Citizens Award. In 2015, he received the Mission Award for the Performing Arts, and in 2020 he was the recipient of the Havemeyer Presidential Leadership Award. As Foundation chair, Putrino was “delighted and honored to be actively engaged in leading during the transition of the new administration of the college and the restructuring of the foundation as part of President Jebb’s initiatives,” adding that “these changes, along with the tireless work of our Foundation Board of Governors, will allow us to meet the new challenges that face the college as well as continue to secure the resources necessary to make the difference in Ramapo’s strategic plan.” Putrino is founder and chairman of the board at Home Infusion and joined the Board of Governors in 2014. He will remain on the board as immediate past chairperson.��

Ramapo College Foundation Executive Director Christopher Romano is grateful for the service of board members like Dawkins and Putrino, and recognizes the value Dawkins will bring. “I am very much looking forward to working closely with Keith as he assumes the role of chair.�� His marketing and strategic partnership acumen coupled with his commitment as a Ramapo alum make him well positioned to lead the Foundation into its next strategic plan.” Dawkins resides in Ridgewood, NJ with his wife and two sons.

To learn more about the mission of the Ramapo College Foundation, visit ramapo.edu/foundation. To learn more about the Board of Governors, visit ramapo.edu/foundation/governors.

Mahwah, N.J.-The Ramapo College of New Jersey Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) Center has successfully uncovered the identity of “St. Louis John Doe,” now known to be Joseph Daniel Pierce of St. Louis, MO.

Pierce was 23 years old when his remains were found in 2012. The attempted to identify him with traditional means but his name remained a mystery.��

It was at the Missing and Unidentified Persons Conference held in May 2023 where a member of the St. Louis City Medical Examiner’s Office attended a presentation given by David Gurney and Cairenn Binder of the Ramapo College Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center about how investigative genetic genealogy helps human identification.��

Timeline from Case Referral to Identification

• The St. Louis City MEO referred Pierce’s case to the Ramapo IGG Center on May 12, 2023.
• A blood card for St. Louis John Doe was sent to Intermountain Forensics in May.
• Extraction was completed by sequencing in July and bioinformatics were performed in August by Intermountain Forensics.
• John Doe’s SNP profile was uploaded to the GEDmatch database in early September.
• Genetic genealogy was performed by Cairenn Binder, director of the IGG certificate program at Ramapo College IGG Center, in the days that followed and a candidate, Joseph Daniel Pierce, was presented to the agency on September 5.
• John Doe’s identity was confirmed as Joseph Daniel Pierce by St. Louis City MEO on October 5.��

Pierce, from Texas, was loved and missed by his family without any idea about his whereabouts or whether he was alive or dead for more than a decade. St. Louis City MEO Executive Director of Operations Tara Rick could not give up on this case and shared, “Over the past eleven years, the family and what they must be going through never left my mind. I’m honored to have been part of the team able to restore Joseph’s name. I am thankful to the ������Ƶ IGG Center for their partnership and collaboration with Intermountain Forensics to resolve this case.”��

Pierce’s mother also hopes sharing this story encourages others to upload DNA to databases to help solve cases like her son’s. “The genetic genealogy in this case was straightforward due to the presence of one of John Doe’s relatives in the GEDmatch database. Thanks to that family member, we were able to quickly provide an investigative lead and ultimately restore Mr. Pierce’s name,” said Binder.

IGG combines traditional genealogy and genetic genealogy to provide investigative leads in cases involving violent crime and unidentified human remains. IGG can also be used to help exonerate the wrongfully convicted. The first of its kind in the nation, the IGG Center opened in December of 2022 and trains students to become proficient and ethical practitioners using IGG to resolve cases involving violent crime, unidentified human remains, and wrongful convictions. More than 20 cases from across the United States have been accepted since the center opened.��

The Ramapo College IGG Center is grateful for the collaborative work conducted with the St. Louis City Medical Examiner’s Office as well as Intermountain Forensics, who performed DNA extraction and sequencing, and Qiagen/Verogen for use of their databases.��

For more information about Ramapo College and the IGG Center, visit ramapo.edu/igg.

João (Juno) Zago is a queer visual artist working in Newark, NJ.�� Born in Brazil, Zago came to the US in 2005 where he’s since lived in and around Newark.�� In 2016 he obtained his BA in Visual Arts from Ramapo College of New Jersey.

He’s been an artist in residence at Gallery Aferro in Newark, NJ since 2017. His work brings together disparate media and images to create process-based compositions dealing in themes such as personal introspection, religiosity, and sexuality, all while appropriating images in a similar way to fast-paced internet culture. His work has been shown in various galleries in Newark and throughout New Jersey. He has also exhibited at the Newark Museum of Art, Morris Museum in Morris Township, NJ, and the New Jersey State Museum in Trenton, NJ. In 2020 he was one of 45 grantees of the Newark Artist Accelerator Fund.��

In 2023 he stepped into the role of Creative Director at Gallery Aferro where he previously worked as Registrar and Collections Manager for nearly six years. Today he leads the gallery’s curatorial and programmatic endeavors.��

Pascal Gallery hours are Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 1 to 5 p.m. and Wednesday from 1 to 7 p.m.�� NOTE: The gallery is closed Thanksgiving week. For more information contact Sydney Jenkins at 201-684-7147.

Ramapo College President Cindy Jebb and Bergen Community College President Eric Friedman signed the memorandum of understanding on Bergen’s Paramus campus during “Ramapo Day at Bergen” in the presence of leaders from both institutions. Working teams from both institutions will design and operationalize the vision for a more cohesive and integrated Ramapo@BCC experience. “This partnership continues to strengthen because our two institutions remain committed to building a sustainable, entrepreneurial, and trusted relationship in order to do all that we can for New Jersey’s residents, communities, and employers,” said Jebb.��

The schools have had a partnership for more than 10 years and continue to envision how to deliver education in an ever-changing world. Ramapo@BCC builds on the opportunity to focus on advancing social mobility and economic and workforce development in Bergen County.�� Programming will include undergraduate degree completion as well as partnerships with business and industry to provide certificate programs and workforce development. “Our two institutions share a commitment to student access, success and affordability. We look forward to serving the needs of Bergen County residents to attain the credentials and degrees they need in today’s ever changing marketplace,” shared Christopher Romano, vice president of strategic enrollment, outreach, and engagement at Ramapo College.��

A resource fair, offered by the ������Ƶ Office of Admissions, was also part of Ramapo Day at Bergen. BCC students were able to connect with Ramapo admissions representatives and learn more about transfer opportunities, majors, and schedule appointments with an onsite academic advisor. Visit ramapo.edu to learn more.

On Monday, October 9 at 6:00 p.m., acclaimed author and journalist, , will deliver the keynote address for a scholarly symposium.��Ms. Hagedorn will speak about her latest book,����(Simon & Schuster, 2021): Born in Iowa, schooled in science at Columbia University, and as American as baseball, George Koval was the ultimate secret agent. Because he had security clearances to the Manhattan Project, he was able to pass invaluable classified information that helped Soviet scientists produce an atomic bomb years earlier than US experts had expected. The FBI only identified him several years after he had returned to the Soviet Union, and in 2007, Vladimir Putin posthumously awarded him Russia’s highest civilian honor for his contribution to the Soviet atomic bomb program.

This event is free and open to the public. It will be held on campus in Friends Hall as well as online. To register, visit: /holocaust/gross-center-academic-symposium/ Light refreshments will be served in Friends Hall.

Symposium Organizers

Jacob Ari Labendz, Ramapo College, NJ, USA

Rebekah Klein-Pejšová, Purdue University, IA, USA

Participating Scholars

Jonathan Dekel-Chen, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

Brian Goodman, Arizona State University, AZ, USA

Anna Kawałko, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

Shaul Kelner, Vanderbilt University, TN, USA

Boris Morozov, Tel Aviv University, Israel

Kunduz Niiazova, Tel Aviv University, Israel

Dora Pataricza, Åbo Akademi University in Turku, Finland

Anat Plocker, Stockton University, NJ, USA

Zohar Segev, University of Haifa, Israel

Paweł Sowiński, Polish Academy of Science, Poland

Jonathan Zisook, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA

The symposium is the second in a two-part series, the aim of which is to publish an edited volume featuring contributions from the participants. The ��was held in May, 2022 at the����(Steel Museum).

For more information about these events or the Gross Center, contact Director Jacob Labendz (jlabendz@ramapo.edu / 201-684-7409).

The McNair program at Ramapo College will provide one-on-one academic counseling, faculty-guided peer tutoring, research and internship opportunities, and support in the application process for post-baccalaureate programs, which includes workshops for the graduate school application process, standardized test preparation, and graduate program tours. “The McNair grant is the missing piece of our outreach programs. The Ramapo STEM Center supports programs for math and science students, the college, and the community. This grant helps bridge the achievement gap for STEM students from the time they are in high school all the way through their Ph.D.,” shared Dr. Sandra Suarez, director of the Ramapo College STEM Center, Upward Bound Math Science, and who will also direct the McNair program at Ramapo.

The grant enables Ramapo to expand existing support for economically disadvantaged and underrepresented students. In 2022, the College opened the First-Generation Student Center, which, in part, supports students in navigating and accessing resources to alleviate institutional barriers.��This fall, the College enrolled its most diverse class in history. More than 46% of first-year students identified as first-generation and 48% as non-White students.��

“We are thrilled to receive the McNair grant, as it reflects the dedication of our faculty, staff and students to inclusive excellence. Ramapo has a long-standing tradition of providing opportunities for all students to excel academically and pursue their dreams,” said Ramapo College Provost and Vice President of Teaching and Learning Dr. Michael Middleton. “The grant will allow us to build on that legacy and empower even more students to reach their full potential.”

Ramapo College is one of fewer than 200 institutions nationwide to be part of the McNair program. McNair is one of a cluster of eight federal programs collectively known as TRIO that are designed primarily to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, with the ultimate goal of helping them to overcome economic, social, academic and cultural barriers to higher education.��In addition to McNair, Ramapo is also a participant in two other TRIO programs: Upward Bound Math Science and Student Support Services, creating a pipeline of support for students from high school into college, and preparing them for success beyond graduation.��

The McNair program is named after Ronald E. McNair, who was an American astronaut and physicist. He was the second Black astronaut to fly in space, and perished with his heroic flight crew in the 1986 space shuttle Challenger explosion.

To learn more about Ramapo College, visit ramapo.edu.

Mahwah, NJ- The Berrie Center’s Arch Performances will begin the 2023-2024 season with a performance from Calpulli Mexican Dance Company on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 8 p.m. in the Sharp Theater.

The performance, made possible with generous support from the Mid Atlantic Tours program of Mid Atlantic Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, is part of the College’s celebration of Latinx Heritage Month.

Calpulli Mexican Dance Company’s performances are like the traditions of Mexico: colorful, passionate, and inviting. With glorious costumes, contagious rhythms and captivating performers, the Company has a vibrant repertoire of dance and live music with cherished dance traditions, lesser-known stories and original works that capture the Mexican-American spirit.

Calpulli is a touring company dedicated to celebrating the rich diversity and traditions of Mexican heritage and Mexican-American cultural expression through dance-based programming. With artistic direction from Alberto Lopez Herrera and music direction from George Saenz, the Company made its international debut in the Kingdom of Bahrain in 2013 and has also been featured at Lincoln Center Out of Doors, Dollywood Festival of Nations, and Carnegie Hall.

As a community resource, the Berrie Center hosts a range of performances year-round including talented professional musicians, theater groups, and performance artists through the Arch Performances series and compelling student theater productions through the College’s Theater Program. The Center is generously supported by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Events are open to the public, with discounts for children 17 and under, and feature easy access and free parking. For exact event information and to purchase tickets, please visit .

Ramapo ascended the rankings for Best Undergraduate Teaching, which affirms the College’s steadfast commitment to and focus on teaching excellence for our undergraduate students. “Ramapo’s innovative curriculum, enriched by diverse perspectives and immersive experiences, prepares students to succeed in a rapidly evolving world by cultivating their intellectual curiosity, critical thinking skills and capacity for interdisciplinary engagement,” said Dr. Michael Middleton, provost and vice president for teaching, learning, and growth.��

Top Performers on Social Mobility, a category that measures success in enrolling and graduating a large proportion of economically disadvantaged students, is the most significant rankings increase for Ramapo this year. “Our ascension in social mobility is testimony to Ramapo’s commitment to, and prioritization of, making education accessible and affordable for students,” said Dr. Christopher Romano, vice president of strategic enrollment, outreach, and engagement.

“These findings continue to affirm Ramapo’s superior graduation and retention rates,” said Ramapo College President Dr. Cindy Jebb. “We also know that much of what places Ramapo among “the best” in these categories goes unsaid in these reports—our inclusive community, culture of mentorship, focus on student well-being, and unwavering commitment to develop the responsible leaders, ethical problem solvers, and empathetic change agents who are needed now and are essential to the future of our democracy.”

The latest recognition by U.S. News & World Report adds to a host of honors Ramapo College also earned this year, including:

• One of the top colleges in the northeast by The Princeton Review
• The #1 public college in New Jersey by College Choice
• A college of distinction with six awards, the highest amount awarded to a New Jersey school, by College of Distinction��

To learn more about the power of the affordable and transformative education Ramapo College delivers, visit ramapo.edu.

MAHWAH, N.J. – Ramapo College of New Jersey is once again one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to the Great Colleges to Work For® program.

The results are based on a survey of 194 colleges and universities. In all, 72 of those institutions achieved “Great College to Work For” recognition for specific best practices and policies. Ramapo College is the only college in New Jersey to be recognized.

“This recognition reaffirms for the Ramapo College community our intentionality towards building an inclusive and tight-knit community that is rich with talented and valued team members who serve together to make Ramapo a great place to work, study, and grow,” said Ramapo College President Cindy Jebb.

Ramapo College won honors in the category this year. “Each employee plays a crucial role in supporting our students and creating a vibrant campus experience. I couldn’t be more proud of the work we do to provide a robust compensation and benefits plan to our dedicated employees,” said Virginia Galdieri, vice president of People Operations and Employee Resources at Ramapo College. “It is an honor that Ramapo College was named one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, and we are thrilled to have been recognized in this category.”

The Great Colleges to Work For® program is one of the largest and most respected workplace-recognition programs in the country. The survey results are based on a two-part assessment process: an institution questionnaire that captures employment data and workplace policies from each institution, and a survey administered to faculty, administrators, and professional support staff. The primary factor in deciding whether an institution received recognition was the employee feedback.

To learn about employment opportunities at Ramapo College, New Jersey’s premier public liberal arts college, visit People Operations & Employee Resources.

During her tenure as interim CFO, the College passed its first balanced budget since the Covid-19 pandemic, received a clean financial audit, earned an A-rating and positive outlook from Standard & Poor’s, and more than quadrupled Ramapo’s investment income. O’Keefe has been working closely with the Offices of Capital Planning and Facilities Management to ensure critical improvements are prioritized. “She has advanced the Fiscal Health Core as an integrated resource to equip leaders across campus towards achieving fiscal responsibility, thereby supporting our all-hands-on-deck culture,” said Ramapo College President Cindy Jebb. “I am thrilled to have such a thoughtful, caring, hard working, and innovative leader on the Ramapo Mission Element Team.”��

O’Keefe began her career in public accounting right out of college, serving both large SEC clients as well as not-for-profit and higher education clients. After more than 20 years in public accounting, she transitioned into consulting as the director of internal audit at a large international manufacturer and moved into the New Jersey higher education arena in 2014.��

O’Keefe graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s of science degree from the University of Richmond and is a certified public accountant in New Jersey. She is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and resident of Oakland, NJ.

Arch Performances replaces what has been affectionately known as the Berrie Center Performances. This rebrand is a collaboration between the Berrie Center for the Arts and the Ramapo College Office of Marketing, with the new logo designed by Angela Moore, web & digital designer. The new logo is an artistic interpretation of the three-tiered building that is one of the most distinguishing features of the Berrie Center.��

Berrie Center Director Lisa Campbell explained the realignment of the logo and the mission. “Over our twenty-four-year history, so much has changed on our campus. The Berrie Center for the Arts is now home to a wide variety of programs and users and we are looking to distinguish our performing artist series. Our series has always had the vision of being a community resource welcoming 85% of our audiences from the greater Mahwah region.”

Arch Performances is a nod to Ramapo College’s most distinguishing feature. “We like the idea of relating a key icon as an identifier with our series.�� In addition, the true meaning of ‘arch’ is to serve as a support – something we strive to do every day for both our campus and neighboring communities,” Campbell explains.��

The logo is synonymous with professional and high caliber performing arts by Arch Performances’ guest artists at an affordable price.

Arch Performances. Same great events. Same great location.

