Faculty, Staff — Update, In Memoriam, Welcome February 2026
Update
University Provost Benjamin Rifkin (Photo credit: John Emerson)
Benjamin Rifkin, humanities (Metro) and University provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, was presented with the American Council of Teachers of Russian (ACTR) Lifetime Achievement Award at the ACTR Annual Membership Meeting on February 11. He is the fifth person to receive this award in the organization’s 52-year history. Rifkin has also served as Parliamentarian in the ACTR Board of Directors since 2023. The ACTR leadership commended him for “stepping forward to take on some of the most challenging tasks the Board has faced in recent years. You have handled each of these tasks with diplomacy and by keeping the best interests of the organization at heart.”
Michael Lever, hospitality/tourism management (Van), has been honored with the Bright Idea Award for his article, “Partner or Servant? The influence of robot role positioning on consumers’ brand evaluations.” The Bright Idea Award honors exceptional scholarly research produced by business school faculty across New Jersey. Lever’s article was selected as one of the top 10 manuscripts from a highly competitive pool of 154 submissions. To read more go to “Michael Lever Honored with Prestigious Bright Idea Award.”
Yong Guo, pharmaceutical sciences and chair, pharmaceutical sciences (Flor), has been named a Top 2% Scientist in the field of chemistry (subfield: analytical chemistry) for the fifth straight year. Developed by Stanford University and Elsevier, the list identifies the most influential scientists globally based on citation impact (c-score) from Scopus data.
Dean Benjamin Freer
Benjamin Freer has been appointed dean of the Marion Turpan College of Psychology and Counseling effective immediately. “Ben Freer has proven himself an inspirational and dynamic leader and we are excited about his vision for the future for the college,” said University Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Benjamin Rifkin. He joined FDU as an assistant professor in 2011, was promoted with tenure to the rank of associate professor in 2018 and promoted to the rank of professor in 2024. He served as the director of the School of Psychology and Counseling when it was established in 2020 and as the interim dean of the College of Psychology and Counseling when it was established in 2025. Freer is also the co-founder of FDU’s Empathy Center for Research and Training and has taken a leading role in promoting projects at the University related to empathy and character. An active scholar in his field, Freer has been a co-principal investigator on numerous externally funded projects and is the author or co-author of many publications in refereed journals on topics such as child abuse prevention, adaptive behavior of college students with autism and strategies to foster the success of students who are veterans, among many others. To read more go to “FDU Appoints Benjamin Freer Dean of the Marion Turpan College of Psychology and Counseling.”
Frederick Engram, Jr., higher education (Metro), will be inducted into the 41st Annual Martin Luther King Jr. College of Ministers and Laity Collegium of Scholars on Thursday, April 9, at the Martin Luther King International Chapel of Morehouse College in Atlanta, Ga. The Collegium of Scholars recognizes academics and leaders who demonstrate outstanding achievement, a deep commitment to community and society and dedication to peace and moral cosmopolitan ethics, which serve as a testament to Dr. King’s legacy. He wrote chapters in two books that are being published this spring: Chapter 11 (“Liberation as Praxis for Anti-racist, Anti-Oppressive Approaches to Higher Education and Social Work Using a BlackCrit Lens”) for the book Decolonized Clinical Supervision and Leadership: A Social Work Perspective (Cambridge Press); and Chapter 10 (“ISOLATION: A Critical Race Perspective on Journeying Through Academia When Mentorship is Absent or Not Enough!) for the book Thriving in Higher Education: Uncovering Institutional Counterstories through Abolitionist Feminist Mentoring (Perspectives on Mentoring Series by Emerald Press).
Frank LoCastro joined the University as vice president of facilities effective February 2. He was previously at Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, N.J., where he spent nearly nine years as assistant vice president for the Division of Facilities and Campus Operations. Prior to that, LoCastro held a number of prominent roles including vice president for operations and facilities at the Trust for Governors Island; vice president for operations management at the Central Park Conservancy; and manager of academic facilities at New York University for seven years. To read more about him go to “Frank LoCastro Appointed Vice President for Facilities.”
Metropolitan Campus faculty members Mihaela Leonida, chemistry and preprofessional studies/graduate school adviser, and Ish Kumar, chemistry, published the paper “Lupulone Delivered in Nanoparticles and the Promise to Defy Aging” in the ARA (American Romanian Academy) Journal of Sciences (volume 8, 2025). In December Leonida gave a talk about using scientific methods to expose art forgeries at the Community Arts Association in Allendale, N.J.
Melissa Smith, education and director, QUEST and MAT program (Metro), co-edited Queer Kids and Social Violence: The Limits of Bullying, a book published by the University of Minnesota Press in October 2025.
