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R E M E M B E R I N G

J. Michael Adams1947-2012

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row transplant in February failed to cure the dis-ease, and he was subsequently diagnosed with acancer called acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

In a memo to the community, he an-nounced his retirement on May 16, writing,“The opportunity to work with all of you hasbeen the greatest joy of my professional life.However, I have reluctantly concluded that mycontinuing medical issues make it impossible forme to provide the leadership that you and ourstudents deserve.”

He added, “I’ve always known that I wasonly the caretaker for a time and that I wouldeventually pass the torch. I anchored my heartand soul to FDU. Although I’m sorry to haveto step down, I’m extremely gratified to haveplayed a small role in this institution’s incrediblehistory.”

J. Michael Adams, president of Fair-leigh Dickinson University since1999, passed away June 21. He was64 years old.

“Our entire University owes an enormousdebt to this great leader, and we will never forgethow much he did and how much he meant to us,”said Interim President Sheldon Drucker. “On behalfof the entire community, I want to extend mydeepest condolences to Michael’s wife, Susan, andall his family members and friends.”

Drucker added, “We are in mourning, but atthe same time we promise to continue to cele-brate his life, his service to others and his belief inthe power of education to change the world.”

Adams went on medical leave in the fall afterhe was diagnosed with a blood disorder calledmyelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). A bone mar-

R E M E M B E R I N G

J. Michael Adams

1947-2012

President J. Michael Adams

P H OTO G R A P H : K AT H E R I N E M A R K S 3

the first university in the world to earn “SpecialConsultative Status” with the United NationsEconomic and Social Council (ECOSOC).And, Adams helped develop the U.N. Aca-demic Impact, an alliance of universities com-mitted to supporting U.N. projects and goals.FDU was the first school to join.

In addition, Adams spearheaded numerousinnovative offerings including the Spanish-to-English degree program Puerta al Futuro, com-munity college partnerships, a national modelsupport program for veterans and a new school ofpharmacy, which will open soon.

At the time of Adams’ retirement announce-ment, Board of Trustees Chairman Patrick Zen-ner, MBA’75 (R), thanked Adams for “his incred-ible service” to FDU. “He truly transformed FDU,and we are so grateful for his tremendous leader-ship, vision and dedication,” he said. “He inspiredour community and changed the lives of all of usfortunate enough to work alongside him.”

Zenner added that Adams’ presidency “willbe best remembered for his ability to makeeverything personal. He responded to every note,returned every call and always reached out tohelp colleagues and friends in need. He valuedevery colleague and approached every decisionwith the individual student in mind. He oncesaid, ‘You make a legacy by giving others oppor-tunities.’ Through the opportunities he createdfor students and colleagues alike, Michael Adams’legacy will last for generations to come.”

During Adams’ presidency, FDU created anew mission; raised enrollment; established acampus in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada;dedicated $135 million to new facilities and cam-pus improvements; and successfully concludedthe largest capital campaign in FDU’s history.

Adams led the creation of a nationally recognized distance-learning program and es-tablished a new category of Global Virtual Fac-ulty™ — scholars and professionals from aroundthe world who contribute to FDU’s online-learning environment. He launched the UnitedNations Pathways program, which brings mem-bers of the diplomatic corps to campus for interaction with students; and helped the insti-tution gain nongovernmental organization(NGO) status with the United Nations Depart-ment of Public Information. FDU also became

“We are in mourning, but at the same time we promise to continueto his service to others and his belief in the power of education to change the world.”

— Sheldon Drucker,Interim President

U.N. Remembers

“Dr. Adams was a strong

United Nations champion

and partner, and a personal

friend. He brought his

wisdom and energy, and

that of the institutions he

led, to serve the greater

global cause, in particular,

through his meaningful

contribution to the United

Nations Academic Impact.

The eloquence of Michael

Adams’ scholarship and

writing had a democratic,

intergenerational appeal,

which brought the power

and promise of the United

Nations home to so many

in a world whose globaliza-

tion he saw as a resource

of strength and possibility.

He will be deeply missed.”

— Ban Ki-moon,U.N. Secretary-General

Adams also served as a Governing Councilmember of the United Nations University, aNational Council member of the United Na-tions Association of the United States of Amer-ica and a Steering Committee member of theWorld Bank’s Researchers Alliance for Devel-opment. The author of many articles and ninebooks, Adams most recently co-wrote Coming ofAge in a Globalized World: The Next Generation,which explores the impact of globalization oneducation.Following news of the death of President

Adams, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moonreleased the following statement: “The Secretary-General has learned with sadness of the death ofDr. J. Michael Adams, president of the Interna-tional Association of University Presidents and ofFairleigh Dickinson University. Dr. Adams was a strong United Nations champion and partner,and a personal friend. He brought his wisdomand energy, and that of the institutions he led, toserve the greater global cause, in particular,through his meaningful contribution to theUnited Nations Academic Impact. The elo-quence of Michael Adams’ scholarship and writ-ing had a democratic, intergenerational appeal,which brought the power and promise of theUnited Nations home to so many in a worldwhose globalization he saw as a resource of

4

In addition to serving as FDU president,Adams earned an international reputation for hisadvocacy of global education and was the presi-dent of the International Association of Univer-sity Presidents (IAUP). Prior to his inaugurationin 2011, he was chairperson of the organization’sNorth American Council and a member of theIAUP Executive Committee. Under his leader-ship, the organization embarked on bold newinitiatives, including the WISE Education Lead-ership Program, which provides leadership train-ing for newly appointed university presidents inthe developing world, and the IAUP/MicrosoftAcademic Summit, which helps equip universityleaders around the world to more effectively usetechnology to address institutional challenges. Hededicated his IAUP tenure to the goal of usinghigher education to build bridges to a morepeaceful and prosperous future.“Although Michael’s tenure as IAUP pres-

ident was far too brief, he leaves us with a com-pelling vision to follow,” said IAUP SecretaryGeneral Neal King. “Michael Adams understoodthat higher education has the potential to be atransformative force for good in the world —but only when its leaders are able to make theircase effectively. He was an inspiration and amentor to many of us, who will deeply miss hisdynamic leadership.”

FDU Milestones Under the Presidency

of J. Michael Adams

1999J. Michael Adams is

named the sixth president

of FDU. Park Avenue

Residence Hall on FDU's

campus in Madison, N.J.,

is opened to students.

2000The Board of Trustees

approves a new mission

statement dedicating

FDU to preparing world

citizens through global edu-

cation. Silberman College

of Business receives

AACSB accreditation.

2001FDU’s PublicMind™

begins political and social

public-opinion polling.

FDU introduces a unique

distance-learning require-

ment, and freshmen take

the online Core course The

Global Challenge. New

“Through the opportunities he created for students and colleagues alike,

R E M E M B E R I N G

J. Michael Adams

strength and possibility. Hewill be deeply missed.”

Prior to joining FDU in1999, Adams served as dean ofthe Nesbitt College of DesignArts at Drexel University inPhiladelphia, Pa. During a 15-year tenure, Adams led theemergence of Nesbitt into oneof the top design schools in theworld. Before that, as profes-sor at the State University ofNew York at Oswego, he earn-ed the Chancellor’s Award forTeaching Excellence (which heoften noted as his proudest achievement) andserved as department head, director of researchdevelopment, dean of the Alumni College, and aU.S. Congressional Fellow under RepresentativeCarl Perkins.

Adams received his bachelor’s degree fromIllinois State University, a master of science in ed-ucation administration from the University of Illinois, and then a PhD in education administra-tion from Southern Illinois University. The firstmember of his family to pursue higher education,he liked to ask what the difference is between acarpenter and a college president — the answer,always delivered with a smile, was “one generation.”

A proud veteran of the U.S.Army, Adams also was a pas-sionate gourmet and held amembership in the exclusiveConfrérie de la Chaîne desRôtisseurs, the world’s oldest in-ternational gastronomic society.

Adams is survived by hiswife, Susan M. Adams; sonBenjamin Carl Adams and hiswife, Jennifer Rose Adams;daughter Rebecca Ann Milli-gan; daughter Elizabeth AnnQueen and her husband, Jef-frey Donald Queen; grandchil-

dren Claire Mignon Adams, Michael FrancisAdams, Zachary John Queen and Amelia GraceQueen; sister Mary Carla Grube; niece LisaRoth Grube and her husband, Doug Nutter;niece Jennifer Cory Fennerty and her husband,Devon Fennerty; and brother Drew JosephAdams.

A University-wide memorial event will beheld in the fall. Donations are being accepted forthe J. Michael Adams Scholarships in Global Ed-ucation. For more information, contact Execu-tive Director of Development Susan McConvilleat 201-692-7008 or mcconvil@fdu.edu or visitwww.myfdu.net/jma.

P H OTO G R A P H S : B I L L B L A N C H A R D , M I C H A E L PA R A S , B L A N C H A R D , N I C K R O M A N E N K O 5

Global Virtual Faculty™ part-

ner with on-site faculty to

offer international views.

2002In the wake of 9/11, the

Port Authority Police

Training Academy moves

to FDU’s campus in Teaneck,

N.J. The missions of the New

Jersey campuses are distin-

guished by new identities:

College at Florham and

Metropolitan Campus. FDU

creates its United Nations

Pathways Program and earns

designation as a nongovern-

mental organization associ-

ated with the U.N. Depart-

ment of Public Information.

2003The Metropolitan Campus

gets a new Fitness Center,

the College at Florham

a substantially renovated

Student Center, and each

campus opens a new resi-

dence hall (Northpointe

and Rutherford Hall). FDU

launches Puerta al Futuro

Michael Adams’ legacy will to come.”— Patrick Zenner, Board of Trustees Chairman

Above, from left, President J. Michael Adams and his wife, Susan, at his inauguration cere-

mony in 2000. n Students enjoy

a conversation with Adams.

n Adams presents an honorary

degree to United Nations Sec-

retary-General Ban Ki-moon.

n Adams with John and Joan

Monninger at the groundbreaking

ceremony for the Monninger

Center for Learning and Research.

A Tribute to Michael Adams

F ollowing the announcement of his retire-ment, the Board of Trustees hosted a trib-

ute to President J. Michael Adams on June 5.Colleagues and representatives of the facultyand administration expressed their appreciationfor Adams’ service and accomplishments.

Adams attended and was greeted with astanding ovation. Speakers were: Acting Presi-dent Sheldon Drucker (now interim president);Board of Trustees Chairman Patrick Zenner,MBA’75 (R); Trustee Emeritus Edward Hen-nessy, Jr., BS’55 (R); Anthony J. Petrocelli Col-lege of Continuing Studies Dean KennethVehrkens, BA’69, MAT’70, MA’74 (T); HelenBrudner, Professor of History and Political Sci-ence; FDU Trustee Gregory Olsen, BS’66,BS’68, MS’68 (T); FDU Board of Trustees ViceChairman Robert Hallenbeck; and RichardBronson, professor emeritus of mathematics/

computer science and former senior executiveassistant to the president and director of gov-ernment/community affairs. In addition, anactor portraying FDU founder Peter Sam-martino (Joshua Bragg) thanked Adams for hisrole in building the legacy of the institution.

Describing Adams as a “leader extraordi-naire,” Zenner said, “He is the most passionateadvocate for this place that I know. … We are sovery thankful for the commitment, the energyand the results you have produced for this insti-tution. You leave FDU a much better place. Youinspire all of us to reach for new heights.”

Brudner discussed working and debatingwith Adams on important issues throughout histenure and credited him for his respect for thefaculty. She also praised “his energy, his willing-ness to try things and his inherent kindness.”

for Spanish-speaking

students. Following the

success of the new Global

Scholars program at the

Metropolitan Campus,

the Florham Scholars

program is introduced.

2004FDU regains its distinction

as the largest private univer-

sity in New Jersey. Degree-

completion programs to

serve first-responders and

National Guard personnel are

offered online. Global Issues

Gateway (www.gig.org),FDU’s global learning website,

is launched. The Interna-

tional School of Hospitality

and Tourism Management

moves into the Chaîne

House, which also houses

the Confrérie de la Chaîne

des Rôtisseurs. A marine

biology lab is established in

the Dominican Republic.

2005In recognition of the gen-

erosity of Anthony Petrocelli,

BS’69 (M), and his wife,

Antoinette, FDU renames

the New College of General

and Continuing Studies as

the Anthony J. Petrocelli Col-

lege of Continuing Studies.

2006FDU is re-accredited by

the Middle States Com-

mission on Higher Education.

R E M E M B E R I N G

J. Michael Adams

“The genius in Michael is this special ability to pulltogether individuals and to unite them under acoherent to form a real orchestra. He did that at FDU, but he couldn’t have done anything else without you.Thank you so much.”

— Susan Adams

6 P H OTO G R A P H S : S C OT T G I G L I O , B I L L B L A N C H A R D

(continued on next page)

Left photo, Susan Adams thanks the University. At right, distinguished guests salute President Adams.

T he Board of Trustees has formed a com-mittee to conduct a national search for a

new president. Until a permanent appointmentis made, Sheldon Drucker, who was actingpresident while President J. Michael Adams was on medical leave, will serve as interimpresident.

“We have a strong leadership team inplace under Shelley Drucker,” Board ChairmanPatrick Zenner, MBA’75 (R), said, “and welook forward to building on the momentumthat Michael Adams helped create.”

Drucker joined FDU in 1996 as vice pres-ident for finance/treasurer and was named sen-ior vice president and COO in 2007. He waspart of a team that helped engineer a strong fi-nancial turnaround at FDU, providing a foun-dation for future growth. One of Adams’ mosttrusted advisers, he led the continued financialgrowth of the University and helped developmore than a decade of balanced budgets. Heplayed a major role in numerous global initia-tives, including the establishment of FDU-Vancouver.

