MAHWAH, N.J. — �鶹��ý of New Jersey has been awarded a $313,973 grant from the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development to expand its innovative Teacher Aide-to-Teacher Education (TATE) program, a registered apprenticeship designed to address New Jersey’s ongoing teacher shortage while creating clear, affordable pathways for teacher assistants to become certified educators.

The 18-month grant, awarded through the U.S. Department of Labor’s Growing Apprenticeships in Nontraditional Sectors (GAINS) program, will support the enrollment of new registered apprentices across seven North Jersey counties: Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, and Warren. Ramapo’s��The TATE program, launched in 2022, is New Jersey’s first U.S. Department of Labor–registered teacher apprenticeship provider. The expansion of this program reflects the College’s continued leadership in applied learning and workforce development that directly serves the needs of the state.

“This grant allows us to grow a proven model that benefits students, school districts, and communities across New Jersey,” said Dr. Adam Fried, assistant dean of teacher education at �鶹��ý. “By supporting teacher assistants already working in our schools, we are strengthening the educator pipeline and helping address a critical workforce need.”

The TATE program uses an “earn-and-learn” model that allows participants, most often teacher aides or paraprofessionals, to continue working full time in their school districts while completing credit-bearing coursework toward a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. Apprentices may also pursue a streamlined “4+1” pathway to earn a Master of Arts in Special Education.

Participants are officially registered with the U.S. Department of Labor as teacher apprentices and receive paid, on-the-job training alongside academic instruction aligned with New Jersey Department of Education and USDOL standards. The program also provides wraparound support, including academic advising, mental health services, and emergency micro-grants through Ramapo’s We Care Student Relief Fund, helping students overcome financial and life barriers that might otherwise delay degree completion.

The program is designed to help teacher assistants move into certified teaching roles—nearly doubling their earning potential—while helping districts retain educators who already know their schools, students, and communities. By building a reliable, local pipeline of trained teachers, the program supports long-term stability in New Jersey classrooms.

The Havemeyer Arch on the campus of �鶹��ý of New Jersey in Mahwah, Bergen County.

The expansion builds on Ramapo’s existing partnerships with Bergen County Special Services and the Morris Union Joint Commission and extends the program’s reach across the northern region of the state. The grant also advances equity goals by prioritizing participation from underrepresented and disadvantaged populations.

�鶹��ý, the premier public liberal arts college in New Jersey known for its student-centered approach, strong public mission, and commitment to access, equity, and opportunity, has committed to sustaining the program beyond the grant period, ensuring it remains a permanent part of Ramapo’s educator preparation efforts.

Prospective students and school district partners can learn more by visiting or emailing admissions@ramapo.edu.

The agreement, signed by presidents Dr. Cindy R. Jebb of Ramapo and Dr. Merodie A. Hancock of Thomas Edison, in a special ceremony at New Jersey’s State House on December 16, 2025, officially marks the collaborative effort between two of New Jersey’s public institutions that responds to the evolving needs of workforce development and communities across the state.

The LOI outlines the guiding principles that will inform the institutions’ joint work. Ramapo and Thomas Edison will prioritize immediate, student-centered action by focusing on educational access and flexibility for traditional-age students, adult learners and non-traditional populations. Both institutions reaffirm their commitment to academic quality, accreditation standards and institutional autonomy as they explore new ways to connect learners with programs that support their goals. The partnership also emphasizes mutual benefit and long-term sustainability, ensuring that initiatives advance each institution’s mission while generating meaningful outcomes for students. Agility and innovation will guide the collaboration as the institutions work to meet rapidly changing workforce, economic and community development demands.

Under the LOI, Ramapo and Thomas Edison will continue exploring several initial areas of collaboration. These include the development of articulated master’s degree pathways that create seamless transitions from undergraduate programs at one institution to graduate programs at the other. The institutions will also continue to examine opportunities to offer responsive certificate programs, stackable credentials and micro-certificates aligned with emerging workforce trends and career-advancement needs. Additional areas of focus include establishing new degree-completion pathways — particularly those that incorporate prior learning assessment for adult learners and others who have earned credits but have not yet completed a degree — and coordinating student support services such as aligned advising where applicable.

“This agreement reflects the best of what public higher education can offer — collaboration, innovation and an unwavering focus on students,” said Jebb. “We look forward to the work ahead with Thomas Edison State University as we design pathways that are responsive, inclusive, aligned with the needs of today’s learners and also contribute to New Jersey’s workforce development.”

“This Letter of Intent represents a proactive and forward-looking commitment to New Jersey’s learners,” said Hancock. “By leveraging Ramapo’s strengths as a leading public liberal arts college with TESU’s decades of expertise serving adult students through online and flexible learning, we are creating pathways that are both academically rigorous and immediately responsive to the needs of students and employers.”

New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education Dr. Brian Bridges is supportive of the collaborative initiative between Ramapo and Thomas Edison. “This partnership exemplifies how collaboration across New Jersey higher education institutions is working to expand opportunities for all learners and drive innovation in our state,” said Bridges. “As institutions statewide continue to develop and deepen alignment, every New Jersey resident is being empowered to succeed.”

TESU and RCNJ will expedite work to assess, design and prioritize joint initiatives stemming from this agreement. The institutions expect to announce specific program pathways and offerings as they are developed.

MAHWAH, N.J. – U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) released its Best Colleges 2026 rankings today and �鶹��ý of New Jersey, the state’s premier public liberal arts college, has proudly ascended to #8 in the Public Regional Universities-North category, positioning it as the #2 ranked public institution in New Jersey. Ramapo jumped an impressive six points to #21 in the Top Regional Universities-North �����ٱ𲵴ǰ���.��

Most notably, Ramapo broke into the top 100 with a 34-point jump to #85 for the Top Performers on Social Mobility category, the highest increase by a New Jersey institution. Such an increase is testimony to Ramapo’s continued commitment to enroll and graduate students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.��

“Our significant rise in the rankings for social mobility underscores what we have always known to be true—that a public liberal arts education is a wise investment and one of the most powerful engines of opportunity,” said �鶹��ý President Cindy Jebb. “The social mobility of �鶹��ý alumni is a reflection of their focus and determination, the individualized attention provided by our faculty and staff, and our unwavering commitment to ensuring that every Ramapo graduate leaves our campus equipped to shape their future, thrive in a changing economy, and contribute meaningfully to their communities.”

Social mobility refers to the ability to move from one social status to another. In the United States, this often takes the form of upward social mobility, improving one’s socioeconomic standing through education and career opportunities.

The College’s strong commitment to promoting upward social mobility remains steadfast. Targeted programming and funding, such as the $1.3 million Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement grant to support low-income, first-generation, and underrepresented students in STEM and other fields, and the $2.2 million Department of Education grant, which helps re-engage students who started but never completed college, are two examples of initiatives that directly support Ramapo students in earning a college degree and securing gainful employment. These programs offer academic counseling, faculty mentoring, research opportunities, help with graduate school applications, and more. In addition, Ramapo is home to the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Program which provides academic support and financial aid for eligible students, making college more accessible for those who face economic and educational disadvantages.

Ramapo also maintains a strong infrastructure to support upward mobility, including the establishment of its First-Generation and Multicultural Student Centers, both of which focus on supporting students by offering specialized guidance and services. The award-winning�� Peter P. Mercer Learning Commons consolidates academic support services, technology-rich spaces, and study environments, further supporting all students’ academic and personal success.��

Recognizing some of the barriers that prevent students from completing their degree might include facing food insecurity and homelessness, the College’s WeCare Program provides access to fresh food and pantry items through its�� Food Pantry, professional clothing for interviews via its�� Clothing Closet, a partnership with Laptop Upcycle to provide computers to students in need, and emergency relief funding to mitigate financial hardships students may confront, helping them persist and graduate rather than take a leave of absence and possibly not re-enroll.��

One of the most unique offerings for career readiness in�� the nation is the Pathways Program facilitated by the Cahill Career Development Center. All students complete career assessment; resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile development, and interview practice as part of their degree requirements, equipping and empowering them for their career or graduate school paths upon graduation.U.S. News publishes the Best Colleges rankings each year to provide prospective students and their families with the comparative merits of the undergraduate programs at America’s colleges and universities. The rankings offer detailed information of the institutions and data on such as graduation rates, graduate indebtedness and post-graduate earnings.

“U.S. News’ Best Colleges remains a reliable resource for prospective students and their families as they navigate the college selection process,” said LaMont Jones, Ed.D., managing editor for Education at U.S. News. “With over half of the ranking factors dedicated to student outcomes, the rankings and editorial content provide vital data, college advice and informed reporting to every student pursuing higher education.”

To learn more about the power of the affordable and transformative education �鶹��ý delivers, visit ramapo.edu.

Featured Artists:

• Gwen Charles
• Eva Fazzari
• Jackson Hardin
• Jonathan Lipkin
• Ann LePore
• Lori Merhige
• Dylan McLaughlin
• Brian McSherry
• John Peffer
• Zac Skinner
• Jackie Skrzynski
• Joel Weissman

Additional Public Programs for the Visual Arts Faculty Exhibition 2025 include the following:

• Tuesday, September 30, 1:10 – 2:10 p.m. Adler Theatre – Brian McSherry will give a talk on Art as Law / Law as Art
• Thursday, October 9, 1:10 – 2:10 p.m. Berrie Center, Rehearsal Hall BC216 – John Peffer will present the slide slow and audio lecture performance Liner Notes
• Wednesday, October 22, 4:45 – 5:45 p.m. – Dylan McLaughlin will present the performative work Songs of Tempestuous Rising and Falling

Regular Art Galleries Hours in the Berrie Center are Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 1-5 p.m. and Wednesday 1-7 p.m. For further information contact Sydney Jenkins at 201-684-7147 or visit www.ramapo.edu/berriecenter/art-galleries/kresge-pascal/

Mahwah, NJ- For the eighth consecutive year, �鶹��ý is ranked #1 for the best dorms across all public and private colleges and universities in New Jersey, according to Niche in its announcement of the 2026 Best College Dorms in America ranking. Ramapo also remains in the top 1% of colleges and universities nationwide.

