College and School Happenings
Maxwell Becton College of Arts and Sciences
Morris Museum Creative Partnership
FDU and the Morris Museum in Morristown, N.J., are collaborating to make the vision of the Loeb family a reality. The Marianne S. Loeb Fellowship will help increase diversity in the fields of arts management, animation, filmmaking and graphic design by providing scholarship support to a Black FDU student studying at the University’s School of the Arts. In addition receiving full tuition for a year, Loeb scholarship recipients will intern at the Morris Museum.
“We are very grateful to have alumni with the vision to provide this kind of broad access to unique learning experiences for our students,” said President Christopher Capuano. “We are also very pleased to be able to strengthen the connections between the University and the Morris Museum through innovative partnerships such as this.”
Janine Brown, who is majoring in film with a concentration in directing and minors in entertainment management and musical theater, is the recipient of the inaugural fellowship.
For more information go to “New Creative Partnership Announced Between Fairleigh Dickinson University and the Morris Museum.”
Main Stage Productions to Be Streamed
This semester, main stage productions presented by the School of the Arts will be presented online and may be streamed for free.
“The Laramie Project,” a docudrama by Moises Kaufman and the Tectonic Theatre Company, will be available to stream at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 29, and on Saturday, October 31.
This docudrama was the result of interviews of residents done by members of an acting company when they visited Laramie, Wyo., following the murder of Mathew Shepherd, a young, gay 22-year-old undergraduate student. Stephen Hollis, theater and director, theater arts (Flor), will direct the production.
“The Quarantine Diaries: 2020 Through the Eyes of College Students,” will be presented by Fairleigh Dramatics and directed by student Kelly Goldstein. Featuring a showcase of monologues and scenes written, directed and performed by FDU students,
it is available to stream at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, November 6, and on Saturday, November 7.
“Songs for a New World,” a musical by Jason Robert Brown, will be available to stream at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 12, and on Saturday, November 14.
It revolves around a series of songs connected by a theme: “the moment of decision.” It’s about one moment. It’s about hitting the wall and having to make a choice or take a stand or turn around and go back. It will be directed by Cynthia Thole Loewus, musical theater (Flor), with musical direction by Allen Cohen, music (Flor).
“Twelfth Night,” a comedy by William Shakespeare, is available to stream at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, November 13, and on Sunday, November 15.
The play, with several interwoven plots of romance, mistaken identities and practical jokes, revolves around the twins Viola and Sebastian, who are separated in a shipwreck. Carole Healey, Becton College (Flor), is the director.
To watch the productions go to Main Stage 2020–2021. For information contact Stephen Hollis at hollis@fdu.edu.
Biology Seminar
The department of biological sciences is hosting a virtual seminar via Zoom on “Mitochondrial Inheritance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Septin Mutants,” with Patricia Melloy, cell biology (Flor), at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 12.
To request for the Zoom link, those interested should email Marion McClary, biological sciences and chair, biological sciences (Metro), at mcclary@fdu.edu.
Writing Workshops
The Metro Writing Studio is holding writing workshops via Zoom this semester.
Upcoming workshops to be led by faculty/staff members (all Metro) will include: “Information Literacy Instruction,” with Paul Dunphy, research and instruction librarian, Giovatto Library, on Wednesday, November 4, 2–3 p.m.; and “Advanced APA Format,” with Helen Kuttner, tutor, Metro Writing Studio, on Wednesday, November 4, 4–5:30 p.m.
To attend the virtual workshops email spatel15@student.fdu.edu (for the Advanced APA Format workshop) or malav@student.fdu.edu (for the Information Literacy Instruction workshop) 10 minutes before the presentations start. For more information go to Metro Writing Studio.