Prior to joining FDU, he was the CFO ofIVC Industries, Inc., and a partner at Pricewa-terhouseCoopers LLP. He is a member of theAmerican Institute of Certified Public Ac-

countants, the New Jersey Society of CPAs andthe Institute of Management Accountants.

Drucker is supported by a leadership teamincluding University Provost and Senior VicePresident for Academic Affairs Christo-pher Capuano, Metropolitan Campus ProvostJoseph Kiernan and College at Florham Pro-vost Peter Woolley.

“We are very grateful for the inspirationand foundation laid by President Adams,”Drucker said. “Because of him, the Universityis well positioned to respond to the challengesof today, and we will continue to focus on ourmission of global education.”

Drucker Named Interim President

The Lee Gildart and Oswald

Haase School of Computer

Sciences and Engineering

is named to honor the men-

tors of Gregory Olsen, BS’66,

BS’68, MS’68 (T), whose gift

is the largest in FDU’s history.

2007The University opens its

second international campus,

FDU-Vancouver, in British

Columbia, Canada. FDU names

Hennessy Hall — formerly

the Mansion — in honor of

Edward Hennessy, Jr., BS’55 (R),

and the Stratis Arena in honor

of Mary Kay Mastronardy

Stratis, BA’69 (R), MAT’71 (T).

2008U.N. Secretary-General

Ban Ki-moon receives an

honorary degree and is the

keynote speaker at FDU’s

annual Academic Convo-

cation.

2009FDU grants its first doctor

of nursing practice degrees.

U.S. President Barack Obama

visits the Metropolitan

Campus. The University re-

ceives state approval to open

a pharmacy school. FDU be-

comes the first university

to earn special consultative

status as a nongovernmental

organization with the U.N.

Economic and Social Council

(ECOSOC).

P H OTO G R A P H : S C OT T G I G L I O 7

(continued from previous page)

Brudner, who presented Adams with aplaque from the Faculty Senate, added, “Whenhe truly believes in an initiative that is goodfor FDU and that is possible to achieve, he isthat inevitable force. Nothing is going to get inthe way.”

Bronson said that Adams “is a visionarywho had the ability to translate his vision into

reality and to do it in a fiscally responsible man-ner.” Above all, he said, “This is a very nice man.This is a gentle person, an honorable man.”

Zenner announced a resolution from thetrustees honoring Adams and affirming “theircommitment to forward his vision and extendFDU’s global mission to the next generationand beyond.”

8 P H OTO G R A P H : E L E N A M I TC H E L L

I n a special presentation following The PINNACLE Awards ceremony on June 8,

President J. Michael Adams was awarded anhonorary doctor of humane letters degree.

Acting President Sheldon Drucker (nowinterim president) said that President Adams“led the University to an extraordinary periodof distinction. He renewed the passion andspirit of innovation that helped found FDU,and he united the community around an am-bitious goal: to prepare world citizens for aglobal era.”

FDU trustee and close friend Kenneth Brierread the citation honoringAdams. Adams was unableto attend the event, but hisson, Ben, responded on hisbehalf. He said, “Since myfather and Susan[Adams] arrived at FDU,they felt like part of thefamily. You embracedthem, and it was easy for

my father to align with the traditions, the val-ues and the spirit of this great institution. Myfather has long felt like an honorary alumnus,and this award tonight makes it official.”

Adams noted that Fairleigh DickinsonUniversity enjoyed many accomplishments,“but nothing could have been accomplishedwithout the incredible efforts of a very tal-ented team and without the support of theentire academic community and the amazingalumni.”

He said that President Adams believedstrongly in the power of higher education to

change lives and in the im-portance of serving others.He added, “We must do allwe can to preserve what isgood and improve what isnot. I know that you sharethis commitment, and thatis why FDU and MichaelAdams were so perfect to-gether.”

2010FDU-Vancouver graduates

its first class. Bruce Springsteen

performs at the College at

Florham. The Metropolitan

Campus dedicates the Frank

Giovatto Library.

2011The University breaks

ground at the College at

Florham for the John

[BS’65 (M)] and Joan

Monninger Center for

Learning and Research.

FDU dedicates the Naimoli

Family Baseball Complex

on the Metropolitan Cam-

pus in honor of Vincent

Naimoli, MBA’64 (M). The

University’s largest capital

campaign ever, FDU NOW,

bests its $50-million target

by almost $9 million. FDU

is the first signatory in the

U.N. Academic Impact,

created to engage univers-

ities in global activities.

Adams becomes the presi-

dent of the International

Association of University

Presidents (IAUP).

2012The Silberman College of

Business maintains its AACSB

accreditation. The Medco

School of Pharmacy receives

precandidate accreditation

status from the Accredita-

tion Council for Pharmacy

Education (ACPE) and prepares

to enroll its first class.

R E M E M B E R I N G

J. Michael Adams

Adams Awarded Honorary Degree

President J. Michael Adams’ son, Ben, second from right, accepted the honorary degree on behalf of his father. With him, from left, were Chairman of the Board of Trustees Patrick Zenner, Acting President Sheldon Drucker and Trustee Kenneth Brier.

“It was easy for my father to alignwith the traditions,the values and thespirit of this greatinstitution.”

— Ben Adams

2 F D U M A G A Z I N E

Rutherford Memories. What a nice surprise to open upthe FDU Magazine for Winter/Spring2012 and see an article I wrote aboutmy feelings for FDU while attendingthe Rutherford Campus!!! It is part of“Remembering Rutherford: 70 YearsAfter the Birth of FDU.” Thank youso much.

Susan Vago Sorokolit, BS’67 (R)

. As a 1956 graduate from FairleighDickinson University’s Rutherford

Campus, I so enjoyed the article onRutherford, especially the knight inshining armor. Her name is LenoreYavner Baer [BS’54 (R)]. I met her ina freshman biology class in the Castleroom where the pool was under thefloor. She became my dearest friendfor 60 years, almost like a sister. I washer matron of honor, and she was mymaid of honor.

How did Lenore end up in thearmor? One day she was nabbed andasked if she would dress up in the suitfor a photo. Why her? She was 4’10”and just the right size. The suit stoodon a landing in the Castle all duringour school years.

Harriet Bassett Weitzner, BS’56 (R)

. I enjoyed reading two great articlesin the Winter/Spring 2012 FDU Mag-azine. Roger Deitz’s “The RutherfordLegacy” and “Long Live the Memo-ries” brought back good memories ofmy education at Fairleigh Dickinson.

In September 1960 I was a fresh-man, and I recollect wearing a maroonbeanie and a large cardboard placardwith room for signatures from upper-classmen/women. Freshmen had toask upperclassmen/women for theirsignatures by quoting a simple para-

graph which began: “Oh mighty up-per classman, guardian of this humblecampus, I beseech you …” Yes, malestudents had to wear dress shirts, jack-ets and ties; and that requirementmade us ready for “Corporate Amer-ica” in the 1960s!

To this day, I still have fond mem-ories of Professors Michael Kosok and

Donald Kydon (physics); Dr. [Philip]Copperman (calculus); [Gordon]Goudey (engineering) and CL Ragot(mechanical drawing); [Florence] Tit-man (art); Emil Lengyel (social sci-ences) and, since my last two yearswere at the Teaneck Campus, Profes-sors William Schick and Sol Prensky(electrical engineering).

Fred Breier, BS’64 (T), MBA’68 (T)

Making the Connection. I was the editor of the campusnewspaper from 1974 to 1975. I en-joyed the last issue of the FDU Mag-azine with the Rutherford Campustributes. Two of the contributors werecollege friends: Marcus Day, BA’76(R), and Dave Topus, BS’78 (R). Iwould like to contact them again butdon’t know how. Do you have anemail address for them or some othermeans of contacting them?

Joe Hynes, BA’76 (R)

Fairleigh Dickinson University’s alumnidatabase is held confidential. However, ourOffice of Alumni Relations can forward a message from one alumnus to another to help alumni reconnect. Contact Made-lyn Fine at 201-692-7013 or emailfine@fdu.edu.

E R R ATA : S UMM E R / FA L L 2 0 1 0

FDUMagazine

In this Issue

Small Change Big Difference

Students Share Spirit of Service

Volume 19, Number 2 . Winter/Spring 2012

Brand You

How to Brand Yourself

With Social Media

Revisit Rutherford

Special Section Celebrating

University’s Birthplace

Journey to Vancouver

Studying Abroad at FDU’s

Newest Campus

FDU Magazine encourages the exchange of comments and opinions about our articles

as well as your memories of FDU. This page shares with your fellow alumni a selection of

your letters (send to: Rebecca Maxon, FDU, 1000 River Rd., H-DH3-14, Teaneck, N.J. 07666);

emails (maxon@fdu.edu) and blog entries (www.fdumagazine.us).

Comments, opinions and memories from FDU alumni

FDUChatter

“I recollect wearing a maroon beanie and alarge cardboard placard … . Freshmen had toask upperclassmen/women for their signaturesby quoting a simple paragraph which began:“Oh mighty upperclassman, guardian of thishumble campus, I beseech you … ”

We want to hear from you!

FDUSpotlight

NNew MA in Student Services Administration Approved

ew Jersey has approved FDU’s new master of arts in student serv-ices administration. The degree is designed for individuals pursuing careers in ad-ministrative and support positions in higher education. Until now, the onlyeducational leadership program available at FDU focused on grades K–12.

Offered through FDU’s School of Administrative Science in the AnthonyJ. Petrocelli College of Continuing Studies, the 36-credit, nonthesis programconsists of 18 credits of core courses, which include a three-credit student serv-ices internship, and 18 credits of electives. “There’sflexibility of programming delivered in-person,online and through interactive television(ITV) and videoconferencing forindividuals who have employ-ment and family commit-ments,” said Ronald Calissi,executive associate dean, off-campus credit programs, PetrocelliCollege and director, School of Admin-istrative Science. The ITV loca-tions include both New Jerseycampuses and select placesthroughout the state, such asGloucester Community College,where FDU has a partnership to de-liver graduate degrees.

Students can specialize inone of four areas: admissionand financial-aid administra-tion, intercollegiate sports ad-ministration, institutional risk administration and on-campus student administration.

Other program benefits in-clude a nonstandard rate of tuitionfor off-campus programming thatis 45 percent off the on-campustuition rate, elective classes avail-able at Wroxton College andFDU-Vancouver and highly qual-ified and experienced instructors.

People, events and news from Fairleigh Dickinson University

S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 2 3I L L U S T R AT I O N : S A L LY E L F O R D/ I K O N I M A G E S /C O R B I S

Silberman Collegeof Business Re-accredited

. The Silberman Collegeof Business maintained its accreditation by theAACSB International – the Association to AdvanceCollegiate Schools of Business. .“We are very proud of this promi-nent distinction,” said Christopher Capuano, University provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “AACSB accreditation is an important affirmationof Silberman College’s excellent programs. I wantto congratulate the members of Silberman College, who I know arepoised to continue to meet the high standards set by this accreditingbody.” . Less than 5 percent of schools of business worldwide haveearned this hallmark of excellence. To maintain accreditation, a businessprogram must undergo a rigorous internal reviewand demonstrate its continued commitment to 21 quality standards.

[ ]“There’s flexibilty ofprogramming delivered in-person, online and through interactive television (ITV) and videoconferencing ... ”

— Ronald Calissi, director, School of Administrative Science

FDUSpotlight

Inaugural Class to Enter School of Pharmacy

F airleigh Dickinson University’s School ofPharmacy, located just off the College at

Florham at 230 Park Avenue, Florham Park, N.J.,welcomes its first class in September.

The inaugural class of about 85 students willbenefit from a dynamic curriculum incorporatingtechnology, a global perspective and multiple mas-ter’s degree options.

Members of the Accreditation Council of Phar-macy Education (ACPE) conducted a sitevisit in late spring 2012 and have awardedthe school precandidate accreditation status.

New Jersey’s first pharmacy school affiliated with an independent university,the School of Pharmacy offers multipledual-degree options leading to combined

P H OTO G R A P H : W E AV E R L I L L E Y

Rosemary Español Joins Board of Trustees

. Rosemary Ruggiero Español, BA’70 (M), a nationally respected leader in interior design and facilities man-

agement, was elected to the FDU Board of Trustees for a three-year term . Español is president of IEI Group,

a Philadelphia-based firm that provides design, architectural and project-management services to corporate, ed-

ucational, government, health care, retail and residential clients. Founded by Español in 1991, IEI has been regu-

larly ranked among the top 200 U.S. design firms by Interior Design magazine. . In 2010, FDU honored Español

with The PINNACLE Award, the highest award the University bestows upon its alumni. Español has taught courses

at Philadelphia’s Moore College of Art and Design as well as Philadelphia University. The Philadelphia Business Jour-

nal named her a Woman of Distinction for her achievements. She is a

past president of the National Association of Industrial and Office

Parks and the Society of Marketing Professional Services and was a

board member of the International Facility Management Association.

She is also on the board of trustees of the Gesu School, an independ-

ent elementary school serving at-risk youth in North Philadelphia, and

on the advisory board of Fulton Bank. . Español has a bachelor’s de-

gree from FDU and a master’s degree from the C.W. Post Campus of

Long Island University. For FDU, she has hosted an alumni regional

event at her office and sponsored an FDU Women luncheon.

4 F D U M A G A Z I N E

Best Master’s andMBAs. . .

Eduniversal’s ranking of the best master’s and MBA programsworldwide in 2011 includes programs inthree FDU colleges.

.MS in electronic

commerce — Top 100Best Master’s in

E-business RegionalRanking (University

College: Arts • Sciences •Professional Studies)

.MBA in entrepreneurship

— Top 100 Best Master’s in Entrepre-neurship RegionalRanking (SilbermanCollege of Business)

.MA in corporate and

organizational communication — Top200 Best Master’s inCommunications Regional Ranking(Maxwell Becton College of Arts and

Sciences)

.