What Sets Ramapo Apart

Several features create cost-saving and comfortable experiences for students. Every room, suite, and apartment includes a refrigerator and microwave, which saves families money from the need to buy or rent their own. Additionally, every room, suite, and apartment include a private bathroom, so students do not need to grab a shower caddy and head down the hallway to a communal bathroom. There are individual heating and cooling units in each room, full cable television access is provided, and students can have a car on campus all four years.

Activities are abundant throughout the week and weekends, thanks to the Office of Residence Life team. These events help strengthen community living, keep students engaged, and provide an environment in which to create friendships. A recent addition-turned-tradition is 90 Days of Events, with residence halls offering an activity every night for the first three months on campus. Examples include pizza parties, scavenger hunts, trivia, mocktail & mingle nights, and other opportunities to enjoy free food, relax, and have fun.��

What Students Say

What makes Niche’s ranking a reliable source for students and families is that it includes student reviews in its data analysis. That user-generated feedback means it is not the college marketing to the masses; it is the students sharing their honest on-campus living experiences.

Marketing major Kyra Thomas ‘26 of East Brunswick, NJ, is living in The Village this year. “My dorm feels more like an apartment. I have a full kitchen, a big living room, and more storage space that I know what to do with. The dorms here feel very luxurious!” Each unit in The Village includes four single bedrooms, a full bathroom, living room, dining room, and full kitchen complete with large storage closets. Each bedroom can be locked by the student’s ID for added security and privacy.

Matthew Gonzales ‘26 of Harrison, NJ, has lived on campus since his first year at Ramapo. The visual communication design major and public policy minor shared the impact living on campus has had on his experience as a student. “From my time as a freshman to my current senior year, I have come to understand how important it is to be part of a welcoming community like Ramapo. Each year, I’ve been more involved with clubs and organizations, which has led me to meet so many amazing people. While it can be overwhelming to step inside a room in which you will eventually call home, it’s another thing to step outside and experience a college campus that welcomes you to express and learn about yourself. It’s a new story arc in your life, so make that experience unforgettable.”

Faith Duncan ‘26 of Parsippany, NJ, who studies graphic design, has lived on campus all four years in The Overlook, College Park Apartments, and The Village. “Where do I begin? I love the free laundry and large private bathrooms,” she shared.��

Right across the street from campus, the Ramapo Mountains provide a stunning view from every residence hall. “Watching the seasons change is a big plus. Anywhere you live on campus, you have a beautiful view.” Duncan also loves the public spaces in the halls, too. “Having access to ping pong and pool tables is a big plus. Not only the rooms, but the public spaces are beautiful and inviting.”��

Lisa Gonsisko, who oversees residence life as director, is thrilled about the honor and the dedicated teamwork of the Office of Residence Life staff. “We are proud to once again be named the top residence halls in the state. This honor reflects our commitment to providing state of the art facilities that promote safe, inclusive and supportive housing options for our residential population.”��

Take , watch a of housing options, and view on Instagram to see why �鶹��ý is #1 in New Jersey and one of the best in the United States.����

For two cold cases in Maricopa and Yavapai Counties from 2006 and 2018, that was the challenge for county officials. With help of students and staff in the �鶹��ý of New Jersey Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center (IGG), some 2,500 miles across the country in Mahwah, NJ, the identities of John Does have been confirmed.

Maricopa County

On May 24, 2006, a man was struck by a vehicle near Dunlap Road and the I-17 frontage road in Phoenix, AZ. He later died at the hospital, but not before providing a possible name, John Gradel. The spelling could not be verified before his death, leaving his possible name unconfirmed. He was estimated to be 50-70 years old at the time of his death.

The case was referred to the �鶹��ý IGG Center in September of 2024 by the (MCOME) after traditional means of identification did not yield a confirmed name. A blood card for Gradel was received by who then sent completed data to for bioinformatics on September 30. In October, a genotype profile was successfully created and uploaded to and . The Maricopa Attorney’s Office was also able to provide a potential date of birth for John Gradel, who was known to frequent homeless shelters in the area where he was struck.��

A team of volunteer investigative genetic genealogists, all graduates of the �鶹��ý IGG Certificate Program, built a family tree with all available data. The IGG team was able to identify a niece of the candidate Jon Gradl, who said Gradl had not been in contact with the family for years. The niece agreed to provide a reference sample, and her DNA led to Gradl’s identity being confirmed by MCOME in June of 2025, bringing closure to this 19-year old cold case.��

Yavapai County

The remains of Verde River John Doe were found March 22, 2018 in Yavapai County, AZ. The man was found inside of a sleeping bag after a flood. He was believed to be an unhoused transient person based on the items found with him.

This photo of Tate was taken in 2012 for his official ID card.

The case was referred to the IGG Center by the and the in August of 2023 after traditional means of identification did not yield a candidate. In October of 2023, Doe’s femur was sent to for DNA extraction, whole genome sequencing, and bioinformatics. In May of 2024, the genotype profile was uploaded to and . In June, students in the IGG Center Bootcamp Program developed a potential candidate, Ronald Raymond Tate, born in San Bernardino, CA.

Tate’s sister, his only living full sibling, was also an unhoused individual. Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office worked with community resources to connect with the woman. She agreed to a DNA test that confirmed Tate’s identity one year later in June of 2025.��

Identifying the deceased who were homeless can be difficult. Finding reliable public records and information for people who do not have identification on their persons, who cannot be connected to an address or phone number, who are not in touch with their families or on social media, make developing leads even more challenging. This is where IGG technology, which combines traditional and genetic genealogy and relies on informed consent and publicly available data to provide investigative leads, can help make unknown decedents known again.

“Only the DNA brought us to what we know about these individuals today,” said Cairenn Binder, assistant director of the �鶹��ý IGG Center and director of the IGG Certificate Program.��

To learn more about �鶹��ý and the IGG Center, please visit .��

Mahwah, NJ—�鶹��ý of New Jersey received the 2025 Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award from Insight Into Academia magazine, the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education. The Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award is a measure of an institution’s individual programs and initiatives that significantly advance the core values of inclusive excellence and belonging through programs, initiatives, and many other campus priorities deserving of this national recognition.

Earn that smoothie! This student pedals the bike to power the blender that churns a smoothie at the RCNJ Wellness Fair.

Wellness initiatives are inclusive of the entire Ramapo campus community. The Center for Health and Counseling Services (CHCS) and People Operations and Employee Resources (POER) focus on creating, maintaining, and delivering resources and activities for students, staff and faculty, which supports the College’s strategic plan, Boldly Ascending, in prioritizing “personal well-being by promoting healthy practices and environments.”

“It is an honor to receive this award acknowledging the hard work we do to support the mental health and well-being of our students. However, we don’t do it for recognition; we do it because we are helpers and advocates,” said Judith Green, Psy.D., CHCS director.��

Feedback about POER’s wellness initiatives has been very positive. “People have been truly appreciative of our efforts, big and small,” said Jill Brown, POER director of people operations.�� “We have employees reaching out with suggestions for future offerings and encouraging us to continue with the programming.”

RCNJ employees take yoga during the day as part of the wellness curriculum offered by POER.

Insight Into Academia magazine selected �鶹��ý because it adopted a wellness philosophy for employees that encompasses financial, physical, emotional, social, intellectual, occupational and spiritual health. These offerings include various campus activities such as social gatherings, wellness walks, meditation, yoga, strength training, swimming, tai chi, biometric screenings, wellness vaccines on premises and wellness days.��

The College was also lauded for its work on student wellness. One example, in addition to the standard educational and mental health treatment components, is the wellness room for students. The wellness room features relaxation activities, including yoga mats, coloring activities, a light therapy lamp, massage chair, weighted blanket and stress reduction pamphlets.��

“The Wellness Room is extremely popular with students,” said Green. “Surveys demonstrate that students’ stress levels decrease after they use the resources such as the massage chair, fidget toys, weighted blanket and the tea station.” The College also holds an annual student wellness fair and provides pet therapy multiple times throughout each semester, thanks to a strong partnership with Creature Comfort Pet Therapy.

Students enjoy one of many scheduled pet therapy sessions held on the RCNJ campus.

“We know that institutions are not always recognized for their dedication to their mental health and well-being services and support for their students and employees,” says Lenore Pearlstein, owner and publisher of Insight Into Academia magazine. “We are proud to honor these colleges and universities as role models for other institutions of higher education.”

To learn more about wellness initiatives at �鶹��ý, visit . For more information about the 2025 Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being Award, visit .

The season will kick off on Friday, September 19, with a comedy explosion as The Second City brings “Laugh Harder, Not Smarter” featuring razor-sharp improv and sketches from the troupe that launched Tina Fey and Stephen Colbert. On Saturday, September 27, the swing returns as The Cab Calloway Orchestra, led by Cab’s grandson, Chris Calloway Brooks, keeps jazz’s golden age alive with soul and style.

Families, take note: On Saturday, October 11, Cat Kid Comic Club: The Musical by TheaterWorksUSA brings Dav Pilkey’s beloved characters to the stage in a laugh-out-loud musical adventure. In 2026, Mario the Maker Magician—as seen on The Tonight Show and Sesame Steet—will deliver belly laughs and inspiration for all ages on Saturday, March 14 !

Feel the emotion of New York Voices’ farewell concert featuring holiday favorites on Saturday, December 13. In 2026, enjoy the power and poetic performance of Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers on Saturday, February 7 , and the tremendous legacy of An Evening with Lorna Luft on Saturday, February 28, daughter of Judy Garland, in an evening of Garland’s songs and stories. Don’t miss gospel energy with Mack Brandon’s Gospel Explosion on Saturday, April 25, and the season closes in show-stopping style with Tony Award-winner Lillias White—in The Lillias White Effect on Saturday, May 2.

Tickets are on sale now—secure yours before they’re gone! Tickets and more information can be found at .��

MAHWAH, NJ– An unidentified British man who died in Arizona in 2013 has been given his name back, thanks to students and staff in the �鶹��ý Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) Center. The man, now confirmed to be Michael Sidney Hill, is the first United Kingdom citizen identified using investigative genetic genealogy.

A friend Hill visited in the Phoenix area provided a name and date of birth to the authorities. This information alone could not be used to confirm Hill’s identity. Traditional means of identification employed by (MCOME) also did not yield a positive result. There was no identification on his person, and he had no siblings, children, or close relatives to contact and provide a positive identification. The case remained cold.