Robyn Lubisco, sports management (Flor), was invited to serve on the editorial board of the COSMA Journal, which promotes and recognizes excellence in sport management education as an extension of the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation’s (COSMA) role as a specialized accrediting body. At the 2026 COSMA Conference held in St. Augustine, Fla., from February 4 to 5, she presented on “Bridging the Gap: Empowering Sport Management Students through Career Design” and was a panelist in a discussion about “Integrating Artificial Intelligence to Strengthen Critical Thinking and Career Readiness in Sport Management Education.”
In January, Alevoor Rao, computer engineering/computer science (Metro), delivered an invited talk about “Staying at the AI Edge: Skills + Mindset for Thriving in the AI Era” and was a panelist in a discussion on “DecarbX Workshop on decarbonization and sustainability of AI” at the 18th International Conference on COMmunication Systems & NETworkS (COMSNETS) held in Bengaluru, India. He co-presented on “Establishing the effectiveness and acceptance of AI-based feedback in an engineering course” at IEEE Teaching, Assessment and Learning for Education (TALE) 2025, an international conference on engineering, technology and education held in Macao, China, in December.
Robert McGrath, psychology and deputy director, clinical training (Metro), was the 2025 recipient of the New Jersey Psychological Association (NJPA) Dr. Stanley Moldawsky Mentor of the Year Award, which “recognizes exceptional leadership of an NJPA member in the form of enduring and exemplary contributions to mentoring new psychologists and/or graduate doctoral-level students … positively impacts the lives and careers of its new membership, as well as advances the field of psychology in New Jersey and beyond.” He has also been appointed as the director for character initiatives of FDU’s new Institute for Character and Leadership. McGrath wrote the article “Self-reported character strengths over 21 years,” for the International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, and cowrote the following for various publications: “Psychotropic deprescribing across different prescribing professions in New Mexico and Louisiana,” in PLoS Mental Health; “Assessing the safety and efficacy of prescribing psychologists in New Mexico and Louisiana” and “Demographics and clinical characteristics of patients of prescribing psychologists, psychiatrists, and primary care physicians,” in American Psychologist; “State differences in children’s mental health care,” in Academic Pediatrics; “Prescribing psychologists already make a difference: A response to Robiner & Tompkins (2025),” in Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice; “Shifting from ‘what’s wrong’ to ‘what’s strong’: Developing a trauma-informed assessment of student character strength usage,” in Contemporary School Psychology; “Measuring character strengths and promoting positive youth development in Zambia: Initial findings from the GROW Hopes for Life Study,” in Child & Youth Care Forum; and “The Golden Mean Inventory: A new approach to studying character strengths imbalances across contexts,” in Personality and Individual Difference.
Constance Bygrave, administrative science (Van), cowrote two articles: “Love of the Job: What It Is, How to Measure It, and Why It Matters for Work Outcomes,” for Human Resource Management; and “Beyond the EVLN Model: Quiet Quitting and the evolving dynamics of job dissatisfaction in human resource management,” for the International Journal of Human Resource Management.
Alan Sheinfil, psychology (Metro), is the co-author of “Feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary clinical impact of a computer-assisted transdiagnostic CBT intervention for Veterans with co-occurring anxiety and substance use disorders,” which was published in the Journal of Dual Diagnosis.
William “Pat” Schuber, homeland security (Metro), is hosting a program on Oradell Public Television (OPTV). In the show titled “Oradell Today!” he will be interviewing historians on the importance of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution and speaking with public officials on issues of the day. Schuber’s show, which is on its second month, airs at various times on OPTV. To watch episodes of “Oradell Today!” go to the OPTV livestream page.
In his show’s first episode, William “Pat” Schuber, right, interviewed Oradell (N.J.) Police Chief David Gangemi about preventing senior citizen scams and the latest news in law enforcement.
“Political Rights of Indigenous Women and Police Violence: Notes on Peruvian Politics in the 2020s,” a scholarly article by Luz Huertas Castillo, history and coordinator, Latin American Studies program (Flor), was published in the academic journal The Global South. The study explores how Aymara and Quechua women emerged as influential political actors following the failed self-coup by former president Pedro Castillo in December 2022. To read more go to “New Article Spotlights Indigenous Women’s Leadership in Peru’s Crisis.”
Anitha Saravana Kumar, computer science, and Vasudevan Janarthanan, information technology and program coordinator, BS in information technology and MS in applied computer science programs (both Van), co-presented “An Empirical Study on Latency Reduction Techniques for Large Language Models,” at AIxSET 2025, an IEEE conference contributing to ongoing research on AI system performance optimization.