Mahwah, NJ- ��will hold its 36th Annual Golf Outing at the Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, N.J., on Thursday, September 14, 2023.�� Proceeds from the event provide student scholarships, fund faculty-student research, and support special programs on campus. Century 21 Construction and the Anthony J. Marino family, serve as lead sponsors of the event.����

Lisa Ryan ‘84 and Eric Bechtel will receive the Havemeyer Presidential Leadership Award at this year’s outing. The award is given to individuals who offer their expertise and whose contributions touch the lives of students, faculty and staff at Ramapo College. It��is named for Theodore Havemeyer, an American businessman who was the first president of the U.S. Golf Association in 1894. Mr. Havemeyer lived on an estate in Mahwah, which is now owned by Ramapo College.��

Lisa Ryan joined the Board of Governors in 2013 and serves on the executive committee of the Ramapo College Foundation as vice president and is a member of the Alumni Association.�� She is co-chair of the Athletics Hall of Fame committee. She has received the Distinguished Alumnus Award five times from the Ramapo College Athletics Department. In addition, she was awarded the 2014 Mission Award from the Ramapo College Foundation for her longstanding commitment to enhancing the educational experience for every Ramapo College student. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts from Ramapo College in 1984. Lisa has been an active committee member of the Ramapo College Foundation Distinguished Citizens Gala and Annual Golf Outing.�� She continues to serve as auction chair for both committees.�� Her philanthropy includes donations to the Learning Commons capital campaign and the 50th Anniversary fundraising campaign.��

Eric Bechtel is founder and president of IdeaQuest, LLC, a sports, entertainment, technology and commerce marketing consulting firm in Ramsey, New Jersey. With over 30 years of experience, Eric has assisted Fortune 500 brands, professional athletes, entertainers, broadcast talent, media companies and league and team properties to successfully navigate their collaborations. He has partnered with some of the world’s most respected brands and clients to secure naming right deals, property sponsorships and endorsements. He has worked with professional athletes including: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Rory McEllroy, Steve Young, Shaquille O’Neal and Derek Jeter. Prior to IdeaQuest, Eric joined Integrated Sports International and successfully sold stadium naming rights to 3Com Park for the San Francisco 49ers, Ericsson Stadium for the Carolina Panthers, and Xfinity Center for the University of Maryland. Eric graduated from the University of Connecticut where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science and was a member of the football team. He received a Master of Sports Administration from Ohio University. He joined the Ramapo College Foundation Golf Committee in 2003. He is the father of three adult children and resides in New Jersey.

The cost for the outing is $650 per golfer/$2,600 per foursome. Sponsorships are available. To register and for more information, please visit ramapo.edu/golf-outing or contact Liz Kloak at lkloak@ramapo.edu or call 201-684-6834.

The project “Englewood Makes History” is a community-based initiative to collect and digitize archival materials related to the vibrant history of the City of Englewood, in particular those of African American residents in the 4th Ward and immigrant communities in the 3rd Ward. The project will pay particular attention to collecting documents and items related to the history of race, ethnicity, and class in the City and to Englewood’s historic 4th ward, an African-American neighborhood once known as “Little Texas” and the 3rd ward’s diverse immigrant communities, in particular its historic Colombian neighborhood.��

Students from Janis E. Dismus Middle School in Englewood and Ramapo College in Mahwah will enjoy hands-on learning on the archival project. “The partnership will help students better understand the history of New Jersey, develop a deep understanding of the history and present-day circumstances of their own communities, and a clear understanding of the value of History as a discipline,” said Colman. Additional collaborators include Englewood City community groups, religious organizations, Englewood City officials, and non-profit organizations such as the Bergen Family Center.

One digital project entails digitally mapping and recreating buildings and landmarks that no longer exist in the 4th ward as a result of gentrification. Long term, the project will become a permanent feature of Englewood civic life and allow students and residents to work together to document the City’s history and use the lessons of that history to make more informed decisions about Englewood’s present and future.

Visit ramapo.edu to learn more.

Ramapo offers a variety of residential living. From first-year living in Mackin and Bischoff Halls,�� to suite-style living in The Overlook and Laurel Hall, to apartment-style living in the College Park Apartments to The Village, students enjoy a variety of amenities. Every room, suite, and apartment has its own bathroom, a microwave and refrigerator, and HVAC unit. Students are also guaranteed housing all four years and can bring a vehicle the first year on campus.

Laurel Hall offers suite-style living with a quad complete with BBQ grills, a basketball and handball court, and a beach volleyball court.

Niche’s Best College Dorms in America ranking is based on key statistics and student reviews. Top-ranked colleges offer outstanding campus housing that is safe and clean with modern amenities at reasonable prices.��

“Aside from the amenities and physical structures our students call home, being ranked as offering the #1 residence halls in New Jersey is a testament to Ramapo’s commitment to providing our residential students a home where their dreams are nurtured, friendships are forged and memories are made,” said Office of Residence Life Director Lisa Gonsisko. “Residence Life is proud to set the bar high, creating an environment that inspires every resident’s college experience.”

Take or watch a of housing options and see why Ramapo College is #1 in New Jersey and one of the best in the United States. ��

Hangen brings a wealth of experience and a distinguished background from her service as interim dean of the school and as a professor of anthropology and international studies at Ramapo College. As interim dean, she has led initiatives in the areas of , international education, civic engagement, and has overseen numerous college-wide programs and centers including the Gross Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Jane Addams Papers Project, Center for Reading and Writing, and the Ramapo College Honors Program.��

At the college level, Hangen has been instrumental in her roles on the Provost’s Council and Graduate Council since 2017; the Strategic Plan: Boldly Ascending writing team, to which she was appointed by President Cindy R. Jebb in 2022; and as a member of the Academic Master Plan Taskforce. Additionally, Hangen served as co-chair of Standard V on Educational Effectiveness Assessment the College’s reaffirmed accreditation in 2020 by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

“Throughout the selection process, Dr. Hangen demonstrated a deep understanding of Ramapo’s vision, mission and goals. Her innovative ideas and collaborative spirit align with the direction of the College,” shared Dr. Michael Middleton, Ramapo College Provost and Vice President for Teaching, Learning, and Growth. “As Dean, Dr. Hangen will provide strategic leadership and guidance to HGS. She will play a pivotal role in advancing our academic programs, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and promoting excellence in teaching.”

The School of Humanities and Global Studies offers 20 undergraduate academic programs including Africana Studies, American Studies, World Languages, History, Human Rights and Genocide Studies, International Studies, English and Literary Studies, and Political Science.��

“I am honored to be appointed as the Dean of the School of Humanities and Global Studies. The School plays an important role in contributing to the public liberal arts mission of Ramapo College, and has launched many curricular innovations, including new community-based research projects,” said Hangen. “I look forward to continuing to support our outstanding faculty in their scholarship and teaching, and to ensuring that our students have opportunities to explore the world in college.”

Hangen earned both her M.A. and Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Wisconsin- Madison, and a B.A. in Asian Studies from Trinity College in Hartford, CT.

Students of the Ramapo College of New Jersey Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) Center have successfully uncovered the identity of “Nogales John Doe,” now known to be Donald Sigurd Hadland, Jr.��

Hadland’s remains were found in a hotel room in Nogales, Arizona in 2002, where he had registered for a room under a false identity just prior to his death. Although a fingerprint match was found revealing a possible identity as Hadland, questions regarding his identity remained unanswered due to conflicting identifying information. The called him “Nogales John Doe” and his remains were interred in 2003 in Nogales.

Students in the inaugural cohort of the Investigative Genetic Genealogy Certificate Program at Ramapo College, launched in January 2023, examined genetic associations of John Doe in the database GEDmatch Pro, which revealed his identity was that of Mr. Donald Sigurd Hadland, Jr. “This case was unique as there was an investigative lead to the identity of Donald Hadland Jr. to begin with,” said Ramapo IGG Certificate Program Director Cairenn Binder. “The students were able to compile additional supporting information using investigative genetic genealogy to demonstrate how Nogales John Doe’s genetic matches were consistent with Donald Hadland Jr.”��

This case is the first announced successful identification for the IGG Center at Ramapo College of New Jersey. “The teamwork and diligence of our IGG students’ work on this case is a great and consequential example of how the IGG Center at Ramapo College, the first of its kind nationally, contributes meaningfully to our society,” said Ramapo College President Cindy Jebb. “The hands-on learning, research, and investigative casework taking place at the Center helps our law enforcement partners locally and across the nation, as well as those in our communities who long for closure on the loss of loved ones.”

IGG combines traditional genealogy and genetic genealogy to provide investigative leads in cases involving violent crime and unidentified human remains. IGG can also be used to help exonerate the wrongfully convicted. The first of its kind in the nation, the IGG Center opened in December of 2022 and trains students to become proficient and ethical practitioners using IGG to resolve cases involving violent crime, unidentified human remains, and wrongful convictions. More than 20 cases from across the United States have been accepted since the center opened.��

The Ramapo College IGG Center is grateful for the collaborative work conducted with the PCOME and DNA Doe Project, a nonprofit organization with the mission to identify John and Jane Does and return them to their families and communities, as well as Genologue, who performed DNA extraction and sequencing, and Kevin Lord of Saber Investigations who performed bioinformatics on this case.��

For more information about Ramapo College and the IGG Center, visit ramapo.edu/igg.

]]> /news/press-releases/ramapo-college-announces-2023-summer-concert-series-lineup/ Thu, 15 Jun 2023 13:43:30 +0000 /news/?post_type=press-releases&p=17455 MAHWAH, N.J. – Ramapo College of New Jersey is excited to announce that the 2023 TD Bank Summer Concert Series is back and better than ever! Mark your calendar and pack your lawn chair or blanket to enjoy live music on the Bandshell Lawn on one of America’s top 50 most beautiful campuses as the sun sets behind the Ramapo Mountains.��

This season’s lineup is packed with talent. Enjoy the musical stylings of:

The Nerds: Thursday, June 29

The Infernos Salute to America: Thursday, July 6 (fireworks at dusk)

The Beatles and Beyond by The Mahoney Brothers: Thursday, July 13 (rain date for fireworks)

Super Trans Am, Thursday: July 20��

All concerts are from 7 – 9 p.m. rain or shine at Ramapo College, 505 Ramapo Valley Road, Mahwah, NJ. Admission is free. Parking is $5 per car. Concertgoers should bring chairs and blankets. In case of inclement weather, the shows will be held indoors in the air-conditioned Bradley Center Arena. Please email foundation@ramapo.edu with questions.��

In addition to TD Bank, the Summer Concert Series is sponsored by Liberty Cars of New Jersey and Friends of Ramapo. A snack bar, sponsored by Inserra Supermarkets, along with Conrad’s Homemade Ice Cream Truck, will be available. Visit the Summer Concert Series website for a full list of sponsors and to inquire about sponsoring this summer favorite series.��

To learn more about Ramapo College, visit ramapo.edu.��

“Ramapo College is delighted that we produced a second volume with Shawn Adler, and captured the diverse experiences of high school students in New Jersey. The students wrote their own stories about how they navigated difficult times with the help of family, friends, educators and community members.�� We hope they are inspired to keep writing their stories as they move into college and beyond,” said Dr. Susan Hangen, interim vice provost of teaching and learning at Ramapo College.

In 2022, the memoir , containing narratives from New Jersey high school students about the effects of the pandemic on their lives, was published. Proceeds from the sale of this book went directly to the We Care Program, and raised more than $400 to date.

All 100% of proceeds from the sales of will benefit the We Care Program at Ramapo College once again. The program provides resources to students who need assistance with additional funding resources or experience food insecurity or face homelessness.

To learn more about Ramapo College, visit ramapo.edu.

MAHWAH, NJ – Ramapo College of New Jersey is one of only 76 new members of the for 2023-24. The , an initiative of NASPA and The Suder Foundation, selected Ramapo College for its demonstrated commitment to improving experiences and advancing success for first-generation college students.

“With over 40% of our undergraduate students identifying as the first in their family to potentially graduate from college, Ramapo College has hit the ground running to impact the success of our first-gen students,” said Dr. Nicole Videla, senior director of the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) and Student Success.�� “Being accepted into First Scholars Network shows our long-term commitment to continuous learning as we build the foundation for our first-gen students as they make history at Ramapo College. Two recent initiatives include recognizing November as First-generation College Celebration Month and establishing the Zeta Nu chapter of the first-generation student honor society, Alpha Alpha Alpha (Tri-Alpha).

The First-Generation Student Center at Ramapo College of New Jersey provides purposeful support and engaging services to create an equitable environment for first-generation students. The goal of the center is to promote first-generation student success through learning experiences that cultivate a sense of belonging and encourage holistic student development. The First-Generation Student Center also provides training and resources to campus community members to increase awareness and understanding of the lived experiences of first-generation students.

“The Center is pleased to welcome Ramapo College of New Jersey into the First Scholars Network,” said Dr. Sarah E. Whitley, vice president with the Center for First-generation Student Success. “Through the application process, it was evident that Ramapo College is not only taking steps to serve first-generation students but is prepared to make a long-term commitment and employ strategies that foster an environment of success for this important population.”

To learn more about first-generation efforts at Ramapo College, visit the Ramapo College First-generation Student Center website at ramapo.edu/first-gen/.

Mahwah, NJ- Thanks to the support of Governor Phil Murphy and Secretary of Higher Education Brian K. Bridges, Ramapo College students will be able to access mental health counseling around the clock. Just in this last year, student appointments for mental health counseling increased 18% on campus, indicating the need for students to have access to additional, much-needed support.

“Well-being is crucial to student success, and we are committed to increasing access to critical support services including mental health counseling, instructional-related accommodations, and other support services,” said President Cindy R. Jebb. “We are thankful for the prescience of Governor Murphy and Secretary Bridges in recognizing the increasingly complex needs of our students and the demands on our institution, and we very much look forward to integrating Uwill into the menu of support services provided to our students.”

The program partners with Uwill to provide telehealth to students at colleges and universities in New Jersey, and will bolster an already impressive array of support and services Ramapo College currently provides its students.��

“Ramapo is happy to be able to provide additional mental health support to students through Uwill. Counseling Services at Ramapo College provides time-limited mental health treatment, both in-person and through telehealth, crisis support and referrals for students who need more long-term treatment. Uwill can fill a niche where students want evening or weekend telehealth appointments,” said Dr. Judith Green, Director of the Center for Health and Counseling Services at Ramapo College.

Earlier this year, due the support of Governor Phil Murphy and Secretary of Higher Education Brian K. Bridges, Ramapo College received a that helps create additional opportunities for students to receive support in a variety of ways beyond traditional counseling sessions as well as partner with community organizations to increase professional development for staff. Examples include securing , a peer-to-peer online platform that allows students to access an anonymous and safe community to share feelings and give or get wellness support, as well as work with , , and Cornell University’s . Counseling staff will gain valuable training that helps them connect with, understand, and support students of color, first-generation students, and LGBTQ+ students.

To learn more about the Ramapo College Center for Health and Counseling Services, visit ramapo.edu/chcs/.

“As we celebrate the Ramapo College Class of 2023, we welcome Alex back to our campus. A leader who has modeled the importance of equity, innovation, and service throughout his career, Alex embodies the Ramapo College promise: to develop the empathetic problem solvers, ethical change agents, and responsible leaders�� our communities so desperately need,” shared President Cindy Jebb.

The Graduate Programs Commencement Ceremony will be held at Ramapo College in the Bill Bradley Sports and Rec Center on Thursday, May 18, 2023. Doors will open at 4:00 p.m. The ceremony will begin with the academic processional at 5:15 p.m. Persons unable to attend may enjoy the ceremony via livestream on ramapo.edu/commencement.��

Dylan Heffernan, assistant director for the We Care Program and Community Services, is grateful for the support that New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education Brian K. Bridges, Ph.D., continues to provide. “The Hunger Free Campus Grant has allowed us to grow the pantry in ways I could only hope to see. The first round of funding allowed the food pantry to provide over 250 bags of fresh produce to students this semester and approximately 1,500 meals in the dining hall. With these additional funds, we’ll be able to do even more to support our students and reduce food insecurity on campus.”

The Ramapo College Food Pantry was developed six years ago to help students who face food insecurity. That effort is one of many student-support resources that reside under the umbrella of the We Care Program, which includes the Emergency Student Relief Fund, Clothing Closet, and Laptop Upcycle @ Ramapo. The additional funding brings the award total to approximately $77,000 and will expand the goals of the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program by providing healthier choices in our on-campus food pantry, particularly by increasing the amount of fresh food. Earlier this year, Ramapo College received approximately $51,000 from the Hunger-Free Campus Act.

To learn more about Ramapo College, visit ramapo.edu.��

“It is really awesome to have Dr. Leslie T. Fenwick participate in the Ramapo College Class of 2023 Commencement Ceremony,” said President Cindy Jebb, “Leslie is a gifted scholar, exemplary educator, and inspiring leader whose service and research continues to shape and inform public policy decisions and educational practices that are focused on driving opportunity, justice, empathy, and equity.”