Then in May of 2024, MCOME enlisted the help of the Ramapo IGG Center. A group of students who completed the college’s IGG Certificate Program and are on faculty and staff at in the UK worked with the IGG Center team on this case.

On May 14, 2024, a blood card for the decedent was sent by MCOME to where DNA extraction and whole genome sequencing were performed. On July 1, 2024, performed bioinformatics and generated a genotype file.��

With the genotype from the labs, the students were able to demonstrate that distant genetic relatives found in the database were genetically related to Hill. This finding was not strong enough for MCOME to confirm Hill’s identity, however.

To further solidify the findings, the team consulted with , , , , , and the . Although some offices were able to verify Hill’s existence and history of traveling to the U.S., they were not able to find a photograph, fingerprints, or documentation that supported Hill’s identity.��

Additional exploration performed by the IGG team, MCOME, Matthew Waterfield of , and Megan Pasika, led to finding two of Hill’s first cousins once removed. The cousins agreed to provide DNA samples in May of 2025, which helped MCOME confirm Hill’s identity on June 24, 2025.��

IGG combines DNA analysis with traditional genealogy research. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) testing, which uses hundreds of thousands or millions of markers, was employed to help identify distant relatives. This differs from short tandem repeat (STR) testing, made famous in the O.J. Simpson trial, which uses only tens or dozens of markers to help identify close relatives such as a parent or child, neither of which were living or Hill had.����

“This case demonstrates the power of our modern advanced DNA testing abilities which can identify even distant relatives, offering resolution in cases of unidentified people that would have previously been impossible to solve,” said Cairenn Binder, director of the IGG Certificate Program.

Until now, the IGG technology has been largely used only in the United States, Canada, and Australia. David Gurney, director of the �鶹��ý IGG Center, has been collaborating with SHU faculty and staff, including Sital Dhilon, director of the at SHU.

“Members of Sheffield Hallam University in the UK, trained by Ramapo, helped give Michael his name back,” said Gurney. “The Ramapo IGG Center is proud to be partnering with professors, staff, and students at SHU to prepare a cohort of UK IGG practitioners to take on the many cases in the UK that have been waiting for answers.”

Dr. Craig Paterson, from Sheffield Hallam University, said, “It is a privilege to see the team solve this case and to restore Michael’s name and identity. This case proves that IGG can be used in the UK to identify distant relatives and generate leads in cases that have remained unsolved using other investigative techniques. There are lots more unsolved cases in the UK where IGG can be used and we will continue to work with our partners and students to ensure that as many cases as possible benefit from this expertise.”��

To learn more about �鶹��ý and the IGG Center, please visit .��

This season’s lineup is packed with talent. Enjoy the musical stylings of:

Captain Jack (Billy Joel tribute): Thursday, June 26

The Infernos Salute to America: Thursday, July 10 (fireworks at dusk)

Super 70’s Rock Show featuring Trans Am: Thursday, July 17 (rain date for fireworks)

The Nerds: Thursday, July 24��

All concerts are from 7 – 9 p.m. rain or shine at �鶹��ý, 505 Ramapo Valley Road, Mahwah, NJ. Admission is free. Parking is $5 per car. Concertgoers should bring chairs and blankets. In case of inclement weather, the shows will be held indoors in the air-conditioned Bradley Center Arena. Please email foundation@ramapo.edu or call 201-684-6834 with questions.��

In addition to TD Bank, the Summer Concert Series is sponsored by Liberty Cars of New Jersey and Friends of Ramapo. A snack bar, sponsored by Inserra Supermarkets, along with Conrad’s Homemade Ice Cream Truck and Kona Ice of Paramus, will be available. Visit the Summer Concert Series website for a full list of sponsors and to inquire about sponsoring this summer favorite series.��

To learn more about �鶹��ý, visit ramapo.edu.��

Mahwah, NJ– Skeletal remains that were found on a number of beaches in South Jersey between 1995 and 2013 are now confirmed as belonging to the captain of the 19th century schooner Oriental, thanks to the work of the New Jersey State Police (NJSP) and �鶹��ý of New Jersey Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center (IGG).��

A skull washed ashore in Longport in 1995, and more bones were found in Margate in 1999, both in Atlantic County. In 2013, additional remains were found in Ocean City, Cape May County. Scattered Man John Doe went without a name for 30 years since traditional methods of investigation could not deliver an identification.

In the fall of 2023, the New Jersey State Police partnered with the �鶹��ý IGG Center to see if they would be able to use investigative genetic genealogy to solve the mystery of the scattered bones along NJ beaches. That November, a sample was sent to , who uploaded the sample to and in February of 2024.

That is when �鶹��ý undergraduate students conducting field studies and IGG Center certificate program students began their research. They found ancestry dating back to the 1600s, with genetic relatives hailing from Litchfield and Fairfield counties in Connecticut.��

Throughout the remainder of 2024 to February of 2025, students from the certificate program volunteered their time to continue finding ancestral ties to Connecticut. They also began looking into shipwrecks off the coast of New Jersey. They discovered clips from two newspaper articles dated December 20 and December 24, 1844.��

The students learned that five crew members were aboard the Oriental, which departed from Connecticut en route to Philadelphia, PA, to deliver 60 tons of marble for use by Girard College, a college preparatory boarding school that opened in 1848. The ship was wrecked off the coast of Brigantine Shoal in 1844. It was reported the ship likely sprung a leak and went down less than one mile from the shoreline, and all crew members died. The captain of the ship was 29 year-old Henry Goodsell.��

Given the mounting evidence discovered by students in the IGG Center, the candidate Henry Goodsell was delivered to the NJSP for consideration.��

On March 7, 2025, the NJSP collected a family reference sample from a great-great grandchild of Henry Goodsell. His identity was confirmed by the NJSP on April 8, 2025.

“Identifying human remains is one of the most solemn and challenging responsibilities law enforcement is charged with,” said Chief of County Detectives Patrick Snyder at the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office. “Law enforcement works hard knowing that behind every case is a promise: that no one will be forgotten, and that we will pursue the truth until families have the answers they deserve.”

This is one of the oldest cold case identifications using investigative genetic genealogy. “Using modern genealogy testing to identify bone fragments from the 19th century is a powerful reminder of our unwavering commitment to resolving cases no matter how old,” said Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, NJSP superintendent. “The ability to bring answers to families—even generations later—shows how far science and dedication can take us. Our partnership with �鶹��ý has been instrumental in making this possible, and we are incredibly proud of the meaningful progress we continue to make together.”

While the findings in this case did not resolve an unsolved crime, Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland is pleased that it did uncover a fascinating piece of local history.�� “The hard work of �鶹��ý’s IGG Center and working with the New Jersey State Police Cold Case Unit has demonstrated the power and accuracy of this new technology combined with classic detective work in solving complex cold cases that will bring offenders to justice and provide closure to victim’s families.”

Nationwide, the �鶹��ý IGG Center, which is the only center of its kind to offer case work, research, and hands-on learning, has been consulted on 92 cases. To learn more about the IGG Center’s work, visit .��

MAHWAH, N.J. – Sussex County, NJ students aiming for careers in social work, business, and teaching have new, seamless pathways to bachelor’s and master’s degrees under a trio of agreements between �鶹��ý of New Jersey (RCNJ) and Sussex County Community College (SCCC) that were signed at Ramapo’s picturesque Mahwah campus in April.

New transfer articulation agreements establish three new 2+2+1 pathways, allowing ambitious students to start their education at SCCC and earn a bachelor’s degree from �鶹��ý. Students will have the opportunity to earn a Master of Social Work (MSW), Master of Business Administration (MBA), or a Master of Arts in Special Education (MASE) from Ramapo in as little as five years.

These pathways offer a more affordable option for enrolled students. Taking classes close to home at SCCC during the first two years of the program presents significant savings in commuting and tuition costs, all while benefiting from the opportunity to attain bachelor’s and master’s degrees from RCNJ.

“This agreement reaffirms Ramapo’s enduring partnership with Sussex County Community College, which is built on a shared commitment to student success and educational access,” said �鶹��ý President Cindy Jebb. “By creating pathways for SCCC students to join Ramapo, we are not only honoring the hard work of county college students but also investing in the future leaders of our region.”����

The program builds on Ramapo’s commitment to creating access to higher education and providing clear roadmaps to success for New Jersey residents, helping the Garden State retain and train college students who can then enter key, beneficial areas of the New Jersey workforce after graduation. The new agreements are designed to reduce unnecessary costs, eliminate duplicate coursework, and help students stay on track toward their degrees. National data shows that students who transfer without clear agreements can lose an average of 12 to 15 credits—equivalent to an entire semester of coursework, time, and tuition. That credit loss can cost students between $8,000 and $10,000.������

The social work path allows qualified students to spend two years at SCCC earning an Associate of Science (AS) in Human Services, leading straight to two years at RCNJ to obtain a Bachelors of Social Work (BSW) and become eligible for the advanced standing track of the MSW, which can be completed in one year.

Under the agreement, students will receive specialized advising and know which courses to take, creating a seamless roadmap from an associate to bachelor’s to master’s. The program will help fill a gap in social service providers in Sussex County, an area that is underserved. Students will participate in field placements close to home, so they can give back to their communities. The program prepares students for all aspects of social work, including clinical, policy and research work.

Likewise, the business path allows students to begin their studies at SCCC to earn an AS in Business Administration, then move on to Ramapo’s AACSB-accredited Anisfield School of Business for their undergraduate business degree, then an MBA – all achievable on a five-year timeline. The Anisfield School’s long-standing accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) means experienced faculty are active researchers, staying current in their fields, and the college is continuously improving forward-thinking, hands-on learning experiences for students.

The teaching track allows students to earn an AA in Liberal Arts at SCCC, then a BA in Elementary Education at Ramapo, followed by an MA in special education at Ramapo, all in five years.

Students benefiting from the three agreements will also have the option to take a break between their bachelor’s and master’s degrees, or not pursue a master’s degree.

The agreements cemented in April build on the existing, strong partnership between Ramapo and SCCC. In 2023, the two institutions began accepting students into a 3+1 Bachelor’s degree path, enabling students to save significantly on the cost of a bachelor’s degree from RCNJ while conveniently attending classes close to home in Sussex County. Under that program, students remain on SCCC’s campus while taking the third year of Ramapo’s bachelor’s degree curriculum, then take classes at Ramapo’s Mahwah campus for their fourth year. Students in that program can save approximately $7,000 on the degree as compared to those who transfer after earning their first associate’s degree.��

For more information about the new�� 2+2+1 pathways for an MSW,�� MBA or MASE, or the 3+1 pathways, prospective students can visit the Sussex County Community College .

