College and School Happenings, Spring 2024

Maxwell Becton College of Arts and Sciences

Summer Study-abroad

This year’s International Corporate Communication and Culture Seminar, which is offered to graduate students in the MA in communication and selected students from the BA in communication, is scheduled for Tuesday, July 30, to Monday, August 12, in Wroxton College, England.

The 14-day seminar consists of invited speakers, case studies, site visits and trips to London, Stratford-upon-Avon and Oxford. Students will also examine case studies conducted by UK media, advertising and public-relations practitioners, which show how issues of culture, history, politics and theory play out in actual corporate communication practice.

The total cost for the trip is $4,028 — $2,344 covers discounted tuition for a 3-credit course; and $1,684 for room and board (room, three meals daily on campus, site visits, all transportation, theater tickets and speaker expenses). The cost does not include airfare; students are required to make their own flight arrangements to the United Kingdom.

Students from the MBA, undergraduate business majors and other universities and colleges may also register with permission from Gary Radford, communication and chair, communication (Flor), at gradford@fdu.edu.

For more details about the course and the study-abroad trip/arrangements go to Study in Wroxton, England.

Hispanic Center Exhibit

The Hispanic Center is holding an art exhibit that features fine art projects by Metropolitan Campus seniors (Luciana Cepeda [Latino Promise], Destiny Davy, Leo Itolgin [Latino Promise], Elizabeth Kim, Samantha Lago, Laileni Mendoza Reyes, Matthew Ng, Gabriela Ors and Oscar Rosano [Latino Promise]); and digital posters on Latin dances by students of CGD1177 Introduction to Digital Media.

The exhibit, which is on display in the Hispanic Center Office, Fourth Floor, Robison Hall, at the Metropolitan Campus, will run through Friday, August 23. Exhibit hours are Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (The University will be closed on Fridays from May 17 to August 2.)

The exhibit is curated by Krista Escaffi-Aguilar, Becton College, and gallery manager, University Hall Art Gallery, with help from Sara Shannon, Becton College; Marie Roberts, fine arts; and Lena Aronson, computer graphics (all Metro). For information contact Gabby Carnevale, administrative assistant, School of the Arts (Metro), at 201-692-2801 or email arts@fdu.edu.

Arts in April

This April, the School of the Arts hosted a variety of events at the Florham Campus that highlighted students’ and alumni artistry and creativity.

  • Annual IMAGES Student Arts Festival

This year’s festival, held on select days in April, included the Studio Art Exhibition/Reception, Graphic Design Exhibition/Reception, Alumni Arts Showcase/Reception, Animation Thesis Screenings and the FDUFilm Senior Thesis Screenings.

  • The Creative Artist

A one-day exhibit, “The Creative Artist,” was held on April 30. It featured students’ personal projects such as paintings, animations, coloring books, illustrated books, 3D renderings and screenplays.

Silberman College of Business

Co-op for MS in Accounting

Silberman College will be offering a cooperative program in which students in the 4+1 Master’s in Accounting program will earn an MS in accounting degree while gaining invaluable work experience. Under the co-op program, students will be compensated while working and will also receive tuition reimbursement.

After completing the bachelor’s degree in four years, “participants work for an accounting firm in the summer before beginning their master’s degree,” says Scott McGregor, accounting (Flor), who wrote an article about the co-op program for the Silberman blog. Then they work part-time in the fall while taking courses to complete their classroom-based academic credits, and in the spring they begin working full-time with the firm.” Wiss and Company, LLP, a leading regional accounting firm, is the program’s first CPA co-op partner.

To read more go to “FDU Silberman College of Business Introduces Co-op Program for the MS in Accounting Program.”

Silberman Symposium

The Silberman College of Business Symposium on “The Future of Education and the Workplace: Implications for Recruiting and Retaining Talent,” will be held at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 22, at the Theater in the Round, Bell Works, 101 Crawfords Corner Road, Holmdel, N.J. Happy hour and networking will follow.

Speakers include Michael Avaltroni, FDU president; Tom Bergeron, founder/owner/editor, ROI-NJ; Alice Gens, chief operating officer/chief financial officer, New Jersey Business and Industry Association; and Ralph Zucker, CEO/founder, Inspired by Somerset Development.