PharmD and master’s degrees. The programs willhelp address the growing need for licensed phar-macists who can incorporate advances in technol-ogy into health care service delivery and makechanges in practice models to accommodate theincreasing demands placed on health care servicesby an aging population and health care reform.

The school’s board of advisers has been actively engaged in program development, public-ity and outreach, fundraising and the creation ofpractice-experience opportunities for students.Members have reviewed topics for courses, helped

craft mission and vision statements andprovided potential avenues for support.The board of advisers includes repre-sentatives from Atlantic Health System;CVS Caremark; Bausch & Lomb, Inc.;

Cephalon, Inc.; Barnabas Health; and

Sanofi-Aventis U.S., LLC.

S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 2 5

Veterans Activities Supported

On January 19, veterans, mentors and FDU administratorsat the Metropolitan Campus celebrated a check pres-

entation from the Walmart Foundation. The foundation’s grantof $35,000 supports the Veterans Launching Ventures programat FDU’s Silberman College of Business. . Combining in-per-son instruction with online education and active mentorship,Veterans Launching Ventures provides skills and support to en-able veterans to seize entrepreneurial opportunities, launchsmall businesses and nonprofits and achieve personal success.

United Nations Pathways Program Turns 10

F DU’s United Nations Pathways Program cel-ebrated its 10th year on February 14 with a

gala at the College at Florham.Jason Scorza, vice provost of international

education, who served as the master of ceremon-ies, said, “This is a rare andunique event that not onlycelebrates the anniversary,but also pays tribute to Amb.Ahmad Kamal [president ofThe Ambassador’s Club ofthe United Nations and aformer University trustee]and his contributions to theUniversity and to the worldof diplomacy.” Since the pro-gram’s inception in 2002, theUniversity has hosted 80dinners and forums, held 48videoconferences and enter-tained more than 150 senior officials and diplomatsfrom the U.N. system.

Christopher Capuano, University provost andsenior vice president for academic affairs, read aspecial message from President J. Michael Adamsto Kamal stating, “Because of your passion forglobal education [and] your unique position of in-

P H OTO G R A P H : K AT H E R I N E M A R K S

fluence and insight, you have been the dynamicforce for the program that has influenced and trans-formed the lives of so many students.”

This semester brought four dignitaries tocampus. On February 28, Byrganym Aitimova, per-manent representative of Kazakhstan to the UnitedNations, addressed “Kazakhstan: A Giant in Asiaand Its Leading Role in Sustainable Development”;

on March 28, Trita Parsi,founder and president of theNational Iranian AmericanCouncil, spoke on “A SingleRoll of the Dice: Obama’sDiplomacy with Iran”; onApril 18, Ioannis Vrailas, deputy head of the Delega-tion of the European Unionto the United Nations, ad-dressed “The European Un-ion Today”; and on May 1,Pedro Nunez Mosquera, permanent representative ofCuba to the United Nations,

spoke on “Cuba — Yesterday, Today, and Tomor-row.” Videoconferences were held on “U.N. De-partment of Public Information Partnerships withNGOs” and “The Global Financial Crisis,” and aspecial youth forum with FDU faculty and studentsaddressed “Winds of Change: Role of ChineseYouth in the Future of the China.”

The Society for Human Resource Management(SHRM) recognized the Anthony J. Petrocelli Collegeof Continuing Studies’ Human Resource Manage-ment Certification Preparation Program for its “success andincredible achievement” inreaching the Top 20 Enroll-ments category for the 2011SHRM Learning Systemcourse. FDU ranked sixth outof 300 colleges and universi-ties participating in the SHRMLearning Program each year.Kenneth Vehrkens, dean,Petrocelli College, said,“Reaching this elite categorymakes FDU the largest SHRMprogram in New Jersey andone of the six largest pro-grams in the United States.”

Human ResourceManagement Program Recognized

Ambassador Ahmad Kamal

d

FDUSpotlight

6 F D U M A G A Z I N E

Hospitality School High on ‘Best Program’ List

The International School of Hospitality and Tourism Management (ISHTM) ranks number four on

thebestschools.org website’s list of the “20 Best Hospitality Programs,” keeping company at the top with Cor-

nell and Michigan State universities and the University of Nevada at Las Vegas. . “Our school is extremely

elated and honored to receive this noteworthy recognition,” said Richard Wisch, director, ISHTM and associate dean

of the Anthony J. Petrocelli College of Continuing Studies. “It validates our ongoing efforts to provide our students

with an excellent professional education, one which affords them an ability to become highly productive practition-

ers and leaders in our industry.” . Rankings for each school are based on “academic quality, awards, reputation, rank-

ings, facilities and internship opportunities.” . “ISHTM provides an exceptional learning environment,” said Kenneth

Vehrkens, dean, Petrocelli College. “Congratulations to the faculty and administration for ranking fourth out of 250

hospitality programs.” . Also rated by The Princeton Review’s Gourman Report as one of the top four-year hospi-

tality management programs in the country, FDU’s hospitality program offers classes at the Metropolitan Campus,

the College at Florham and four off-site locations in Atlantic City, Jersey City and Mercer and Ocean counties.

What Does It Mean to Be Human?

by Frederick Franck, Richard Connolly and Janis Roze. Recommended by Eli Amdur, BA’68 (R),

adjunct faculty, Petrocelli College

The Feminine Mystique

by Betty Friedan and Anna Quindlen. Recommended by Paula Hooper Mayhew, professor of English,

University College: Arts • Sciences • Professional Studies

Charlie Wilson’s War

by George Crile. Recommended by Patrick

Poole, then-University admissionscounselor

The LastLecture

by Randy Pauschwith Jeffrey Laslow. Recommended by students Genesis

Ortiz and Stephanie Sergent Rojas, junior,

honors biology

The Giving Tree

by Shel Silverstein. Recommended by Kenneth Rivera

Five Smooth Stones

a novel by Ann Fairbairn. Recommended by David Langford, director of Division I athletics

The Alchemist

by Paulo Coelho and Alan Clarke. Recom-

mended by Donna-Isabel Averion, graduate student

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

by Jules Verne. Recommended by Ronald Calissi, executive associate dean, off-

campus credit programs, Anthony J. Petrocelli College of Continuing Studies and director, School of Administrative Science

The Good Earth

by Pearl Buck. Recommended by

Natalie Holland, freshman

The Forsyte Saga

by John Galsworthy. Recommended by

Katherine Restaino, adjunct instructor of communications,

University College: Arts • Sciences • Professional

Studies

How to Win Friends and Influence People

by Dale Carnegie. Recommended by Paul Dunphy, research and instruction librarian, Frank

Giovatto Library

IndispensableLiterature

When asked by the staff of the Frank Giovatto Library,FDU faculty, staff, students,

alumni and friends said thesewere just some of the books that

have changed their lives.

The Saturday MBA@FDU features a balanced blend of in-class and

online studies leading to an MBA in less than 21 months. Competitively

priced, this 30- to 42-creditgeneral MBA is an ideal option for business and

non-business majors. Individuals with a prior

academic business background may qualify to be exempted from

some or all of the founda-tion courses (up to 12

credits). All-day Saturdayclasses will meet, on average, every other

weekend at the College at Florham; the balance of

studies occurs online.For information email

grad@fdu.edu.

Saturday MBA Program Highlights

. Donald Begosh, BS’59 (R), MBA’82 (R), former FDU trustee

and past president of the Alumni Association Board of Gover-

nors (AABOG) (2001–2003), died on January 27 at the age of 74.

In 2011, he was awarded emeritus status by the AABOG. In 2009,

he served as a member of his 50th anniversary class reunion plan-

ning committee and was the class speaker at the FDU Society In-

duction Ceremony. He co-chaired the Annual Fund committee

of the AABOG and, in 2000, received the CASTLE Award for his

commitment to his alma mater. He is survived by his wife, Carol;

brother-in-law Richard Spielmann, and his wife, Barbara; a niece

and her husband; a nephew; two grand-nieces; a grand-nephew;

and brother Theodore Odinec.

. John “Jack” Fritz, , retired professor of history, died on Feb-ruary 9 at the age of 87. He joined FDU in 1961 as assistant pro-

fessor of social sciences and retired in 1984 as professor of his-

tory. He held a variety of administrative positions as well —

assistant dean and associate dean, Maxwell Becton College of

Liberal Arts, and chairperson, history and philosophy depart-

ment, College at Florham. Fritz also served on the board of

Friends of Florham, a group dedicated to the preservation of

the historic buildings and grounds at the College at Florham,

before returning to his home state of Indiana in 2003. He is sur-

vived by numerous nephews, nieces and cousins.

. Kenneth Gillies, associate professor of accounting, An-thony J. Petrocelli College of Continuing Studies, died on April

18 at the age of 69. He joined FDU’s Rutherford Campus in 1972

as an adjunct professor. A certified public accountant, he was

with the University for 39 years. He is survived by his wife, Sheila

Pearson; his daughters, Kristin and Tara; his brother, Raymond Jr.,

and sister-in-law, Zinovia; his brother-in-law, Thomas Pearson;

nieces, nephews and grand-nieces; and a grand-nephew.

dIn Memoriam

Q U O T E D :

O K A N G M C B R I D E ,

D I R E C T O R O F

A L U M N I R E L A T I O N S

“Don Begosh’s impact

on his alma mater

will continue to be

felt for generations to

come. Many of the

changes he imple-

mented as president

of the Alumni

Association Board of

Governors are still

being carried out

today. Don’s heartfelt

passion for and

commitment to FDU

will be missed.”

S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 2 7

FDU Professor Speaks at theWhite House

K hyati Joshi, associate professor of educationand an expert social scientist whose work

focuses on multicultural education and religion inAmerica, particularly South-Asian religions likeHinduism, Sikhism and Islam, presented at theWhite House on April 20 as part of a conferenceput on by the White House Office of Faith Basedand Neighborhood Partnerships, the Hindu Amer-ican Seva Charities and the U.S. Department ofHomeland Security.“Religious literacy is an essential skill for

teachers, policymakers and all of us,” she said in hertalk on the way immigrant and second-generationAmericans live their religions and respond to theirstatus as religious minorities.Joshi was invited to discuss her research to help

improve understanding of South-Asian religiouscommunities in the United States and to inform thedevelopment of policies and best practices in thearea of homeland security.

“Educators can’t teach what they don’t know.Because people are not informed about many reli-gions, including their own, they don’t talk about it.[We need to] let students know that they can talkabout it,” said Joshi. Joshi teaches The Multicultural Classroom,

World Religions in America and Religion, Schoolsand Society, among other courses at FDU. She isthe author of New Roots in America’s Sacred Ground:Religion, Race and Ethnicity in Indian America (Rut-gers University Press, 2006) and a host of scholarlyand popular articles. She also consults with schooldistricts and trains K–12 teachers.

P H OTO G R A P H : K AT H E R I N E M A R K S

Professor Khyati Joshi

Coaches Association (NTCA)Division I Bowler of the Year.

. Men’s Tennis

The FDU men’s tennis team wontheir record 11th NEC title andclinched a trip to the NCAAtournament, where they playedNo. 2, the University of Virginia.The Knights ended the season 15-9. Freshman Arvis Berzins wasnamed the NEC Rookie of theYear and Player of the Year.

. Women’s Fencing

At the National IntercollegiateWomen’s Fencing Association(NIWFA) championships, juniorsChristine Forsythe and Sophia Bischof,sophomore Hanna Heldenmuth andfreshman Alix Lerch all placed inthe top five of their respectiveweapons, giving FDU fifth placeoverall. The Knights also com-peted at the NCAA Mid-At-lantic/South Regional.

. Women’s Basketball

The women’s team went to theNEC tournament after compilinga 13-18 record on the season and8-9 in conference action. Seniorguard Mariyah Laury set a programrecord with 42 points and earnedFirst Team All-NEC accolades.Freshman Erika Livermore earnedNEC All-Rookie honors.

. Men’s Track and Field

At the NEC outdoor champi-onships, senior Senghor Kamguiacame in third in the triple jump.

FDU tied for 10th place overall.Senior captain Zacharia Ahmedset new career highs in the shotput (16.24m) and hammer throw(46.74m).

. Women’s Track and Field

At the NEC indoor champion-ships, the women’s track and fieldteam finished in ninth place. Senior Christine Taylor set a newpersonal record with a time of1:16.18 in the 500 meters to takesecond. Sophomore Shnell Wisharttook a silver medal in the triplejump. Outdoors, junior DwanyaFreeland had season bests in theshot put (12.31m) and discus(39.49m).

. Men’s Basketball

The Knights defeated the likes ofSt. Peter’s College, Bryant Univer-sity and St. Francis College ofNew York this season. Graduatestudent George Goode was namedthe team’s MVP, while senior Briahn Smith was honored with the Knight Award.

8 F D U M A G A Z I N E

. Women’s Bowling

The Knights went 22-5 in theNEC, earning the regular seasontitle. Senior Joely Carrillo and juniorDanielle McEwan led the team to an overall record of 104-27 andits fourth National CollegiateAthletic Association (NCAA)championship, where the teammade first runner-up. Carrilloearned First Team All-NEC,while McEwan was named NECBowler of the Year, First Team AllAmerican and National Tenpin

D I V I S I O N I

BaseballThe Knights finished 25-28-1 and went 18-14 in the Northeast Conference(NEC), which qualified the team for the NEC tournament. The 18 confer-ence wins were the most ever in a season. Senior shortstop Ryan Kresky wasnamed NEC Player of the Year. Senior Matt Holsmanwas named First Team All-NEC .