Hot Topics
A Hot Topics panel discussion on “The Presidential Election: Will Anyone Win?” was held on October 27 with panelists Fernando Alonso, history (Metro), “Role of Media in the Election”; Krista Jenkins, political science and executive director, FDU Poll (Flor), “Polls and Polling”; Kyle Kattelman, political science (Metro); and Chris Rasmussen, history and deputy chair, social sciences/history (Metro), “Contentious Presidential Elections of the Past.” It was moderated by Christopher Caldiero, communication (Flor). In addition, a Hot Topics panel discussion on “And Justice for All: Police Reform in the Era of George Floyd” was held on September 22. Douglas Evans, criminal justice (Metro), was a panelist and Bruce Peabody, government/politics and director, Florham Institute for Lifelong Learning (Flor), served as moderator.
Both events were sponsored by the Maxwell Becton College of Arts and Sciences, the Florham Campus Student Government Association and the Metropolitan Campus Student Government Association.
Silberman College of Business
Balthazard Heads Silberman College
Pierre Balthazard was appointed dean of the Silberman College of Business effective August 17, 2020. Prior to joining FDU, he was dean of the College of Administration at California State University, Sacramento, from 2015 to 2018. He previously held administrative leadership positions at St. Bonaventure University, Allegany, N.Y., and at Arizona State University, Tempe, Ariz. To read more about Balthazard go to “Meet the ‘Main Street’ Dean Leading Silberman College of Business.”
Silberman Dean’s Office Renamed
In recognition of the profound impact that Marshall Bartlett’s service and philanthropy has had on the University, the Office of the Dean of the Silberman College of Business will be known as the Marshall P. Bartlett Dean’s Office. A dedication ceremony will be held in the future.
Bartlett, who passed away in September 2019, taught at Silberman College after retiring from Exxon Company International as general tax counsel. While at FDU, he also developed its international tax curriculum.
Before his death, through a generous commitment of more than $1 million, Bartlett established the Marshall and Margaret Bartlett Endowed Scholarship; the Marshall and Margaret Bartlett Annual Scholarship; and the Marshall and Margaret Bartlett Teaching Innovation Fellowship Award, which honors excellence in teaching, research and service to Silberman College.
For more information go to “Dean’s Office to Commemorate Marshall Bartlett.”
Family Business of the Year Awards
The Rothman Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship honored outstanding family businesses at the 28th Annual New Jersey Family Business of the Year Awards Ceremony on October 21.
The virtual ceremony honored family businesses from around the state that were recognized for their dedication to the industry, family values, vision and contribution to their communities and the New Jersey economy. This year’s awards ceremony featured a new category — New Family Business — that honors companies that have been in the business for five years or less for their dedication and entrepreneurial vision.
Black Swan Espresso, a specialty coffee bar, in Newark, N.J., was named this year’s New Family Business.
Mikula Contracting in Clifton, N.J., a company that has been providing a wide range of excavation, demolition, environmental, snow removal, trucking and soil materials services since 1946, won in the Up to $10 Million category. The runners-up were Brad-Core Construction (Hackensack) and Shovlin Mattress Factory (Fanwood).
Norwalt Design of Randolph, N.J., a company that offers high-quality automation machinery and proactive design improvements, was the winner in the Over $10 Million category. The runners-up were Alfred Sanzari Enterprises (Hackensack) and Earle Corporation (Wall).
Christian D’Andrea, CEO, Soldier Fuel, and founder, ShopFamily®, was the keynote speaker. He joined Tim Sullivan, chief executive officer, New Jersey Economic Development Authority; and Al Titone, district director, Small Business Administration, for the panel discussion and Q&A.
Complete coverage of this year’s awards will be featured in the December issue of New Jersey Business magazine.
Peter Sammartino School of Education
Education Grad Wins Top Honors
Vicki Cohen, director of the Peter Sammartino School of Education, announces that Angel Santiago, BA’12, MAT’12 (Metro), has been named New Jersey’s Teacher of the Year.
A fifth-grade language arts teacher at Loring Flemming Elementary School in Blackwood, N.J., Santiago was praised for his emphasis on both academics and community service. To read more go to “Gloucester Township Educator Named State’s Teacher of the Year.”