Admission is free, but registration is necessary. For information email Mary Sakin, executive director of alumni/external relations, Silberman College (Flor), at sakinm@fdu.edu.

Corporate Partnership Program Expanded

Three additional cohorts of students from Merck in Rahway, N.J., and Novartis in East Hanover, N.J., joined Silberman College’s corporate partnership program this spring. Plans are also under way to offer graduate programs at Bell Works in Holmdel, N.J.

According to Sophia Li Ferry, associate director of graduate programs/recruitment/student support, Silberman College (Flor), who wrote “Expanding Corporate Partnerships” for the Silberman College blog, “Being student-centered is at the heart of our philosophy and our curricular design. Our MBA program was developed with the working professional in mind. By offering the FDU MBA program on-site at each corporate location, students will have the best of both worlds.”

Through its corporate partnership program, Silberman College offers its graduate programs on-site on the corporate partner campus in a hybrid format. This gives the partner-companies’ employees the opportunity to further their education will working full-time.

For more information go to Silberman College of Business Corporate Partnerships or email partner.mba@fdu.edu.

Lee Gildart and Oswald Haase School of Computer Sciences and Engineering

STEM Research and Design Expo

This year’s STEM Research and Design Expo was held on May 2 at the Metropolitan Campus. The event showcased semester-long group and individual projects by civil engineering, civil engineering technology, computer science, electrical engineering, information technology, mechanical engineering, mechanical engineering technology, biology, chemistry and physics students. Christopher Stubbs, mechanical engineering/mechanical engineering technology (Metro), helped organize the event.

Aerospace Tech Expert Visits Campus

As part of the Gildart/Haase School of Computer Sciences and Engineering (GHSCSE) Advisory Board Lecture Series, William Ochs, BS’79, MS’82 (Metro), project manager of the James Webb Space Telescope, spoke at the Metropolitan Campus and via Zoom on April 24. He talked about how he went from being an undergraduate student at FDU to managing the design, construction, launch and on-orbit operations of the James Webb Space Telescope — the largest observatory to be launched into space.

Ochs retired in 2022 and is now principal engineer/scientist for the Aerospace Corporation supporting the Space Force, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA.

He has been the recipient of the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal and various other NASA awards and was also honored with the 2011 Robert H. Goddard Award for Outstanding Leadership. Ochs is a founding member of the GHSCSE Advisory Board.

International School of Hospitality, Sports, and Tourism Management

Hospitality Reception Raises Funds, Honors Alumni

The Second Annual Hospitality Alumni Reception and Celebration, “Launching the Future … Remembering the Past,” was held on April 25 at the Park Avenue Club in Florham Park, N.J This year’s event raised scholarship funds for students of the International School of Hospitality, Sports, and Tourism Management.

The event also honored several alumni. Recipients of the 2024 Alumni Award of Excellence include Kip Vreeland, BS’85 (Ruth), senior vice president, full service franchising, Marriott International, Hotelier of the Year; Jerry Rotunno, BA’16 (Metro), owner, The Committed Pig Hospitality Group, Entrepreneur of the Year; Michelle Mitterer, MS’05 (Flor), Petrocelli Center (Metro), The Honorary Dr. Richard Wisch Educator of the Year; Rosemary Trinkle Baran, BS’83 (Ruth), manager of organizational development, NewYork Presbyterian Hospital, FDU Lifetime Pinnacle Award; Andrew Stress, BS’14 (Flor), assistant general manager and certified sommelier, Country Club of York, The Joe Cozza Food and Beverage and Events Industry Icon; Diana Poblete, BS’19, MS’20 (Metro), events coordinator, Passaic County Parks and Recreation Department, Young Professional of the Year; and Nicole Di Maio Kennedy, BS’07, MS’09 (Flor), vice president of revenue management, Benchmark Hospitality, Hospitality Industry Mentor of the Year.

To read more go to “Hospitality and Tourism Alumni Chapter celebrates the 2024 Alumni Awards of Excellence.”