Ramapo College’s Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony will be held at Prudential Center in Newark on Thursday, May 11, 2023. Doors to the Prudential Center will open at 5:30 p.m. The ceremony will begin with the academic processional at 6:45 p.m. Persons unable to attend may enjoy the ceremony via livestream on ramapo.edu/commencement.��

Dr. Leslie T. Fenwick

Leslie T. Fenwick, Ph.D., is noted for her expertise in public policy, character leadership, and ethics. A lifelong educator who has worked in every sector of education, Dr. Fenwick is known as a “fearless voice” for educational equity and equal opportunity. In 2020, she was a finalist for the U.S. Secretary of Education post. Additionally she is a U.S. Presidential appointee to the Board of Visitors for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point (USMA) where she has served since 2017 as a MCLC Senior Fellow occasionally lecturing about character leadership and ethics.��

A former Harvard University Visiting Scholar and Visiting Fellow, and Salzburg Global Fellow, she is the author of the award-winning and bestselling book Jim Crow’s Pink Slip (Harvard Education Press, 2022). Jim Crow’s Pink Slip has been referenced by the New York Times and is an NPR Book of the Day. It is also winner of the 2023 Gloria Ladson-Billings Outstanding Book of the Year Award, and is an Amazon #1 Bestseller in Education History. Dr. Fenwick is recipient of the W.E.B. DuBois Higher Education Leadership Award for her national efforts to expand equal educational opportunity and access to higher education.��

As a very public-facing scholar and advocate, Dr. Fenwick’s policy research and op-ed articles have been cited and published by the New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Politico, the National Academy of Education, Brookings Institution, and the Center for American Progress. She has been a featured speaker at the National Press Club (Washington, D.C.) and has appeared on NPR, CNN, C-SPAN Live, Yahoo! Finance News, and Washington Post Live discussing public policy, educational equity, and the changing U.S. workforce.��

She has made a sustained contribution to the research literature publishing numerous journal articles, policy monographs, book chapters, and books. Additionally, she has delivered more than 150 distinguished lectures and keynotes to national and international audiences that include corporate, political, and educational leaders. Dr. Fenwick has served as a consultant to CEO Action for Racial Equity founded by Tim Ryan, U.S. Chairman and Senior Partner, PwC. Featured in the New York Times, CEO Action for Racial Equity is the first business-led coalition (composed of 2,000 corporate chairpersons and CEOs) of its kind with a mission to advance racial equity through public policy.��

Dr. Fenwick is one of 11 nationally distinguished scholars appointed a member of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) Scholarly Advisory Committee (SAC). The SAC was established by renown historian Dr. John Hope Franklin to establish the museum’s intellectual agenda and exhibition content. The NMAAHC is the world’s third busiest museum.��

Dr. Fenwick is Dean Emerita of the Howard University School of Education where she is a tenured professor of policy and Dean in Residence at the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE). She earned a Ph.D. in education policy and leadership studies at The Ohio State University where she was a Flesher Fellow, and a bachelor’s degree at the University of Virginia.

Mahwah, NJ- Ramapo College and the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) announced that Nora Rachouh ‘23 has been recognized as part of the 2023 ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll. The awards college students doing outstanding work to advance nonpartisan democratic engagement at participating campuses.��

Rachouh joins a group of 175 students recognized for their voter registration, education and turnout efforts ahead of last year’s historic midterm elections. The 2022 midterm elections saw one of the highest youth turnout rates for a midterm election in the past 40 years — an estimated 23% of young people ages 18 to 29 turned out to vote. “I am honored to be a part of the ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll! I have worked throughout my years at Ramapo College in the Civic and Community Engagement Center (CCEC) and have strived to get my fellow students to recognize the importance of being politically engaged regardless of preferences.”����

“As a nursing major, Nora understands the power of healing and community. In her position as the student manager of the Civic and Community Engagement Center, Nora has dedicated herself to building community and empowering her peers to learn more about the political process and to vote in every election,” shared Karen Booth, coordinator for civic and political engagement in the CCEC.

In November, ALL IN recognized Ramapo College as a most engaged campus for college student voting, and remains committed to promoting civic engagement and the democratic process. It is what Rachouh loves most about being a Ramapo student. “The college’s interdisciplinary commitment to forming well-rounded, informed, and empowered students of democracy through the Civic and Community Engagement Center is what I love most at Ramapo. The hands-on service ignites a flame within you, creating a want for change that promotes the desire to vote. Ramapo’s commitment to integrated classes with social issues and community service through the CCEC creates knowledgeable student leaders who understand no matter what major you have or where you are planning to work, being a well-informed politically engaged adult is for everyone.”

To learn more about Ramapo College, visit ramapo.edu.��

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement. With the support of the ALL IN staff, campuses that join the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge complete a set of action items to institutionalize nonpartisan civic learning, political engagement and voter participation on their campus. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge currently engages more than 9.8 million students from more than 965 institutions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Campuses can join ALL IN .

The program offers four track options: Family nurse practitioner, adult gerontology nurse practitioner, nursing administration, and nursing education. Nurses who complete the program have the opportunity to attain certification in their respective specialty and become nurse leaders where they work.

Patricia Conte is a nurse working in the Emergency Department at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. She is studying to become a family nurse practitioner. “The MSN program provides me with the best education and supportive resources to advance my nursing career. With exam preparation, research-based discussions, and clinical case study presentations, the MSN degree has helped me grow with confidence in the assessment, clinical diagnosis, and education of patients.”

Students complete the program online with some hybrid formats, which provides flexibility for nurses who work and want to further their education, like Conte. “The hybrid program contributes to achieving a perfect work-school-life balance. I love the program’s supportive community and degree of continuity. The professors have been consistent, exceptional resources in my learning experience and are always readily available to discuss questions or concerns pertaining to educational content or clinical experience. The staff are extremely approachable, organized, insightful, and compassionate. The sense of genuine thoughtfulness and support that comes from the MSN staff at Ramapo College has helped fuel my success in the program.”��

Christie Rice, a registered nurse and certified clinical research professional who is graduating from the nurse education track in May, agrees. “The professors are extremely supportive and understanding of graduate students, realizing we all are balancing work, family and school responsibilities. The hybrid nature of the program with a majority of the courses online makes it attainable to fit the scheduled in-person classes with a variety of nursing jobs as these sessions are offered virtually.

Prospective students can learn more about the MSN and all nursing programs offered at Ramapo College by visiting the nursing programs website.

On the surface, Catapult is a shadow dance company, but it also is a theatrical art form that is an amazingly imaginative combination of dance, story-telling, and sculpture. Founded in 2009 by choreographer Adam Battlestein, who has been creative director and master teaching artist for Pilobolus Dance Theatre for 19 years, Catapult rose to fame in the finals on Season 8 of “America’s Got Talent.”

“Magic Shadows” features eight fully-realized stories told through music and shadows and six short shadow dance videos which play between the live dances that are full of humor and emotion. The show is packed with hundreds of shape transformations from a helicopter to a full-size elephant and many more. The dancers move behind a screen to create seemingly impossible dancing shadow silhouettes of shapes from the world around us that will leave the whole family happy and in awe.

As a community resource, the Berrie Center hosts a range of performances year-round including compelling student theater productions and musical performances as well as countless talented professional musicians, theater groups, and performance artists. The Center is generously supported by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Events are open to the public with discounts for children 17 and under, and feature easy access and free parking. For exact event information and to purchase tickets, please visit ramapo.edu/berriecenter.

This dynamic exhibition showcases the creative talents of 25 graduating Visual Arts seniors, and features artwork in a wide-range of media including animation, drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, installation, and performance. Associate Professors Ann LePore and Jackie Skrzynski are the faculty curators.����

Featured artists include:�� Emily Abreu, Josie Ajello, Kaitlin Balasaygun, Isabella Cannao, Kira Constantine, Alejandra Esquivias, Jenna Genocchio, Shugar Hall, Jennifer Holland, Christine Huysers, Andrew LaMonica, Erika Larsen, Rachel Liptak, Veronika Miller, Trent Montgomery, Bridget Nichols, Dominic Notoris, Danielle Opitz, Armand Partis, Chantel Pridgen, Cecily Santana, Blake Taylor, Grace Velarde, Erin Ward, Megan Woods.��

Special hours for the exhibition are:

Wednesday, April 26:�� 5-7 p.m. (Opening Reception)

Thursday, April 27:�� 1-7 p.m.

Friday, April 28: 1-5 p.m.

Saturday, April 29:�� 1-6 p.m.

Sunday, April 30:�� 1-4 p.m.

Monday, May 1:�� 1-5 p.m.

Tuesday, May 2:�� 1-5 p.m.

Wednesday, May 3:�� 1-7 p.m.

Thursday, May 4:�� 1-7 p.m.

Friday, May 5: 1-5 p.m.

Sunday, May 7: 1-4 p.m.

Monday, May 8:�� 1-5 p.m.

Tuesday, May 9:�� 1-5 p.m.

Wednesday, May 10:�� 11 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

For further information, contact Sydney Jenkins at 201-684-7147. To learn more about Ramapo College, visit ramapo.edu.

A ceremony featuring brief remarks from dignitaries, an address by Dr. Jacob Ari Labendz, director of the Center, and a musical performance by Naomi Miller will be held in the Robert A. Scott Student Center, Friends Hall. A processional with the Torah scroll will follow to the Peter P. Mercer Learning Commons, home of the Center, where it will be installed in the exhibition space. This event and the exhibit are open to the public. Registration is strongly encouraged as space is limited via this

The Center hopes to function as the nexus of a multi-site exhibit, featuring Czech scrolls and their custodians in the region and beyond. While the exhibit will be primarily virtual, communities may produce beautiful, physical displays to tell the fascinating histories of the Czech scrolls and of their scroll’s community of origin. They will also script a lasting testament to their own community, its history, and its relationship to its Czech scroll.

All inquiries should be directed via email to Dr. Jacob Ari Labendz, director of the Center:��holgen@ramapo.edu. Visit The Center website for more information about the scroll and the Jewish community of Kolín.

Brandon, a music professor at Ramapo College for more than 20 years, has worked with musical legend Ben E. King, The Drifters, Average White Band, and The Supremes. His choir features the best voices from around the state, including Ramapo College students.

Brandon promises a night full of joyous gospel music from various genres that he is excited to share with the audience. “I see the concert as being more than a simple presentation – it is a time of sharing. In fact, every ticket holder is automatically a choir member. If you know a song, sing along!” he said.

As a community resource, the Berrie Center hosts a range of performances year-round including compelling student theater productions and musical performances as well as countless talented professional musicians, theater groups, and performance artists. The Center is generously supported by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Events are open to the public with discounts for children 17 and under, and feature easy access and free parking. For exact event information and to purchase tickets, please visit ramapo.edu/berriecenter.

Accompanied by Ramapo College President Cindy Jebb, Secretary Bridges also met with students in the Educational Opportunity Fund program in the newly opened Multicultural Center, students who receive support from the Office of Specialized Services, and visited the Adler Center for Nursing Excellence to see the state-of-the-art simulation labs.

“The chance to interact with Ramapo students who are supported by programs like EOF and the college’s Office of Specialized Students, students who might otherwise lack the support they need to be successful, reinforced the value of New Jersey’s state-level investments in higher education,” said Dr. Bridges. “Not only that, but seeing firsthand how Ramapo is contributing to the development of our workforce in high-demand fields like nursing, by preparing students in their simulation labs, demonstrates just how vital 21st century learning environments are to equip students for the careers of both today and tomorrow.” Secretary Bridges last visited Ramapo College on September 22, 2021 for the Peter P. Mercer Learning Commons ribbon-cutting ceremony.��

“Our students were thrilled to have the opportunity to learn from and spend time with Secretary Bridges and to share with him their stories and experiences as valued members of the Ramapo College community,” said President Jebb. “Ramapo faculty and staff invest their time, resources, and energy in our students through individualized attention and mentorship. We are grateful that Secretary Bridges not only got to witness that investment first-hand as part of his campus visit but also furthered it by sharing his own story and experiences with Ramapo students.�� We appreciate the advocacy Secretary Bridges provides for public higher education in NJ and the support of the state in helping Ramapo continue to meet our students’ educational, social, and well-being needs as learners and as society’s future leaders.”��

Ramapo College is #1 in New Jersey for its online RN to BSN program and in the top 3 for its RN program. The College is also #1 in New Jersey and #24 in the nation for being a top college for students with disabilities. Visit the accolades page to learn more honors for Ramapo College.

The mission of the 2023 Voter Friendly Campus designation is to bolster colleges and universities’ efforts to help students overcome barriers to participating in the political process – every year, not just during years featuring federal elections. Ramapo College was evaluated based on a written plan for how we planned to register, educate, and turnout student voters in 2022, how we facilitated voter engagement efforts on our campus, and a final analysis of our efforts.

“Although presidential and midterm election years get a majority of the attention, there are state and local elections which have an incredible impact on our lives and our communities every year,” shared Eddie Seavers, associate director for the Center of Student Involvement. “The designation as a Voter Friendly Campus represents that being civically engaged is a hallmark of being a Ramapo student.”

As part of our effort to be designated a Voter Friendly Campus, the Civic and Community Engagement Center held a robust Civic Engagement Week in 2022. Activities included a voter engagement fair, tabling to bring awareness to midterm elections, roving campus trivia, and a trip to Washington, D.C.��

Ramapo College has made a strong statement about our civic mission to prepare students to be engaged participants in our democracy, building upon awards for our 2022 ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge Highly Established Action Plan Seal and Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting and is eager to continue engaging students through 2023, 2024, and beyond.

The institutions designated Voter Friendly Campuses represent a wide range of two-year, four-year, public, private, rural, and urban campuses, collectively serving over 3.5 million students. Notably, the list of designated institutions includes 49 Minority Serving Institutions and 13 Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as well as 41 Community Colleges.

The theme of this year’s symposium, Power-Based Violence: A Look into College Life, takes a deep dive into dating violence and the college student population. Topics include social media harassment, what violence prevention looks like on a campus, stalking behavior and recognizing the signs, as well as resource disparities and barriers that prevent marginalized populations from coming forward to report these crimes.

Moderated by New Milford Councilman Matthew Seymour, symposium panelists include:

• Laura Melendez (Bergen County Alternatives to Domestic Violence/ADV)
• Simaza Sadek, MSW, LSW (Director, YWCA Northern New Jersey healingSPACE)��
• Marie-Danielle Attis (Ramapo College)
• Onya Brown, Esq. (Felician University)
• Lieutenant Kevin Mathew (Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office – Special Victims Unit)
• Sergeant Melissa Cohen (Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office – Special Victims Unit)
• Assistant Prosecutor Lee Schaer, Esq. (Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office)
• Amanda Murray (Center for Hope and Safety)��
• Honorable Ronny Jo Siegal (Retired NJ Superior Court Family Law Judge)

Welcome remarks will be delivered by Bergen County Sheriff Anthony Cureton, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella, and Ramapo College President Cindy Jebb.��

According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline:

• 1 in 6 college women (16%) has been sexually abused in a dating relationship.
• 57% of all college students say it is difficult to identify dating abuse.
• 38% of college students say they do not know how to get help for themselves if they experience dating abuse as a victim.
• 58% of college students say they do not know what to do to help someone who is a victim of dating abuse.
• 52% of college women report knowing a friend who’s experienced violent and abusive dating behaviors, including physical, sexual, digital, verbal, or other controlling abuse.
• Nearly 1 in 3 college women (29%) say they have been in an abusive dating relationship.
• Most female (69%) and male (53%) victims of rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner had their first experience with intimate partner violence before the age of 25.

Councilman Seymour created this program in 2019 in New Milford “to provide information about resources and services that are available to domestic violence survivors. I am honored to partner with Ramapo College to present a symposium that is specifically tailored to the college student population. With the tragic events that occurred earlier this year near a college campus in Idaho, it is imperative to address stalking and dating violence.”

High school and college students as well as parents and guardians of these populations are encouraged to attend to learn more about intimate partner violence prevention and how to recognize the signs. For more information on the Violence Awareness Symposium, email mseymour@newmilfordboro.com or visit .

Mahwah, NJ– Ramapo College of New Jersey remains the #1 public college in New Jersey, according to College Choice, a leading authority in college and university rankings and resources.

“Ramapo’s consistent ranking atop this list reaffirms the value of a Ramapo College degree in today’s uber competitive marketplace. We pride ourselves on our commitments to both affordability and student success; ensuring that students who enroll at Ramapo not only just thrive while they’re with us, but are positioned for both personal and professional success,” said Christopher Romano, vice president for strategic enrollment, outreach, and engagement at Ramapo.

Offering exceptional value with below average in-state and out-of-state tuition rates, coupled with an above average four-year graduation rate, Ramapo College provides a high-quality education with a strong return on investment. On average, students are awarded competitive grants or scholarships, making Ramapo College an affordable option to earn a degree in four years. Findings from the most recent New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities (NJASCU) economic impact study show that Ramapo alumni who stay in New Jersey enjoy an aggregate $2.55 billion increase in annual household income. Ramapo College also remains #1 in New Jersey for best residential halls, and is one of the Top 50 most beautiful campuses in America.

The ranking is a result of a rigorous methodology that includes data from two U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) sources. The College Scorecard records college cost, loan default rates, student borrowing, graduation rates, and employment after graduation, and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS),which is a division of the National Center for Education Statistics but run by the USDOE, collects information reported by schools that participate in federal student aid programs including enrollment, graduation rates, student financial aid, and admission. Additional data sources include U.S. News & World Report and Payscale.