FDUSportsAthletics at Fairleigh Dickinson University

P H OTO G R A P H S : D I V I S I O N I , L A R RY L E VA N T I ; D I V I S I O N I I I , S . R . S M I T H

D I V I S I O N I

. Women’s Golf The Knights had six top-10

finishes. Sophomore Esther Park and junior Annika

Karlsson tied for second at the NEC championships, while sophomore Mariana Juaristi

took sixth. Karlsson was named First Team All-NEC and

NEC Player of the Year. Juaristi was First Team All-NEC.

Eric Anderson

Gabriela Sarrate

S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 2 9

. Softball

The Knights compiled a 7-13 NEC record but broke the FDU program record with 30 winsoverall. Senior hitter Caitlin Bradacand rookie pitcher Megan Reiner,with a record 18 wins, led theteam. Reiner’s hitting average of .394 led the NEC, whileBradec led the program in RBIs(42) and hits (61).

. Women’s Lacrosse

The FDU women’s lacrosse teamwent 13-6 with a 6-0 mark in the Freedom Conference. TheDevils went on to win the inau-gural women’s lacrosse FreedomConference tournament. Seniormidfielder Breana Kilpatrick wasnamed Freedom ConferencePlayer of the Year and First TeamAll-Conference, while freshmandefender Caitlyn McGinley was

named Freedom ConferenceRookie of the Year and First Team All-Conference. First Teamhonors also went to junior mid-fielder Katie Rolwood, junior attackSara Slicklen and freshman de-fender Samantha Guido.

. Baseball

The Devils finished the season24-18. FDU was 14-7 in theFreedom Conference and wasthird seed in the conference tour-nament. The second-seededDevils won the Eastern CollegiateAthletic Conference (ECAC)Metro Region tournament, elim-inating Stevens Institute of Tech-

nology 2-1. Senior Pitcher MikeWinters was named tournamentMVP. Sophomore designated hitter Frank LaGuarina was namedFirst Team All-Conference.

. Men’s Basketball

The Devils went 13-13 whilegoing 8-6 in conference play. In the Freedom Conferencetournament, the Devils fell in thesemifinals to top-seeded Miseri-cordia University, 76-73. Seniorguard Adam Katz was named FirstTeam All-Conference.

. Women’s Basketball

The Devils posted a 13-13 re-cord with a 7-7 conference mark.FDU qualified for the ECACMetro Region tournament,where they were defeated in thequarterfinals by Richard StocktonCollege, 73-62.

. Softball

FDU finished 14-19 (4-10 Free-dom Conference). Senior utilityMegan McInaw and sophomoreoutfielder Brittni Wurst were namedFirst Team All-Conference.

D I V I S I O N I I I

Golf. . .Men’s Golf

The Devils notched a recordof 5-2-1 and finished

second in the FreedomConference tournament.

Women’s Golf

In its second year, the team finished fourth out of five teams at the

Middle Atlantic Conference(MAC) tournament.

Sophomore Megan Heintzwas named First Team

All-Conference.

Tennis. . .Men’s Tennis

The Devils compiled a record of 6-11 (2-3

Freedom Conference). The team advanced to

the conference tournamentbut fell to top-seededWilkes University.

Sophomore AJ Wardenwas named First Team

All-Conference.

Women’s Tennis

The Devils women’s tennisteam was 3-13 (1-4

Freedom Conference).

Swimming. . .The men’s and women’s swimteams finished with recordsof 2-11 and 2-12, advancing to the MAC championships.

D I V I S I O N I. Women’s TennisThe FDU women’s tennis team won its first NEC crown since 1988 and went on to compete in its first NCAA tournament. The Knights won 11 of their final 13 matches led by NEC Player of the Year AnnaRapoport.

Manuela Leme Anna Rapoport

FDU finished with a record 8-8 overall with a 3-2 mark in the Freedom Con-ference. The team advanced to the Freedom Conference tournament champi-onship game before falling to Eastern University 15-6. Senior mid-fielder PaulColflesh and senior defender Sean Cunninghamwere named First Team All-Freedom Conference.

D I V I S I O N I I I

Men’s Lacrosse Paul Colflesh

1 0 F D U M A G A Z I N E P H OTO G R A P H : B I L L C A R D O N I ; I L L U S T R AT I O N S : R O B E RT P I Z Z O

Purposeful JourneyStephanie Sergent Rojas, Undergraduate Student

STEPHANIE SERGENT ROJAS,a junior honors biology majorat the Metropolitan Campus,looks at each day as a chanceto be a step closer to her dream

of becoming a surgeon. The journey may bearduous, but she remains undaunted.

Sergent Rojas efficiently manages a full load ofclasses, works four jobs, does charity work and volun-

FDUProfiles of outstanding faculty and students

teers with the Teaneck Ambulance Corps. She says thatMarion McClary, associate professor of biological sciences; co-director, School of Natural Sciences; ad-ministrator; and parent, inspires her. “Even whenthings get really busy, he still has time for his students.”

Sergent Rojas is determined to chart her owncourse. Immersing herself in the many things that FDUhas to offer, she joined Sands of Time, a leadership andcharacter-building program. She also entered CampusMoviefest, a student film festival, where her group’sfilm, “Want to Save a Life,” won “Campus Best Picture.”

Her strength comes from her courage to moveout of her comfort zone andthe belief that nothing is im-possible.At 16, she wanted tovisit her Venezuelan home-town with her own money,so she sold baked goods. “No one wanted to give mea job, so I gave myself one,”she relates. “I made menusand put them in every mail-box in my neighborhood. Intwo months, I had $600.”

She is even more de-termined to achieve herchildhood dream. “Mygrandparents, mother anduncle were all ophthalmol-ogists,” Sergent Rojas re-lates, “and they used to take

me to their clinic in Maracay, Venezuela. Seeing howthey made their patients feel better inspired me to pur-sue a career in medicine.”

The decision to become a surgeon came muchlater, during a visit to the nursery of a Venezuelan hos-pital. “I noticed a couple crying because their new-born had a cleft palate and lip,” she remembers. “Iwasn’t familiar with Operation Smile (an organizationwhere doctors do free reconstructive surgeries on chil-dren worldwide), but when I learned more about it, Iknew it was something I wanted to be involved in.”

Sergent Rojas has begun an Operation SmileClub on campus. She also has been accepted into the

Curriculum Vitae:Stephanie Sergent Rojas

MajorBiology

Home TownElizabeth, N.J.

What You Didn't KnowGraduated twice from highschool — once in Venezuela(with the highest grades)and the second time fromthe Benedictine Academy in Elizabeth, N.J.

Philosophy in Life“No matter what happens,you make it a good day or a bad day.”

Notables

P H OTO G R A P H : A RT P E T R O S E M O LO S UMMER / FA L L 2 0 1 2 1 1

Curriculum Vitae:Nigel Forman

EducationBA, University of OxfordDiploma, College

of Europe at BrugesMPA, Harvard UniversityPhD, University of Sussex

Home CountryUnited Kingdom

What You Didn't KnowWas a Member of Parliament for more than20 years before beginninghis teaching career

Influential FiguresJohn F. KennedyMartin Luther King, Jr.

WHEN N I G E L F ORMAN

traveled to America fromGreat Britain to study at Har-vard University, he knew hewanted a career in education;

but he couldn’t have known that a good deal ofhis students would be from the United States.

“I wanted to become a practicing academic frommy time as a graduate student at the College of Europeat Bruges [Belgium] and at Harvard. This was long be-fore I was appointed by then-Prime Minister JohnMajor as a minister in higher education in 1992,” saidForman. “Thus my current work as a tutor and aca-demic at Wroxton College is a fascinating return to aprofessional life that I first experienced more than 40years ago.”

Since 1999, Forman has been teaching at Wroxton.Before returning to academia, he enjoyed a lengthy career in British government.

“I entered British politics in the 1960s inBrighton as a local activist for the Conservative Party,”he says. “Having just returned from doing a master’sdegree in public administration at Harvard, I felt Iwanted to contribute to public life in some suitableway as well as start work on a doctorate.”

Although a politician, education remained dear

Politician Turns ProfessorNigel Forman, British Faculty ofWroxton College

to his heart. During his time as a Member of Parliament (MP), educational policy was one of hisprincipal concerns. “My proudest accomplishment asan MP was … at the national level, to have gone someway toward achieving parity of esteem for vocationaland academic qualifications.”

Forman had a background as a distinguished academic long before he taught at Wroxton. “I readhistory for my undergraduate degree at New College,Oxford University, and had three very happy years at New College under the tutelage of Harry Bell,Raymond Carr, Henry Williams and Maurice Keen(at Balliol College, Oxford).

“I then enlisted at the College of Europe atBruges, where I studied for a year and got a diplomawith distinction in European studies.”

Forman’s education is closely entwined with hisdesire to serve the public. His academic year of 1966-’67 at Harvard, a turbulent time in America, was morethan just a formal education. It sowed the seeds for hispolitical ambitions.

“My role model at that time was Jack Kennedy— which was rather grandiose — and I was also inawe of Martin Luther King,” he recalls.

Forman’s path has wound through a prestigiouspolitical career to his position now imparting knowl-edge to students at Wroxton, where they benefit fromthe rich background upon which he can draw.

“My Parliamentary experience has assisted me inthe classroom at Wroxton, since it has given me somegravitas, which,” he quips, “coupled with my venera-ble age, sometimes makes my students better behavedthan they might otherwise be.” — S.G.

Summer Medical and Dental Education Program atthe New Jersey Medical School of the University ofMedicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. “In the future,I hope to open facilities in Venezuela, Peru and Asiathat can be affiliated with Operation Smile. Doctorswill perform surgeries there, and teachers will help thechildren gain self-confidence and a better appreciationof themselves,” she says.

“I don’t know how I’m going to medical school,but I will,” she adds. She also knows that it will take herbest effort to succeed. “When I go to sleep at night, Iwant to feel that I did my best that day and for my fu-ture goals.” — M.M.B.

. What They Are Watching

Brazil (1985)

Fire (1996)

Gattaca (1997)

In the Bedroom (2001)

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Memento (2000)

Master and Commander (2003)

Quiz Show (1994)

Temple Grandin (2010)

The Company Men (2010)

Three Kings (1999)

Wag the Dog (1997)

P H OTO G R A P H S : TO P, P H OTO F E S T ; B OT TO M , G E T T Y I M A G E SI L L U S T R AT I O N : B OT TO M , D A N N Y S C H WA RT Z

. What They Are Learning

“Movies allow for the exploration of important ethical questions in contemporarycontexts and hopefully learning follows,” Mayhew says. “For example, when westudy ‘Memento,’ we also look briefly at Aristotle and Bentham and debate personalresponsibility. When we view ‘The Company Men,’ we talk about work and iden-tity, glancing at both the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street as possible responses tojoblessness. When we view ‘Temple Grandin,’ we discuss the changing attitudes to-ward autism and the social history of eugenics in the United States. There is amovie for each week, so we cover a lot of ground!”

. What’s for Homework

Students watch the assigned movie each week at home and then respond in writ-ing. The class discusses some of the most interesting — and often conflicting —written responses. Since the class is held in a smart classroom, complete with aDVD player, projector and Internet access, students are able to review scenes thatare particularly crucial to the movie’s ethical concerns.

. Why This Matters Today

“Movies are one way to stimulate one’s own ethical sensibilities,” Mayhew says.

. What to Study for the Final

The final exam includes three essays and some short-answer questions. To prepare,Mayhew asks students to compare assigned movies that deal with similar ethicalquestions: for example, “Brazil” and “The Company Men”; “Gattaca” and “Tem-ple Grandin”; “In the Bedroom” and “Memento”; “Wag the Dog” and “ThreeKings”; etc., and refresh their knowledge of the main characters in each film.

Featuring a unique or innovative course that is sparking interest on campus.

Ethical Issues in the Movieswith Paula Hooper Mayhew, Professor of English, Literature and Humanities

HOTCourseonCampus

1 4 F D U M A G A Z I N E P H OTO G R A P H S : D A N L A N D A U ; B OT TO M L E F T, W I L L I A M K E N N E DY

More than 2,600 Students from 50 Countries Receive DegreesCommencement 2012

delivered the Commencementaddress. . “It’s not the worldthat defines you but how youchoose to act within it,” he toldthe graduates. “ … your great-est power is not in changingcircumstances but in choosingthe attitude you bring into theworld that day. That attitude can change things. It can change you.” . Student Pinnacle awards went to Morrine Omolo of Kikuyu, Kenya, from the Metro-politan Campus; Jessica Dingman of Roxbury, N.J.,from the College at Florham; and Juliana Fiorentino ofBelo Horizonte, Brazil, from FDU-Vancouver.

Watch FDU’s 69th

Commencement

at www.fdu.edu/commencement.

On May 15, approximately 2,600 studentsreceived doctoral, master’s, bachelor’s and associate’sdegrees at FDU’s 69th Commencement ceremony,held in the Izod Center, East Rutherford, N.J. . TheClass of 2012 includes citizens of 50 countries, 26 U.S.states, the District of Columbia and all 21 counties inNew Jersey. .The ceremony was broadcast live on theWeb and was watched by 5,000 people around theworld. . The University conferred honorary doctorof humane letters degrees upon Jill Abramson, exec-utive editor of The New York Times; Cory Booker, mayorof Newark, N.J.; and Zygmunt “Zygi” Wilf, BA’71(M), a real-estate developer, attorney and owner of theNational Football League’s Minnesota Vikings. Booker

New HorizonsHats express the graduates’

happiness, hopes and

dreams. A packed Izod Center

welcomes the graduates.

Honorary degree recipient

Cory Booker, mayor,

Newark, N.J., at the dais.

1 6 F D U M A G A Z I N E

history of the Vietnamese and the death and devastationof their home country. Today, most Vietnamese still livein poverty. While it is open to foreign trade and invest-ment, the country has a set group of leaders who arenot democratically elected.