Kathryn Thier, communication (Flor), published an experiment on how climate solutions versus problem news about wildfires and food waste affect readers’ affect, efficacy perceptions, and policy support. Her study, “A New Journalism for a New Climate: Is Solutions Journalism the Solution,” was published in Science Communication, an international and highly ranked communication research journal, in September 2025. With colleagues at the University of Illinois, Thier earned a seed grant of approximately $20,000 for a mixed-methods study on the effects of news that communicates the health and environmental co-benefits of climate solutions from the University of Illinois Center for Social and Behavioral Science Small Grant Program. In January, she was a featured speaker at the International Consortium for Interdisciplinary Education about Health and the Environment’s Winter (hybrid) Meeting at the University of Cologne, where she presented on “How to Engage Audiences About Climate Change: Centering the Climate-Health Connection and Climate Solutions.”
Emily Copley, BS’22, MFA’24 (Flor), corporal, public safety (Flor), published her first book, a novel titled Not Your Child Prodigy, published by The Paper House in December 2025. The book’s main character, Danica Mae Mitchell is a 16-year-old girl who has a neurological condition called synesthesia which enhances the senses. She becomes a child prodigy and is exploited by her parents to save them from financial ruin. While she attempts to please her parents, she has visions of a mysterious homeless boy, who she’s never met before, and who asks for her help. To read more go to “Public safety officer and alumna Emily Copley publishes first book.”
Kara Alaimo, communication and coordinator, communication (Metro), wrote the following for CNN: “The key to a fulfilling life? Feeling like you matter to others”; “Kids are spending a lot of their school days on their phones”; “It’s time to do as the Australians do and ban your kids from social media”; and “Smartphones could be putting your kids at risk.” She also spoke to students at the Concord School in Massachusetts about how to protect and empower themselves on social media and spoke remotely to members of the Elmbrook Parent Network in Wisconsin about how to manage their children’s use of social media and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Peter Woolley, political science (Flor), and chair, public/global affairs, was elected to a three-year term on the Board of Management of the International Association of Schools and Institutes of Public Administration. He wrote an op-ed on “What did the polls miss?” for the New Jersey Globe in November.
Marc Diener, psychology (Metro), cowrote the article “Therapist affect focus and patient outcomes in psychodynamic therapy: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis” for Psychotherapy. He also took over as editor of FDU’s Journal of Psychology and the Behavioral Sciences.
Jeeho Ryoo, computer science (Van), and alumni Wenhao He, MS’25 (Van), and Seong Min Park, MS’24 (Van), co-presented their paper, “Multi-Agent Artificial Intelligence Model to Enhance Self-Regulated Learning and Conceptual Understanding in Computer Science Education,” at the IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference in Nashville, Tenn. The research introduces a multi-agent AI system to help computer science students strengthen problem-solving skills and self-regulated learning.
Domenick Celentano, entrepreneurship (Flor), developed and led the Main Street Business Alliance Experiential Learning Project, a community-based initiative that gives undergraduate students hands-on experience working with local small businesses in Hackensack, N.J. In partnership with the Main Street Business Alliance, students conduct market research, engage directly with business owners and develop research-based marketing and social media recommendations. After a successful first run, the project is running again this spring. The assignment is built on a structured, repeatable framework that emphasizes applied learning, research-based decision making, and client-facing communication skills aligned with early-career marketing and consulting roles. In addition to strengthening community partnerships, the project supports the University’s broader emphasis on experiential learning, career readiness and visible local impact, and is designed to be adaptable for future use across courses and community settings.
Benjamin Rifkin, left, and Stephen Dembowski.
Benjamin Rifkin, University provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, was the special guest on WFDU’s “Dembo’s Den,” hosted by Stephen Dembowski, director of external relations, Lifelong Learning at FDU (Metro), and director, Bergen Community College Scholars Program. Rifkin discussed a range of topics including his academic journey, the role of a provost and his thoughts on current priorities and the future of the University. To listen to the interview, which aired in November, go to WFDU’s Dembo’s Den.
Carolynn Julien, associate provost for research and sponsored projects (Metro), announces that FDU recently received a new award from the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development for the FY2026 Growing Apprenticeship in Nontraditional Sectors (GAINS) Grant. The award totals $683,267 and supports an 18-month project period. According to Julien, this represents FDU’s first workforce development award, marking an important milestone in the University’s expansion into state-supported workforce and apprenticeship initiatives. Through this grant, FDU will partner with Valley Health System and Hackensack Meridian Health to implement two healthcare apprenticeship pathways: a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) Apprenticeship and a Non-Certified CNA–Patient Care Technician (CNA–PCT) Apprenticeship. These programs integrate academic credit, structured on-the-job training and credential attainment to create sustainable career pathways for New Jersey residents. Julien acknowledged the support and assistance provided by several members of the FDU community: Annie Rohan, nursing and dean, nursing/allied (Metro), whose team integrated academic credit into the apprenticeship training models; Jennifer Sipila, vice provost for academic affairs and executive director of lifelong learning (Metro), who connected this opportunity to FDU’s lifelong learning infrastructure and played a key role in making this initiative possible; and alumna, Faith Kallert, BS’82 (Metro), the project’s apprenticeship coordinator, whose extensive experience in workforce development and longstanding relationships with the University’s hospital partners were instrumental to this award.