To learn more about the honors and accolades of Ramapo College, visit ������Ƶ Accolades.

High school students are encouraged to register in advance at but can attend without a reservation.

“The Bergen County Directors of Guidance, which represents the close to 50 high schools in Bergen County, is thrilled to continue this partnership with Ramapo College as the event host. Last year’s event, the first live fair since 2019, was an overwhelming success,” said Dominick Gliatta, president of the Bergen County Directors of Guidance and Director of School Counseling at Mahwah High School.�� “We plan to have an even larger attendance of representatives from colleges, universities, trade schools, and the military who will be on hand to answer any and all questions students and parents may have.”

Christopher Romano, vice president of strategic enrollment, outreach and engagement at Ramapo College, added, “After the success of our first year hosting the fair, I cannot wait to see so many prospective students tour our campus.�� As a public college, Ramapo’s mission is to play an integral role in facilitating more college attainment in New Jersey. Providing these opportunities for students and their families to learn about the diversity of higher education offerings is essential to that mission.”

Photo from the 2022 Bergen County College Fair at Ramapo College in the Bradley Arena

Students and their families are encouraged to take advantage of all the fair has to offer. In addition to visiting with and meeting representatives from over 200 colleges and universities in attendance. There will be opportunities to tour Ramapo’s campus and to learn about the ins and outs of financial aid from the ������Ƶ Financial Aid office.

Registration information can be found at . More information about the event including directions, a full list of the colleges/universities attending the fair can be found by visiting ������Ƶ Admissions.

(Mahwah, NJ)– The (ALL IN) announced that Ramapo College has been awarded a Highly Established Action Plan Seal, one of only two 4-year colleges in New Jersey. This seal is awarded to campuses that have worked to increase nonpartisan democratic engagement and graduate engaged voters by building a strong nonpartisan action plan. ALL IN and the American Democracy Project, Campus Vote Project, NASPA Lead Initiative, and the Students Learn Students Vote Coalition created the to help guide campuses on their journey to graduate democratically engaged students by building effective action plans. The Highly Established Action Plan Seal recognizes campuses that score at least 31.5 out of 36 possible points on the Strengthening American Democracy rubric.

��“Our students’ continued commitment and passion to advance and engage in the democratic process is both commendable and inspiring. They lead boldly, recognizing the right to vote as a privilege and responsibility. This award reflects our students as problem solvers, ethical change agents, and civic-minded leaders,” shared Ramapo College President Cindy Jebb, who committed in 2022 to fostering a culture that supports nonpartisan student civic learning, political engagement and student voter participation, spearheaded on campus by the Civic and Community Engagement Center.��

“Colleges and universities have a responsibility to prepare students to engage meaningfully in our nation’s democracy. The role they play in developing the next generation of voters and shaping our future cannot be understated,” said Dr. Jennifer Domagal-Goldman, Executive Director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. “We are proud to recognize Ramapo College of New Jersey for working to graduate the next generation of voters by developing and implementing a comprehensive, data-informed campus action plan.”����

Ramapo College is no stranger to leading efforts to empower and strengthen student democratic engagement. In 2022, Ramapo was named an ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for Student Voting in 2022 and Keren Ortega ‘22 was named to the ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll. Ramapo College was named an in the 2020 presidential election, boasting a student voter rate 11% above the national average.����

ABOUT ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge:

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) is a national nonpartisan initiative of Civic Nation, a 501(c)(3) organization. ALL IN strives to change civic culture and institutionalize democratic engagement activities and programs on college campuses, making voter participation a defining feature of campus life.

ALL IN, in collaboration with over 960 higher education institutions, seeks to make participation in local, state, and federal elections a social norm; substantially increase the number of college students who are democratically engaged on an ongoing basis, during and between elections, and not just at the polls, and; make educating for democratic engagement on college campuses an accepted and expected part of the culture and curriculum so that students graduate with the knowledge, skills, behaviors, and values needed to be an informed and active citizen.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the culmination of the project, at which Ramapo College President Cindy Jebb expressed how “the Multicultural Center provides an inclusive and welcoming space that will host programs and workshops designed to help foster constructive intercultural dialogue–dialogue that encourages understanding, empathy, and solidarity.” Consul General Bishnu Prasad Gautam of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nepal, attended the event and reflected on how the Ramapo College community mobilized relief funds to support victims of the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, and again during the Covid-19 pandemic. “Cultural and community identity are very important aspects in our personal development. I think the College has internalized this in opening the Center, and it will give one more reason for students to choose this college.”

Additional invited guest speakers who shared remarks about the significance of the opening included alumni Tamika Quick ‘03, executive director of the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Kean University; Jonelyn Planillo-Pachay ‘09, co-founder of both the Pilipino American Unity for Progress (UniPro) and the Professional Filipino American Youth (PFAY), and service sales representative at Schindler Elevator; Eileen Ramos ‘11, event coordinator for the Asian American Literary Review; and Stephan Lally ‘20, advisor to the speaker and director of appointments at the New Jersey Assembly Democratic Office.

The pandemic halted the work of the center’s fruition, which began in December 2019 with the formation of the Multicultural Center Exploratory Committee, composed of students, faculty and students and established through the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Compliance (EDIC). The Opportunity Meets Innovation Challenge (OMIC) grant awarded by the State of New Jersey helped fund the project, which resumed in Spring 2021.

The Multicultural Center supports one of the goals of the College’s strategic plan, Boldly Ascending, approved by the Ramapo College Board of Trustees in January 2023. Ramapo’s Annual Diversity Convocation will be held in March, and plans are underway through EDIC to host diversity-related programs and workshops in the Multicultural Center for all students.

The Concert, generously supported with funding from the Les Paul Foundation, is a collaboration between Ramapo’s Berrie Center for the Performing and Visual Arts and the College’s esteemed music department. Attendees are invited to stay for an intimate post-performance conversation with Keating.

Keating, a composer and performer, uses a cello and a foot-controlled laptop to record and layer sounds to create lush, beautiful yet unclassifiable music. Her performances are unique as she spontaneously improvises around her works, demonstrates how she makes them, and tells the stories behind each piece.

For the past 20 years, Keating has used her DIY approach to compose, produce and independently release her albums, which have sold over 35,000 copies. Keating also composes for TV, theater, film and dance, and most notably, she co-composed the score of the HBO film “Oslo” with Jeff Russo, which earned the pair an Emmy Nomination in 2021.

Ramapo’s Berrie Center is a centerpiece of the College’s School of Contemporary Arts (CA). Students enrolled in CA programs benefit from hands-on learning with artists like Keating and can choose to focus their studies in:

• Communication Arts (with concentrations in Digital Filmmaking, Global Communication and Media, Journalism and Writing, as well as Visual Communication Design which includes Game Design and Graphic Design)
• Music (with concentrations in: Music Industry, Music Performance, Music Production, Music Education and Music Studies, and an MFA Program in Creative Music Technology)
• Theater (with concentrations in: Acting, Directing/Stage Management, Design/Technical Theater, and Theater Studies); and
• Visual Arts (with concentrations in: Art History, Drawing and Painting, Sculpture, Electronic Art and Animation, and Photography)

As a community resource, the Berrie Center hosts a range of performances year-round including compelling student theater productions and musical performances as well as countless talented professional musicians, theater groups, and performance artists. The Center is generously supported by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Events are open to the public with discounts for children 17 and under, and feature easy access and free parking. For exact event information and to purchase tickets, please visit ramapo.edu/berriecenter.

MAHWAH. NJ – Ramapo Professor Natalia Santamaría Laorden was recently elected to lead a pioneering national initiative that encourages the contextual teaching of language. Newly formed by the ACTFL, The Languages of Specific Purposes (LSP) Special Interest Group is the first of its kind to further the issue of language and profession through the ACTFL network of professionals and in classrooms across the country. Santamaría Laorden will serve as the LSP group’s chair throughout its first full year.

“The formation of the Language of Specific Purpose Special Interest Group at ACTFL is an optimistic sign of a broader cultural shift towards an interdisciplinary approach,” said Professor Santamaría Laorden. “Whether it is health equity, climate change, sustainability, or accountability, I firmly believe that the way we teach world languages can humanize interactions and better outcomes across industries.”

Reflective of growing student interest and real-world needs, the LSP Special Interest Group’s primary focus will be on cultural humility within language learning. Aligned with a broader focus on an interdisciplinary approach, the network of educators, professionals, and industry experts will define best practices and shared goals for educating towards the socio-dynamic context of language. Of all the ACTFL’s Special Interest Groups, the Languages for Specific Purposes group is the only one dedicated to providing students with real-world, transferable skills for the contemporary workplace. The principles defined and discussed in the group will lay the foundation for how colleges and universities approach language learning across the country.

“I am thrilled to serve in this position and extend the interdisciplinary work we already practice at Ramapo to the whole country,” added Santamaría Laorden. “We are currently expanding the Spanish program at the College through potential certification by the Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters. This will allow us to join efforts with county colleges to strengthen the mission of educating well-rounded foreign language teachers.”

A pioneer in the issue of language and profession, Natalia Santamaría Laorden introduced the concept to Ramapo College with a Certificate Program on Spanish and Healthcare backed by a US DOE UISFL grant. Resonating with the student body and administration, the certificate program led to the creation of three popular new courses and an 80 percent increase in enrollment for its Spanish minor curriculum. The program also led to a successful new study-abroad opportunity in Bilbao, dedicated to immersing students in the Basque healthcare system.

In 2022, Santamaría Laorden co-authored the textbook, Spanish for Health Care and Human Services: An Interdisciplinary Approach (Cognella, 2021). Currently, 200 desk copies have been distributed in the United States, and 12 universities, and the University of Colorado-Boulder, Northeastern University, University of North Florida, and University of Cincinnati have already adopted it.

According to Santamaría Laorden, the group, its work, and her efforts at Ramapo will have a significant tie-in to desires at the federal level about enhancing language education as a way to increase global competitiveness. “My work with colleagues at the ACTFL will contribute directly towards addressing recent concerns by US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona about the needs to promote bilingualism as a gift and to educate professionals to compete abroad. In such a diverse country and world, the work will foster a better understanding by the education and business industries of the connection between world languages fluency and success. “

Providing vision, leadership and support for quality teaching and learning of languages, the ACTFL is an individual membership organization for language educators and administrators from elementary through graduate education, as well as government and industry. Since its founding in 1967, ACTFL has become synonymous with innovation, quality, and reliability in meeting the changing needs of language educators and their learners. It is where the world’s educators, businesses, and government agencies go to advance the practice of language learning.

To learn more about Natalia Santamaría Laorden, click here.

(MAHWAH & RANDOLPH, NEW JERSEY)- 2023 kicked off with the following declaration from Tech Crunch magazine: “Data science is perhaps the most exciting area in all of enterprise technology right now, and it’s evolving at a lightning pace.” Recognizing the significance of this dynamic industry, Ramapo College of New Jersey and County College of Morris (CCM) have joined forces to create pathways for aspiring data scientists to earn a master’s in data science in as little as five years.

The presidents of Ramapo and CCM on February 1 signed a Data Science Transfer Agreement, the first between a community college and a four-year institution in New Jersey. Known as a 2+2+1 agreement, the partnership will allow students to begin their education at CCM to earn their associate degree and then seamlessly transfer to Ramapo to earn their bachelor’s degree and then a master’s in data science if they wish.

Thomas Ortega, of Randolph, NJ, a graduate of Morris Hills High School and CCM, is in his fourth year in ��the 2+2+1 program. Ortega, who also serves as the founder and President of the Ramapo College Data Science Club, shared, “My pathway between County College of Morris and Ramapo College has been a wonderful experience that has provided me with a great start to my data science career. With an engaging faculty, I always feel that I have the support I need to pursue hands-on data science projects.”

“Ramapo looks forward to welcoming more CCM graduates to our data science programs,” said Ramapo College President Cindy Jebb. “Our Center of Data, Mathematical & Computational Sciences, which is home to our data science programs, is at the cutting edge of preparing undergraduate and graduate students to be highly skilled and ethical problem solvers by teaching them how to apply technical and interdisciplinary concepts to real-world challenges.”

By taking a number of graduate courses as an undergraduate at Ramapo, the master’s can be completed in one year. By starting at a community college and then earning a master’s in a year, students can enjoy significant savings on their higher education. Students are not required to earn a master’s and can opt instead to earn a bachelor’s only.

“We’re pleased to be offering this opportunity for CCM students to seamlessly continue their data science higher education at Ramapo College so they can take advantage of a wide range of career opportunities,” said Dr. Anthony J. Iacono, president of CCM. “We’re proud to enhance our relationship with such a great institution that also builds upon our reputation as the best community college in the state for transfer students.”

Among the first institutions in NJ to offer advanced degrees in data science, Ramapo’s Master of Science in Data Science program is nationally ranked a Top 30 Master’s program by Fortune Magazine, making it the #1 graduate data science program in New Jersey. According to ��ǰ��ٳܲԱ�’s analysis, data science is one of the fastest growing fields due to the increasing volume of data generated every day, which is “creating a steep demand for workers that can harness, analyze and create value from the data available.”

“The path for students to pursue an associate’s, a bachelor’s, and even a master’s degree in data science is now seamless,” said Christopher Romano, vice president for strategic enrollment, outreach, and engagement at Ramapo, adding, “Through this agreement with CCM, we are expanding access, and clearly articulating the pathway to allow individuals to pursue careers, and earn continuous credentials, in a very exciting, high-demand, and high-growth industry.”

The strength of Ramapo combined with the strength of CCM, which is nationally rated the Best for Transfer Students in New Jersey by Intelligent, has created thoughtful, accessible, and seamless pathways for students to pursue their studies in this high demand growth industry. With the addition of this data science 2+2+1 agreement, CCM now has more than 170 to ease the process of earning an associate and then a bachelor’s degree.

To learn about the Data Science program at Ramapo, visit /dmc/.
To learn more about the Computer Science Program at CCM, visit .

Ramapo College Contact: Brittany Williams-Goldstein, bwillia1@ramapo.edu, (201)684-7609
County College of Morris Contact: Kathleen Brunet, kbrunet@ccm.edu, (973)328-5052

The official selections included 42 films chosen by a panel of Ramapo College film faculty, current Ramapo film students and industry professionals.�� Students entered original films in a variety of genres and were awarded in several categories including Best Editing, Best Writing, Best Cinematography, Best Acting, Best Animation, Best Documentary, Best Fiction Film, and Best of the Fest. Each entrant received an Oscar-type statuette. Approximately $5,000 in film equipment and software awards were distributed to winners from sponsors of the event.���� Reflecting on the success of the�� event, Neel Scott, Associate Professor of Digital Filmmaking at Ramapo College shared, “This was the sixth annual festival and our biggest yet, with over 200 filmmakers, friends, parents, cast and crew packing the Berrie Center’s Sharp Theater to watch 42 films of every type and genre from dozens of high schools all across New Jersey. If the films from the festival are any evidence, the next generation of New Jersey filmmakers is very talented. We look forward to continuing to grow the festival each year, and to screening the impressive work of New Jersey high school students.”

The winners included:

Best Cinematography
23, directed by Anthony Conte
Lakeland Regional High School

Best Editing
Why My Room is Never Clean, directed by Sharice Lacson
High Tech High School

Best Screenwriting
TARDY! written by Joshua Apostolico and Jarrett Jackson
Columbia High School

Best Actor
Caroline Sheridan, SHREDS OF EVIDENCE
Park Ridge High School

Best Documentary
Maya Zeidman,�� ISLA NENA
East Brunswick Magnet School – School of the Arts

Best Fiction Film
Ross Perlman for OBLIGATORY PARASITE
Columbia High School

Best Animation
Leonardo Tarascio for CRISIS
River Dell Regional High School

Best of the Fest
Gabrielle Werts for A CASE OF YOU
East Brunswick Magnet School – School of the Arts

Planning will soon be underway for next year’s festival. Visit the ������Ƶ Film Festival website for more information.

Dana Lambert of West Milford High School was selected from dozens of counselors who have “gone above and beyond to continually connect great students with Ramapo College and help students succeed every-day,” said Director of Admissions Anthony Dovi ‘05.

Jose Vallejo ‘02, Admissions Counselor presented the award to Ms. Lambert and stated, “Dana has fostered close relationships across the state of NJ and at Ramapo in support and advocacy of her students, school, and community.”���� Further, “Dana continues to expand the conversation around equity and access surrounding college admissions, especially relating to LGBTQ+ students,” Vallejo said.

During her tenure, Dana coordinated the annual instant decision day program at her school, served as member and leader of both the�� NJACAC and NACAC organizations, including leading the NJ National College Fair, co-chairing the NJ STEM Fair, co-chairing the government relations committee, and serving as President of NJACAC.���� In 2019, she was selected to be a member of the Creating On-Ramps to College Working Group, part of Governor Murphy’s Task Force for Higher Education.�� Most recently, she played a vital role in partnering with Ramapo College in offering high school dual enrollment courses at West Milford.