Mahwah, N.J.- Dr. Benny Chan, Ph.D., a distinguished teacher-scholar in inorganic chemistry, has been appointed dean of the School of Theoretical and Applied Science at �鶹��ý of New Jersey, effective July 1, 2025.

Chan brings a keen understanding of the liberal arts and sciences to �鶹��ý. He is a professor of chemistry and currently serves as chairperson of that department at The College of New Jersey in Ewing, NJ. He has been widely recognized for . As a co-principal investigator of numerous grants awarded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), his most recent longitudinal study explored the role of qualitative evidence in creating and sustaining student-centered teaching cultures.��

As an active member of the (ACS) since 2008, Chan has made wide-ranging contributions to ACS. In 2020, he was named a fellow of ACS for not only his pioneering work in solid-state chemistry, but also for his deep commitment to mentoring the next generation of scientists, more than 30 undergraduate students, many of whom come from economically disadvantaged or historically underrepresented backgrounds in STEM. Most recently, he led the development of the workshop “The Science of Managing Diverse and Inclusive Teams,” which is now part of the ACS leadership development program.��

“Dr. Chan’s leadership in fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and securing external funding for research initiatives provide strong experience to lead our School of Theoretical and Applied Science in expanding its impact within Ramapo and in the community,” said �鶹��ý Provost Michael Middleton. “Dr. Chan has also demonstrated a deep commitment to academic excellence, student success, and community engagement throughout his career. Those values embody the mission and goals of Ramapo and will contribute to achieving national distinction as a public liberal arts college.”

As dean of the School of Theoretical and Applied Science (TAS), Chan will provide strategic and academic leadership for the school, guiding its 34 diverse undergraduate and graduate programs including biochemistry and chemistry, cybersecurity, nursing, and other related academic programs in the natural and environmental sciences. The school is also home to the Center for Data, Mathematical, and Computational Sciences. Chan will collaborate with faculty, staff, and college leadership to support excellence in teaching, research, and student success, while advancing innovative curricular and co-curricular initiatives. He will play a key role in faculty recruitment and development, undergraduate research, program assessment, resource management, and external partnerships, including industry and community engagement. As a member of �鶹��ý’s academic leadership team, Dean Chan will help shape institutional priorities and promote the mission of a public liberal arts college committed to inclusive excellence and interdisciplinary learning.

“I am ecstatic to be a Roadrunner by combining my love of the liberal arts education and serving the State of New Jersey,” said Chan. ” There is huge potential for the hidden gem that is Ramapo to reach national recognition through high-impact teaching and mentoring of TAS students.” To bring this to fruition, Chan will build upon the tight-knit community and mentorship for which Ramapo is known by working with colleagues on creative curricula, engaging classrooms, scholarly research, extracurricular activities, and advising.

Chan is also a strong advocate of being student-focused. “We can’t do this without centering our amazing Ramapo students so they can achieve their career goals and become strong, ethical problem solvers who will impact the world in positive ways using their scientific training,” he added.�� This vision aligns with the �鶹��ý strategic plan, Boldly Ascending.

Dr. Edward T. Saiff, who serves as interim dean and joined the �鶹��ý faculty in 1972, will be succeeded by Chan. Saiff has been and will continue to be part of the Ramapo community as he rejoins the faculty in the Department of Biology.��

Dr. Chan earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from The Pennsylvania State University in 2003, and his B.A. in Chemistry with honors from Franklin and Marshall College in 1996.��

Participating student artists include:

Abdelatif Akhsay, Jordyn Baham,��Jenna Barnes, Jordan Barry, Jenna Bellani, Jules Arden Bernard,��Olivia Branwell, Evan Cedeno,��Kaaynan Coleman, Jenna Collucci,��Ellna D’Arpa,��Paige Dammer,��Priya Greg,��Olivia Griffin,��Zaina Hussain,��Geninah Intoy,��Caleigh Johnson,��Maya Kaskovich,��Olivia Kuchavik,��Julien LaMontagne,��Amit Machiof,��Luke Mauriello,��Abby McMichael,��Arianna Miklos,��Katie Moldow,��Matthew Ruth,��Natalie Scardino,��Joseph Shingelo,��Jillian Sidlovsky,��Phillip,
Alex Tully,��Lucas Umana,��Kimberly Ventresca,��Rebecca Vizzi��

The exhibition is open to the public and will run through May 14 with the following hours:

• May 1 & 2, 12 – 7 p.m.
• May 3, 12 – 6 p.m.
• May 5 – May 9, 12-7 p.m.
• May 10, 12 – 4 p.m.
• May 13, 12-7 p.m.
• May 14, 9:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

For more information, contact Sydney Jenkins at 201-684-7147.

“The �鶹��ý Class of 2025 has benefitted from the Speaker’s service in large part because he understands that public higher education isn’t just a policy—it’s a promise to future generations, and he has been steadfast in his commitment to keeping that promise,” said �鶹��ý President Cindy Jebb.

The ceremony will be held at Prudential Center in Newark on Thursday, May 15, 2025. Doors will open at 7:30 a.m. The ceremony will begin with the academic processional at 8:40 a.m. Persons unable to attend may enjoy the ceremony via livestream on ramapo.edu/commencement.��

The Class of 2025 includes more than 1,160 degree candidates. Social work major and Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) scholar Nikita Hanover of Hillside, NJ, will address her classmates as the Undergraduate Student Speaker.��

The Honor Guard comprises graduates selected by their respective school deans for their scholarship and contributions to �鶹��ý. The following students will lead their schools during the ceremony:

• Olivia Romano ’25 of Franklin Lakes, NJ, Anisfield School of Business
• Kayla Brand ’25 of Wall Township, NJ, School of Contemporary Arts
• Stefanie Viera ’25 of New Milford, NJ, School of Humanities and Global Studies
• Victor Oluwagbemi ’25 of Browns Mills, NJ, School of Social Science and Human Services
• Leah Payne ’25 of Newfoundland, NJ, School of Theoretical and Applied Science

The �鶹��ý Graduate Programs Commencement will be held on its beautiful Mahwah campus on Thursday, May 22, 2025.�� The degrees of more than 300 master’s and doctoral students will be conferred this year. Doors will open at 4 p.m. and the academic processional will begin at 5:15 p.m. Tickets are required for all guests. Additional information can be found on the �鶹��ý Commencement website: ramapo.edu/commencement.

Speaker Craig Coughlin

The Honorable Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin has served in the General Assembly since 2010, representing the 19th Legislative District. He is the longest serving Speaker in New Jersey history, now in his fourth term.

Highlights of the Speaker’s legislative tenure include raising the state’s minimum wage, delivering property tax relief, investing in childcare and mental health programs, increasing public school funding, ending surprise medical bills, and improving the state’s environmental remediation programs to provide a cleaner, safer future. These initiatives were made possible by the responsible state budgeting and fiscal stewardship during his time as Speaker.��

Speaker Coughlin has spent his legislative career fighting for the working people of New Jersey. The first bill passed in his tenure as Speaker was the Equal Pay for Women Act. Under his leadership, the Democratic caucus has spearheaded numerous bills to provide tax relief for the people who need it most— middle-class families and seniors.��

After securing passage of the ANCHOR program, the largest property tax relief program in state history at the time, Speaker Coughlin authored the StayNJ program, which will cut seniors’ property taxes in half. Coupled with expansions in prescription drug assistance programs of PAAD and Senior Gold, New Jersey seniors will see real savings and improved affordability.��

The issue closest to Speaker Coughlin’s heart is the fight against hunger. His policy agenda has prioritized food security for New Jersey families and ending childhood hunger. He has worked to expand free school lunches and sponsored four expansive anti-hunger bill packages, including increasing aid to food banks by 500%, and creating a first-in-the-nation Office of Food Security Advocate. His ultimate goal, in concert with a coalition of community leaders on this issue, is the elimination of hunger in New Jersey by 2030. Speaker Coughlin stresses the importance of local engagement on food security to highlight the needs in every community—including his annual bowling fundraiser to benefit local food pantries in his district, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars and recruiting volunteers.��

Speaker Coughlin is a lifelong resident of Middlesex County.�� He was born in Perth Amboy on January 31, 1958 and attended public schools in South Amboy. He attended St. John’s University for his B.A. (summa cum laude ’80) and J.D. (’83).�� Before running for the Assembly in 2009, Coughlin was a member of the South Amboy Board of Education and served as a South Amboy City Councilman for six years. Speaker Coughlin has also served in various legal capacities including as a municipal court judge, prosecutor and public defender.��

Coughlin is a partner in Woodbridge-based law firm, Rainone, Coughlin, Minchello LLC. He and his wife, Letitia, live in Woodbridge and have three sons—Craig Jr., Vincent and Nicholas.�� He is also the proud grandfather of Claire and Jameson.

Mahwah, NJ– Investigative genetic genealogy helped confirm the identity of a Phoenix, AZ John Doe after his death more than two decades ago.��

A man was found alive and unconscious on the sidewalk of Third Avenue and West Madison Street. Phoenix Emergency Medical Services transported him to St. Joseph’s Hospital where he was pronounced deceased on August 17, 2004. He had no identification on him when he was found.

For 20 years, his identity remained unknown. The Phoenix Police Department employed standard means of identification, including fingerprints and entering DNA evidence into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) which did not yield any results.��

The Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner (MCOME) contacted the �鶹��ý Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center, located in Mahwah, NJ, in September of 2024. Upon accepting the case, MCOME sent a portion of the bloodstain to in Tucker, GA, where a DNA extraction and whole genome sequencing was performed. In October of 2024, Genologue sent files to in Virginia for bioinformatics.

In November of 2024, the genotype files were received by the IGG Center and subsequently uploaded to and to try and identify John Doe. Undergraduate students in the IGG Workshop course at �鶹��ý began working on the case, but were unable to progress to an identification prior to the semester’s end. Between the last day of the semester and the winter break, staff in the IGG Center continued the work of the students and found two people related to the man, both third cousins.��

The team advanced John Thiellesen as a candidate to Senior Medicolegal Death Investigator Christen Eggers of the . The Arizona Attorney General’s Cold Case Unit, led by Supervising Special Agent Roger Geisler collaborated with MCOME to obtain a family reference sample from a sibling of Thiellesen.��

In March 2025, MCOME positively confirmed Thiellesen’s identity.