Sport Study Abroad

Sport in Britain, a faculty-led study-abroad component for the sport management courses (SPAD4000 International Sports Administration or MSA6630 Global Sports), will be held from May 21 to 28 in Wroxton College, England.

The group, led by Jong-Chae (J.C.) Kim, sport management and program director, sport management (Metro), will visit a variety of sites such as the University of Cambridge, Twickenham Stadium; Tottenham Hotspur Football Club; Arsenal Football Club; and the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum.

Inaugural Golf Outing

Students in the SPAD3016 Sport Event Management class taught by Matthew Hawzen, sport management (Flor), hosted the FDU Sport Management Inaugural Golf Outing on April 24 at the Galloping Hill Golf Course in Kenilworth, N.J. Proceeds from the event will be used for the sport management program. 

Henry P. Becton School of Nursing and Allied Health

Virtual Information Sessions

Information sessions on a variety of nursing and allied health programs will be held via Zoom through June.

For inquiries email SNAH@fdu.edu.

Continuing-education Programs Offered

As part of its continuing-education programs, the School of Nursing and Allied Health (SNAH) offers its Basic Health Assessment (RN Refresher) course during the summer. This online, four-week course helps participants — including registered nurses (RNs) — develop basic health-assessment skills prior to starting an advanced health-assessment course or before transitioning to a career where these skills are required.

The course will run from Saturday, June 1, through Sunday, June 30. The total cost is $785, which includes a materials fee of $210. Online registration is open. For more information go to SNAH Continuing Education Programs.

Nursing Convocation

This year’s Nursing Convocation will be held on Wednesday, May 8, in Wilson Auditorium, Dickinson Hall, at the Metropolitan Campus. The ceremony for Entry-level Nursing Programs will be held at 1 p.m., and the one for Advanced-level Nursing Programs will be at 3:30 p.m. The event is by invitation only. For information email SNAH@fdu.edu.

School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

PA Global Mission Trip

As part of the physician assistant studies (PA) program, Ellen Mandel, physician assistant studies and director, physician assistant studies, and Justin Bucchio, social work and assistant dean of academic affairs – health sciences, pharmacy/health sciences (both Flor), accompanied a group of 14 PA students to Oaxaca, Mexico, for the program’s first-ever Global Mission Trip. The trip was done in collaboration with the Child Family Health International, a nongovernmental organization based in California. The students did clinical rotations in five primary clinics, where they interacted with physicians who only spoke Spanish; and saw many patients; took Spanish lessons; attended a lecture on the Mexican health-care system; met with an indigenous healer; and also toured the city.

Annual Research Symposium

The School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences held its annual research symposium on April 26 at the School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in Florham Park, N.J. The symposium, with the theme “Interprofessional Research in Pharmacy and the Health Sciences,” was also available virtually: presentations were streamed live, and posters had online links.

The keynote address, “Off-Label Life of a Researcher,” was delivered by Jina Park, U.S. market strategy lead, AIRS Medical.

The annual symposium highlighted research from members of the School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in public health, physician assistant studies, pharmacy, occupational therapy and social work. It also featured presentations by students, faculty, alumni and resident-pharmacists of FDU-affiliated institutions and FDU community partners.

Symposium cochairs Kathleen Frey, pharmaceutical sciences, and Jayoung Han, pharmacy practice (both Flor), moderated the presentations.

School of Psychology and Counseling

Empathy Trainings

The Center for Empathy Research and Training (CERT), housed in the School of Psychology and Counseling, held two-day Empathy Trainings at the Metropolitan and Florham campuses in April and May. Participation was voluntary, and those who completed the training received a Certificate of Completion.

At the Florham Campus, the trainings were led by Lauren Elgin, IT business relationship manager, information resources/technology (Flor); and Benjamin Freer, psychology and director, psychology/counseling (Metro), and CERT cofounder. The Metropolitan Campus sessions were led by Juhi Bhatt, University associate dean of students and director of student rights and responsibilities/Title IX; and Benjamin Johnson, psychology (both Metro).