This is the eighth year Ramapo has bestowed the award, which was named for the College’s former Director of Admissions, who fostered close relationships with guidance counselors across the state over her nearly 40-year career at Ramapo College.

Ramapo is looking forward to once again hosting, and co-sponsoring the Bergen County Guidance Fair on Wednesday, March 15th for students, families, counselors and the community to learn more about Ramapo and robust college offerings available in NJ and throughout the United States.�� More information on the event can be found at /admissions/bergen-county-college-fair/

“We are so honored and pleased to use the awarded grant funds to further student well-being at Ramapo,” said President Cindy Jebb. Some of the steps the College will take include adding more bus routes to take students to a local farmer’s market, expanding offerings of food and supplies in its Food Pantry, promoting more healthy food options, issuing gift cards to local supermarkets, and increasing the amount of funds available to subsidize meal costs for students in need.��

In 2016, Ramapo College was among the first institutions in the state to begin formally exploring and documenting college student health, hunger, and mobility issues as well as homelessness. At that time, the College’s Student Government Association formed a tight-knit working group and took the lead on identifying potential stakeholders, contributors, and the most essential forms of support to meet the needs of their peers who were confronting such hardships.�� “In addition to providing our students with much needed resources, this grant award also reaffirms the importance of student leadership at Ramapo and our demonstrable success in developing responsible leaders, empathetic problem solvers, and ethical change agents,” Jebb added.������

Stephan Lally graduated from Ramapo College in 2020. While a student, Lally served as President of the Student Government Association and was one of the lead architects of the College’s student relief efforts during his undergraduate experience. Lally, who now serves as an advisor in the state capital shared, “I am delighted to see Ramapo receive a grant award from the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education’s Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program. This is a product of years of hard work from students, staff, and faculty across the College. The WeCare program is instrumental in helping Roadrunners complete their degrees and this funding will only increase its impact on campus.”��

Through an empathetic vision, bold leadership, and broad collaboration with the College’s administration, union leaders, faculty, staff, and donors, the student-led effort quickly attracted the attention of state legislators. In early 2017, Ramapo students were invited to testify as part of the Senate Higher Education Committee and Senate Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee Joint Hearing to Discuss Hunger Among College Students. Within that same year, the student-led efforts yielded the establishment of the Ramapo College WeCare Program which continues to be an integral part of the College’s holistic approach to addressing student well-being. The WeCare Program is overseen by Melissa Van Der Wall, the College’s Dean of Students/Vice President for Student Well-being, and a team of professionals in the Center for Student Involvement, has grown over the past several years to now include a student financial relief fund, food pantry, clothing closet, and technology/equipment provisions.

“Food insecurity among the college-going population has been on the rise nationally since 2019 and these hardships have only been magnified by the pandemic,” said Van Der Wall. “At Ramapo we know that food insecurity affects the health, well-being, and academic performance of our students, and we are committed to doing all we can to mitigate these challenges by providing our students with the necessary resources and a supportive and safe environment to grow and thrive.”

For more information about how you can support these efforts and Ramapo College students in need, please visit the College’s WeCare Program at ramapo.edu/ccec/we-care-program/.

The 2023 honorees include:

Harold V. Bolton, III ’10:�� Global Director of IT, Strategic Sourcing and Vendor Management at UPS.

Drs. Douglas S. Holden and Jean Weng: Ramapo Parents ’23.

Deborah Visocni:�� Chief Executive Officer, New Bridge Medical Center

Harold V. Bolton, III ’10

Drs. Douglas S. Holden and Jean Weng

Deborah Visocni

As the Foundation’s largest fundraising event of the year, it provides the College community the opportunity to recognize these outstanding individuals as well as raise funds that benefit student scholarships, faculty and student undergraduate research and further campus strategic initiatives.

“We are truly grateful for the service and support that Harry, Doug and Jean, and Deborah have provided directly to Ramapo College as we navigated and are emerging from the pandemic,” said Christopher Romano, Executive Director of the Foundation and Vice President of Strategic Enrollment, Outreach and Engagement.�� “These individuals exemplify what we strive to instill in all of our students; an ethos of civic engagement, ethical leadership and the willingness to give back.”

The event, chaired by two Ramapo College alumni who are active supporters of the College and members of the Foundation Board of Governors, Peter Seminara ’00 and Michael Hettesheimer ’99.�� To learn more about each of the honorees, inquire about sponsorship opportunities and reserve your seat at the event, please visit or contact Liz Kloak at lkloak@ramapo.edu��or��201-684-6834.

Dr. Michael J. Middleton will step into the role of Provost and Vice President for Teaching, Learning and Growth with Ramapo College in May. Middleton brings a wealth of experience, perspective, and expertise to the state’s preeminent liberal arts college. He will join Ramapo from Hunter College, City University of New York, where he is the Klara and Larry Silverstein Dean of the School of Education and Professor of Educational Foundations. The recipient of multiple teaching excellence awards, Middleton has also secured millions of dollars in grant support from the National Science Foundation for successful efforts related to student motivation and persistence.

“As Ramapo ascends to serve as a national exemplar for public higher education, it is exciting to bring Dr. Middleton– an inspiring educator, research scientist, and leader– on to our leadership team,” said Cindy Jebb, president of Ramapo College. “We look forward to welcoming Dr. Middleton to Ramapo at such a consequential time as we embark on a bold new strategic plan and as the outcomes of a Ramapo College education grow increasingly synonymous with the development of responsible, ethical, and successful leaders across all sectors.”

Middleton has also enjoyed administrative and faculty roles with the University of Massachusetts Boston, Harvard University, University of New Hampshire, and George Mason University. Throughout his career he has also been tapped by national organizations including the American Psychological Association, the Carnegie Foundation, and the American Educational Research Association. His educational background includes: Ph.D. in Combined Program in Education and Psychology, University of Michigan; Ed.M, Human Development and Psychology, Harvard University; and A.B., Psychology, Cum Laude, Harvard College.

“What most attracted me to Ramapo is the emphasis on leader development, student success, and the liberal arts as an engine for personal, professional, and civic growth,” Middleton said. Co-author of Motivation to Learn: Transforming Classroom Culture to Support Student Achievement, Middleton’s research has focused on cultivating student achievement and teacher effectiveness by leveraging student motivation and learning strategies, and building classroom community. As part of his academic leadership while at Hunter, Middleton helped spearhead the formation of a Center for Social Emotional Learning, initiated programming on race and equity for faculty, staff and students, and advanced a team to secure grant funding as a Hispanic Serving Institute to examine the first year experience for STEM majors.

Middleton joins Ramapo College on the heels of the institution receiving regional and national recognition for affordability, return on investment, quality, and student success. Graduation and retention rates of Ramapo students exceed state and national averages and, as just one of many markers of student success, the superior rates are made possible by the College’s provision of impactful mentorship and student well-being supports, award-winning advisement practices, hands-on learning, and a range of opportunities for service and leadership development. Ramapo was recently recognized by U.S. News and World Report as a top institution in the Best Regional Universities North category, being named as one of only two New Jersey public institutions listed in the top 10, and ascending several spots to the #28 ranking among all schools in the same region. In addition, Ramapo College is one of only two New Jersey programs among 25 institutions in the Regional Public Universities North category to earn a Best Undergraduate Teaching designation, which acknowledges the College’s faculty and administrators’ commitment to teaching undergraduate students in a high-quality manner.

Center is the First in the Nation
to Offer Case Work, Research, and Hands-on Education in this Emerging Field

MAHWAH, NEW JERSEY — Ramapo College of New Jersey, the State’s public liberal arts college, today launched the Ramapo College Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center (IGG Center), the first Center of its kind to offer case work, research, and hands-on education in investigative genetic genealogy. The vision of the innovative new Center is to secure justice through the ethical and proficient use of investigative genetic genealogy to support the resolution of cases involving wrongful convictions, unidentified human remains, and violent crime. The first class of students in the Center’s IGG Certificate Program will enroll in the Spring of 2023.

“The launch of our new IGG Center illustrates how, through forward-thinking and dynamic initiatives, Ramapo serves the public good.�� This Center doubles down on our mission to develop skilled ethical leaders who are civic minded and committed to learning through doing,” shared Cindy Jebb, president of Ramapo College.

The Ramapo IGG Center is led by two prominent leaders in the field – David Gurney, Ph.D., JD, and Cairenn Binder, MS.�� Dr. Gurney, an Assistant Professor of Law and Society at Ramapo College, was previously a Fellow with the Wrongful Conviction Clinic (now the Innocence Project of Arizona) at the University of Arizona. He holds a Certificate in Genealogical Studies from Boston University and is the president of the Investigative Genetic Genealogy Accreditation Board, which is developing standards for IGG. Additionally, he serves as a board member on the Association of Professional Genealogists Forensic Genealogy Special Interest Group.

Ms. Binder is the Director of the Investigative Genetic Genealogy Certificate Program at Ramapo College. She is a Founding Partner of Coast to Coast Genetic Genealogy Services and is also the Director of Education and Development for the DNA Doe Project. She has used IGG to provide investigative leads in a number of high-profile cases, including the identification of victims of John Wayne Gacy, Gary Ridgeway (the Green River Killer), and Keith Jesperson (the Happy Face Killer), among others.

“Since 2018, investigative genetic genealogy has emerged as an essential tool in securing justice,” said Dr. Gurney. “Over five hundred cases have been resolved with the help of IGG. With the new Center – the first of its kind – Ramapo will be at the forefront of ensuring that IGG is practiced proficiently and ethically, while also expanding the reach of IGG in exonerating the wrongfully convicted.”

Thanks to a generous private multi-year gift, Ramapo’s IGG Lab will be housed in the College’s new Peter P. Mercer Learning Commons, providing a secure location for the study and practice of IGG.�� This dedicated space will include teaching and learning stations, essential database and software subscriptions as well as operational support that will enable the Center to take on at least five cases per year while also supporting the IGG Center’s efforts to increase research and scholarship in the field.

President Jebb added, “With two of the premier leaders in this emerging field, we know that David and Cairenn will continue to do work that furthers our public purpose, incorporates the liberal arts, develops talented problem solvers, and attracts recognition.�� Thanks to the generous commitment of the College’s longtime supporters and leaders, Susan and Nick Vallario, the IGG Lab positions Ramapo to be the first lab of its kind by focusing exclusively on IGG and providing case work and research in addition to education.”

Combining traditional and genetic genealogy, IGG can provide leads in cases involving unidentified human remains and violent crime, where other methods have failed. As IGG is considered by more investigating agencies, there is a need for proficient and ethical IGG practitioners, pro bono IGG services for cash-strapped agencies, and expansion of IGG – particularly to the area of wrongful convictions. The IGG Center at Ramapo College will meet these needs and ensure that IGG remains a powerful tool for securing justice.

To fulfill its vision of ensuring that IGG is practiced ethically and proficiently, the IGG Center seeks to provide pro bono IGG work on cases involving wrongful conviction, unidentified human remains, and violent crime. Along with its dedicated case work, students enrolled in the IGG Workshop and IGG Certificate Program (scheduled to launch in the Spring, pending Board of Trustees approval) will gain practical, ethical experience through immersive work with real IGG cases. These cases stem from partnerships from public agencies and non-profit organizations, who will benefit from the pro bono IGG services provided by IGG Center staff and students.�� Currently, Ramapo has established partnerships with the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office (NJ), The Innocence Project of Idaho, and the Loyola Project for the Innocent. Additional partnerships throughout the country are in negotiation.

“We are grateful for the faith that our partners are putting in the Center and our students. The opportunity that they will present through the cases referred to us will not only provide valuable practical experience to the students, but will demonstrate to them and to the public that the search for closure and justice is within our reach more than ever before,” said Binder.

The IGG Center will also focus on research and expansion of IGG, particularly in engagement with the ongoing discussion about IGG’s practical and ethical boundaries, and in seeking to expand the reach of IGG to bring justice to underrepresented populations.

In 2023, the Ramapo IGG Center will also host the World’s first professional conference dedicated exclusively to IGG.

For more on the Ramapo IGG center, visit www.ramapo.edu/igg

The (ALL IN) recognized Ramapo as a 2022 ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting.�� recognizes colleges and universities for making intentional efforts to increase student voter participation.

“It is inspiring to see our students engage so meaningfully in leading these efforts in support of the democratic process,” said Cindy Jebb, Ramapo College President, “This type of effort and service requires critical inquiry, interpersonal acumen, and a considered appreciation for what it means to be part of a democratic society. And we are so pleased that our students have found Ramapo to be a welcoming and encouraging place where they are able to develop and apply their civic and service energies.”

Ramapo joins a select group of 394 colleges and universities nationwide (including Rutgers New Brunswick, Princeton, MIT, and others) that have been named by ALL IN for completing these four actions:

• Participating in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge
• Sharing 2020 NSLVE Reports with campus voting data with ALL IN
• Developing and submitting a 2022 democratic engagement action plan with ALL IN
• Having a current signatory to ALL IN’s .

Civic engagement has become a cornerstone of the Ramapo College experience. In 2021, Ramapo was commended by the Institute for Democracy & Higher Education (IDHE) for outstanding student voting turnout – 77.1% — for the 2020 election, outpacing the nationwide average by 11% and representing an increase of more than 22% from 2016.

“We are honored to earn ALL IN’s Most Engaged Campus Designation this year. It is an affirmation of the team effort that has gone into our work to ignite student civic engagement and democratic participation,” said Karen Booth, Coordinator for Civic and Political Engagement at Ramapo College. “Without our students themselves, especially our Andrew Goodman Foundation ambassadors, this recognition wouldn’t be possible. Our students understand the issues facing them and our society. They put this understanding into action by working together to promote voter turnout and active citizenship at ������Ƶ. This recognition strengthens our resolve to continue the work to institutionalize our nonpartisan student democratic engagement practices even more deeply.”

Ramapo student Sydney Karlin ’23 said she felt that it was an incredible privilege to work with fellow students on such an important issue. “I am beyond humbled that we have received the ALL IN’s Most Engaged Campus Designation this year. I hope that through my work in the CCEC and as an Andrew Goodman Ambassador that I can continue to provide resources for those looking to get more civically engaged both locally and nationally,” said Sydney.

“College student voter turnout has increased since 2016, and this increase has been driven by students. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge is excited to expand our ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll to recognize these student voting champions across the country,” said Jennifer Domagal-Goldman, Executive Director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. “These students registered voters, served on their campus voting coalitions, spearheaded voter education efforts, advocated for campus polling locations and organized other voter engagement efforts to ensure their peers were confident and informed voters. We are excited to see what they continue to accomplish ahead of��the 2022 midterms.”

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement. Campuses that join the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge complete a set of action items, with the support of ALL IN Challenge staff, to institutionalize nonpartisan civic learning, political engagement, and voter participation on their campus. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge currently engages over 9 million students from more than 950 institutions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Campuses can join the ALL IN Challenge .

This event, presented via Zoom, is free and open to the public. Register in advance .

Organized and hosted by NJ-PBS in partnership with the Gross Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Ramapo College of New Jersey and the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest.

Moderated by Ilyse Shainbrown, Director of Holocaust Education for the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest, the panel discussion will feature Dr. Jacob Ari Labendz, Director of the Gross Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Ramapo College of New Jersey, Dr. Rebecca Erbelding, Historian, Education Initiatives as the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Rabbi Matthew Gewritz, Senior Rabbi of Cong. B’nai Jeshurun in Short Hills, and Rebecca Kirzner, Senior Director of Grassroots Organizing and Advocacy at HIAS (originally, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society).

The U.S. and the Holocaust is a three-part, six-hour series that examines America’s response to one of the greatest humanitarian crises of the twentieth century. Americans consider themselves a “nation of immigrants,” but as the catastrophe of the Holocaust unfolded in Europe, the United States proved unwilling to open its doors to more than a fraction of the hundreds of thousands of desperate people seeking refuge. Through riveting firsthand testimony of witnesses and survivors who as children endured persecution, violence and flight as their families tried to escape Hitler, this series delves deeply into the tragic human consequences of public indifference, bureaucratic red tape and restrictive quota laws in America. Did the nation fail to live up to its ideals? This is a history to be reckoned with. More . Watch the .

This year, Daniello had her students and students from other classes at the high school write letters to veterans – 120 pages with 2-4 notes per page! — to thank them for their service and dedication to our country’s freedom. She emailed the letters to VA hospitals and veterans facilities across the country, utilizing contacts she made over the years.

“I am in a wonderfully unique position to reinforce to students that simple random acts of kindness can make such a difference to people,” Daniello said, who added that her mantra for life is “Always spread your sunshine.” Among the places that received letters were the NJ Veterans Network, Acadia Residential Healthcare, a VA in Boston, six Applebee’s locations in New Jersey, the El Monte (California) Police Department, and every VA hospital in the country.

“I learned when I was a student at Ramapo the importance of being a global citizen and getting involved in the community,” Daniello said, noting that she was an active participant in the College’s Center for Student Involvement and the Civic & Community Engagement Center, among other clubs and organizations. “I know in five to ten years they might not remember quotes or when to use a semicolon, but when they can take the lessons and themes from what we read [in class] and apply��those to their lives to be better people, that’s when I know I’m doing my job right.”

