FDU Forward Celebration Honors Alumni Achievement, Raises $500K in Support for Student Scholarships
Transformational Honoree Victory Home Remodeling’s Mike Winters, BS’13, Bill Winters, BS’10, FDU President Avaltroni, student speaker, Chiara Mascara, Matt Winters, BS’14, and Frank LaGuarina, BS’14.
June 16, 2026 – Fairleigh Dickinson University brought together its community on June 11 for the 2026 FDU Forward Celebration, an evening that highlighted the impact of education while raising $500K in support for student scholarships.
Held on the Florham Campus, the event recognized distinguished honorees whose careers span entrepreneurship, business, healthcare and community leadership. Throughout the evening, a common theme emerged: the role FDU played in opening doors and the responsibility successful alumni feel to create opportunities for those who follow.
Opening the celebration, President Michael Avaltroni reflected on a year of growth across the University and emphasized the importance of continued investment in students.
“Every scholarship we create, every program we support and every partnership we build creates a ripple effect far beyond our campuses,” Avaltroni said.
The evening also paused to remember members of the FDU community lost during the past year, including former trustee, FDU alumnus and Board Chair Emeritus Edward Hennessy, BS’55 (Ruth); former New Jersey Governor and alumnus Richard Codey, BA’81 (Flor); and students Leslie Ann Gherghetta, MSW’26, and Sadiya Keka, MBA’26.
Three accomplished graduates were inducted into FDU’s PINNACLE Society, which recognizes alumni whose professional achievements and service reflect the University’s highest ideals.
Dick Sweeney, MBA’86 (Ruth), co-founder of Keurig, shared stories from the company’s early years and credited his FDU education with helping him navigate pivotal moments in the company’s growth.
Reflecting on a critical conversation with investors during Keurig’s startup years, Sweeney recalled being asked whether he held an MBA.
“Fortunately, thanks to FDU, I could answer yes,” he told the audience.
Looking back on his career, Sweeney summarized the lessons that guided him: “It was the hard work, smart work, teamwork and the FDU MBA that made the difference for me.”
Walter Tombs, BS’87 (Flor), recently retired as Chief Financial Officer of Jersey Mike’s Franchise Systems after helping lead the company’s growth from approximately 1,000 locations to more than 3,300 worldwide.
While discussing the company’s remarkable business success, Tombs pointed to a different accomplishment as one of the most meaningful.
“Raising significant support for charity through the Month of Giving proved that corporate success and being a genuine force for good can and should go hand in hand,” he said.
Tombs also reflected on the support he received from faculty, coaches and classmates following the loss of his mother while he was a student.
“FDU didn’t just give me a degree. It gave me a mindset,” he said.
For Rosemary Trinkle Baran, BS’83 (Ruth), an FDU Trustee and longtime alumni volunteer leader, the University has remained a constant presence throughout her life and career.
“Being a part of FDU’s mission and belonging means everything to me,” she said while reflecting on nearly five decades of connection to the University.
FDU President Avaltroni with student speaker, Chiara Muscara.
The evening’s most direct connection to the impact of giving came from student speaker Chiara Muscara, a psychology student whose academic and leadership experiences have been shaped by faculty mentorship and donor-supported opportunities.
Muscara described how professors encouraged her to pursue leadership roles, including serving as president of the University’s Psi Chi chapter.
Addressing the audience directly, she highlighted the personal impact of philanthropy.
“Your generosity does more than fund programs or opportunities,” Muscara said. “It gives students the confidence to pursue experiences they may never have thought possible.”
She added that the true impact of donor support extends far beyond financial assistance.
“It lives in FDU students who discover confidence, purpose and ambition because someone invested in them.”
Next came the presentation of the FDU Forward Transformational Honoree Award to Victory Home Remodeling. Representing the company were alumni Bill Winters, BS’10 (Flor), Mike Winters, BS’13 (Flor), Matt Winters, BS’14 (Flor), and Frank LaGuarina, BS’14 (Flor).
During their acceptance remarks, the group reflected on how their experiences as FDU student-athletes shaped the culture they later built at Victory Home Remodeling.
“Building a winning company is a lot like building a winning team,” Winters said in his acceptance remarks. “You need the right people. You need shared standards. You need trust. You need a clear mission.”
The company then announced a $50,000 commitment to Fairleigh Dickinson University in support of students.
“This gift is more than just giving back,” the group said. “It is about paying forward the opportunities, the relationships and the lessons that helped shape our journey.”
The evening concluded with the presentation of the FDU Forward Service to Health Award to Alan Lee, MAS’11, President of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital and the Jack & Sheryl Morris Cancer Center.
Lee encouraged students to embrace curiosity, lifelong learning and purpose-driven leadership.
“Our world needs your ingenuity now more than ever,” Lee said. “Strive to be the difference that we seek in the world.”
Accepting the award, he also reflected on the importance of supporting future generations of students.
“We have to make sure that we pay that forward every day.”
As the program concluded, Avaltroni reminded guests that the celebration was not only about honoring accomplished alumni but also about investing in students whose own success stories are still being written.
“Through scholarships, mentorship and philanthropy,” he said, “the FDU community continues to create opportunities that transform lives and strengthen the future of the University.”