Two chapters written by Ajay Garg, administrative science (Van) — “AI, Industry 5.0, and the Blue Ocean Path for Human Centric Sustainable Innovation” (Chapter 12) and “AI in Supply Chain and Value Innovation: Enhancing Operational Efficiency to Deliver Differentiated and High-Value Offerings” (Chapter 13) — have been officially accepted and included in AI-Driven Pathways to Sustainability: Intelligent Systems for a Connected Future, a book that is expected to be published in March by Bentham Science as part of the book series Advances in MIST AI and AI-Driven Cloud Networking.
Naira Chaouch, civil engineering/civil engineering technology (Metro), is leading a research project on river ice monitoring and prediction using remote sensing, machine learning and hydrological modeling to address the growing challenges of ice-jam flooding in northern watersheds. River ice jams pose a serious threat to communities across northern watersheds, causing damages that exceed $100 million annually. By developing automated algorithms for satellite imagery and achieving near real-time detection accuracy, Chaouch’s research aims to strengthen the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) operational capabilities and help communities prepare for extreme conditions. The study is being done in partnership with Stevens Institute of Technology and is supported by a multi-year NOAA grant. This initiative aims to integrate satellite imagery data and computational models into the National Water Model, enhancing its ability to predict ice-related flooding. By bridging academic research with operational systems and partnership, this work will demonstrate how science and new technological tools insight can translate into practical solutions strengthening resilience in vulnerable regions.
Ian Mercer, management (Flor), co-designed a board game called “Victory Garden” to be published by Catastrophe Games. The game focuses on sustainable farming on the American home front during World War II. Mercer co-designed “Victory Garden” with Adam Hnatovich, owner of Tunnel Monster Collective, a board game design collective specializing in games to promote critical thinking and social justice. Victory Garden will be released later this year or in early 2027.
Ian Mercer, left, and images of the Victory Garden board game.
On February 5, Bruce Peabody, government/politics and director, Fairleigh Institute for Lifelong Learning (Flor), spoke about “Leadership in Film: From Politics to Problem Solving” in Gowanus, Brooklyn, N.Y., as part of Lectures on Tap, an event series where professors, experts and storytellers give thought-provoking lectures in various bars in New York City.
Mohammed Elshaer, biochemistry (Flor) and interim associate dean, Olsen College, has been appointed chair of the North Jersey Section – American Chemical Society (NJACS) for 2026.
Eleanor McGlinchey, psychology and director, clinical training (Metro), cowrote a study on “Prioritizing Sleep Health in Foster Care: Trauma-Informed Considerations for Policy,” which was published in the September 2025 issue of the Social Policy Report of the Society for Research in Child Development. This report provides four evidence-based and trauma-informed policy considerations to inform states’ policies to protect and promote foster children’s sleep health and development.
Guolong Zhu, chemistry (Flor), cowrote two articles: “Control and Synchronization of Rapid Nanoscale DNA Heat Engine by Local Heating” in Science Advances, and “Facile synthesis of a single-atom cobalt catalyst to enhance peroxymonosulfate oxidation to degrade emerging contaminants by visible-light regulation: From radical pathway to synergistic pathway” in the Journal of Colloid and Interface Science.
Maria Moffa joined the Henry P. Becton College of Nursing and Allied Health as a clinical assistant professor and director of transition to practice and EPIC training programs at the Metropolitan Campus. Her two main priorities are to train clinical students on the Epic electronic medical record, so they are better prepared for the workforce and also to bring a sense of humanity to the delivery of healthcare in a world of AI and electronic health. “We need to remember that as clinicians, we are professionals who provide care to patients with kindness and compassion,” she said. To read more about her go to “Maria Moffa joins FDU’s Henry P. Becton College of Nursing and Allied Health.”
Hong Zhao, electrical engineering (Metro), was the recipient of the 2025 IEEE Region 1 Technological Innovation (Academic) Award “for profound contributions to broadband communications, hardware platform security and cybersecurity.”