Daniello said she returns to the restaurant every Veterans Day to volunteer. “There’s always so much more we can do to show our appreciation,” she said.

The evening will be full of the artists’ multi-disciplinary work that will show how the arts help us rediscover and bring us together as a community. Emmy-winning, husband-and-wife filmmakers Marylou and Jerome Bongiorno will showcase their 3D city symphony films and 3D paintings that work to expand the audience’s views of local communities. Composer Joseph Bertolozzi, known for his public sound-art installations, will go back to basics and show the musical range of the solo gong. Flutist and composer duo Tessa Brinckman and Jane Rigler to perform “Your Coat, Turning,” a film and sound performance that draws from mixed media, sound, movement, and contemplative practices and uses the audience as collaborators to create a communal music experience. They will incorporate Deep Listening® techniques into the performance to cause wonderment and open-mindedness in the audience.

The Berrie Center for the Arts is a community resource generously funded by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Events are open to the public with discounts for children 17 and under and they offer easy access and free parking. For exact event information and to purchase tickets, please visit ramapo.edu/berriecenter.

Fried has served as superintendent of the Harrington Park, N.J., school system since 2006. The Bergen County resident received his bachelor’s degree from William Paterson University and his M.S. in Educational Leadership and Administration from Iona College (N.Y.). Fried earned his Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and Administration from Seton Hall University in New Jersey. He��was named Northern Regional Superintendent of the Year in 2017 and Bergen County Superintendent of the Year in 2018.

Fried grew up in Miami, Dade County before moving with his family to New Jersey at the age of 12. “My parents went back to school later in their lives to earn college degrees, so I was the first generation to go to college straight from high school,” Fried said. After graduation, his first job was as an elementary math and science teacher at Honiss School in Dumont, N.J. After four years, he was hired as the Vice Principal at Lincoln Middle School and later as Principal at Jefferson Elementary School, both in Hawthorne, N.J., positions he says ultimately prepared him for the role of superintendent. Among his other duties, he was responsible for creating programs and took the lead of the professional development for the district, earn the job as Director of Curriculum/Assistant Superintendent for Hawthorne.

Fried says he sees the move to higher education as a “natural progression as an educational leader.”

“The ability to help create programs and develop the next group of amazing educators is something I’m quite excited about,” Fried says. “I believe Ramapo College has an amazing group of people that can create greater practice and craft for the children we serve every day. I believe that School of Education can create more pathways for teachers as well as instructional aides. “

Aaron Lorenz, Dean of Ramapo’s School of Social Science and Human Services, said, “I’m excited to be able to work with such an effective leader who has shown that his dedication to education starts and ends with supporting the students. The Ramapo community and educators across the state of New Jersey now get to witness Dr. Fried’s insight and creativity at the higher education level. Dr. Fried brings added connections to Ramapo for the Morris-Union Jointure Commission, a partnership that helps fill that vital pipeline necessary to prepare the future of teachers in New Jersey.”

Fried added, “I know we can expand our relationships with the districts that surround this idyllic campus. If we continue to expand these partnerships, we can develop new and exciting programs that enhance our students’ practice and craft.”

TONEWALL promotes diversity, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, and social equality through their award-winning arrangements and choreography. They are the 2019-2020 Northeast Champions of the International A Cappella Open competition and have appeared in well-known and prestigious New York City venues, such as Carnegie Hall, Yankee Stadium, Madison Square Garden, among others.

The Berrie Center for the Arts is a community resource generously funded by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Events are open to the public with discounts for children 17 and under and they offer easy access and free parking. For exact event information and to purchase tickets, please visit ramapo.edu/berriecenter.

“We are honored to be recognized by EAB for the Collaborative Citizen Award,” said Dr. Christopher Romano, Vice President of Strategic Enrollment, Outreach and Engagement. “We are not only proud of the work our campus has done, and continues to do, to facilitate and foster a culture of student success through innovation, but we are grateful to be part of a community of learners that prioritizes this for all of higher education.”

Ramapo College was recognized for expanding early alert use for transfer students, raising one-year retention rates from 76% to 86% across the five years, and leveraging predictive scores to reduce “sophomore slump.” In addition, Ramapo’s team was acknowledged for presenting on Student Success Collaborative webinars, hosting a Q&A session on Retention Scores, serving on the Student Success Innovation Council and collaborating with EAB to share insights and connect with other partners to share best practices.

“Giving back through the EAB Student Success Collaborative allows Ramapo College to reflect on our own practices and to join a broader network to further our student success efforts on campus,” said Joseph Connell, Assistant Vice President of Student Success. “We find that our national service allows us to enhance the best practices that we and our partner colleges deliver to our students.”

EAB’s Collaborative Citizen Award recognizes an institution that selflessly shares their practices and approaches to student success and strives to help their peers succeed. This is the ninth year in a row that EAB has recognized outstanding achievements in student success. Awardees are chosen from among the colleges, universities, and individuals that use , EAB’s student success management system, or , the student success platform EAB acquired in 2021.

“Students, faculty, and campus staff have become savvier with respect to combining both online and in-person student support services,” said EAB President of Technology, Scott Schirmeier. “The winners of EAB’s 2022 Student Success Collaborative Awards are leading the way in rethinking the student support model and using technology in creative ways to keep students on track to graduate.”

Groundbreaking TV Series Spotlights Ramapo College Students, Faculty and Campus, Offering Viewers an Up-Close Look at College Life

MAHWAH, NJ – November 9, 2022 – Ramapo College of New Jersey is featured in Season 6 of The College Tour, an innovative series from Emmy-nominated producers Alex Boylan, Lisa Hennessy, and Burton Roberts, which is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Hosted by The Amazing Race winner Alex Boylan, The College Tour travels the country telling the story of each college and university through the diverse lens of its students, giving the viewer an intimate portrayal of life on campus. Inspiring and motivating, the show serves as a vehicle to help students across the world to connect with higher education, enabling them to make informed decisions about their future without having to travel anywhere!

“At Ramapo, we know we have an amazing story to tell,” said Christopher Romano, Ed. D, vice president of strategic enrollment, outreach and engagement for Ramapo College. “There is no one better to tell it than our own students.�� As one of the 50 most beautiful campuses in America, we believe our episode of The College Tour shows the country and the world what makes Ramapo College so special.”

From academics and sports to club activities and the local community, The College Tour highlights each school’s unique culture while showcasing a vast array of students thriving as they work toward success.��

“Ramapo College has been on our radar for a while, and we couldn’t wait to produce this episode. There are so many unique aspects that make this institution so special. In the episode we talk about how the students at Ramapo not only think critically about the world; they are inspired to lead boldly in it,” said Alex Boylan.

About The College Tour��

The College Tour is a groundbreaking TV series that takes the viewer on an intimate journey through campuses across the country, telling each school’s story through the diverse lens of its students. Hosted by The Amazing Race winner Alex Boylan, The College Tour brings equity to college readiness by providing a platform to access comprehensive and meaningful information regarding higher education anytime and anywhere, free of charge. The College Tour is available on Amazon Prime Video, The College Tour mobile app, and at .

Students who attend Sussex can save thousands of dollars toward a bachelor’s degree thanks to a new partnership with Ramapo.��The Sussex/Ramapo 3+1 Bachelor’s path is a unique agreement that enables students to save significantly on the cost of a bachelor’s degree from ������Ƶ while conveniently attending classes at Sussex.�� Students can remain on Sussex’s campus while taking the third year of Ramapo’s bachelor’s degree curriculum. Upon successful completion of the third year, students will take the fourth-year curriculum on Ramapo’s Mahwah campus. Students can save approximately $7,000 on the degree as compared to those who transfer after earning their first associate’s degree.

“This partnership only strengthens the existing relationship between Ramapo and Sussex. It doubles down on the two commitments that both institutions share and pride themselves on: student success and affordability. As a public college, it is imperative that the value of a liberal arts degree permeates the State and these degree paths certainly do that in preparing the next generation of graduates,” said Dr. Christopher Romano, Vice President of Strategic Enrollment, Outreach and Engagement.

The programs slated for approval for the Fall of 2023 include Global Studies and Business, Social Science with a focus on Criminal Justice, and Psychology. Qualified community college professors will teach junior year courses and hold the same credentials as professors who teach at four-year institutions. They have a strong educational background and sometimes an industry background as well.

“We feel this will offer area residents an incredibly cost-effective way to pursue their four-year degree,” said Dr. Kathleen Okay, Senior Vice President of Academic & Student Affairs at Sussex. “We are delighted to partner with Ramapo College on this initiative, as both institutions already had an established history of collaborative ventures through various articulation agreements.��It is a win for the students and the county!”

Students must apply and be accepted into the Advanced Associate’s of Continuous Studies at Sussex before enrolling in courses for the 3+1 Bachelor’s degree paths. Once accepted, students are required to meet with a designated Ramapo College counselor who will assist them toward their successful transition to the four-year college to earn their bachelor’s degree.

For more information about the new program with Ramapo College, contact Nicole Pedoto, ������Ƶ Transfer Advisor, npedoto@ramapo.edu, or��201-684-7572.

“Mergers” interweaves performance works and screenings of short films from NRO and Kite, an Ogála Lakḣóta artist, composer, and academic, supported by accomplices Ashley Byler and Jeremy Pheiffer. The event relates to NRO and Kite’s shared interest in desires for indigeneity and the persistence and permeation of these desires into myths, dreams, and foundations of so-called Americans.

NRO is a public secret society that collaborates with networks of self-described “informants” and “accomplices” to investigate individual and collective desires for indigeneity. Since 2014, the group has used video, sound, sculpture, installation, and performance to shift potential obstructions to Indigenous growth and cultivate grounds for Indigenous futures.

The Berrie Center for the Arts is a community resource generously funded by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Events are open to the public with easy access and free parking. The event is free and does not require a ticket for admission, but for exact event information, please visit ramapo.edu/berriecenter.

“We cherish opportunities like these,” said Gross Center director Dr. Jacob Ari Labendz, “when our students may enrich and give back to our communities by sharing their research and time. The eager support of those same communities demonstrates to students the enduring value of their studies well beyond campus.”

The students enrolled in Dr. Labendz’s course on the Holocaust are producing virtual “Story Maps” based on the testimonies of survivors who witnessed Kristallnacht. All of the testimonies come from the collection recorded by the Gross Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Ramapo College and feature survivors who built lives in our region. The testimonies are available for viewing on Ramapo Campus thanks to the at Yale University.

Ramapo student Amanda Williams said that working on the StoryMap project for the Kristallnacht event provided a chance to view the Holocaust and the events of Kristallnacht not simply as a moment in history. “By focusing on the testimony of a single survivor, I was able to learn about the entire experience of a Jewish person in Germany at the time, and see how Kristallnacht shaped their experience,” said Amanda, a political science major scheduled to graduate in December 2022. “The Kristallnacht testimony project made history something that didn’t feel distant, but showcased how unique the experience of every Jewish person was, and the importance of preserving and learning from the personal life stories shared with Yale’s Fortunoff archives and our class.”

On November 9 and 10, 1938, the Nazis unleashed a deadly and nationwide pogrom against Jews in Germany. This explosion of violence, commonly known as Kristallnacht or The Night of Broken Glass, marked a turning point in the Nazis’ war on Jews. The name derives from the shattered glass that littered German streets after mobs vandalized thousands of Jewish-owned businesses, synagogues, and homes. Mobs murdered at least 91 Jews and the Nazi police sent thirty-thousand Jewish men to concentration camps.

Dr. Labendz explained, “Ramapo students are helping the Jewish community commemorate this atrocity, as simultaneously they learn and teach about how it affected our immediate neighbors and their families.”

Busy? Just a bit, but we caught up with her.

Tell us about your experience as a student at Ramapo.

The Ramapo College experience was a perfect scenario for me. I was close enough to home [in Dumont, N.J.] for my mom��to still cook meals for me to take back to school and to do my laundry!��It was also far enough away so that I felt completely independent.�� Sure, I learned how to be a teacher and I perfected my Italian language skills in my study abroad program (Dr. Rosetta D’Angelo’s Urbino program). But I also met many new people at Ramapo, many of them during my freshman year that I’m still very good friends with to this day–sixteen years later. I lived on campus all four years and was also President of Kappa Delta Pi, Vice President of Il Circolo Italiano (Italian club).

What is the best part about being a teacher?

The best part about being a teacher is that every single day is different.��That’s what makes it fun! I always feel lucky to have an inherent ‘buy-in’ with my students: after all, they had other world language options and they��chose��to take Italian. Nothing makes me happier than to hear my students tell me stories of how they were studying with their grandparents, how they were able to use what they learned on a summer vacation to Italy, and how they are beginning to ask questions about their family’s heritage.�� That love of the language and of the culture is something that I strive to instill into every lesson I teach.

When did you get your first gig at WFAN? ��

My first gig at WFAN was a culmination of a lot of hard work, a lot of not taking ‘no’ for an answer, and a��little sliver of luck. Before I even took WFAN’s airwaves for a one-hour tryout during the 3 a.m. hour of one of Tony Paige’s shows, I taught myself how to use GarageBand and iMovie, I set up an entire social media suite for myself (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and a YouTube channel), I interviewed close to two hundred professional athletes, I wrote articles for two blogs, I hosted a live radio show every Sunday morning at WRPR as an alumnus, and I had audited a sports media course at Ramapo. I never collected a single penny from any of this work. Then, through the power of Twitter, I found myself in a meeting with the then-program director, Mark Chernoff, who promised me that he’d ‘give me a shot’.��I was ecstatic; that’s all I had been hustling toward: one shot, one opportunity to seize everything. All I needed was someone to crack open the proverbial��door for me… and I knew I was going to bust it down. I will be forever grateful to Mr. Chernoff for that.

Do you prefer in-studio or on-the-field reporting?

Each place, in-studio in on-the-field, presents a unique experience. It’s hard to choose one over the other. In the studio, I’m connecting directly with the diehard sports fans in our metro area (and beyond) and on the field, I’m talking directly with the athletes from whom people want to hear. Both arenas are exciting to me in different ways, so it’s hard to choose!

Do you have a favorite sport to cover, and is there one moment that stands out?

I love all sports, really, but I especially love the minutiae of the game of baseball: the game-within-the-game, the chess match. The access that the Yankees and the Mets grant the members of the media is first-class. A moment that stands out to me came after a football game in the visiting team’s press conference room at MetLife Stadium. The Giants were playing the Green Bay Packers in a snowstorm (the grounds crew, while the teams were at one end of the field, were running across the field with shovels at the other end to clear the yard lines of snow). My assignment was to record the post-game coach and “top player” press conferences. I was the only person standing near the exit door, and as future Hall of Fame��quarterback Aaron Rodgers walked past me after his press conference, he said to me, “Get home safe”. That was pretty cool.

You apparently love teaching, coaching, playing and your work. Do you have any time for hobbies?

Hobbies are hard to come by because��my days are usually completely jam-packed. But I love going to concerts and all kinds of games as a fan. We have so many different teams in this area, it would be a shame not to get to see all of them play in-person. As far as concerts, I like most types of music. My favorite performer to see live is Lady Gaga- she is supremely talented. And I play shortstop for the Phillies in the Upper Saddle River women’s league.

What advice can you give to Ramapo students who haven’t yet decided on a definitive career path?

I’d say try everything. That motto is what originally started me on my sports media path. I had fulfilled all of my requirements, except for my actual��number of credits, so, as a senior, I took that course in sports media on Wednesday nights. So really try to immerse yourself with everything Ramapo has to offer. I’m so glad that I did. What’s the worst that can happen?

Check out McCartan’s social media channels on Twitter @CoachMcCartan, Instagram��@CoachMcCartan, and Facebook.com/CoachMcCartan

Give it Back: Stage Theory plays on conflations of ontogeny and phylogeny, two different branches of biological study—the former focused on individual developments and the latter on the evolution of groups. The project brings together variations of two ongoing series, Give it Back (2020–) and Never Settle (2018–).

Employing real estate tactics to advance new collaborative formations in the ongoing development of a long-term Indigenous led movement, Give it Back activates new avenues for instantiating the transfer of land back to Indigenous people. Never Settle, an in-progress induction video and recruitment station, lures initiates—amid planetary destruction and underground group therapy sessions—with promises of decolonization and settler remediation.

NRO is a public secret society collaborating with networks of self-described “informants” and “accomplices,” to interrogate individual and collective desires for indigeneity. Since 2014, the amorphous group has deployed elements of time-based media including video and sound, along with sculpture, installation, and performance in order to shift potential obstructions to Indigenous growth and create grounds for Indigenous futures.

Core contributors are Adam Khalil (Ojibway), Zack Khalil (Ojibway), and Jackson Polys (Tlingit). Past exhibitions, performances, and events include NEW RED ORDER PRESENTS: One if by Land, Two if by Sea, Kunsthal Charlottenborg (2022); New Red Order: Feel at Home Here, Artists Space (2021); CULTURE CAPTURE: TERMINAL ADDDITION, Light Work’s Urban Video Project (2019); The Savage Philosophy of Endless Acknowledgement, Whitney Museum of American Art (2018); and Unholding, Artists Space (2017).