“I have had the honor of working with �鶹��ý for the past couple of years and our collaborative efforts have led to not only this identification but many others in progress. �鶹��ý has become a beacon of hope for individuals and families across the nation,” said Eggers. “Their tireless efforts have provided answers to countless families and demonstrates an unyielding dedication to the welfare of all people, regardless of their circumstances.��

“This case showcases the power of investigative genetic genealogy to close longstanding missing persons cases,” said Cairenn Binder, assistant director of the IGG Center. “Every John and Jane Doe is the answer to a family missing a loved one, and we will continue to do everything in our power to keep restoring their names and providing those answers.”

“I’m proud of the work our Cold Case Unit is doing to bring answers and closure to the family members of missing and murdered Arizonans. With increased technology, and the right kind of cooperative approach between law enforcement agencies, there is hope for the loved ones of countless victims,” said Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes.

If you have any information related to the cases the Arizona Attorney General’s Cold Case Unit is investigating or any other missing or murdered Arizonans, please submit your tip to the Cold Case Unit , or by visiting .

Nationwide, the IGG Center, which is the only center of its kind to offer case work, research, and hands-on learning, has helped solve 28 cases and has 39 active cases.��

To learn more about the IGG Center’s work, visit .��

Mahwah, NJ– The identity of a woman has been confirmed after she went missing a decade ago, thanks in part to students in the �鶹��ý Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) Center who analyzed the genotype profile created from human remains found near the Delaware River in Warren County, NJ. The New Jersey State Police (NJSP) partnered with the Center after years of not being able to identify the remains.��

On May 21, 2017, a foot with a sock and shoe were discovered by a resident in Pohatcong Township, NJ. No other remains were found, and without additional evidence, no other characteristics about the person could be determined. Traditional methods of investigation, including traditional DNA testing, did not produce a positive identification for years.

In 2023, the (NJSP) partnered with the �鶹��ý IGG Center with a request to use investigative genetic genealogy to hopefully identify the person. Bone remains belonging to the person were sent to in Santa Cruz, California and a genotype profile was successfully developed.��

In March of 2024, that profile was uploaded to the and databases and genealogy research was conducted by students in the �鶹��ý Investigative Genetic Genealogy Certificate Program during that spring semester.

Despite the challenges presented by this case, the students were able to deliver Maria Quinones Garcia as a candidate. Maria was only 54 years old when she went missing in 2014, and was last seen at her home near the Lehigh River in Allentown, PA. The Lehigh River flows into the Delaware River close to where the foot remains were recovered.

Because Maria’s children had their DNA tested, her identity was able to be confirmed, bringing closure to this 10-year missing persons case.��

“Although the outcome for the Quinones family is tragic, we hope that Maria’s identification brings answers to her loved ones,” said�� Dr. David Gurney, director of the �鶹��ý IGG Center. “We are grateful for the opportunity to have made an impact here in New Jersey.”

Cairenn Binder, director of the IGG Certificate Program, added, “Our students performed outstanding research in this case, not only related to the genetic genealogy for this unidentified individual, but extending to the origins of her footwear, geography, and river drainage patterns. This case is an example of how our students’ love of difficult research can make a difference.”

This is the first announced cold case identification since the New Jersey State Police and �鶹��ý IGG Center began partnering on cold cases. There are 17 cases the center has worked or is working on in New Jersey since opening its doors in 2022.��

“The identification of Maria Quinones Garcia is a testament to the power of innovative investigative techniques and strong partnerships. Thanks to the dedication of our detectives and the groundbreaking work of the students at the �鶹��ý Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center, a decade-old mystery has been solved, bringing long-awaited answers to Maria’s family,” said . “This case highlights the invaluable role that investigative genetic genealogy plays in solving cold cases, and we remain committed to leveraging every available resource to bring closure to families still searching for their loved ones.”

Nationwide, the IGG Center, which is the only center of its kind to offer case work, research, and hands-on learning, has helped solve 22 cases and has 58 active cases.��

�鶹��ý of New Jersey IGG Center Team

To learn more about the IGG Center’s work, visit .��

Mahwah, NJ– �鶹��ý of New Jersey unveiled a $4 million gift this week, the largest one-time gift in college history, thanks to the generosity of longtime supporters and friends of �鶹��ý, Susan and Nick Vallario. Through several endowed initiatives, this visionary gift serves to future-proof the success of students and positively contribute to New Jersey’s economy.

“This phenomenal gift honors the public good Ramapo provides as the state’s designated public liberal arts college,” said Cindy R. Jebb, President, adding “Susan and Nick’s prescient generosity allows us to further the College’s mission by investing in and developing our students to be the empathetic problem solvers, ethical change agents, and responsible leaders our state, our society, and the world so desperately need.”

Nick and Susan Vallario

The gift will advance Ramapo’s strategic plan, Boldly Ascending, by strengthening student success through three key actions:

• Supporting student well-being
• Empowering students for a digital future
• Investing in New Jersey’s brightest minds

That third action is fueled by a $2 million endowment for the College’s existing Presidential Scholarship program, which will now be known as the Susan and Nick Vallario Endowment for Presidential Scholarships at �鶹��ý. This investment will help attract top-achieving New Jersey high school students to the state’s premier public liberal arts college and provide them with financial support as they pursue their studies.

The gift is not only an investment in students, but also in the State of New Jersey. It is no secret that New Jersey is the national leader in net out-of-state migration of college students. What might not be as well-known is that almost 75% of students who graduate from a New Jersey higher education institution go on to be employed within the state.

In October of 2024, the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) and the Higher Education Student Assistance Authority (HESAA) announced a to raise awareness about the . This gift supports the statewide effort made by Governor Phil Murphy and Secretary of Higher Education Brian K. Bridges.

The economic benefit of the Vallarios’ gift to the College’s Presidential Scholarship Program will be felt by the students as well as New Jersey residents and businesses. The most recent New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities (NJASCU) economic impact study shows that alumni who stay in New Jersey:

• enjoy an aggregate $2.55 billion increase in annual household income
• support almost 15,500 jobs throughout New Jersey
• contribute personal income taxes that translate into $132 million annually in state tax revenues

As active New Jersey residents, Susan and Nick are passionate about keeping New Jersey’s top talent in-state and they are even more passionate about those students selecting �鶹��ý.

Foundation Chair Keith Dawkins ’94, President Cindy Jebb, Nick and Susan Vallario, and Vice President of Strategic Enrollment, Outreach and Engagement Chris Romano.

The Vallarios’ thoughtful involvement in the Ramapo community for more than a decade has been life-changing for students and scholars of past, present, and now future generations. They have provided innumerable hours of support through philanthropy, counsel, and leadership to advance important College initiatives. Susan has served on the �鶹��ý Board of Trustees since 2015.�� Early in her term, she held the position of secretary, later becoming vice chair, and has now served as chair of the Board since 2020.

“This transformative gift is reflective of Susan and Nick’s steadfast commitment to not only �鶹��ý and its faculty, staff and students, but their forward-thinking and visionary philanthropy,” said Dr. Christopher Romano, executive director of the �鶹��ý Foundation.�� “They are friends and supporters who not only help to think through what is, but challenge and support us in answering what’s next for the students of tomorrow.”

For more information, visit the RCNJ news story.

Mahwah, N.J.- A human skull that was on display in a New Hampshire attorney’s office has been connected to a family line dating back more than 200 years ago. Students in the �鶹��ý of New Jersey Investigative Genetic Genealogy Certificate Program provided information about the origin of the skull based on case research, bringing closure to the skull with unknown origins for decades.

In 2019, a student at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) presented , assistant professor of anthropology, with a human skull. The student explained that the skull was displayed in the Claremont, NH attorney’s office in which her father worked. The father believed that the skull had been in the office since the 1980s.��

The skull remained in the care of the UNH Forensic Anthropology Identification and Recovery (F.A.I.R.) Lab. The identity of the skull remained a mystery, however. “UNH students in the F.A.I.R. Lab were very curious to learn about the origins of this individual,” said Michael, who is also the lab director. “Archival research and anthropological methods only got us so far in the investigation process.”

In 2024, with permission from the New Hampshire Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME), the UNH F.A.I.R. Lab contacted the �鶹��ý Investigative Genetic Genealogy�� (IGG) Center to utilize advanced DNA testing in an attempt to identify the skull.��

In July of 2024, the IGG Center sent a portion of the skull to in Santa Cruz, CA to develop a DNA profile suitable for investigative genetic genealogy.��

In November of 2024, the profile was successfully developed and subsequently uploaded to the database. Students in the �鶹��ý IGG Certificate Program began research on the case and were able to develop a hypothesis about the origins of the skull, supported by close genetic relatives in the DNA database.��

The skull is believed to belong to a child of Samuel Matchette (1781-1854) and Sarah Shields (1800-1848), who both died in Quebec, Canada, a region with historic ties to Sullivan County in New Hampshire, where the town of Claremont is located.

“This was an incredible opportunity for our students to practice research on what turned out to be a historic case,” said Cairenn Binder, director of the IGG Certificate Program. “We are so grateful to the New Hampshire OCME and the UNH F.A.I.R. Lab for trusting our team to bring it to a satisfactory resolution.”��

To learn more about the cases and work performed in the �鶹��ý IGG Center, visit .

The Berrie Center for the Arts at �鶹��ý of New Jersey is honored to welcome The Classics IV to their stage as part of the Arch Performances’ season on Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 8pm. The Classics IV, one of the most popular and influential pop groups of the 60s and 70s, achieved phenomenal success with hits “Spooky,” “Stormy,” “Traces,” and “Everyday With You Girl”, all of which sold well over a million copies and were awarded gold and platinum discs by the Recording Industry of America.