Catherine Manly, higher education (Metro), cowrote the paper “Competing hypotheses about online versus face-to-face course outcomes: Analysis leveraging the unique circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic” for the fall 2025 issue of the peer-reviewed journal Online Learning. She presented the study at the Online Learning Consortium’s Accelerate 2025 Conference in Orlando, Fla. Manly also presented the research paper she cowrote, “Striving toward a STEM degree: Exploring the voices of under-identified students with dis/abilities,” at the Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) Conference held in Denver, Colo.
James Gifford, humanities, coordinator of Core program and director of editorial committee, FDU Press (Van), announces the publication of three new FDU Press books: Modernity Must Drive: The Motor Car, Material Cultures, and British Modernisms, edited by Ann Martin and Christopher Townsend; Shakespeare Studies: Volume 53, edited by Diana E. Henderson and James R. Siemon; and Medieval and Renaissance Drama in England: Volume 38, edited by S.P. Cerasano. For further information on the newly published books or other FDU Press books, contact James Gifford at 604-648-4476 or email fdudpress@fdu.edu. FDU Press books may be ordered online from Bloomsbury or through its Customer Service Department, 1359 Broadway, 12th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10018, by telephone: 212-419-5300 or by email contact@bloomsbury.com.
Nandita Ghosh, literature (Flor), wrote the article “Who is an Indian? Gendered Muslim Bodies and Conditions of Belonging” published in the fall 2025 issue of the academic journal The Global South.
Carlea Dries
Carlea Dries, psychology/counseling (Metro) and alumna, MA’04, PsyD’16 (Metro), was named the School Psychologist of the Year by the New Jersey Association of School Psychologists (NJASP) at the association’s annual conference held at Montclair State University in December. The award is given in recognition of “outstanding performance in the delivery of school psychological services in areas that include but are not limited to, assessment, counseling, consultation, prevention, crisis intervention, collaboration, multicultural sensitivity, supervision, research, program planning and/or evaluation, etc.” Also at the conference were Metropolitan Campus faculty members Linda Raffaele Mendez, psychology, who presented on “Ghosted, Grilled and Everything in Between: Understanding and Working with Challenging Parents and Caregivers in Schools,” and Narmene Hamsho, psychology.
Marion McClary, biological sciences and chair, biological sciences (Metro), wrote a chapter titled “Climate Change Impact on Food Security” for the book Genetic and Reproductive Approaches for Sustainable Livestock Production, published by Academic Press, Elsevier in November 2025.
Stephen Armeli, psychology; director of general/theoretical psychology (Metro) MA program; coordinator of undergraduate studies; and co-director of general/theoretical psychology (China) MA program, cowrote the following articles: “Drinking to cope motivation in college as a predictor of post-college interpersonal problems and depressive symptoms” and “Post-college social roles, stress, and alcohol use” (Substance Use and Misuse); “A longitudinal examination of stress, affect dynamics, and alcohol-related outcomes across emerging adulthood” (Behavioral Sciences); “Time-trajectories of depression, social anxiety, and social functioning throughout college” (Journal of Social and Personal Relationships); and “Family history of alcohol use disorder and stress-reactivity” (Anxiety, Stress, & Coping). He also co-presented on “Sexual (re)victimization and maturing out of problem drinking from college to adulthood” for the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality Annual Conference held in Philadelphia, Pa.
Kenneth Betz, economics (Metro), serves as the faculty adviser of the Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF), an offshoot of the Finance Club that was established in June 2022. The objective of the fund is to provide capital appreciation in an investment portfolio, an academic experience in managing a portfolio and for students to be able to participate in competitions with other academic institutions. The addition of Bloomberg Labs on both of FDU’s New Jersey campuses has been instrumental in creating the academic opportunities for students. According to Betz, “The ability to learn and utilize real world tools to support academic performance and provides real world experience. These terminals allow students to do in-depth research on potential investment opportunities and gives them the experience and potential certification to enhance their résumés.” The students participating in SMIF (approximately 30 students attend each week) do research on potential investments and make stock pitches to the student members, the student Executive Board, and to the Advisory Board, which is made up of financial professionals and faculty members. Currently, the SMIF manages a portfolio of 18 stocks. To read more about the SMIF, which was featured in the latest issue of FDU Magazine, go to “Students Invest in Their Best.”
Occupational therapy faculty members (all Flor) presented at the 2025 New Jersey Occupational Therapy Association’s Annual Conference held at Stockton University, Galloway, N.J., in November. AnnMarie Murphy and Janis Leinfuss co-presented a short course on Guiding OT Students Through the Emotional and Relational Aspects of Fieldwork Through Understanding Sensory Emotional Personality (SEPs) Styles. Ilana Beitscher, program director, and Dina Prisco, assistant dean for academic affairs, pharmacy/health sciences, co-presented their poster titled “The Importance of Non-Academic Skills When Hiring Occupational Therapy Faculty.” Beitscher, in collaboration with a clinical site, Rehabilitation Specialists, and physical therapist Christie Levatino talked about their poster on “The Use of Virtual Reality in the Long-term Brain Injury Population.”