International School of Hospitality, Sports, and Tourism Management
Perdue Scholarship Recipients
John Niser, director, International School of Hospitality, Sports and Tourism Management, announces that two hospitality students — Quinton Darling and Christian Milano — were among the recipients of the 2020 Joe Perdue Scholarship. The scholarship provides tuition support to students who are pursuing careers in club management.
The scholarship was established in 1988 to honor Joe Perdue, a leading hospitality educator, who served as academic adviser for the Club Management Association of America (CMAA) from 1986 to 2015. He was responsible for the initial development of CMAA’s Business Management Institute. Beyond the U.S., he developed professional education programs in China, South Africa, Europe and Canada.
To read more go to “The Club Foundation Names 10 Joe Perdue Scholars.”
Henry P. Becton School of Nursing and Allied Health
Nursing Students Achieve 100 Percent Pass Rate
The New Jersey Board of Nursing has announced the results of the 2020 NCLEX-RN® (National Council Licensure Examination) results and FDU’s nursing students have again achieved a 100 percent pass rate.
School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Fall 2020 Open House
The School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is hosting a Fall 2020 Virtual Open House featuring presentations from each of its programs — pharmacy, regulatory sciences/clinical research administration, physician assistant, public health and social work — on Saturday, November 14, from 9:30 a.m. to noon.
The open house will also include program-specific question-and-answer sessions; a tour of its state-of-the-art classroom, lab and study space; and information about the school’s integrated curriculum an experiential-education opportunities.
Registration is necessary. To register and for information go to School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Fall 2020 Virtual Open House.
School of Psychology and Counseling
Building Supportive School Communities
As part of the Supportive Schools Newark project, the Newark Board of Education (NBOE), in partnership with Fairleigh Dickinson University’s School of Psychology and Counseling, will develop six trauma-informed demonstration schools and provide tiered systems of mental health support to help children heal and be available for learning. The project is being funded by a $1.9-million Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration Grant from the U.S. Department of Education that will run through September 30, 2024.
Importantly, this initiative will bring more mental health service providers into the NBOE through a school mental health partnership with FDU, increasing the number of individuals who are able to provide evidence-based group and individual counseling while addressing the substantial shortage of school psychologists in districts like the Newark (N.J.) Public Schools. Graduate students from the FDU program will complete a practicum and internship requirements in one of six demonstration K-8 schools.
Linda Raffaele-Mendez, school psychology (Metro), is the principal investigator.
Alumnus Writes Star-Ledger Op-ed
Meaghan Guiney, psychology (Metro), announces that alumnus Sinclair Davis, AA’09, BA’11, MA’16, PsyD’18 (Metro), wrote an op-ed titled “Students Need Help Handling the Trauma of Racial Violence” that was published in The Star-Ledger on September 18. He is dean of counseling at St. Benedict’s Preparatory School in Newark, N.J.
School of Public and Global Affairs
Global Affairs Student Wins Award
Hashmat Vejdani, a student in the MA in global affairs program, received the Successful Young Figures of the Year Award from the Fair Election Forum of Afghanistan (FEFA), for his human rights and volunteer work in Afghanistan. A human-rights activist and lecturer at the Afghanistan Defense University, he has received more than 40 national and international awards and certificates. To read more go to “FDU Global Affairs Student Earns FEFA Successful Young Figures of the Year Award.”
Wroxton College
Study-abroad Programs Suspended
In a September 21 email to the University community, Gillian Small, University provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, announced that the decision has been made “to suspend study-abroad programs, including our programs at Wroxton College, for the spring semester. We are very sorry that we cannot offer students these opportunities, but I hope that you all understand that our first priority is always the safety and well being of our community, and there simply remain too many restrictions and risks to plan such travel programs.” She added that, “faculty and staff will continue to create valuable and meaningful experiences for our students throughout the year.”