Developed through conversations with Sydney Jenkins, Director of the Art Galleries, and Robert Modafferi, Chief Art Handler/Registrar, from Ramapo College of New Jersey, Give it Back: Stage Theory is facilitated by curators Julia Eilers Smith and Drew Kahuʻāina Broderick, recipients of the 2019 Ramapo Curatorial Prize. Established in 1996 and awarded annually to a graduating student at the Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College, this is the first time that the prize has supported a collaborative project between two graduates.

Give it Back: Stage Theory is accompanied by a public program, Mergers, which interweaves performance works by NRO + Kite, an Oglála Lakȟóta artist, composer, and academic. This event is scheduled to take place in the Adler Theatre, Berrie Center for Performing and Visual Arts on November 16 at 6:30 pm.

This project is supported in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for Arts. Additional support is provided by the Ramapo College Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Compliance.

Gallery hours are Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 1-5 p.m. and Wednesday from 1-7 p.m.

For further information, contact Sydney Jenkins at 201-684-7147.

Registration is required for those who wish to view the event via Webex.

The event is sponsored by the Gross Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Ramapo College.

Benjamin Rifkin earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Russian and East European Studies at Yale University and his Ph.D. in Slavic languages and literature, with a dissertation on what was then considered “contemporary” Soviet film at the University of Michigan. He is professor of Russian and Dean of the Maxwell Becton College of Arts and Sciences at Fairleigh Dickinson University. ��His research focuses on world language education, issues in the design and delivery of liberal arts courses at the university level, and compassion and global citizenship.

Additional information as well as a registration link can be viewed at /holocaust/e-news/ben-rifkin-lecture/

Email holgen@ramapo.edu with questions.

Mr. Sacks’s work focuses on U.S.-China relations, U.S.-Taiwan relations, Chinese foreign policy, cross-Strait relations, and the political thought of Hans Morgenthau. Prior to joining CFR, he worked on political military affairs at the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), which handles the full breadth of the United States’ relationship with Taiwan in the absence of diplomatic ties. Sacks was also a Princeton in Asia fellow in Hangzhou, China. He received his M.A. in International Relations and International Economics, with honors, from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). At SAIS, he was the recipient of the A. Doak Barnett Award, given annually to the most distinguished China Studies graduate. Mr. Sacks received his B.A. in Political Science,��Magna Cum Laude, from Carleton College.

For more detailed information,

Sacks has written numerous articles in��Foreign Affairs��discussing topics including United States strategic ambiguity or clarity on Taiwan and helping the island to better defend against a potential invasion from the People’s Republic of China, as well as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which has heightened the U.S. attention surrounding Taiwan’s democracy and essential role in the global semiconductor supply-chains.����Some notable publications include:

“The Economist wrote in 2021 that Taiwan is ‘the most dangerous place on earth’,”��said Associate Professor of Political Science Dean Chen. “Indeed, given the heightening U.S.-China confrontations following the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei in August this year, peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is becoming more delicate and could have a huge ramification for U.S. global and national interests, and certainly for students and everyone in our Ramapo College community.”

Pianist and composer Emilio Teubal joins drummer and percussionist Rodrigo Recabarren and bassist Pablo Lanouguere to form the N.Y.-based Emilio Teubal New Post-Trio, the newest project from Teubal. Their music combines influences from Latin-American folk music, jazz, progressive rock, free improvisation, classical music, with hints of Middle Eastern music. Teubal is an Argentine musician whose accomplishments include the 2018 Latin Grammy winning album “Vigor Tanguero.”

The Berrie Center for the Arts is a community resource generously funded by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.�� Events are open to the public with discounts for children 17 and under and they offer easy access and free parking. For exact event information and to purchase tickets, please visit ramapo.edu/berriecenter.

“Ramapo College is proud to consider itself an institution on the leading edge of change,” said Susan A. Vallario, Chair of the Ramapo College of New Jersey Board of Trustees. “President Jebb’s career-long commitment to developing strong, bold, empathetic leaders reinforces our obligation to the state of New Jersey and furthers our mission of equipping and empowering the leaders of tomorrow.”

Prior to Dr. Jebb’s formal installation as the College President, attendees will hear remarks ��from U.S. Senator Jack Reed and Major General Diana M. Holland. Initially connected through West Point’s Department of Social Sciences, Senator Reed’s and President Jebb’s shared passion for service has forged an enduring bond over the years. Senator Reed��is the senior United States senator from Rhode Island and the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.�� Senator Reed graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point (B.S. ’71) and also holds degrees from Harvard’s Kennedy School (M.P.P. ’73) and Harvard Law (J.D. ’82). He served in the U.S. Army with the 82nd Airborne Division as an Infantry Platoon Leader, a Company Commander, and a Battalion Staff Officer before returning to West Point as a member of the faculty, where he taught cadets about economics and international relations. He earned the Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Ranger Tab, Senior Parachutist Badge, and Expert Infantry Badge. Before his election to the U.S. Senate in 1996, Reed practiced law and served in state government and as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives as a Congressman representing Rhode Island’s 2^nd��Congressional district.

Major General Holland was the first woman appointed Commandant of Cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point. She and Dr. Jebb worked alongside each other marking the only time in the Academy’s history that women served as both Dean and Commandant. Holland was also the first woman to hold the title of deputy commander of a light infantry division. She served one combat tour in Iraq and two combat tours in Afghanistan. As a senior commander in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, she oversaw support to disaster-stricken states and U.S. territories following hurricanes Irma, Maria, Florence, Michael, Laura, Delta, and Ida. A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy in 1990, Holland was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers. She currently serves with the Corps of Engineers as the Commanding General of the Mississippi Valley Division and as the president of the Mississippi River Commission, both firsts for a woman in these appointments. Holland’s military awards and decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Combat Action Badge, Senior Parachutist Badge, and Silver Order of the de Fleury Medal.

The ceremony will also feature an invocation by Chief Dwaine Perry of the Ramapo Munsee Lenape Nation, along with virtual remarks by New Jersey Governor Philip D. Murphy, the student government, the staff and faculty of the College, and Ramapo College alumni. Susan A. Vallario, Chair of the Ramapo College of New Jersey Board of Trustees, will perform the official installation of the President, and those in attendance will also enjoy remarks from Dr. Jebb. Musical selections throughout the event will be offered by the Ramapo Concert Band Ensemble, Ramapo College CantaNOVA, and the West Point Glee Club.

Dr. Jebb received a unanimous vote by the Ramapo College Board of Trustees to succeed Dr. Peter P. Mercer, who served the college for sixteen years. Her tenure officially began on July 6, 2021, following a national search. The fifteen-member Search Committee, led by the Board of Trustees, included several trustees, students, alumni, faculty and staff.

“Our fast-changing world and the health of our democracy put Ramapo’s public liberal arts mission in sharp focus. It is foundational for developing ethical leaders who will serve as change agents across all sectors in New Jersey and beyond,” said Dr. Jebb. “I am honored to have this phenomenal opportunity to serve such an inspiring institution and community that is committed to investing in the future, one student at a time.�� I am grateful for the community’s warm embrace, Chair Vallario’s compassionate leadership, and the Board of Trustees for their confidence and support.”

Dr. Cindy R. Jebb dedicated 39 years of service to the U.S. Army and retired with the rank of Brigadier General. She earned a Ph.D. in Political Science and an M.A. in Political Science from Duke University, an M.A. in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College, and a B.S. from the United States Military Academy at West Point.

As a Professor, Dr. Jebb taught courses in Comparative Politics, International Security, International Relations, Cultural Anthropology, Terrorism and Counterterrorism, and Officership. Additionally, she served in command and staff positions at home and abroad; conducted human security research in Africa; and completed study projects in Iraq and Afghanistan, to include serving as a senior advisor to the Chief, Office of Security Cooperation-Iraq during the summer of 2015. She served as the Head of the Department of Social Sciences at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point before assuming the duties as the Dean of the Academic Board. Dr. Jebb is the author or co-author of three books, a recipient of an honorary doctorate in humane letters from Bard College, and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

The inauguration will be preceded by an optional 30 minute tour of the Ramapo College campus which will begin at 1 p.m. Ramapo College has been named by CondeNast Traveler one of the 50 Most Beautiful College Campuses in America. On Saturday, October 15, and Sunday, October 16, the College will continue the inaugural celebration as part its annual Family Day and Oktoberfest festivities.

To learn more about Dr. Jebb, click here.

For more information on Inauguration day, click here.

Students will gain an understanding of the organization of the nervous system as well as an appreciation of the interdisciplinary nature of neuroscience and the study of mind, brain, and behavior.

“Students entering our new Neuroscience major will explore the mysteries of the brain from the behavioral to the cellular level,” said Christian Reich, Professor of Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychology, convener of the program. “The interdisciplinary nature of the program will enable students to connect what is happening biologically to what is happening psychologically.”

Courses offered will allow students to explore the interaction between neural structure and function via the brain’s relation to behaviors such as motor control, basic��sensory processes (e.g., audition, proprioception, and vision), higher cognition (e.g., attention, memory, learning and language) and emotional processing. Major theories of brain-behavior relations will be studied.

Courses required for the major include Introduction to Psychology, Introduction to Biology, General Chemistry, Psychology of Perception, Neuropsychology, Behavioral Neuroscience, Cognitive Neuroscience.

Students will be engaged in faculty-guided neuroscience research.

“This is an opportunity for us to continue to fulfill our mission of creating scholars through hands-on and highly disciplinary instruction,” said Aaron Lorenz, Dean of Ramapo’s School of Social Sciences and Human Services.��“Whether it’s psychology, health and disease, biomedical research, or any fields connected to brain and behavior, students are now positioned to shape the future of neuroscience right here in New Jersey and beyond.”

A degree in Neuroscience can lead to careers in multiple scientific careers in both clinical settings (e.g., medicine, audiology, speech language pathology, physical and occupational therapy, among others.) and research (e.g., pharmaceutical, biotechnology, academic).

ROI-NJ, a business media company and authoritative source for news and connections impacting New Jersey’s economic movers and shakers, recently recognized Ramapo College in several categories in its annual Influencers of Higher Education 2022 rankings.

President Cindy R. Jebb was listed among the state’s most influential college presidents. Dr. Jebb became Ramapo College’s fifth president in July 2021. She retired from the U.S. military after 39 years of service at the rank of Brigadier General, Professor Emerita, and as the first woman Dean of the Academic Board at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

In Dr. Jebb’s first year as president, the College delivered on its Fall Operations Plan with the priority of ensuring a healthy, well, safe, and vibrant student experience, while embracing a culture of dignity and respect marked by empathy, equity, diversity, and inclusion. Moreover, the College attracted renowned guest speakers, secured multiple federal grants, and launched a bold Strategic Planning��process through a set of campus-wide future-based summits, an innovative needs statement process, and comprehensive Campus Facilities Master Planning.

The College’s Forensic Genealogy Innocence Lab was named among 15 unique academic programs in colleges across the state. The class, led by Law & Society Assistant Professor David Gurney, includes using genetic genealogy to identify families�� from DNA evidence left at crime scenes.�� Students use emerging tools of forensic genetic genealogy to help solve cases of wrongful conviction using real client files.

In addition, students receive hands-on instruction focused on the use of traditional genealogy, criminal procedures and post-conviction relief, and confidentiality within legal and genealogical contexts.

Also noted by ROI for “construction that didn’t stop during the pandemic” was the completion of The Peter P. Mercer Learning Commons, which opened in September 2021. The project completely re-envisioned the former library space by modernizing and expanding the building’s footprint to���� feature state-of-the-art classrooms and laboratories, group and individual study rooms, media hubs, on-site technology resources, a makerspace design laboratory, a café, archives, centers and research projects, and displays breathtaking views of the Ramapo Mountains.

Connell is one of 25 new SSIC members who will serve a one-year term on the council to engage with EAB Technology leadership, network with likeminded leaders at other institutions and work collaboratively to design the most effective student success recruitment and retention roadmap using Navigate and Starfish technologies. Those technologies link administrators, faculty, staff, advisors and students in a coordinated network to support students from enrollment to graduation and beyond.

Connell shared, “Participation in the Innovation Council will continue to keep Ramapo on the leading edge of student success initiatives, which provide our students access to our personal mentoring on-demand through our integrated Student Success Network in EAB’s Starfish technology.”

Ramapo has partnered with Starfish since 2013 to deliver a technology-enabled team-based approach to student success. During this time, the College has increased its transfer student persistence rates and reduced equity gaps in student achievement.

Christopher Romano, Vice President of Strategic Enrollment, Outreach and Engagement and Connell’s supervisor added, “Joe’s appointment to this council recognizes his leadership in the area of student success and our continued efforts to deliver on our promise.�� It’s not enough to focus on enrolling students, at Ramapo, and under Joe’s leadership, our focus is making sure they have the tools to succeed.”

The Innovation Council, entering its tenth year, invites a small group of progressive individuals who represent institutions to help shape technology and product vision that drive student success strategies. EAB works with more than 1,000 institutions of higher education partners to drive change through data-driven solutions and attain results in key areas, including marketing and enrollment; student success; diversity, equity and inclusion; and data and analytics.

LaChanze is a vibrant Broadway star with a career that has spanned thirty-one seasons. Her work reflects her desire to bring complex and powerful women to life. She won a Tony award for her work as Celie in “The Color Purple” and earned nominations for her roles as Ti Moune in “Once on This Island” and, most recently, Wiletta in Alice Childress’ play “Trouble in Mind.” More memorable stage performances include “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical”, “A Christmas Carol”, “The Secret Life of Bees”, among others. Her TV and film work ranges from “Handel’s Messiah Rocks: A Joyful Noise,” for which she earned an Emmy award, to “The Help” to Disney’s “Hercules.”

The Berrie Center for the Arts is a community resource generously funded by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.�� Events are open to the public with discounts for children 17 and under and they offer easy access and free parking. For exact event information and to purchase tickets, please visit ramapo.edu/berriecenter.

In his new book, Operation Pedro Pan: The Migration of Unaccompanied Children from Castro’s Cuba,��John Gronbeck-Tedesco explores the extraordinary undertaking by the Miami Catholic Diocese, federal and state offices, child welfare agencies, and anti-Castro Cubans to bring unaccompanied children to the United States to escape Castro’s dictatorship.

“John Kennedy had just been elected as our first Catholic president and we were right in the middle of the Cold War. Our country as well as the Catholic Church were undergoing extraordinary changes,” said Gronbeck-Tedesco, Associate Professor American Studies at Ramapo College of New Jersey. “There was a big shift to show that American family values were at the forefront of our culture.”

At the outset the proposal seemed modest: transfer two hundred unaccompanied Cuban children to Miami to save them from communism. The time apart from their parents would be short, only until Castro fell from power by the result of U.S. force, Cuban counterrevolutionary tactics, or a combination of both. Families would be reunited in a matter of months. “A plan was hatched, and it worked—until it ballooned into something so unwieldy that within two years the modest proposal erupted into what at the time was the largest migration of unaccompanied minors to the United States,” Gronbeck-Tedesco writes.

In all, over 14,000 children ranging from age 2 to 18, were put on planes or boats by their parents from Cuba to Miami. Pedro Pan was the colloquial name for the Unaccompanied Cuban Children’s Program, which began under government largesse in February 1961. Children without immediate family support in the United States—some 8,300 boys and girls—received group and foster care through the Catholic Welfare Bureau and other religious, governmental, and non-governmental organizations as young people were dispersed throughout the country. Most were eventually reunited with family members, but the experience still left lifelong psychological scars.

In interviews with some of those refugees – now in their 60s and 70s – Gronbeck-Tedesco, through connections in Miami and South Florida, captures their words as they try to reconcile those feelings of abandonment and successful adaptation from decades ago.

“Some of them cried. Their memories are still so vivid,” he said.

Operation Pedro Pan is available on and will be widely released in October 2022.

Ramapo College remains a top institution in the Best Regional Universities North, being named as one of only two New Jersey public institutions listed in the top 10, and ascending several spots to the No. 28 ranking among all schools in the same region. The results affirm Ramapo’s value as an institution that combines high-quality programs, affordability, and dedication to student success.

“We recognize that many prospective students and their families rely on rankings reports to narrow their college searches and, to that end, the findings affirm Ramapo’s superior graduation and retention rates as well as the social mobility of our graduates,” said Cindy Jebb, Ramapo College President. “However, we also know that much of what makes Ramapo an incredibly valuable destination for undergraduate education goes unsaid in these reports—that is our caring and inclusive community, our culture of mentorship, our unique focus on student well-being, and our unwavering commitment to foster in our students the critical thought, civil discourse, ethical leadership, and empathetic service that are needed now and will be essential to the health of our democracy and our economy for decades to come.”

The College’s Teaching Program was one of only two New Jersey programs among 25 institutions in the Regional Public Universities North category. Ramapo’s outstanding Bachelor of Nursing (BSN) Program ascended exponentially in the national ranking, landing in the top 43 percent nationwide.

Ramapo College was also again recognized for its commitment to veteran students, placing 13^th for Best Colleges for Veteran Students by U.S. News.