K I E R S T E N :The biggest thing on everyone’s mindwhen you speak of Vietnam is the fact that we, asAmericans, had witnessed and/or experienced greattragedy during the Vietnam War. But the Vietnameseshow no resentment toward us. When you meet Viet-namese and they ask you, “Where are you from?” andyou reply with the United States, they do not shun you.Instead, their faces light up with joy that an Americanhas come to see their country. There were numeroustimes when Krissy and I roamed the streets togetherduring our free time, as we did in Hoi An. The shopowners wanted to strike up conversations with us justto find out why we were visiting their country. Ourtour guides taught us words and phrases in Vietnamese.Going to a different country and learning some of thenative tongue benefits you and shows the local people

ironically in the former U.S. Information Service Build-ings. In Cambodia, they walked miles (and even rodeelephants) around the ancient ruins of Angkor Wat, oneof the Seven Manmade Wonders of the World. In thecapital of Phnom Penh, they also had the chance to visitthe haunting Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, the formerprison and torture center that memorializes the worstatrocities of the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s.

Christine (Krissy) Baldassare, a senior majoring inhistory and participating in the five-year QUESTteaching program, and Kiersten Fuchs, a senior major-ing in history with a minor in art history, providedFDU Magazine with a first-hand account of the sightsand sounds as well as the lessons learned in Vietnam andCambodia.

VietnamK R I S SY: Prior to this trip, I only knew the American orWestern perspective of Asia, the Vietnam War and theCambodian Genocide of 1975–1979. Learning the al-ternative perspective on what the Vietnamese call the“American War” opened my eyes to the psychology and

Paper lanterns, above,line the streets of

Vietnam’s Hoi An market

at night; below are Kiersten

Fuchs, left, and Christine

(Krissy) Baldassare

P H OTO G R A P H S : P R E V I O U S PA G E , TO P, I S TO C K P H OTO ; B OT TO M , C O U RT E S YO F K I E R S T E N F U C H S A N D C H R I S T I N E B A L D A S S A R E . T H I S PA G E , F R O M L E F T,C O U RT E S Y O F K I E R S T E N F U C H S , I S TO C K P H OTO , I S TO C K P H OTO

S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 2 1 7

that you are being genuine and want to learn their lan-guage. “Hello,” “Goodbye,” “Thank you” and “Howmuch?” were just some of the basic things I learned inVietnamese. When I would speak some words in Viet-namese, people would smile from ear to ear.

Shopping in Hoi An, a UNESCO World HeritageSite and one of the best markets in Vietnam, was likenothing I had seen before. Surrounded by fresh fruitsand vegetables, spices, eggs, seafood and meats, I real-ized that there was nothing that the Vietnamese let goto waste because everything they had meant moremeals to feed their families. During the day, the streetswere booming with people getting food for dinner andtourists shopping for souvenirs. At night the streets dieddown and glistened with rows of silk lanterns. It wasone of the most tranquil parts of the trip. For every lit-tle shop there was a restaurant of some sort. A smallfamily-owned eatery was set up where you could buya bowl of noodle-and-beef soup that was the simplestbut most delicious soup. The Vietnamese take pride intheir family-run businesses, and they run them just likeany mom-and-pop shop.

K R I S SY: My most memorable moment in Vietnamwas visiting a local kindergarten in the countryside. Theclassroom was a one-room building alongside rice fieldsand with the backdrop of mountains. There was no pro-tection on their windows, the walls were chipped andfaded, and some children weren’t wearing shoes, whileothers wore sandals. Inside were about five small tableswith about six children at each table, who were excitedto see us and welcomed us with Vietnamese songs. As afuture educator, I took particular notice of their class-room conditions. There were no colors, toys, games orcommon educational resources. The only thing thisclassroom had were posters of numbers and letters anda portrait in the middle of the classroom of Ho ChiMinh, the father of Vietnamese independence.

Vietnamese culture is based on Confucian practiceand Buddhist beliefs. Their ideology of leaving the pastbehind and living in the present defines the way theylive and view themselves as people. They make the mostout of their days whether it is plowing the fields, sellingcrafts to tourists or paying respects to their ancestors andgods in order to ensure a better future for themselves.

“During the day, the streets were booming withpeople getting food for dinner and tourists shoppingfor souvenirs. At night the streets died down and glistened with

Vietnam: A Host of Variety

Left, Fuchs enjoys a sip

from a fresh coconut;

center, gate to the Imperial

City in Hue; right, street scene

and French-style building

in modern-day Hanoi.

K I E R ST E N : During the trip we all collected unused toi-letries from our hotel rooms to give to our tour guidesto share with their families or others we met along theway. Our guide in Central Vietnam, Phu, made arrange-ments for us to take a picture with a water buffalo on theside of the road, courtesy of a small farming family. Whenthe bus stopped, a young boy and his older brother werewaiting for us with their water buffalo. We gave themsome money and toiletries in exchange for taking pic-tures with us. They were so grateful that we came, andboth boys had smiles on their faces as we drove away.

K I E R ST E N : Some of the most memorable parts of Viet-nam were our overnight cruise in Ha Long Bay and theovernight train from Northern to Central Vietnam. HaLong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was a mir-aculous place and one of the most intriguing I have everseen. There are thousands of mini mountains rising dra-matically from the water, all different shapes and sizesand mostly covered with trees. Taking an overnightcruise on a traditional Asian flat-bottomed boat knownas a junk made it more enjoyable. I could sit on my bal-cony, stare into the bay and be completely content.Women on small fishing boats would approach our boatand want to sell us things. It was quite fascinating to seehow these tiny women maneuvered the boat four timestheir size. Another memorable part of my trip was tak-ing the overnight train from Hanoi to Hue (the distanceof San Francisco to Los Angeles). We met backpackerson board from all over the world. Being in one smallplace with so many different cultures from Australia toItaly was a great experience.

CambodiaK R I S SY: Cambodian people are humble and generousand work hard toward rebuilding their country. Havingendured the genocide of the Khmer Rouge regimeunder Pol Pot, Cambodians today live in the present and

focus on the future. The remnants of the genocide stilllinger with the pain of loved ones lost, the Tuol SlengPrison and the Killing Fields. One notable differencewith Vietnam is how Cambodians approach their art andlandscaping. While the Vietnamese use landscapes andChinese-influenced symbols in their work, especiallyturtles and Buddhas, Cambodian culture is shaped byneighboring Thai and Indian influences, with their useof the brightest colors and elegant forms. Per their econ-omy, we learned that 75 percent of Cambodia remainsagricultural, and most of the men work on farms. Yetdeveloping a skill in traditional handicrafts can givewomen and men the opportunity to learn a valuabletrade, go through a formal apprenticeship, and thus sup-plement their families’ income. These handmade prod-ucts are then sold to tourists in order to keep theprogram running and to stimulate their rural economy.

Cambodia’s main icon is Angkor Wat (meaningTemple City). Built in the 12th century, this massivestone complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It isbeyond breathtaking, and it was extremely interesting tosee the ruins and learn how they were constructed. Thecarvings on the walls of Angkor Wat describe the Khmerpeople in their daily lives and their perspectives on theworld, with dedicated temples that honor the blend ofHindu and Buddhist traditions. Another impressive ruinwas Angkor Thom, the site on which the movie “TombRaider” was filmed. Here we had an incredible oppor-tunity to ride elephants through the Bayon Temple withits elaborate maze of corridors and courtyards. Everytemple, pagoda or shrine is faced in a specific directionwith every element present for a balance in life.

K I E R ST E N : The elephant ride around the Bayon Tem-ple was one of the most exciting moments of my life. Ihave never been anywhere near an animal of that size, andto be riding one around ancient ruins was remarkable. Itgave me a sense of how the Khmer people used elephants

“The carvings on the walls of Angkor Wat describe the Khmer people in their daily lives and their

, with dedicated temples that honor the blend of Hindu and Buddhist traditions.”

1 8 F D U M A G A Z I N E

as a transportation devise. At first I was swaying back andforth, but I got used to the motion after a few minutes.

At Angkor Wat, I climbed the center tower for anincredible view of the temple grounds. I saw the Westand North gates, Ta Prohm temple, Preah Khan and Baphuon. I climbed so high up the hill of Ta Prohmthat I could see Angkor Wat from a distance. My mostprized souvenirs from Angkor Wat are a watercolorpainting of the West Gate by a young local and a walletching from inside the temple, where the artist takesdamp rice paper, presses it against a stone carving and letsit dry so the paper becomes raised from the carving.

Reflections on the JourneyK R I S SY: I learned a lot about the living conditions,history and culture of Vietnamese and Cambodian peo-

TO P, I S TO C K P H OTO ; B OT TO M , F R O M L E F T, C O U RT E S Y O F C H R I S T I N E B A L D A S S A R E , I S TO C K P H OTO

S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 2 1 9

Cambodia: Land of the Exotic

Top, one of Cambodia’s

historic sites Angkor Wat

at sunset; lower left,

Krissy Baldassare, left,

and Kiersten Fuchs ride an

elephant on the grounds

of Angkor Thom/Bayon

Temple; lower right, view

from inside a motorized

tuk-tuk on the streets

of Phnom Penh.

ple. What I learned the most was their dedication andwork ethic to their countries and to their families striv-ing to make a better future. The past is the past, and ifthere is one thing I can take away from this trip it is thathard work, perseverance and forgiveness make for a bet-ter person and life.

K I E R ST E N : Spending time in Vietnam and Cambodiagave me an outlook on a way of life that I could neverhave fully understood without going to these develop-ing countries. Seeing how the people day in and day outwork to support their families on the little that they havetruly gave me a sense of responsibility and graciousnessfor what I have. These are beautiful and welcomingplaces, and I would highly recommend a visit to anyoneinterested. This was one trip I will never forget!

2 0 F D U M A G A Z I N EP H OTO G R A P H S : M A R K G I L L E T T/ J U N G L E M O O N I M A G E S ;

TO P R I G H T, C I M B A L LY/C E R V E L ; B OT TO M , L E F T TO R I G H T :C I M B A L LY/ S A U L E M ; © K O RT E B E I N ; C A R O LY N S C H A E F E R

theultimateraceAlumnus Conquers Sahara Marathon .. By Angelo Carfagna

been called the ultimate marathon and thetoughest race on Earth. Part long-distance run and part survival quest, theMarathon des Sables (MDS), or the Marathon of the Sands, is an incredi-bly grueling, six-day race covering more than 150 miles through the Saharadesert in southern Morocco. .Under the unrelenting rays of the sun withmidday temperatures that can reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit, runners musttrudge on uneven, rocky ground and over sand dunes, covering the dis-tance of six regular marathons. Along the way, they also must carry every-thing they will need in backpacks. And, they need to prepare their ownfood, without a drive-through in sight. .Why gothrough a physical and mental endurance test thatstretches the boundaries of reason? How can one pos-sibly prepare? What concerns and challenges arise during such an ordeal? What thoughts weigh heavilyas the mind and body near their limits? And what isthe biggest thrill when all is said and done? . FDUalumnus Samir Kabbaj, BS’94 (T), MA’97 (T), MBA’97(T), well knows the agony and the ecstasy of this difficult competition. The native of Morocco hascompleted not one but two Marathons of the Sands,wrapping up his second in April. . “It’s amazing. It’sso grueling,” Kabbaj says. “You experience a range ofemotions. You cry, you laugh, but you can’t give in.”

Alumnus Samir Kabbajand other runners compete

against themselves and

nature in the grueling Marathon

of the Sands. In the top row,

left photo, runners at the

starting line. Middle row, right

photo, tents provide a brief

respite from the elements

until the next leg of the race

begins. Bottom right photo,

Kabbaj relishes the taste

of the triumph, biting into his

heard-earned medal.

“It’s amazing. It’s so You experience arange of emotions.You cry, you laugh, but you can’t give in.”

grueling.

–– Samir Kabbaj, BS’94, MA’97, MBA’97 (T)

2 2 F D U M A G A Z I N E P H OTO G R A P H : © K O RT E B E I N

occurred on the fourth day, when he had to trek 51miles, the last 20 of which covered nothing but sanddunes. Kabbaj’s leg covering broke, and his sneakers be-came full of sand. “I forced myself to change socks stand-ing in the heat twice,” he recalls. “By the time I got tothe next water stop, I was dehydrated and had to tape myfeet.As I was leaving the water stop, I was telling myself,there’s no way I can make it.”

Down the road another mile, Kabbaj ran into afriend of his, who told him that he couldn’t move anymore and that he was quitting. “Suddenly somethingclicked in my head,” Kabbaj remembers, “and I told him,‘You are not quitting, and we are doing this together.’”That was around 4 p.m. After stopping to cook some-thing to eat, Kabbaj says the two did not sleep until arriving at the end of that part of the course at 5:30 a.m.“It was so fulfilling to overcome that hurdle. I think wewere in another state of mind. We were like robots.”

After the slow day four, Kabbaj’s ranking fell to 680.“I gave it my all the last two days to get up to 499. I actually got dehydrated at the end of day five and faintedas I crossed the finish line, but I chose not to get an IVbecause that would have added 30 minutes to my time.”

The Sequel

In 2012, Kabbaj was determined to improve on hisperformance. To prepare, he ran six marathons, and

often ran with his 25-pound backpack. Still, he couldn’tbe sure what to expect. The itinerary of the race is dif-ferent every year, and competitors are not given the roadmap until a day before the race starts. “You can never say,‘I’ve done the MDS,’ because if you do it 10 times, it’sgoing to be 10 completely different experiences.”

Kabbaj says that in 2012 he may have started a bittoo confident. “The first time you run this race, you’rescared, the second time, you take it for granted,” he says.“You have forgotten the pain and how hard it was, youonly remember the good times. But days one and twosmack you in the face.”