Originally led by the great Dennis Yost, prior to his death, Yost passed the group on to Tom Garrett. The band is now led by Tom Garrett and has six members. Still active, The Classics IV have toured the country with other legendary artists on The Happy Together Tour, including The Association, The Buckinghams, and many others. Garrett spoke with Berrie Center Assistant Director Karley Berrios and she asked him what audiences can expect at the December 7 concert. “Of course all the hits,” Garrett said, “We try to present a snapshot, if you will, of that era of music…they’ll hear music from some of our pals from The Happy Together Tour.” Garrett then went on to say, “[audiences] are going to have a good time. They are going to know virtually every song.”��

The Classics IV is one of the many performances in Arch Performances’ exciting 25th season line up. Other performances to look forward to are Bhoomi, presented by Kalanidhi Dance, Mutts Gone Nuts, Eileen Ivers, Mack Brandon’s Gospel Explosion, and Shayna Steele Band.

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit .

Mahwah, N.J.- �鶹��ý remains committed to making access to college easier for New Jersey’s adult learners with continued participation in the statewide initiative . The Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) awarded $100,000 to support the college’s ongoing efforts to help residents fulfill their dreams of earning a college degree.

According to state data, more than 790,000 New Jersey residents have some college credit, but did not complete the academic requirements and graduate. The SCND program provides personalized support to help adults re-enroll and earn their undergraduate degree. Ramapo aims to deliver a transformative education in a diverse community dedicated to welcoming and mentoring students who bring with them a range of lived experiences.

Earlier this year, Ramapo was additionally awarded $2.2 Million to help SCND and First Generation Students. Mission-critical to �鶹��ý is an unwavering commitment to supporting both the academic and non-academic needs of its students. The award, also provided by the OSHE, affords Ramapo the opportunity to provide grants for persistence, educational supplies, and emergency funds.��

“This grant builds on the successes of the work supported by the first OSHE SCND grant, which awarded more than $100K in enrollment grants, bookstore gift cards, and emergency funding to more than 80 former Ramapo students who resumed their studies at the college in 2024,” said Patricia Laprey, Director of the Degree Completion Program. “The grant continues those financial supports, demonstrating Ramapo’s commitment to welcoming back our stop-out students, and our desire to help all �鶹��ý Roadrunners find a path to earning their college degree.”

The Degree Completion Program (DCP) at �鶹��ý provides pathways for adult students to finish their undergraduate degrees in a format that recognizes the complexities of their lives and acknowledges the increasing necessity of post-secondary credentialing. As an advocate for returning students, the DCP aims to increase the number of adults earning an undergraduate degree at Ramapo and, by extension, to improve access to higher education in Northern New Jersey.��

“With roughly three quarters of a million New Jersey residents identified as having some college credit but no degree, we recognize that each student’s reasons for not completing their education are diverse and deeply personal,” said New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education Brian K. Bridges. “By collaborating closely with our institutions and providing personalized support, we are addressing these unique motivations and challenges. This tailored approach has been particularly successful in re-enrolling adult learners from underrepresented communities, especially those from Black and Latinx backgrounds, ensuring that every learner can achieve their educational goals and access the life-changing credentials that will empower them to thrive.”

To learn more about the �鶹��ý Degree Completion Program, visit ramapo.edu/dcp/. Students with credits from any institution interested in crossing the finish line at Ramapo can visit ramapo.edu/undergraduate/returning-student/ for more information on resuming their studies. Returning Ramapo students are welcome to come back and finish what you started with us.You can also contact DCP Director Patricia Laprey at plaprey@ramapo.edu or 201-684-7388.

Mahwah, NJ- The Dunn County Sheriff’s Department announced the arrest of Jon Miller, 84, for the February 1974 homicide of Mary Schlais. Schlais was murdered while hitchhiking from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Chicago, Illinois to attend an art show.��

This is the first case the �鶹��ý IGG Center delivered a candidate that led to an arrest, and the first time the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office used IGG to solve a case.

Staff members and volunteers at �鶹��ý Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center utilized advanced DNA testing and genealogy research to identify Miller as a potential contributor of DNA found at the scene of Ms. Schlais’ murder. Investigators at Dunn County Sheriff’s Office further probed this lead and their investigation led to the arrest of Mr. Miller on Thursday night.

A press conference about this case will be held at 1 p.m. CST on Monday, November 11, at the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office in Menomonie, Wisconsin. �鶹��ý IGG staff will be on-site to take questions. Please visit to watch the live broadcast and submit questions for the IGG Center team.��

The IGG Center has provided leads in more than 16 cases since opening its doors in December 2022, including the recent exoneration of two brothers wrongfully convicted of murder, known to be one of only four cases in U.S. history in which IGG overturned convictions. To learn more about the center’s work, visit .

cut scene, a pseudonym for structure questions the ways social infrastructures give the impression of historical continuity. The exhibition features sculptural and lens-based practices that disregard narrative unity and structural integrity. Exhibiting artists are Nairy Baghramian, Jason Hirata, Christie Neptune, and Manfred Pernice.

According to curator Katherine C. Adams, “cut scene is full of artistic gestures that release us from unifying fictions, exposing fault lines where we might once have seen a smooth operation. Featured works are unconcerned with their own closure as objects or events, instead prioritizing moments of temporal collapse and architectural breakdown. “

Curator Katherine C. Adams won the Ramapo Curatorial Prize, which is awarded each year to a second-year graduate student, at Bard College’s prestigious Center for Curatorial Studies.

Regular Pascal Gallery hours are: Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 1-5 p.m. and Wednesday 1-7 p.m. For further information contact Sydney Jenkins at 201-684-7147.

The project aims to serve the national need of preparing well-qualified and experienced STEM secondary education teachers who are committed to teaching in high-needs school districts and prepared for the future of education. The grant provides funding over the next five years to create pathways and communities of practice to prepare STEM scholars for the future of education.��

“We want to address New Jersey’s urgent need for STEM educators amid a growing teacher shortage,” said Dr. Amanda Beecher, �鶹��ý professor of mathematics. “Despite our high-quality and accredited teacher education program, fewer students are entering STEM teaching pathways, especially at the middle and high school levels. By leveraging our strong teacher preparation and STEM major programs, along with many community partners, we seek to increase the number of well-prepared STEM educators to teach in high-needs districts.”��

A primary goal is to graduate more students pursuing secondary certification in mathematics, chemistry, biology, physics, and earth science who will commit to teach in high-needs schools upon graduation. Students who have a passion to pursue secondary education certification in STEM disciplines will be eligible for Ramapo Undergraduate Noyce STEM (RUN2STEM) scholarships, helping them achieve their goals of becoming K-12 STEM educators. The RUN2STEM scholars will be members of a community of practice that includes regional stakeholders, practicing teachers, and education experts who are committed to elevating and promoting the profession of teaching.��

The project also creates an opportunity for current and future in-service teachers to join the community of practice and serve as mentors for the scholars who will gain additional professional and social support. Continuing education for scholars and their in-service and pre-service peers on use of artificial intelligence in the STEM classroom will increase teachers’ understanding of how to harness these technologies to engage and educate students who will enter the STEM workforce.

To learn more about teacher education at �鶹��ý, visit .

Mahwah, N.J.- In its latest report, Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings, one of the nation’s premier credit rating services, affirmed an A credit rating for �鶹��ý of New Jersey. In arriving at affirming its stable rating while noting a positive outlook, S&P found “Ramapo’s enterprise risk profile as strong, characterized by impressive retention and good student quality, with recent and expected enrollment stabilization.” An A rating is part of the investment grade, which is the highest grade for credit ratings by S&P.

“This rating is a vote of confidence in Ramapo’s present and future. Our strong financial position is a direct result of knowing who we are, why we are here, and where we are going,” said �鶹��ý President Cindy Jebb. “Fiscal strength enables us to further our vision as ascending towards national distinction as the state’s premier public liberal arts college that develops leaders who make a positive impact and thrive in a changing world.”��

The S&P report specifically praised the College’s strategic enrollment plan, which focuses on recruiting, retaining, and graduating a diverse student body that is academically prepared for the journey after college, stating that “in our opinion, Ramapo’s student outcomes remain a differentiating credit strength.”��

“Colleges and universities across our state and nation continue to face financial challenges. This rating by S&P acknowledges Ramapo’s disciplined and strategic efforts to build on our strengths– individualized attention and superior student outcomes– to address these challenges,” said Colleen O’Keefe, Ramapo’s chief financial officer/vice president for fiscal health.��

Ramapo’s retention rates have been “historically solid” according to S&P, and increased to 87% in 2023, well-above the 68% national average. The graduation rate increased to 71.9%, which is also above the 62.2% national average.

�鶹��ý saw history-making enrollment this year with more than 1,125 first-year students, mirroring the more than 9,000 record-breaking applications. In Fall 2024, the College enrolled its largest Equal Opportunity Fund (EOF) class of scholars, and more students than ever chose to enroll in one of the many 4+1 accelerated paths to earn both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in just five years.

Contributing to �鶹��ý’s growth is the commitment to improving and expanding program offerings that integrate emerging technologies and meet employment demands. In 2024, Ramapo launched an Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program to answer the call of the nursing shortage in New Jersey, and now offers a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity.

Standard & Poor’s affirmed credit rating joins Moody’s upgraded rating of A2 with a stable outlook for �鶹��ý, which incorporated “the college’s good brand and strategic position as a small regional public college.”��

To learn more about �鶹��ý, visit .��

The Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) Title III Grant offers financial support to higher education institutions, helping them achieve self-sufficiency and increase their ability to serve low-income students by enhancing academic quality, improving institutional management, and strengthening financial stability.

One of the key priorities of the “Supporting Infrastructure, Creating Pathways and Ensuring Student Success at �鶹��ý” project is to re-engage students who have not completed their college degrees due to COVID-19 and other challenges, which directly supports the mission-critical initiative of from the New Jersey Office of the Secretary Higher Education (OSHE).��

Ramapo will also be able to sustain its First-Generation Student Center, which supports students who are the first to attend college in their families navigate and access resources to alleviate institutional barriers. Almost half of the Class of 2028 students identify as first-generation, adding to the 46% of the Class of 2027 who also identified as first-gen students, underscoring the need for funds to support this population of students on their path to success.

“This meaningful award from the Department of Education is incredibly inspiring and affirming,” said Cindy Jebb, �鶹��ý president. “This award bolsters Ramapo’s capacity to deliver a transformative education to our students– it supports their social mobility by providing essential resources that drive retention, ensure high quality supplemental instruction, help address our state’s workforce needs, and sustain our First Generation Student Center! At Ramapo, the sky is truly the limit.”