From left are Ilana Beitscher, Janis Leinfuss, AnnMarie Murphy and Dina Prisco.
Brian Mooney, education (Metro), was invited to participate in a Presidential Session at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), the largest and most prestigious research conference in the field of education, which will be held in April in Los Angeles, Calif. Presidential sessions are curated by AERA leadership and are reserved for scholarship that is pushing the field in innovative and future-oriented directions. The session, “Futuring Scholarly Communication through Sound, Sound Design, and Music: A Listening Session with Liner Notes,” brings together nationally recognized scholar-artists whose work expands traditional academic publishing through multimodal and sonic forms of research. It draws on Mooney’s recent sound-based scholarship, including a forthcoming peer-reviewed audio essay in Enculturation: A Journal of Rhetoric, Writing, and Culture, that situates audio composition, sound design, and listening as legitimate methods for scholarly argumentation and knowledge-making. “Participation in this session reflects both national recognition of his research trajectory and FDU’s growing presence in conversations about innovative, interdisciplinary and publicly engaged scholarship,” he said. Mooney is also engaged in supporting undergraduate research and scholarly dissemination. He is currently co-authoring an article with undergraduate students Samantha Figaro Olivo and Sadhay Nunez based on a youth participatory action research (YPAR) project developed in Mooney’s Equity, Ethics and Education course. The manuscript has been submitted to English Journal and is currently under revise-and-resubmit review. An earlier version of this work on “Literacies for Liberation: Youth Research in Solidarity with Palestine” was accepted for presentation at the 2026 AERA. The session, which will focus on youth participatory action research methodologies, features Figaro Olivo and Nunez as co-researchers and co-authors.
Andre Wallace, biological sciences (Metro), presented on “Experiences with Mentorship and Leveraging Your Network” as a panelist at the 2025 SSMN (Sloan Scholars Mentoring Network) Research Symposium and the SREB (Southern Regional Education Board) Institute on Teaching and Mentoring in Atlanta, Ga.
Joseph Cerciello, assistant director of veteran services (Metro) and alumnus, BA’23 (Metro), was one of the alumni panelists at a Career Conversations event held at the Florham Campus in November.
Bitcoin Bros: Masculinity, Cryptocurrency and the Future of Men, the latest book by Daniel Cassino, government/politics and executive director, FDU Poll (Flor), was published on February 5 by Bloomsbury Academic, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing, Inc. Using survey data and research into cryptocurrency and masculinity, he shows that these novel financial instruments are being embraced less as a way to make money than as a way to shore up threatened masculinities. He also wrote the following op-eds for The Times of India: “A nice little war for America,” “Trump took Maduro to boost his ratings” and “Donald ducks Epstein? No.”
On January 30, Linda Raffaele Mendez, psychology (Metro), was the keynote speaker at the Queens College Annual School Psychology Conference held in Flushing, N.Y., where she spoke about “Strengthening School-based Mental Health Through Trauma-Responsive Care and Cognitive Behavioral Approaches.”
Among those who presented via Zoom as part of the Division of Students Affairs Wisdom Wednesday Series were Scott Behson, management and director, Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Leadership (Metro), (“Building a ‘Whole Person’ Workplace in Your Sphere of Influence”) and Charles Imbimbo, psychological counselor, Office of Mental and Emotional Wellbeing (Metro) (“Mindful You Mindful Campus: Building Wellness Through Awareness”).
In honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day, the FDU Library, social sciences/history/criminal justice department and the Fairleigh Institute for Lifelong Learning sponsored “An Evening with Holocaust Survivor Susan Gold, author of The Eyes Are the Same, which was held at the Metropolitan Campus and via Zoom on January 27. Benjamin Rifkin, University provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, delivered the introductory remarks, and Kyle Kattelman, political science, director of Fairleigh Institute for Lifelong Learning at Metro and coordinator of BA in individualized studies with social sciences concentration (Metro), moderated the event’s Q&A session.
Scott McGregor, accounting (Flor) and chair, accounting/taxation/law/information sciences, and Yigal Rechtman, Silberman College (Flor), were awarded the NJCPA 2025 Ovation Award for Exceptional Educator. An article cowritten by McGregor; Carmine Nogara, accounting; and Vijay Sampath, accounting (all Flor) titled “A BPMN Case Study: Using AI to assist with understanding the business cycles” has been accepted for publication by the Journal of Forensic Accounting Research.