Writing to friends from the course on the first day,he told them that he nearly got dehydrated, his ear wasburned from the sun, and he “forgot how difficult this

Desert Run I

K abbaj, a financial services professional (see sidebar),says he always loved running, but became serious

about the sport in 2000 after watching the track-and-field events at the Olympic games in Sydney, Australia.“I ran my first marathon in New York City in 2006,” he recalls, “and since then I have run 13 marathons, one ultramarathon and two Marathons of the Sands.”

Kabbaj says the Marathon of the Sands sets the barfor all endurance tests. “It is by far the most challengingthing I have ever done.”

In his first desert run in 2010, he ranked 499 out of1,040 competitors, successfully reaching his goal of fin-ishing in the top 500. The moment of truth, he says,

“You are pushing yourself to the limit and

S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 2 2 3

was.” The course was tougher than two years ago, andthe competitors needed to climb mountain ranges.

Day two was even rougher. Kabbaj says he was“completely dehydrated” and was forced to spend anhour at the clinic getting medical assistance. “I almostdropped out.”

But again he refused to relent. “From that point on,I was more careful about staying hydrated, and I was de-termined to finish strong.”

Kabbaj says in those tough times he had help. “Thething that keeps me going,” he wrote along the route, “isthe messages I get every night and the encouragementalong the way from other competitors.”

He would face another serious test. During a two-hour span, the competitors were hit with a sandstorm,then rain and a freakishly rare hailstorm in the desert.“It was not very pleasant, sand is all over you, and thenthe wet sand sticks to you.”

Still, he endured, with a stoic attitude. “I have onlyblisters and will lose four toenails,” he wrote at one point,“but that is very good compared to everybody else.”

Kabbaj says that blisters are just par for the course.“The question is not whether you will get blisters, buthow many you will get.”

Despite’s nature’s hazards, the desert charms canprove rewarding. “The scenery is breathtaking,” Kabbaj

says. “There are no buildings, no construction, nohuman life, just a camel from time to time. And sandand dunes and dry rivers and an oasis. Just amazing.”

In the midst of such surroundings, Kabbaj relishedthe personal test. “You are pushing yourself to the limitand challenging yourself, but it’s incredible how much a determined person can do.” After a point, he says, itbecomes “all mental, because you are physically gone.”

His mental strength proved decisive, and Kabbaj didindeed top his earlier finish, this time ranking 430.

While he is satisfied with his individual perform-ance, he perhaps most enjoyed the solidarity with the other competitors. “There are people from about 40 countries represented, and you just bond witheverybody,” he says. “The people in your tent at night become part of your life, and they see you in emotional,physical and mental stages that your closest friends andfamily never see.”

Kabbaj says the intense routine becomes addictive.“The day after the race, I was ready to keep going. Itwasn’t until a couple of days later that the aches andpains set in.”

But after some downtime, he’s ready for the nextchallenge: training for the Ironman Triathlon in NewYork City. “You always need to challenge yourself,” hesays. “You want to push yourself so you can grow.”

Marathon of the SandsApril 8–14, 2012

Competitors at the Starting Line

849Number Who Dropped Out

54Oldest Competitor

80Youngest Competitor

18 Countries Represented

42Total Distance

155 milesNoon Temperature on Day One

96 degrees

A B O U T S A M I R K A B B A J

Samir Kabbaj, BS’94 (T), MA’97 (T), MBA’97 (T), is a partner and chief operating officer at Overture Financial, New York, N.Y., a global pro-

vider of institutional consulting services. Kabbaj co-founded the firm in 2005 and focuses on sovereign wealth funds, central banks, social

security systems and financial institutions. From 1997 to 2004, he was a vice president with Merrill Lynch and was responsible for the imple-

mentation of the Merrill Lynch Wealth Management Process Analytics covering Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. He was

awarded the Merrill Lynch Special Achievement Award in 2004.. A native of Morocco, Kabbaj traveled abroad to study at FDU because

a friend recommended the University. He was active on campus, received the student Pinnacle award and was the senior class speaker

at his Commencement. He later was an adjunct professor of mathematics at FDU from 1997 to 2005. . Kabbaj credits his undergradu-

ate adviser Wallace Arthur, now professor emeritus of electrical engineering and physics, for playing a major role in his success. “He

was so supportive and was a big part of being who I am today,” he says. “In times when I doubted myself, he made me believe in my

abilities. He always pushed me to do better. . “He also made me part of his family and welcomed me to his house for every holiday

celebration,” he adds. . When Kabbaj first completed the Marathon of the Sands, waiting for him at the finish line was his dear friend

and FDU mentor, Wallace Arthur. “That’s what’s so great about my experience at FDU,” Kabbaj says. “People care!”

but it’s incredible how much a determined person can do.”

Living the Global Mission

Top: FDU-Vancouver

students have a

discussion in the

presentation room;

bottom, from left:

the exterior facade

of FDU-Vancouver;

Ira Saini, an FDU-

Vancouver student

originally from

India; and a view

of the Vancouver

waterfront.

The diversity, the global experience and thepromise of being more deeply involved with theUnited Nations all seemed too irresistible.

“”

— Ira Saini, Business Administration/Information Technology

S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 2 2 5

2 6 F D U M A G A Z I N E

got the librarian position on campus. … it was the be-ginning of my active involvement with the University.”

Sanadizadeh, as president of the FDU-VancouverAlumni Chapter, hopes to provide the campus’s grad-uates with “a platform to remain connected with theirschool, social and professional networking events andsocial networking through Facebook and LinkedIn.”

Mac is honing his leadership skills as vice presidentof the Students Association, co-founder of the FDUHOBN Student Chapter and a Global Scholar. He andShayan Pouramahdi, a junior in business administration,founded HOBN with the help of Mort and GeorgeMoen, the president of Blenz Coffee (the second largestcoffee chain in Canada). “HOBN stands for High Out-put Business Network. It is a large British Columbiannetworking organization where real business gets donethrough real, trusted and relevant relationships,” he says.

Some of the student activities are based on localhobbies and activities in this Northwest region. Stu-dents go kayaking and skiing and paddle a longboat.True to FDU’s global mission, students celebrate holi-days and festivals from their fellow students’ homelands.

Degree Programs Doubled Within Five Years

To encourage growth, the University quickly addedto the offerings up North, bringing the bachelor of

arts in individualized studies (BAIS) and master of administrative science (MAS) programs to the campus.An additional 78 students have enrolled in the BAIS sinceit began in spring 2011. The MAS has attracted 246 students since it was first offered in summer 2011.

“The curriculum taught at FDU is much morecomprehensive than similar schools, as it goes beyond theworld of business, commerce or technology,” saysSanadizadeh. “The Core course series encompasses awide range of topics in social studies, critical and culturalstudies as well as world literature. I think that particularcombination of material prepared me for real-world sit-uations in a much more efficient and practical way thana purely business-oriented curriculum would have.”

The addition of the BAIS and MAS has helped toboost enrollment to more than 400 students today.Spring 2012 enrollment numbers shot to 224 under-graduate students from 33 countries and 181 graduatestudents from 17 countries.

“Progress is noticeable in all areas of our growingcampus,” says Abrahams. The variety of cultures repre-sented makes FDU-Vancouver attractive to students.Mac says his favorite thing about FDU-Vancouver is itsmulticulturalism. “Here at FDU you can meet tons ofinteresting people from tons of interesting countries. Itis like a buffet of cultures but you never get full of it.”

Beat Ryf, a sophomore from Switzerland whocame to Vancouver with his wife and child, says what at-tracted him to FDU-Vancouver was that he “wantedto do a study in English” and “the smaller class sizes anddowntown location” appealed to him. “The city is veryfriendly and has a lot to offer for all kinds of people.”

Local Roots/Global Mission

W hen FDU-Vancouver first opened, extra effortwas taken to integrate the campus into the city

Fast Facts:FDU-Vancouver

1. Opened in fall 2007

in the Yaletown area of

the city of Vancouver,

British Columbia, Canada.

2. Opened with population

of 18 students from seven

countries on five continents.

3. FDU-Vancouver has

doubled the number

of degrees offered since

it opened.

4. The campus is doubling

its space by renting the

second floor of its building.

For more

information on

FDU-Vancouver go to:www.fdu.edu/vancouver.

P H OTO G R A P H S : F R O M L E F T, I S TO C K P H OTO/ S T E V E R O S S E T T,L I N D A K U I T, K U I T, A RT P E T R O S E M O LO , K U I T

S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 2 2 7

A Growing Success

From left: A view of

downtown Vancouver

across False Creek;

FDU-Vancouver Provost

Cecil Abrahams; Hyowoon

Jang, a junior from Korea

majoring in business

administration; students

study together in the

campus’s lounge;

Classmates Denice Uy,

BS’12 (V); Laura Sisniega,

a junior; and Beat Ryf,

a sophomore.

of Vancouver. Students live with local host families oron their own. Local organizations such as Rotaract, aCanadian service organization similar to the U.S. Ro-tary Club, welcome student participation. In fact, soph-omore business administration major Luis Céron istreasurer of the Vancouver Rotaract chapter.

FDU-Vancouver has also built strong ties with theU.N. ministries based in Vancouver. Abrahams says, “Weextended our public reach into the British Columbiandiplomatic community by establishing a very successfulDiplomatic Circle Series of monthly presentations byconsuls general from around the world where subjectslike the European debt crisis, the Syrian and Arab Springand Cuba are discussed.

“We have twinned this series with a DistinguishedVisitors Series, allowing us to bring to campus peoplewith high reputations and experience in the academic,corporate and nongovernmental organization worlds.”

Whenever possible, events are open to the greaterpublic. Last November, the largest audience at an FDU-Vancouver event to date heard Aleida Guevara, a pedi-atrician, human-rights advocate and the daughter ofthe legendary revolutionary Ernesto “Che” Guevara,speak. Students, faculty, staff, the Vancouver public andthe media filled two large auditoriums.

In other global activities, a group of FDU-Van-couver students participated in the World ModelUnited Nations Conference — attended by 2,000 del-egates from around the world and held at the Vancou-ver Convention Centre. Participants debated andengaged in diplomacy and visited area sites. Ten student

representatives from FDU-Vancouver served as theModel U.N. Delegation from Lithuania.

Not all of FDU-Vancouver’s cultural exchangetakes place in British Columbia, however. Students fromFDU-Vancouver have attended international confer-ences abroad as well. Thy Truong, a junior majoring inbusiness administration, Céron and Saini were selectedto attend the 2011 Education Without Borders, a bi-ennial international student conference held in Dubai.Denice Uy, BS’12 (V), also a business administrationmajor, visited the Metropolitan Campus last summer toparticipate in the course Inside the U.N., an investiga-tion of international power and diplomacy through abehind-the scenes-look at the United Nations.

Looking Forward

By the opening of the fall semester, FDU-Van-couver will have doubled its floor space. Renting

the space above FDU-Vancouver’s current location, saysAbrahams, “will allow for more class space, more studyand library space, an increased number of offices … andmore recreation and social space.”

And, says Abrahams, “we would like to introducean MS in computer science, an MBA and a master’s de-gree in tourism and hospitality.”

When asked what she would like to see the futurehold for FDU-Vancouver, Saini says, “I would want tosee it grow even bigger in all aspects — size, population,recognition, diversity and education. That would be mydream — to see even more ‘smiling faces’ adorning itshalls everyday.”

2 8 F D U M A G A Z I N E P H OTO G R A P H : T K

PROVOST TO

PROVOST:Kenneth Greene and Peter Woolley7

P H OTO G R A P H S : D E B O R A H F E I N G O L D S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 2 2 9

I n t e r v i e w s b y K e n n a C a p r i o

FDU MAGAZINE : Let’s discuss the position ofprovost …K E N N E T H G R E E N E : In the 1990s, FDUadopted the campus provost structure, and thedean of the Maxwell Becton College of Arts andSciences, Peter Falley, became provost. He askedme to be assistant provost, and since I had beenchair of the social sciences and history departmentfor a number of years, I said “Why not?” A few years later,I became the associate provost. Then, in 2002, when Falley retired, I was appointed provost.

FDU MAGAZINE: What advice do you have for Peter Woolley as he takes on your position?KG: Because you are involved in the academic budgets, youwork closely with the college deans. Almost daily you arealso in contact with the dean of students and the directorsof public safety and athletics. And you often discuss issueswith the directors of the Honors Program, the EducationalOpportunity Fund, the Academic Support Center, the Office of Disability Services and the facilities department.A lot of balls are up in the air, and you just pray they don’tcome down at the same time. (laughs)

I think it is important that a provost have a vision. Myvision was to have the College at Florham become an ex-ceptional small college. That vision guided almost every

change I implemented and every decisionI made.

In my first month as provost, Presi-dent J. Michael Adams told me, “You’llnever have time to get everything you wantdone.” That was reassuring. So, I’ve learned to prioritize.Another thing that I’ve found important is

that when I’m in the office, I’m available. UnlessI’m working on some project, my door is open.When you have an open-door policy, it’s diffi-

cult to manage your time as well as you’d like. But the trade-off is worth it because you can meet informally with people.

You also need a sense of humor. There are so manyunusual things that happen on the campus, you need tolearn how to shrug your shoulders and smile. And thensolve the problem.

FDU MAGAZINE: Do you have big retirement plans?KG: I don’t have any big plans — play more golf, read more,do a little traveling, spend time at our cabin in Maine anddo some home remodeling. One thing that concerns meis that there’s so much going on in the office every day, andthat all of a sudden when I retire, the activity will stop.How will I adjust to that?

Pam, my wife, has been babysitting two days a weekfor our granddaughter. But next year Melina will be inkindergarten, so Pam and I will be at home together. She’salready told me I can play as much golf as I want. (laughs)

Kenneth Greene:Reflections on a small college

T

Pictured at left: Provosts past and present Kenneth Greene, right, and Peter Woolley flank the chair in the College at Florham provost's office.