Additional initiatives include:

• Academic advising and mentoring for first-generation students, students returning to college and other historically underserved student populations.
• Improvements in data collection and analysis to provide real-time insights about improving student success.
• Using an AI-Chatbot to provide students immediate support and connection to college resources.��
• Increasing academic support for students who need review of reading, writing and mathematics skills affected by learning loss due to COVID-19.��

�鶹��ý remains committed to increasing and strengthening student success, and proudly continues to outperform national averages in retention and graduation rates. The College’s commitment is not only evident by grants like the U.S. DOE’s SIP Title III or the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement award, but also by its ascension in the Top Performers on Social Mobility category of the U.S. News & World Report 2025 Best Colleges guidebook announced this week, which measures.

For more information about �鶹��ý, visit .

Mahwah, NJ- META EX MACHINA is on view from Wednesday, September 25 through Wednesday, October 9, 2024 in the Pascal Gallery, Berrie Center on the �鶹��ý campus. There will be a Closing Reception on October 9 from 5-7- p.m., with Artists’ Talks at 6 p.m. This unusual and innovative project interrogates the construction of social media.

On January 31, 2024, Meta Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg stood up from the table at which he was seated for his testimony in front of the US Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on Big Tech and the Online Child Sexual Exploitation Crisis. He turned to a group of parents and spoke the following: “I’m sorry. Everything that you all gone through, it’s terrible. No one should have to go through the things that your families have suffered and this is why we invest so much and are going to continue doing industry leading efforts to make sure that no one has to go through the types of things that your families have had to suffer.”

�鶹��ý Professor of Theatre Peter Campbell stated the following: “This reminded me of the many Greek tragedies in which women, children, and refugees are told by the powers that-be that they’re ‘doing their best’ to protect the victims, but, somehow, they just couldn’t or wouldn’t. It’s always somebody else’s fault – the gods, fate, honor, revenge. They are only doing what they are supposed to do under the laws that exist, and while they might feel mildly conflicted about it, they are ultimately fine with letting others suffer the consequences of their actions, or lack of actions.”

META EX MACHINA is an installation that uses live performance and media to concoct an algorithmic potion of a social media feed that includes text and video of US laws and congressional hearings, centuries of European visual art, ancient Greek myth and tragedy, and the music of Sinead O’Connor. Unlike Big Tech companies like Meta and TikTok, who hide behind FCC Section 230 and gaslight the world about the origins and consequences of their content, this work will give viewers the chance to take a peek behind the magic curtain and experience the making of the images and sounds that appear on the feed. Throughout the exhibition, red handle will be making and sharing their own social media feed, live in the Pascal Gallery at �鶹��ý and streaming on Instagram Live.

Pascal Gallery hours are: Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 1-5 p.m. and Wednesday 1-7 p.m.
For further information contact Sydney Jenkins at 201-684-7147.

MAHWAH, N.J. – Two brothers who have served almost 25 years in prison for murder will be set free, thanks to the work of seven students in the Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center at �鶹��ý of New Jersey done in just two days.

On August 4, 1987, the body of Sandra Lison was discovered around 30 miles away from a Green Bay, WI bar she had worked in the night before. For more than 10 years, the search for a man she was last seen with was unsuccessful.��

Sandra Lison

In 1998, while David Bintz was incarcerated for another crime, his cellmate, Gary Swendby, told correctional officers he heard Bintz confess to Lison’s murder in his sleep. During his interrogation, Bintz confessed and also implicated his brother, Robert.

In 2000, despite having no forensic evidence connecting the Bintz brothers to the murder, they were tried, found guilty of first-degree murder, and sentenced to life in prison.In 2019, the (GNIP), an organization that works on wrongful convictions and to prevent future wrongful convictions, took this case on. They worked with an IGG lab, but a lead could not be generated.

In 2023, GNIP contacted the (IGG) to provide a new look at the evidence. Within two days, a team of six students led by IGG Center staff produced a lead.

In May 2024 and based on the lead, the body of William Hendricks was exhumed for a direct DNA sample to be obtained and genetically analyzed by Bode Technology to see if there was a match. And there was.

In August 2024, the State of Wisconsin reopened the cases.

On September 24, 2024, the State confirmed Hendricks committed the crime and agreed to exonerate the Bintz brothers.

Then on September 25, 2024, the Wisconsin judge granted relief and ordered the release of the brothers.

Prior to the Bintz brothers, only two other individuals were successfully exonerated as a direct result of investigative genetic genealogy.��

In recent years, investigative genetic genealogy has emerged as a powerful tool for identifying unknown criminal suspects and solving numerous cold cases, some dating back over 50 years. Notably, it played a pivotal role in apprehending the Golden State Killer, Joseph DeAngelo, who confessed to 13 murders and 13 rape-related offenses across California from 1975 to 1986. IGG technology was also instrumental in identifying one of the victims of convicted serial killer Gary Ridgway, known as the Green River Killer, who pleaded guilty to 49 murders and claimed many more in Washington.

“Jim Mayer and the team at the Great North Innocence Project were early adopters of IGG technology for the purpose of overturning a wrongful conviction,” said Binder. “We hope to see momentum in the future with more post-conviction assistance organizations utilizing the investigative power of IGG.”

David Bintz- photo courtesy of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections

Robert Bintz- photo courtesy of the Wisconsin Department of Corrections

But it is cases like that of the Bintz brothers which served as the primary reason that David Gurney, JD, PhD, assistant professor of law & society and IGG Center director, founded the IGG Center at �鶹��ý.��

“One of my motivations for starting the IGG Center was to bring the power of IGG to more wrongful conviction cases. I know that there are many more cases out there that could benefit from IGG, and we have done extensive outreach to wrongful conviction organizations to make them aware of IGG’s power to help resolve otherwise intractable cases,” said Gurney. “My hope is that the incredible story of justice provided for the Bintz brothers as the result of one IGG lead will spur the innocence community to pursue IGG in more cases. The IGG Center’s doors are always open.”

The �鶹��ý IGG Center currently has other potential wrongful conviction cases as part of its 53 active caseload, and has provided leads in 16 cases. The majority of the cases are from New Jersey, but the center also offers pro bono work on cases across the United States including Arizona, California, Florida, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

For more information about the �鶹��ý IGG Center, visit .��

Mahwah, NJ — The puck dropped on a two-year partnership between �鶹��ý of New Jersey and New Jersey Devils and Prudential Center, scoring big opportunities for students to gain meaningful professional and educational experiences with two of the most innovative and influential organizations in New Jersey.

The partnership includes �鶹��ý students participating in a shadow program with the radio broadcast team led by Matt Loughlin and Chico Resch during select New Jersey Devils home games. �鶹��ý students, like Jessica Pawlik ‘26, a marketing major and sports management minor in the Anisfield School of Business, enjoyed such an opportunity last spring. “I truly gained so much from this shadowing experience and am extremely grateful that Ramapo gave me this opportunity. This experience allowed me to network professionally, explore different career options, and witness first hand all that goes into the workings behind the Devils.” Additional shadowing opportunities will be available for students during the 2024-2025 season.

“At Ramapo, we know that learning should be as rigorous as it is engaging,” said �鶹��ý President Cindy Jebb. “By learning from and working alongside the digital network broadcasting and leadership teams of the New Jersey Devils and Prudential Center, our students will gain valuable experience in the sports media industry. And, in turn, NJ Devils and Prudential Center employees will have the great fortune to work with and mentor our talented students.”

“Partnering with �鶹��ý connects two New Jersey-based organizations that share a dedication to creating special and educational opportunities for students throughout the state,” said Chad Biggs, Senior Vice President, Corporate Partnerships Activation, New Jersey Devils & Prudential Center. “We are thrilled to provide hands-on learning experiences for these students so they can apply these skills to their future professional careers in the sports media industry.”

Students in the sports management program or who are interested in careers in media, marketing, and management will have the unique opportunity to learn from and engage with New Jersey Devils senior leadership in the classroom this academic year. Ramapo will also welcome the New Jersey Devils organization at this year’s on-campus career fair where students can learn about internship and job opportunities.��

�鶹��ý is New Jersey’s premier liberal arts college and contributes to the economic health of the state through its alumni who remain in-state to work upon graduation. According to the most recent by the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities (NJASCU), of which �鶹��ý is a member institution, Ramapo alumni who stay in-state enjoy an aggregate $2.55 billion increase in annual household income.��

For more information about �鶹��ý, visit .

About the New Jersey Devils:

The New Jersey Devils are part of the 32-team National Hockey League, with teams throughout the United States and Canada. Established in 1982, they recently celebrated their 40th season in the Garden State. During that time, the team has won three Stanley Cup Championships: 1995, 2000 and 2003. Follow the Devils at , on , , and . The New Jersey Devils organization is a property.

��About Prudential Center:

Prudential Center is the world-class sports and entertainment venue located in downtown Newark, New Jersey. Opened in October 2007, the state-of-the-art arena is the home of the National Hockey League’s (NHL) three-time Stanley Cup Champion New Jersey Devils, Seton Hall University’s NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball program, and more than 210 concerts, family shows and special events each year. Ranked in the Top 5 worldwide by Pollstar, Billboard and Venues Today, Prudential Center is recognized as one of the premier venues in the United States, and hosts over 2 million guests annually. For more information about Prudential Center, visit and follow the arena on , and @PruCenter. Prudential Center is a property.

“We are featuring six former Visual Arts Faculty who have retired since the Berrie Center opened. This is the perfect way to pay homage to their continued artmaking, while also celebrating 25 years in the Berrie Center complex,” said Sydney Jenkins, director of the galleries. “Artists in the group chose various approaches; several show art pieces from years ago, some more recent examples, and some present a mix of old and new. Of special note are drawings by internationally renowned art historian Carol Duncan, in her first gallery showing ever. Other media on view include video, sculpture, photography, and multi-media installation.”

Kresge Gallery hours are Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 1-5 p.m. and Wednesday 1-7 p.m. For more information contact Sydney Jenkins at 201-684-7147.

Mahwah, NJ-�� The �鶹��ý of New Jersey Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center (IGG) has aided law enforcement across the country in cold cases since opening its doors in December 2022. Now, students in the IGG Certificate Program were able to use existing IGG technology for a hot case this time, leading to the successful identification of the decedent in a St. Louis County Medical Examiner’s Office hot case named “St. Louis John Doe.”