Michelle recently arrived back home after spending the summer in Taiwan and was happy to share her experience.

Please tell us about your trip.

No doubt, it was the best experience of my life. I was able to meet so many amazing and inspiring people, as well as learn many new skills that I never imagined possible in such a short amount of time. Although the program is definitely more intense than any of us could have prepared for, my classmates agreed that we definitely learned more than one year of Mandarin in the span of two months. We also got the opportunity to explore the language and culture first hand rather than learning from a textbook.

Why did you choose to study Mandarin?����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������

I started studying Mandarin when we had to stay home during the height of the pandemic. I just studied for fun with no language goals in mind until I found out about CLS. I applied for the scholarship because I wanted to have an immersion experience with Mandarin. After my experience in Taiwan, I became very inspired and motivated to take Mandarin more seriously and perhaps integrate it more into my studies.

How will your experience in Taiwan benefit your studies in International Business?

My experience in Taiwan was very eye-opening in that I was able to communicate with people from a different part of the world. Although we can be very different, some of their ideas and values are similar to ours. It helped me realize that a lot of business practices that I learned from textbooks are now being applied to real world situations, and vice versa. After coming home, I can definitely relate and have a clearer understanding of class materials. My experience in Taiwan also allowed me to see how international business is done through the eyes of Taiwanese people. This knowledge will be beneficial if I get an opportunity to work in Taiwan in the future.

What are your career plans after graduation in spring 2023?

For now, I will continue working for a logistics company, but I am open to other international work or study opportunities, specifically in Taiwan, because I would love to go back and learn more about the people and culture.

What advice can you give other students who wish to pursue this line of study?

For other International Business students, studying abroad will definitely help with self-discovery and also expand your view on business practices around the world. So, whether it is only for one month or for a whole semester, definitely take the opportunity to study abroad because there is so much you can learn being immersed in a completely different environment that you won’t be able to find in any textbooks.

Each summer, CLS provides rigorous academic instruction in fifteen languages that are critical to U.S. national security and economic prosperity, said Dean Chen, Chair/Convener of the Department of Political Science in the School of Humanities and Global Studies at Ramapo College and the Director of the Office of Prestigious Fellowships and Scholarships. “CLS participants are citizen ambassadors, sharing U.S. values and promoting U.S. influence abroad. We are so proud of and happy for Michelle for receiving this great award and recognition.”

The of the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs is a study abroad opportunity for U.S. college and university students to learn languages essential to U.S. engagement with the world. Student participants are expected to continue their language study beyond the scholarship period, and later apply their critical language skills in their future professional careers.

Tertulia! opens with the 40-minute documentary film “Desarraigo Y Esperanza (Displacement and Hope)” followed by Argentinian folk musicians Mate Amargo and Tango dancers Karina Romero and Jorge Carmona. The film, by Ramapo Professor Marta Bautis, is the story of a young Latin American man, within the context of anti-migratory policies in the United States and is the first child adopted by Father Fabian Arias, now the guardian of dozens of minors who entered the US without documents. In a special pre-show conversation, Bautis will be joined by Fr. Arias beginning at 7 p.m. in the Adler Theater.

The Berrie Center for the Arts is a community resource generously funded by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.�� Events are open to the public with discounts for children 17 and under and they offer easy access and free parking. For exact event information and tickets, please go to their website at Ramapo.edu/berriecenter

Welcoming the students and their families during the ceremony, Christopher Romano, Vice President for Strategic Enrollment, Outreach and Engagement shared some facts about the incoming class while also challenging them to reflect on the words in their acceptance letter and at the top of the campus’ Mansion Road, “Make History” and how they would chart their future forward at Ramapo.

Some quick facts about the class welcomed:

*The Class of 2026 boasts 866 first-year students to campus. These students were selected from 7,200 applicants.

*All 21 New Jersey counties are represented.

*39 percent of the incoming freshman class are first-generation college students, meaning that they are the first in their family to attend college.

*Students additionally hail from 10 different states: New York, Connecticut, Georgia, Maryland, Montana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee

*The College welcomes 11 international first-year students from four foreign countries: Albania, Bulgaria, Nepal and Spain.

*76 incoming students will participate in Roadrunner athletics, including 42 who were team captains of their sport in high school.

*34 incoming freshmen were class or club presidents in high school.

*The Class of 2026 includes 7 valedictorians and 2 salutatorians from their high school class.

*75 students are participating in the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) program.

*Top majors among the incoming freshmen are: Nursing, Education, Business, Psychology, Computer Science and Biology. Approximately nine percent of incoming freshmen are undeclared, which is an ideal way to start the college experience at a liberal arts college.

*114 students are enrolling in Ramapo’s 4+1 BS/MS combined bachelors/masters programs or articulated partners programs in pre-med or pre-law.

*Most popular names are Anthony, Christopher, Emily, Gabriella, Joshua, Matthew, Nicholas, Nicole, Olivia and Victoria.

Reflecting on the collective group and the College’s ethos of being bold, being kind and being good teammates, President Cindy Jebb acknowledged to the audience that “Quite frankly, the fact that you are here already tells me you have embraced these words. Your adaptability, perseverance, and tenacity brought you to this moment—celebrate it!”

October kicks off with Tony Award winner LaChanze and her band promising an evening of unforgettable Broadway music on Saturday, October 8. Then join us for pianist and Latin Grammy winner Emilio Teubal and his trio when they bring an evening of jazz on October 15.

December begins with a recognition of World Aids Day on December 1 to the sounds of the a cappella band of the NYC Gay Men’s Chorus, Tonewall. The fall semester finishes with fan favorite Eileen Ivers and her band with their holiday show “A Joyful Christmas” on December 10.

Highlights for the spring semester include the annual Les Paul Concert, featuring composer and cellist Zöe Keating on February 18. Keating is a one-woman orchestra creating her distinct sound using multi-layered tracking on her acoustic cello. On February 25, Rediscovering Community, the new works-in-progress performances will be showcased. The annual traditions of Mack Brandon’s Gospel Explosion and the Animation & VFX Conference return on consecutive weekends of April 22 and 29 respectively. Finally, the year wraps up with the shadow dance company featured on “America’s Got Talent”, Catapult, on April 30. This family friendly group will do two performances so bring the whole family out for a fun time that will leave you spellbound!

The Berrie Center for the Arts is a community resource generously funded by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.�� Events are open to the public with discounts for children 17 and under and they offer easy access and free parking. For exact event information and tickets, please go to their website at Ramapo.edu/berriecenter

Shalom Gorewitz taught art and cultural theory courses at Ramapo College from 1982-2022. The exhibition features his work in a variety of media, including painting, digital photography, and video. John Hanhardt, a leading curator, has written that Gorewitz “leads a new generation of artists who are creating unique styles in the media arts. He has a unique and personal vision when he transforms images recorded from nature, giving us a new impression of the world around us.”

In addition to creating his personal work, Gorewitz collaborated with dancers, musicians, and poets; wrote about the early days of the medium for several journals; and produced one of the first artist cable television program in New York City. His work was included in three Whitney Biennials and is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art and many other museums. In addition, his videos have been broadcast on public and cable television and featured in many international festivals.

Since his arrival at Ramapo, Gorewitz has been a champion of the Rodman Collection and the College’s growing collection of Haitian Art. Gorewitz produced two notable films during his visits to Haiti. The Last Tourist (1993) was broadcast on PBS. Elegy for Stivenson Magloire was selected for the Haitian Film Festival in Brooklyn. During his two terms as Dean, Gorewitz facilitated Oscar Award-winning filmmaker Jonathan Demme’s time as artist in residence at Ramapo College when Demme worked with students on what became the critically acclaimed film The Agronomist. Gorewitz received two Fulbright Grants to teach in Kumasi, Ghana at the Kwame N’krumah University of Science and Technology and holds a position as Adjunct Professor of Video Art there.

“Ramapo College was very supportive of my art career, scholarship, and experiments with online teaching. I feel honored to be part of the innovative and progressive tradition the College represents,” Gorewitz said. “I especially want to acknowledge the hundreds of students who have listened carefully, taken me seriously, and cooperated/collaborated on the ever-evolving world of postmodernist art and new technologies. Their success is at least partially due to our positive intentions and creative pedagogy. In that spirit I dedicate this exhibition to Chris Clark, James Conyers, Jennifer Morrison, and all the rest, too numerous to name.”

This project is supported in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. Gallery hours are Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 1-5 p.m. and Wednesday from 1-7 p.m. For further information, contact Sydney Jenkins at 201-684-7147.

“What distinguishes Ramapo’s Data Science degree is its emphasis on integrating with other disciplines,” said Professor Scott Frees, Director of Ramapo’s MSDS Program.��“Data scientists need strong technical skills – and they get those here at Ramapo – but data scientists work with people.��What makes data scientists so valuable to organizations is their ability to find answers to business and scientific questions and to present their methods and results to a broad audience.”

Frees added that what makes Ramapo’s data science program unique is that courses are taught entirely by full-time faculty in person, on campus, although students who need to attend remotely may be able to do so. “At Ramapo, our students work across disciplines, through electives, fieldwork, and Capstone courses, to learn how to leverage their technical skills in the real world,” he said.

According to Fortune’s analysis, data science is one of the fastest growing fields due to the increasing volume of data generated every day, which is “creating a steep demand for workers that can harness, analyze and create value from the data available.”

Launched in Fall 2020, Ramapo’s two-year, 30-credit MSDS program includes course work in Python, R, Data Visualization, Database Systems, Machine Learning, Statistics and Mathematical Modeling. The program’s Capstone experience involves a signature fieldwork component, in which students work closely with faculty and representatives from external companies to work on real-world, actual data projects. This Capstone experience, which can last one or more semesters, gives industry sponsors access to Ramapo students and faculty to help create business value and insights, explore new ideas, and build new products, while also creating a career pipeline for talented students to join these organizations post-graduation.

Students can enroll in one of Ramapo College’s 4+1 BS-to-MS programs, which offer a fast-track, interdisciplinary experience through which students can earn an undergraduate degree in four years plus a Master’s degree in Data Science, Applied Mathematics, or Computer Science in just one additional year. These programs, offered by Ramapo’s School of Theoretical & Applied Science, are supported by the College’s recently-launched Center of Data, Mathematical & Computational Sciences. The mission of the Center, which opened in April 2022, is threefold: to promotes a modern image of liberal arts, where students learn the skills necessary to apply technical concepts to real-world problems; to support a tech community at Ramapo College by strengthening interdisciplinary and outside partnerships; and to develop undergraduate and graduate students skilled at applying technical concepts to real-world problems.

“We are delighted to have received two federal grants to support the work of the Jane Addams Papers Project, funding the��and the��Selected Papers of Jane Addams��(planned four volumes). The Project makes the life and work of Jane Addams accessible to broad audiences from grammar school students, doctoral candidates, and international researchers,” said Cathy Moran Hajo ’85, Editor and Director of the Jane Addams Papers Project at Ramapo.

The award from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission’s Program in Publishing Historical Records in Collaborative Editions, part of the National Archives, awarded $160,000 for 2022-2023. The $300,000 from the NEH’s program in Scholarly Editing will cover three years, from 2022 to 2025 and comes with a challenge — an offer of an additional $150,000 — if we can raise private matching funds, Hajo explained. “This means that every dollar donated to the project will be matched by the NEH. This is especially important to us, because we use these funds to pay the salaries of student workers and research costs,” she said.

Ramapo students from each of the College’s five schools are the backbone of the digital edition, Hajo said. “We have trained more than 70 students since the project started to read 19th and 20th century handwritten documents, transcribe the texts and describe them, adding subjects, identifying people, organizations and events. Students are gaining experience doing historical research, analyzing primary sources and developing metadata,” adding that the program also offers internship opportunities (co-operative education, faculty-student research, and internships for high school students and students from other colleges). “Our goals for this coming year are to add documents from 1925-1928 to the digital edition. We will also submit Volume 4 of the��Selected Papers of Jane Addams��to the University of Illinois Press.”

Hajo is currently working with a high school educator to develop History AP resources based on the Jane Addams Digital Edition, and have already produced guides for students doing National History Day Projects and educational resources for middle-school teachers.

Susan Hangen, Dean of the Ramapo’s School of Humanities and Global Studies, applauded Hajo’s leadership for the project. “Dr. Cathy Hajo is a tremendous asset to Ramapo College and it is due to her vision and leadership that she has secured continued grant support for this prestigious project,” Hangen said.��“The Jane Addams Papers Project is creating a significant public humanities resource and dozens of Ramapo College students have had the valuable opportunity to gain digital skills through their work on this project.”

Working on the Addams Papers is a wonderful combination of cutting-edge digital humanities work and old-fashioned sleuthing, Hajo said. “When asked what I do, I can honestly say ‘I read dead people’s mail and gossip about it,’ with the caveat that my ‘gossip’ is all well-researched and carefully sourced. This fine-grained work, where we read each document with extreme care and attention, is a different way of doing historical work. It builds up an understanding of the past that is personal and local, that just isn’t the same as you find in a textbook.”

The College has started a fundraising campaign to secure the matching funds from the NEH that will help secure a larger student staff. Visit�� for information on how to donate.

MAHWAH, N.J. –��The Ramapo College Foundation��will hold its 35th Annual Golf Outing at the Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, N.J., on Thursday, September 15.�� Proceeds from the Golf Outing provide student scholarships, fund faculty-student research and support special programs on campus. Century 21 Construction and the Anthony J. Marino family, The Rick DeSilva Family and Liberty Dealerships serve as lead sponsors of the event.

The Havemeyer Presidential Leadership Award is given to individuals who offer their expertise and whose contributions touch the lives of students, faculty and staff at Ramapo College. It��is named for Theodore Havemeyer, an American businessman who was the first president of the U.S. Golf Association in 1894. Mr. Havemeyer lived on an estate in Mahwah, which is now owned by Ramapo College. The award will be presented to Rick DeSilva Sr., Michael DeSilva and Rick DeSilva Jr. of Liberty Dealerships.

Rick DeSilva Sr., of Mahwah, is the dealer/owner of Liberty Subaru (Emerson), Liberty Kia (Ramsey), Liberty Hyundai (Mahwah) and Genesis of Mahwah. He sits on the Mahwah Zoning Board of Adjustment, and was a member of Mahwah Board of Education and the Fire Department having served as vice president and president, respectively. He is a member of the Ramapo College Foundation and received the College’s Distinguished Citizen Award in 2012. Rick chaired the Ramapo Rumble Motorcycle Rally from 2011-2014. He has been involved for many years in international and national automobile dealer and retailer organizations and committees, and has appeared on Fox News, MSNBC, ABC News, CNN as an industry expert.�� He is past chairman of the American International Auto Dealers Association (AIADA) and is currently a Director of the American Dealers Association (NADA).

He attended Bowling Green University in Ohio, earning a B.S. in marketing/advertising. He lives in Mahwah with his wife Wendy and their beloved dog, Bentley.

Rick DeSilva Jr., of Mahwah, is the dealer/owner of Liberty Subaru (Emerson), Liberty Kia (Ramsey), Liberty Hyundai (Mahwah) and Genesis of Mahwah. He has served on numerous industry committees including the New Jersey Coalition of Auto Retailers (NJCAR), NJCAR Services Board, and the Subaru Retailer Advisory Board. He co-founded the NJCAR NextGen Committee and sits on the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) Legislative Affairs Committee, where he is the incoming NJ Director. Rick Jr. worked for Toyota Motor Sales before moving back to Mahwah to join the family business in 2003. He served on the committee of the “Ramapo Rumble” event from 2011-2014, and has been a member of the Mahwah Board of Education since 2012.

He received the 2021 Time Magazine Dealer of the year Award.

He received a B.S. in marketing from Clemson University in 1997 and lives in Mahwah with his wife Michelle and their three daughters.

Michael DeSilva, of Wyckoff, is the dealer/owner of Liberty Subaru (Emerson), Liberty Kia (Ramsey), Liberty Hyundai (Mahwah) and Genesis of Mahwah. He started in the family business at Liberty Subaru in 1999 upon completing his studies at the University of South Carolina. He was instrumental in opening the Liberty Hyundai dealership in 2003 and Liberty Kia in 2016. He is on the Board of Directors and is incoming chairman of the American International Auto Dealers Association. He also is on the Board of Directors and served as past chair of the Wholesale Auto Supply Company, and is Regional Vice President of the New Jersey Coalition of Auto Retailers. He lives in Wyckoff with his wife Kristi and their two children.

“We look forward to another great Foundation Outing and are grateful to our sponsors and participants for their contributions that allow us to raise scholarship funds for Ramapo students,” said Frank Conway, Co-Chair of the Golf��Committee.��“We also want to welcome the opportunity to recognize Rick, Michael and Rick Jr. for their extraordinary leadership and significant contributions to the College and their communities.

Cost for the outing is $625 per golfer/$2,500 per foursome. Sponsorships are available. To register and for more information, please visit��www.ramapo.edu/golf-outing��or contact Liz Kloak at��lkloak@ramapo.edu��or call 201-684-6834.

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