7Provost Kenneth Greene

he social sciences and history department at the College at Florham seems to have a knackfor producing campus provosts. Both Peter Woolley, who assumed the position July 1,and Kenneth Greene, recently retired from it, started out in the same department. Infact, it was Greene who hired Woolley 24 years ago. Greene, who has served the Uni-versity for 38 years and retired this summer, often describes himself as the “accidentalprovost,” while Woolley, a professor of political science and director of the University’spolling group The PublicMindTM, applied for the position. Yet, despite their differences,the two agree that the tone of an institution depends upon its leadership; that the Collegeat Florham has arrived as a small college; and that developing a rapport with faculty, staffand students is critical for success. Read on for these provosts’ insights in their own words.

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We live in Chatham, and we plan to continue to attendevents on the FDU campus. After 38 years here, the College atFlorham will still have an important place in our lives.

FDU MAGAZINE : What are your thoughts on being a campus leaderthrough both good times and bad?KG: Most of the time things go well, the problems are small, andyou can talk with the deans and directors about ways to improvethe educational experience. That’s when being provost is very re-warding, having an impact on our students’ lives. Occasionally,the problems are serious, and you need to go into crisis mode.We’ve had power outages, water main breaks, hurricanes, snow-storms, bomb threats and a norovirus outbreak. When faced withthese problems, I call together the emergency management team,and we call in experts if needed.

For example, when the norovirus outbreak hit campus, wecontacted public-health officials. We asked what we needed todo, and they told us. We did everything they asked and more. Asa result we were able to contain the outbreak, and we receivedvery positive media coverage of our handling of the situation.

What I have learned from these difficult situations is thatyou need to keep the campus community informed. The morethey know, the more they understand what needs to be done andthe more they can help.

FDU MAGAZINE : Of what accomplishment during your FDU tenureare you most proud?KG: What I am proud of is the progress we have made in the last10 years. We have a more active intellectual community with in-creased student involvement in campus life; both of which arehallmarks of an outstanding small college. We have extensive ac-tivities and programs that take learning beyond the classroom. Wealso have significantly improved the campus facilities.

FDU MAGAZINE : What will set you and Peter Woolley apart asprovosts?KG: I think that every provost has his or her own style. AndPeter’s will emerge. A provost’s style will be a combination ofcircumstances, what you want to accomplish as provost and yourpersonality.

The two agree that the depends as a small college; and that developing a rapport with faculty, staff

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Peter Woolley:Ushering in a new era

FDU MAGAZINE : What does taking the provost posi-tion mean to you?PETER WOOLLEY: The attractive thing about col-leges and universities is that it isn’t a hierarchy. Theword college implies colleagues. (That being said)an outsider would see taking over as provost as a pro-motion. But if you had to make a list of the most im-portant people on a university campus, a provost wouldprobably come out at or near the bottom because youcan’t do it without other people. Student experience isbased on interaction with faculty. Working and learningexperiences depend on maintenance and food staff. Student suc-cess relies a great deal on support services like tutoring and thewellness center. (I see) the job of provost as one of an organizer,facilitator, traffic cop.

FDU MAGAZINE : What are your goals for the campus? PW: I think everybody is agreed that this physical campus is agreat resource; and if you’re going to have bricks and mortar, thatthis is a great place to have a residential college experience. Andso really then, it’s a matter of nurturing the physical facilities anda matter of nurturing the campus life.

I think sometime in the future, there will be two higher education experiences: a virtual experience and a bricks-and-mortar experience. Clearly, the mission of this campus is goingto be, fundamentally, a residential experience. But, all the luxu-ries and advantages you get with Internet learning have to berecognized too.

Circling back around, I’d like to ultimately make this a des-tination campus for people who want a campus experience.

FDU MAGAZINE : What projects would you like to spearhead?PW: I think one piece that maybe has been missing on the cam-pus that I’d be interested in seeing added is a TV studio. We havesuch a vigorous film program now that it seems to me that itmakes sense to have a production studio.

We’d start it small — NJTV is installing one of their TVs oncampus, just one camera. So they’ll be able to do quick media

hits on our faculty experts. We’d like to have NJTV doat least one interview a week with faculty who havesomething to offer.

I think there are a lot of talented faculty whocan be talking to the media on their areas of ex-pertise. And I think that’s something we shouldcultivate a little more.

There’s a lot of people in the media who arecontent hungry. And we produce content. Whether

you’re faculty or a film student, you’re producing con-tent. So I think somehow, put those two together.

FDU MAGAZINE : What will set you and Kenneth Greeneapart as provosts?

PW: It’s not like working for a corporation, where from the mo-ment you’re punching a clock, somebody’s looking at you, tellingyou what to do and measuring you and you’re confined to a cu-bicle doing it. And that’s why people are drawn to work in theseorganizations, right? Because you have more room for creativity,more room for decision making. Part of that is managing yourown time and projects, whether you’re on staff, in the faculty orin an administrative position.

The right thing and the natural thing is to make sure you’regetting people to willingly go along. Most administrators in uni-versities who are “top down” find that they’re not successful.

FDU MAGAZINE : Peter, regarding PublicMind™, what will your involve-ment be going forward?PW: We’re going to appoint a new director of PublicMind andthat person will report to me and work closely with me. I have alot of confidence that PublicMind is going to go forward just asit has and be a very significant presence in the national mediaand contribute original research.

I think we at PublicMind have to make a slow transition,because a lot of media contact is personal. People in the media callpeople they know and who they know are reliable and familiar.

FDU MAGAZINE : What are your thoughts and plans for your firstday as provost? PW: My first day, July 1, is a Sunday. (laughs) I’m going to do acampus walk.

7Provost Peter Woolley

on its leadership; that the College at Florham has arrived and students is

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here wouldn’t have been a trip to Wroxton for me ifit had not been for the scholarship.”

— C A R L O S R I V E R A

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SCHOLARSHIPS SET THE STAGE FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL

P H OTO G R A P H : B I L L C A R D O N I

since its founding in1942, Fairleigh Dickinson University has taken great pridein providing access to higher education. The University’smany scholarships and awards have ensured that deter-mined students are provided with an avenue for success.However, the ability to meet the financial needs of FDUstudents has become challenged as the necessity for additional scholarships grows expo-nentially during difficult economictimes. u To meet this challenge, theUniversity has redoubled its effortsto garner scholarship support fromalumni and friends, knowing thatscholarships directly impact the livesof students in wonderful ways. Cov-ering a wide range of interests, needsand abilities, scholarship programshelp students from all walks of life.

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Meetfive FDU students and alumniwhose ambitions were fueled by scholarships,who explored new worldsat the University andwhose dreams are closerto becoming realities.

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Bthat there is this vibe you get when you are among peo-ple who are trying to create art.”

This past January, Rivera went to Wroxton for hissecond residency. “It was a great experience to be inEngland and to be around these writers,” he says.

A recipient of the Mitch and Lynn BaumeisterMFA Scholarship in Creative Writing, Rivera creditsthe scholarship with helping him to achieve his goals.“There wouldn’t have been a trip to Wroxton for meif it had not been for the scholarship,” he explains.

While in Wroxton, Rivera met Jim Crace, a pop-ular writer in England — a meeting, he says, that en-couraged him in his own writing journey. “I used tothink that people who could write a book or even acollection of short stories were almost ‘godlike.’ I hadthis feeling that there was no way that I ever would beable to do anything like that. And then, when I got tomeet these professional writers, and they explained thestruggle and how they go about their craft, I realizedthat it’s all about hard work and practice,” says Rivera.

“I am an educator at heart,” says Rivera. “So it really means a lot to me that benefactors like the

Writer/Teacher Relishes the Journey

efore the sun rises, Carlos Rivera, Jr., a first-yearstudent in FDU’s master of fine arts (MFA) program, isup and writing. “I do my most productive writing very,very early in the morning,” says Rivera. Later in the day,Rivera teaches history at Plainfield [N.J.] High School,where he has taught for the past 16 years. Eventuallythough, he hopes to teach at a higher level. “Teachingcreative writing at a college would be a natural pro-gression for me at this point.”

Rivera says he was drawn to the MFA program by“the reputation of the teachers.” He is specializing inliterary fiction writing. “I try to get as close to what weexperience as possible in my writing,” he says.

While the MFA is largely an online program, thereare residency periods where students spend 10 days ateither the College at Florham or Wroxton College inEngland. The residencies feature visits from distin-guished writers, mentoring and workshops.

“I think the best thing about a residency is thatyou get really close with people who are struggling todo what you’re struggling to do,” says Rivera. “I think

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t has meant a tremendous amount to

me and my family to receive such a generous award.”

— N I C H O L A S W O O D H U L L

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Baumeisters are providing the means for me and otherstudents to continue our educations.” — D.L.

Team Player Focused on the Future

s a student at Hunterdon Central Regional HighSchool in Flemington, N.J., Nicholas Woodhull com-bined his passion for athletics with a need to make adifference in his community. Volunteering with Hunterdon Outreach Program,

which promotes the participation of disabled childrenin athletics, Woodhull was actively involved in lacrosseand basketball. “Athletics allows me to reach out andconnect, to be a part of someone else’s life,” he says. It was his enthusiasm for athletics that brought

Woodhull to FDU’s College at Florham. As a memberof the Class of 2013 and the Devils lacrosse team, oneof his priorities is to “do everything I can to reach mypersonal goals and help the team to achieve its best.”A junior finance major and honors student, Wood-

hull brings the same goal-oriented approach to theclassroom. By all indications, he is well on his way tomaking his mark in the financial services industry. As afreshman, he participated in the Florham Scholars inBusiness program, a highly selective leadership programthat focuses on community service. He participated ina coat drive for the Market Street Mission homelessshelter in Morristown.Woodhull is a member of PhiZeta Kappa, FDU’s junior honor society. He has re-ceived the Outstanding Achievement Award in HonorsEnglish Writing and has been listed on the Middle At-lantic Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Woodhull is currently volunteering with theFriends of Jaclyn Foundation, which seeks to improvethe quality of life for children with pediatric brain tu-mors and their families by pairing them with collegeand high-school athletic teams across the country. Yet, of all his FDU experiences so far, Woodhull

counts the Robert S. Needham Memorial Scholarshipin Business as one of his proudest achievements. “It has meant a tremendous amount to me and my

family to receive such a generous award,” says Woodhull.“It was truly a blessing and could not have come at abetter time. The scholarship has allowed me to focus oncompleting my education at FDU without having to

worry about student loans looming over me. It hastaken a huge financial burden off of my family, and Ican’t express how grateful we are.”Woodhull says he will never forget the day he and

his father met Silberman College of Business DeanWilliam Moore to celebrate this dream come true. “Mydad was beaming. I was so proud,” says Woodhull. “Hedidn’t realize the scholarship is renewable each year.When this was explained to him, he nearly fell off hischair. He jumped up and hugged everyone with tearsin his eyes. It was an amazing moment, and I will nevertake this scholarship for granted.” — A.M.

A Natural Fit in the Classroom

tephanie Arena, BS, MS, MAT’11 (T), is the defini-tion of “exemplary student.” So it’s no surprise that the22-year-old from Hackensack, N.J., has parlayed herpersonal educational aspirations into a teaching career.“At FDU, I was obviously always striving to do my

best,” says the summa cum laude graduate.As a recipient of the Peter Sammartino School of

Education’s Sylvia Sammartino Scholarship and themerit-based Colonel Fairleigh S. Dickinson Scholar-ship, Arena says she’s in a better financial situation thanother graduates her age with student loans. The schol-arships also upped the academic ante for the chemistrymajor. “I knew I should hold myself to a higher standard

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always speak very highly of the FDUteaching program. We havefield experience before weeven do student teaching.”

— S T E P H A N I E A R E N A

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because I was receiving those scholarship honors. Itkind of raised the bar for me,” Arena says.

After graduating from FDU’s QUEST program —completing the five-year BS/MAT program in just fouryears — Arena secured a job teaching biology andchemistry at Pascack Valley Regional High School.

Currently, she teaches sophomores and is enjoy-ing the experience. “Sophomores are more confidentthan freshmen. [They’re] comfortable, they don’t havesenioritis, and they’re in their prime high-school years.”

She notes that the University prepared her well forthe rigors of teaching. “I always speak very highly ofthe FDU teaching program. We have field experiencebefore we even do student teaching. The more schoolsand the more situations you can be exposed to the bet-ter,” Arena says.

One course that stays with her is “methods ofteaching science and math. [We] learned how to ap-proach methods of instruction, and it was really specific,”she says, including “how students can use certain prob-lem-solving strategies.”

Some of those strategies may be helping Arenanow in creating lesson plans. But the perfect lesson plandoesn’t matter if students aren’t focused or they aren’tresponding positively, she says.

“(I learned to) make things into teachable mo-ments instead of forcing them into a lesson plan,” shesays. — K.C.

Humanitarian Finds the Right Path

rowing up outside of Kingston, Jamaica, and laterin Plainfield, N.J., Craig Davis spent quite a bit of timein doctors’ offices, accompanying his grandparentswhen they had appointments.

“I saw how much the doctor and nurses influ-enced my grandparents, and from a young age, I felt likeI wanted to be a part of that,” says the College atFlorham senior.

Davis decided that nursing was the right path forhim, and having just graduated from FDU in May withhis BS in biology, he is planning to go on for a nursingdegree.

“My ultimate goal is that I want to become a nursepractitioner in pediatrics. I absolutely love working withkids,” says Davis. “To be a nurse practitioner, first I haveto get my BSN (bachelor of science in nursing). ThenI need to get my master of science in nursing.”

As a pediatrics nurse practitioner, Davis says,“Someday I would love to work with the Bristol-MyersSquibb Children’s Hospital. I did an internship programthere over the summer, and I absolutely loved it.”

From raising money for cancer research throughbuilding homes with Habitat for Humanity, Davis is al-ways doing something to help someone.