CERT, through proven empathy training methods and applied psychological research, engages and teaches individuals and groups to become proactive change agents for societal transformation by preventing, mitigating and resolving aggressive behavior in the global communities where one teaches, works and lives. The specific goal of the CERT at FDU is to foster a culture and language of empathy that is consistent among leadership, faculty, staff and students.

For more information email EmpathyCenter@fdu.edu. Steven Dranoff is cofounder and director of CERT.

Social-justice Workshops

Graduate students in the school psychology (PsyD) program spearheaded social-justice workshops on April 17 at the Metropolitan Campus. The workshops, two of which were tailored to a specific audience, were led by Charles Barrett, renowned school psychologist and author, Social Justice in Schools: A Framework for Equity in Education.

The target-specific workshops were “Social Justice Is About More Than Numbers,” for trainees, practitioners and faculty within the school psychology field; and “Social Justice Is About Challenging Ourselves and Others,” for school-based professionals (educators, administrators, counselors and related service providers). The third workshop, “It’s Always About the Children: Educators Bringing Their Whole Selves to the Profession,” was open to everyone.

School of Public and Global Affairs

ASPA Awards

In celebration of Public Service Recognition Week, the School of Public and Global Affairs will be hosting the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) Awards on Thursday, May 9, at the Florham Campus.

This year’s honorees include Richard Codey, BA’81 (Flor), former New Jersey senator and governor, who will be presented with the President’s Award in honor of an extraordinary New Jersey public service career. FDU faculty member William “Pat” Schuber, homeland security (Metro), will receive the Distinguished Public Service Lifetime Award. And FDU graduate student Laura Natalia Castro Fuentes, majoring in global affairs, will receive the Public Administration Student of the Year Award.

Members of the ASPA, the leading professional membership association for public service, include federal, state and local government employees; researchers and scholars; students; nonprofit professionals; and others committed to advancing public service excellence in the United States and around the world.

Graduate Degree Open Houses

The School of Public and Global Affairs will hold open houses for the Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) degree and Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree with specialization in healthcare management. They will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the following dates and locations:

  • Tuesday, May 14, in front of the cafeteria, Holy Name Medical Center, 718 Teaneck Road, Teaneck, N.J.; and
  • Thursday, May 30, and Tuesday, June 18, in front of the cafeteria, Clara Maass Medical Center, 1 Clara Maass Drive, Belleville, N.J.
  • Thursday, June 20, outside the cafeteria, The Valley Hospital Dorothy B. Kraft Center, 15 Essex Road, Paramus, N.J.

For information email Christina Costa, MHA program manager (Metro), at c.costa1@fdu.edu. She will be at the open houses to answer questions and assist prospective students with their applications.

School Hosts Event, Promotes Programs

The School of Public and Global Affairs will be setting up a booth to promote its Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) at the Rising Stars: The Era of Emerging Healthcare Leaders 2024 Annual Conference from June 5 to 7 at Harrah’s Resort & Casino, Atlantic City, N.J. Christina Costa, MHA program manager, public/global affairs (Metro), will man the booth.

In addition, the school hosted an induction ceremony and participated in a conference in April.

Top candidates in the school’s Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree program were inducted into the Pi Alpha Pi Honor Society on April 18 at the Florham Campus. Peter Woolley, political science (Flor) and founding director, public/global affairs, hosted the event that recognized outstanding students in public administration, public policy and public affairs.

The school had an exhibit at the 25th Annual New Jersey Emergency Preparedness Association Conference held from April 24 to 26 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, N.J.

The exhibit highlighted the school’s graduate programs in administrative science, public administration and cyber and homeland security administration — degrees that help advance the careers of emergency and first-responder professionals. Peter Woolley, political science (Flor) and founding director, public/global affairs; Christie Innes, assistant to director, public/global affairs, and liaison to United Nations (Metro); and Stephen Dembowski, director of Bergen Community College Scholars Program, undergraduate admissions (Metro), were at the booth.

Holiday Food Drive

The Fifth Annual Holiday Food Drive cosponsored by the School of Public and Global Affairs, Feeding America and the Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ) raised more than $9,000 — equivalent to more than 27,000 meals to families in need in New Jersey. All the proceeds benefited the CFBNJ.

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