From left are Scott McGregor, Carmine Nogara, Yigal Rechtman and Vijay Sampath.
Derek Phillips, director, MS in clinical psychopharmacology program, and Lynette Pujol, deputy director, MS in clinical psychopharmacology program (both Metro), became the first two to earn board certification in psychopharmacological psychology from the American Board of Professional Psychology after founding the American Board of Psychopharmacological Psychology (ABRxP) board in 2025.
Kathryn Spence, education and director, education (Metro/Flor); Melissa Smith, education and director, QUEST and MAT program; and Dana Baker, education (both Metro) was awarded a New Jersey Department of Education Grant for $250,000. This project addresses critical teacher shortages in nearby New Jersey school districts by creating a supported pathway for school paraprofessionals to become certified teachers. To read more go to “New Grants Awarded.”
Paige Soltano, director of placement and outreach, Silberman College (Metro), was a panelist at a discussion on “Engaging Today’s Learners – Rethinking Student Involvement and Leadership Development” at the at the Mid-Atlantic Association of Colleges of Business Administration Conference (MACBA) held in Atlantic City, N.J., in October.
In the news …
In November, Danielle DeNigris, psychology and co-director, general/theoretical psychology (China) MA program (Flor), a guest on a podcast called “College Is Fine, Everything’s Fine” podcast about office hours and getting to know your professors.
President Michael Avaltroni was quoted in the article “How lifetime pathways will build the university of the future” for universitybusiness.com.
Peter Burkholder, history (Flor), was quoted in the article “Grading Is Broken,” published in The Chronicle of Higher Education in November.
Jason Young, assistant vice president/deputy athletic director, athletics (Metro), was quoted in the article “FDU deputy AD says new UND coach David Nguyen is ‘an incredible volleyball mind,’” posted on sports.yahoo.com and on grandforksherald.com.
Peter Woolley, political science (Flor) and chair, public/global affairs, was interviewed in two episodes of “We Decide: America at the Crossroads” with Jenna Flanagan on Pacifica Radio/WBAI 99.5 FM New York: on the “U.S. Takeover of Venezuela” on January 12, and “How Americans See Trump’s Foreign Policy” on December 1. He was quoted in the article “Democrats Sweep Key Races As Suburbs Shift Blue,” posted on evrimagaci.org in November.
Cordelia Siporin, Becton College (Flor), was quoted in the February tapinto.net article “Lost Queer Cinema History Comes to Light at Montclair Public Library” about her multimedia presentation on “Erased Histories: Queer Cinema Before the Great Turn” at the Montclair (N.J.) Public Library on February 5.
Daniel Cassino, government/politics and executive director, FDU Poll (Flor), was a guest on the Civics 101 podcast on January 20 where he talked about the Monroe Doctrine. He was also interviewed in the following shows: My9 New Jersey Now on January 22 about the 2025 Year in Review; and on December 8 about the Governor-elect Sherrill transition, controversy over Trenton Bill and the Salvation Army New Jersey Division “NJ Gubernatorial Election Preview. He was quoted in the following articles: “Concession gives Mejia upset victory in special NJ primary to replace Sherrill” (gothamist.com); “A recount in the NJ-11 primary? Here’s why that’s probably unlikely” (northjersey.com); “Rising anti-ICE sentiment seen in NJ special primary results” (newjerseymonitor.com and njtoday.news); “Goodbye to unlimited growth of AI — Georgia proposes curbing data centers due to their electrical and environmental impact” (eladelantado.com); “The world wonders what — if anything — can restrain Trump on Greenland” (cbc.ca); “Make your vote count: How to read NJ-11’s unusual Democratic primary” (morristowngreen.com); “Big budgets, social reforms, wage increases. A look at Murphy’s eight years in office” (njspotlightnews.org); “Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill picks her attorney general nominee” (pix11.com); “Republicans in populous state can’t find candidates to run in midterms” (alternet.org); “Outside groups pour millions into NJ special election” and “Democratic socialist says wins in Jersey City area a ‘watershed’ for far-left movement” (newjerseymonitor.com); “Montclair’s School Tax Vote Will Last Four Hours. Here’s What it Costs”(montclairlocal.news); and “Commentary: As energy prices soar, blue states abandon green agenda Jessica Towhey” (myjournalcourier.com).