“Davis gives back to the other students,” says BradLevy, associate director of the Educational OpportunityFund (EOF) program at FDU, of which Davis is amember. “He is committed to his fraternity, to charitywork, and he volunteers his time to tutor EOF students.He is someone who doesn’t just talk but does the walkwith it.” Davis is president of Iota Phi Theta fraternityand is active with the Latin Student Organization.

Davis is also the recipient of a William RandolphHearst Foundation Scholarship, which provides finan-cial assistance to EOF students. A state program, EOFfocuses on students with disadvantaged backgrounds —economically and educationally — and offers supportservices such as tutoring and counseling in addition tothe financial-aid component.

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ith this financial assistance, I can

focus on hitting the books, instead of thinking

about ‘Oh how am I going to pay this back.’”

— C R A I G D A V I S

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Davis credits both the EOF program and theHearst scholarship as “excellent opportunities” to ad-vance his education. “With this financial assistance, I canfocus on hitting the books, instead of thinking about‘Oh how I am going to pay this back?’ I feel truly blessedto have received this scholarship.

“I have enjoyed my experience here at FDU a lot,”says Davis. “And no matter where I go, I want to makethe most of that opportunity and impact as many peo-ple in a positive way as I can.” — D.L.

African Native Seeks to Change the World

didn’t speak any English when I first came toFDU,” says honors student Messou “Vanessa” Tamo ofthe Ivory Coast. “This University gave me the chanceto learn the language and begin pursuing my dream ofhelping families in developing countries. I am deeplygrateful for these opportunities.”

A senior at the Metropolitan Campus pursuing adegree in finance, Tamo plans to earn an MBA in fi-nance, to gain a corporate position and to serve as anadjunct business professor in the United States. She saysher ultimate goal is to pursue a PhD in economics andhelp women entrepreneurs in developing countriesthrough improved micro-financing systems. “Enablingwomen to establish and manage their own small busi-nesses is one of the best hopes for long-term growthand sustainability. I want to create the conditions thatprovide women working in the smallest villages to thelargest cities the support and resources they need to suc-ceed. I want to create a pathway for the future, wheremothers can pass along their business skills and experi-ences to their children.”

Tamo says her dream was further solidified whileattending a nongovernmental organization briefing atUnited Nations headquarters. “We had the chance tohear Prof. Joseph Paul Martin from Colombia University,who spoke about the state of human rights,” she recalls.“He highlighted many of Africa’s political, social andeconomic issues. All of us from Africa who were part of the FDU delegation felt the urge to act on behalf ofour respective countries. His message of investing in thefuture of your country has always stayed with me.”

She says the best part of FDU is the student/pro-

fessor relationship. “My professors provide personal attention. They see to the individual needs of each stu-dent and always make themselves available if you needextra help or just want to talk. It’s very different fromback home where education is much more formal.”

Tamo is a member of Phi Zeta Kappa honor society and the National Society of Leadership andSuccess, and has served as a tutor at FDU’s Center forAcademic Student Services, providing guidance in algebra, calculus, statistics, psychology, finance, comput-ers and French.

She is a recipient of the Alexander S. Potupa Memorial Scholarship and the current holder of the Margareth Bellevan Scholarship for women businessmajors. “Without these scholarships,” she says, “I wouldnot have been able to take part in the U.N. programs,to meet alumni who are accomplished in their fields, aswell as students from all over the world who want tomake a difference in their communities — both hereand at home. I wouldn’t have been able to attend thiswonderful University.” — A.M.

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nabling women to establish andmanage their own small businesses is one of the best hopes for long-term growth and sustainability.”

— M E S S O U “ V A N E S S A” TA M O

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P H OTO G R A P H : J O N AT H A N T I M M E S

“We were on the last truck convoy going into Hue,a few days after the start of the Tet Offensive [in January1968],” Wallace recalls. “I was just a kid from Newark,N.J., 19 years old, who’d wanted to join the MarineCorps. I remember riding into Hue. As soon as thetruck stopped, we engaged in house-to-house fighting.”

Wallace was wounded twice and spent severalweeks in a military hospital. No sooner had he returnedto combat than an incoming mortar round drove afragment of shrapnel through one of his ears. Thejagged chunk of metal stopped barely short of his brain.But what he remembers most is this: “Another Marinerisked his life to carry me to safety.”

Wallace’s combat days had ended. After receivinghis third Purple Heart, he headed back to New Jersey.

The son of a firefighter, Wallace had always wantedto be a policeman or state trooper or maybe even a special agent for the FBI. As a partially deaf disabled veteran, though, he was disqualified from most jobs inlaw enforcement.

But with the help of his VA educational benefits,he put himself through Rutgers University part-time.A few years later, while working at a bank in northernNew Jersey and supporting a young family, he enrolled

RThe Capitol Hill Warrior

OBERT “BOB” WALLACE,MBA’78 (R), receivedthree Purple Hearts as a U.S. Marine in the VietnamWar … but he doesn’t like to talk about how heearned them.

Ask him to describe the 1968 Battle of Hue —one of the great struggles of the Indochina conflict —and the executive director of the Veterans of ForeignWars (VFW) Washington Office will fall silent for afew moments.

Then, in a somber, barely audible voice: “Nobodylikes war. Nobody likes what happens during a battle.”

Push him for details about his life-and-deathstruggle at Hue, and he will hesitate again. Then: “BobWallace is not a hero; Bob Wallace is just another Marine. I did what I had to do, that’s all — just like allthe other Marines who fought in Vietnam.”

It would be hard to disagree with him. And yetWallace’s story reads like a chapter out of The GreenBerets … as he describes carrying a heavy anti-tankweapon (a 106mm recoilless rifle) through the streetsof a burning city day after day while enemy soldiersfired at him from doorways and rooftops.

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FDUAlumniProfiles of success, innovation and compassion

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in “a really innovative MBA program in banking atFDU’s Rutherford Campus.”

The program included “a highly challenging grad-uate course where the students operated a [fictional]bank together,” Wallace recalls. “You really got a hands-on experience of what running a bank is all about.

“That course opened my eyes to some very crea-tive concepts in banking — and it has stood me in goodstead.” After earning his MBA, Wallace became vicepresident at two major New Jersey banks over the next15 years.

He was also rising rapidly through the VFW’s stateand national leadership ranks. Having been namedVFW national “Commander-in-Chief” for 1991–’92,Wallace served on a wide variety of state and nationalcommittees and task forces. He also spent two years asdeputy commissioner for veterans affairs in the NewJersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. Hehas worked full-time for the VFW since 1996.

In 2001, Wallace was named executive director oftheVFW’s Washington Office, where he’s spent the past11 years working to protect and expand health, educa-tion and rehabilitation benefits for the nation’s veterans.(Current VFW membership numbers 1.6 million.)

As the VFW’s chief spokesperson in Washington,Wallace has traveled to Vietnam nine times, Russia ninetimes, Laos four times and Cambodia once to work outdetails for locating deceased American MIAs and bring-ing them home for proper burial in the United States.

He says his “most satisfying moment so far” oc-curred with the 2008 passage of the GI Bill for the 21stCentury (formally, the Post-9/11 Veterans EducationalAssistance Act), which greatly expanded education ben-efits for America’s combat veterans. “We worked hardfor 10 years to win passage of that bill,” he says, “and oneof the happiest days of my life was the day President[George W.] Bush signed it into law.”

These days, Wallace shuttles endlessly betweenCapitol Hill, the White House, VA headquarters and

{ }Wallace has spent the past 11 years working to protect and expand health, education and rehabilitation

benefits for the nation’s veterans.

the U.S. Pentagon. While calling frequently on policy-makers and administrators, he works relentlessly to keepthem “up to the minute on the needs and concerns ofall our veterans.” Among his concerns are the long-termeffects of traumatic brain injury on wounded veteransand the currently soaring rates of suicide among U.S.combat veterans and noncombat soldiers alike.

“America’s combat veterans gave their countryeverything they had,” he says. “It’s my job to try andmake sure we give them back as much as they’ve givenus.”— T.N.

Still Pursuing “The Impossible Dream”

HEN ELSA NUNEZ, MA’73 (M),was studying international literature as an FDU grad-uate student in the early 1970s, she read a novel thatchanged her life.

Forty years later, now a highly successful uni-versity president, Nunez still loves to talk about thebook that helped to launch her remarkable career inhigher education.

“We read Don Quixote, and that was a life-chang-ing experience for me,” says the president of EasternConnecticut State University (ECSU) while describ-ing the impact of Miguel de Cervantes’ classic novel.“Here was a marvelous story about a man who refusesto give up his idealism — his dream of justice and dig-nity for all — even though the entire world keepstelling him he’s crazy! For me, reading and talkingabout Don Quixote was a life lesson about the powerwe all have to accomplish our dreams.”

A native of Puerto Rico whose father worked ina Newark, N.J., air conditioner factory during herchildhood (she came to America at age 6), Nunez stillremembers the excitement she felt in that long-agoseminar on the history of the novel. “Don Quixote is

Curriculum Vitae:Robert Wallace, MBA’78 (R)

MajorBusiness Management for Bank Managers

What You Didn't KnowReceived three Purple Hearts as a U.S. Marine in the Vietnam War

Notable AccomplishmentThe 2008 passage of the GI Bill for the 21st Century(formally, the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act), which greatly expanded educationbenefits for America’s combat veterans.

InspirationWhen he was injured by flying shrapnel, “another Marine risked his life to carryme to safety.”

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P H OTO G R A P H : N I C K L A C Y

Curriculum Vitae:Elsa Nunez, MA’73 (M)

MajorSpanish

What You Didn’t KnowMarried to the

former president of Northeastern University

Richard Freeland

Notable AccomplishmentFirst Latina university

president in New England

Inspiration“For me, reading and

talking about Don Quixotewas a life lesson about

the power we all have to accomplish our dreams.”

one of the most inspiring characters in literature,” shesays. “Of course, I was also struck by [his sidekick]Sancho Panza, who follows him with unswerving loy-alty. … their relationship is one of the great examplesof true friendship in the history of the novel.”

According to Nunez, who went on to earn aPhD in linguistics at Rutgers University, that FDU lit-erature course was “a terrific example of how a liberalarts education can prepare you for a successful career— by teaching you how to think critically and how tothink for yourself.”

Like Quixote, whose comical horseback attackson windmills never fail to makeher laugh, Nunez has taken onher share of hugely difficultchallenges during an academiccareer in which she rose fromthe lifestyle of a typical grad-uate student (Ramen Noodlesand Pop-Tarts at every meal)to become the chief executiveat a major northeastern publicuniversity.

Tapped six years ago totake the helm at ECSU (en-rollment 3,300), Nunez becamethe first Latina university pres-ident in New England — and one of only a half-dozen Hispanic women who now run Americancampuses.

A college professor and administrator who’dearned numerous awards and citations at the Univer-sity of Maine System, Lesley University and the City

University of New York (CUNY), Nunezwas also the co-author of a ground-breaking book, Pursuing Diversity (Jossey-Bass, 1990) which outlined methods for“democratizing” higher education bymaking it more accessible to Latino andAfrican-American students.

After landing at ECSU in 2006, theindefatigable administrator went straightto work on two urgent tasks: expanding

and improving the ECSU physical plant and boostingenrollment among minority undergraduates.

Moving at an all-out sprint, Nunez directed expansion initiatives that produced a brand-new,170,000-square-foot science building and a top-to-bottom renovation of the university’s aging studentcenter. She also designed several programs aimed at forging closer ties with the local community inWillimantic (about 30 miles from Hartford).

But her most significant accomplishments don’tinvolve bricks or mortar. By creating and then effec-tively managing her university’s innovative Dual

Enrollment Program five yearsago, Nunez was instrumental in more than doubling minor-ity enrollment.

Married to the formerpresident of NortheasternUniversity (Richard Freeland,now the Commissioner ofHigher Education for Massa-chusetts) and the mother oftwo grown children (an anaes-thesiologist and a collegecounselor), Nunez says she’s“working harder than ever” toachieve the “impossible dream”

of making an outstanding public liberal arts educationavailable to everyone in America — a dream born, shesays, during her early years as a Puerto Rican immi-grant who gained a keen understanding of how difficult it often is for Hispanic and African-Americanstudents to succeed in the majority culture that sur-rounds them.

“As a university president, I have to spend a lot oftime fundraising and handling numerous administra-tive chores,” she will tell you with a cheerful smile. But,Nunez likes to point out that her favorite recreationalactivity requires nothing more complicated than acouch, a cup of coffee and a book. “Every once in awhile, when I get a few hours to myself, I can go backto doing what I dearly love — sitting down to enjoya great book like Don Quixote!” — T.N.

Nunez says she’s“working harder thanever” to achieve the“impossible dream” of making an

outstanding public liberal arts educationavailable to everyone

in America.[ ]

Alumni

In Tune with the TimesIn a well-noted peformance, FairleighDickinson students band together to melodically greet the University’s first couple,

President Peter Sammartino and his wife, Sally. What was the occasion for this

musical serenade? Do any faces strike a chord? Is your memory in harmony with

the key players? Name that tune! Or at least a few of the musicians.

Send your answers to Rebecca Maxon, editor, FDU Magazine, at maxon@fdu.edu or Fairleigh Dickinson

University, 1000 River Road, H-DH3-14, Teaneck, N.J. 07666.

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With Lances Lined Up The historic event depicted in the last editionwas the 1956 dedication of FDU’s Teaneck Campus (now the Metropolitan Cam-pus). As was customary, several FDU Knights were present, dressed in costumescreated by Hollywood’s Maria Karinska, a friend of Sammartino. Thanks to thereaders who identified, left, Richard Van Vliet, BA’56, MBA’65 (R); third from left,Thomas McCoskey; and, right, Joseph Turcillo Jr., BS’53 (R).

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