In Memoriam
FDU alumnus and former New Jersey governor and legislator Richard Codey, BA’81 (Flor), died on January 11 at the age of 79. He was the longest-serving state legislator in New Jersey’s history; he also served as president and co-president of the New Jersey Senate and was the state’s 53rd governor from 2004–06. He retired from the senate in 2024. “His love for FDU was immense, and he often credited the University with helping him to advance his career and better serve others. He stayed very close to the University, and, among his many deeply impactful efforts, he created the Governor Richard J. Codey Scholarship, which has raised significant money to support FDU students focused on mental health education,” said President Michael Avaltroni. Codey was highly decorated by the University, receiving a Lifetime Achievement award in 2024, a PINNACLE Award in 2011 and a Doctorate of Humane Letters in 2005. He was inducted as a member of the DIII Devils Hall of Fame as a contributor and had a classroom dedicated to him in Hennessy Hall. He is survived by his wife, Mary Jo (Rolli) Codey; sons, Kevin and his wife, Danielle (Firavanti), and Christopher; his grandchildren, Brooke, Patrick and Paige; siblings, Robert Codey (Mary Ann), Sister Patricia Codey SC and Colleen Cody (Edward Hughes); sister-in-law, Margaret Codey; the Rolli family; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. In lieu of flowers, donations to honor his life’s work may be sent to: The Codey Fund for Mental Health, 307 Bloomfield Avenue, Suite 303, Caldwell, N.J. 07006. To read more go to “University Mourns the Passing of Alumnus and Former Governor Richard J. Codey.”
Arthur Sukel, MBA’67 (Ruth), former member of the FDU Board of Trustees, died on December 28 at the age of 88. He was senior vice president, finance and CFO for Diamandis Communications, Inc. and received FDU’s PINNACLE award — one of the highest honors bestowed on alumni — in 2017. A U.S. Army veteran, Sukel attended Bryant University where he met his future wife, Carole (Oliner) Sukel. He graduated in 1960 with a degree in accounting. In 1965, he began a storied career as an investment analyst with CBS. While working full-time at CBS, he earned his MBA in business management from FDU, which enabled him to rise within CBS to the director of budgets, director of mergers and acquisitions, vice president of finance and chief financial officer of CBS Magazines. In 1985, he was one of four executives who purchased CBS Publishing and its most successful magazines, forming Diamandis Communications, Inc. In 1990, Diamandis was sold to Hachette Publications and Sukel retired at the age of 53. Arthur and Carole both believed that a good education was the key to success in life, and together they established endowment scholarships and educational gifts to both Bryant University and FDU, where Arthur served as a trustee from 2015 through 2021. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Carole; sons Steven and Daniel; daughter Teresa; daughters-in-law Marla Sukel and Kim Parliman-Sukel; grandsons Justin, Joshua and Zachary Sukel; sisters Patricia Preate, Judy Davis and Marilyn Coyle; and eight nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother Robert and parents Nathan and Theresa. In his memory, donations can be made to the Wounded Warrior Project.
Welcome
The University welcomes new full-time and part-time employees who joined FDU as of February 9, 2026.
Welcome to Antoinette Arce, coordinator for campus engagement/special projects, student life (Metro); Christopher Bickel, career development specialist, career development (Flor); Oscar Camacho, officer, public safety (Metro); Kelly Ceccacci, director of financial aid (Flor); Riyana Chaklader, University admissions counselor, undergraduate admissions (Metro); Robert Ciarletta, honors coordinator, University honors program (Metro); Lauren Decuir, financial aid coordinator 1, financial aid (Flor); Jessica DellaRagione, director for student pharmacist practice, pharmacy/health sciences (Flor); Melissa Edwards, assistant director, financial aid (Flor); Anthony Fontana, assistant football coach, athletics (Flor); William Frank, officer, public safety (Flor); Amena Iqbal, assistant director of Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF), counselor and financial aid coordinator, EOF (Metro); Frank LoCastro, vice president for facilities, facilities (Metro); Dahlia Mansour, visiting lecturer, biological sciences (Flor); Amable Martinez, head women’s volleyball coach, athletics (Metro); Maria Moffa, clinical assistant professor, nursing, and director, Transition to Practice and EPIC training programs, nursing/allied health (Metro); Celia Ogna, manager, strategic business development, recruiting (Van); Viviana Onari, assistant director of financial aid – special projects, financial aid (Flor); Francesco Perez, officer, public safety (Metro); Woo Shik Shin, associate professor, pharmaceutical sciences (Flor); Vance Thompson, assistant football coach, athletics (Flor); Hellena Trent, assistant to director of student union/campus engagement, student life (Metro); Meghry Tutunjian, administrative assistant to graduate program director/graduate admissions coordinator, psychology/counseling (Metro); Arisel Vasquez, administrative coordinator, Transition to Practice Program, nursing/allied health (Metro); Emma Voorhees, University admissions counselor, undergraduate admissions (Flor); and Sadia Zafar, clinical assistant professor, physician assistant studies (Flor).