In October 2021, foot and leg bones, with the shoe still on, were found in Florissant, St. Louis, Missouri in Coldwater Creek. In February 2024, Dr. Lindsay Trammell, forensic anthropologist with the St. Louis County Medical Examiner’s Office, contacted the �鶹��ý IGG Center with a request to work on this case. Trammell was encouraged to contact the center by a colleague in another local medical examiner’s office who found success partnering with the center on an unidentified case.

Within one month, extract from previous DNA testing was sent to Genologue in Tucker, Georgia, for whole genome sequencing to create a DNA profile for the unidentified decedent. Bioinformatics was performed by Intermountain Forensics in Salt Lake City, Utah. In May 2024, a usable profile was generated and uploaded to GEDmatch Pro.

The IGG Certificate Program students began investigative genetic genealogy and, within days, identified a potential candidate for the identity of St. Louis John Doe. This candidate was presented to Dr. Trammell and detectives from the St. Louis County Police Department Bureau of Crimes Against Persons on May 23, 2024.

A relative of the decedent was contacted, confirming that St. Louis John Doe was missing and not heard from since 2021. The family agreed to have a DNA reference sample collected.��

On July 16, 2024, the identification put forward by the IGG Center was confirmed by the unit in the. At the family’s request, the identity of the decedent will not be shared publicly.

This was a hot case, which generally refers to the presence of active, investigative leads. The use of IGG in hot cases is a fairly new and growing concept.

“IGG has traditionally been used as a ‘last ditch’ investigative effort, primarily in cold cases where there are no other investigative avenues to pursue,” said Cairenn Binder, assistant director of the �鶹��ý IGG center and director of the IGG certificate program. “Seeing as how this relatively new technology has effectively given new hope in thousands of DNA investigations, it should be looked at earlier in investigations to more quickly resolve cases before they go cold.”�� In violent crime, IGG can help prevent violent criminals from reoffending sooner or ever again.

Because St. Louis John Doe went missing only three years ago, the confirmation of his death for the family is hard to process when holding onto hope of his return. The IGG Center respects the family’s wishes to keep the identity private.

There are additional benefits of employing the use of IGG earlier in unidentified cases. One is the likelihood of more usable DNA for recent cases, as DNA swabs were not routinely collected prior to the 1990s. A second is how social media can help provide information. “If a person recently went missing, we can sometimes find clues they left behind on the Internet,” said Binder.��

To date, the work of IGG Center students and staff led to the confirmation and announcement of six cases, with another eight awaiting positive identification, as part of a caseload of 65 cases in just two short years.

“My experience working with Ramapo staff and students has been exceptional, not only because of the identification that allowed one family to have answers about what happened to their loved one, but because they are genuinely invested and interested in their work,” said Trammell.

The majority of the cases are from New Jersey, but the center also offers pro bono work on cases across the United States including Arizona, California, Florida, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

To learn more about the work in the �鶹��ý IGG Center, visit.

“The investment made in our state’s artists and organizations has a direct, positive impact on New Jersey residents, families, businesses, and communities,” said��Acting Governor Tahesha Way, who oversees the Council in her role as Secretary of State.

The Arch Performances series brings about ten shows each year to New Jersey and the metro area, providing a wide variety of entertainment for all ages that is open to the public. “As we enter our 25th year of operation, we have a renewed vision of bringing a diversity of quality performing artists while providing meaningful outreach to underserved school students and local shelters,” said Berrie Center director Lisa Campbell.�� “We are honored by the trust instilled in us from the Council that will allow us to build opportunities in the arts for all citizens.”

The $52,800 award is part of the to support more than 900 arts organizations, projects, and artists throughout New Jersey.����

The , established in 1966, is part of the NJ Department of State and works alongside the National Endowment for the Arts. The Council’s mission is to promote public interest in the arts, increase resources for the arts, support artistic freedom, and ensure art is included in every public building in New Jersey.

For more information about the Berrie Center for Performing and Visual Arts and Arch Performances, visit .

MAHWAH, N.J. – In a strategic move to bolster academic excellence and innovation, �鶹��ý of New Jersey is proud to announce the appointment of Dr. Joyce Shim as Vice Provost for Academic and Faculty Affairs.��

Shim, who assumed the role on July 15, 2024, will oversee the development and implementation of academic policies, facilitate faculty affairs, and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of academic programs. Her experience and vision will be invaluable in supporting faculty and enhancing educational offerings to meet the evolving needs of Ramapo’s students and communities.

“Our mission of academic excellence through interdisciplinary and experiential learning and international and intercultural understanding requires skilled and visionary academic leadership,” said �鶹��ý Provost Dr. Michael Middleton.�� “I am thrilled that Dr. Shim will join us in support of that mission. Her experience and vision will be invaluable in supporting our faculty and enhancing our educational offerings to meet the evolving needs of our students and communities.”

Shim joins Ramapo from the State University of New York (SUNY) Delhi where she was instrumental in supporting faculty in their teaching and research endeavors, fostering an inclusive academic community, and supporting global education and sustainable innovation. She oversaw the restructuring of schools with responsibility for onsite and online degree programs spanning nursing and arts and sciences, which align with the College’s digital learning and diversity initiatives.

A distinguished researcher and publisher, Shim has been honored twice as a Fulbright Specialist (Russia 2018, Colombia 2021). She is also the recipient of the New Jersey Senate Award and General Assembly Award for Distinguished Contribution to Immigrant Communities, and currently serves on the board of Master Foundation and Transdiaspora Network.

Shim holds a doctorate and dual master’s degrees from Columbia University and a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University-New Brunswick. She is a proud Korean American, daughter of immigrant parents, and sister of a U.S. Army chaplain.��

MAHWAH, N.J. – �鶹��ý of New Jersey is one of the , according to Money Magazine’s 2024 list. Only the top 745 colleges and universities in the nation made the list.

Factors including graduation rates, cost of attendance, and financial aid were analyzed to determine the number of stars (with five being the highest) an institution received. �鶹��ý is in good company with its 4.5 star rating, just behind the two five-star ranked New Jersey institutions: Princeton University and New Jersey Institute of Technology.��

“This honor affirms Ramapo’s commitment to and prioritization of accessible and affordable education to all students,” said �鶹��ý President Dr. Cindy Jebb. “We also know that much of what makes Ramapo so special is not always captured in college rankings—our inclusive community, academic distinction, culture of mentorship, and focus on student well-being.”

As noted by Money in its rating, “�鶹��ý has made a name for itself in the 50 years since its foundation in 1969.” With almost 3,000 four-year colleges and universities in the U.S., being on the shortlist is testimony to the college’s continued ascension.

In 2023, �鶹��ý enrolled its largest class in five years, which was also the most diverse and second largest in college history. In 2024, students, faculty, and staff were awarded internationally renowned Fulbright awards. Next month, Cheickna Traore ‘23 will be the college’s first student athlete to compete in , and for the seventh year in a row, Ramapo is #1 in New Jersey and ranked top 2% nationally for best residence halls.

Photo credit: Ian Dubac/Ian Matthew Photography

To learn more about �鶹��ý, visit ramapo.edu.��

MAHWAH, N.J. – President Joe Biden has appointed �鶹��ý Ombudsman John Woods, Jr., to the . The ICSID is the premier global institution specializing in resolving disputes between investors and states through international arbitration. Woods will serve a six-year term through 2030 on the panel.

“I am humbled that I was selected by President Biden to serve in this capacity,” said Woods. “From the quest to sustain industrial peace to formulating equitable solutions in addressing international investment disputes, the world is increasingly leaning in and leveraging Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to resolve both domestic and cross-border conflict. I am excited to serve and contribute to advancing this effort.”

In his capacity as �鶹��ý Ombudsman, Woods serves as a confidential resource to assist in resolving disputes such as interpersonal and workplace conflict through ADR processes such as mediation. He identifies systemic organizational issues and trends as well as provides recommendations that contribute to organizational development and training to address such issues, which positions him well for the work he will perform on the ICSID panel. “Conflict is inevitable. Therefore, forward-looking and successful organizations, industries, as well as countries, develop systems to adequately process conflict,” he shared. With his appointment to the World Bank-ICSID panel, Woods will also apply ADR processes to assist in resolving international investment disputes. ��

The ICSID functions as a global court for international investment disputes that was established in 1966 by treaty, the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States.�� ICSID provides for the settlement of disputes by conciliation, mediation, arbitration or fact-finding. Countries (nation-states) have agreed on ICSID as a forum for investor-State dispute settlement in most international investment treaties and in numerous investment laws and contracts.����

Woods is also the founder of the , for which he was awarded the Fulbright Scholars Award in 2024. The GNDI is a training, capacity building, and technical assistance program designed to train students and future leaders from U.S. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), as well as African and Caribbean institutions. The principles of ADR and processes are integrated within international development efforts. Woods will also serve as a visiting/guest faculty member at the University of the West Indies (Cave Hill Campus, Barbados) where he will provide instruction on international dispute resolution.

This season’s lineup is packed with talent. Enjoy the musical stylings of:

Captain Jack (Billy Joel tribute): Thursday, June 27

The Infernos Salute to America: Thursday, July 11 (fireworks at dusk)

Asbury Fever (Bruce Springsteen tribute): Thursday, July 18 (rain date for fireworks)

Super Trans Am (Super 70s concert experience): Thursday, July 25��

All concerts are from 7 – 9 p.m. rain or shine at �鶹��ý, 505 Ramapo Valley Road, Mahwah, NJ. Admission is free. Parking is $5 per car. Concertgoers should bring chairs and blankets. In case of inclement weather, the shows will be held indoors in the air-conditioned Bradley Center Arena. Please email foundation@ramapo.edu or call 201-684-6834 with questions.��

In addition to TD Bank, the Summer Concert Series is sponsored by Liberty Cars of New Jersey and Friends of Ramapo. A snack bar, sponsored by Inserra Supermarkets, along with Conrad’s Homemade Ice Cream Truck and Kona Ice of Paramus, will be available. Visit the Summer Concert Series website for a full list of sponsors and to inquire about sponsoring this summer favorite series.��

To learn more about �鶹��ý, visit ramapo.edu.��

Mahwah, N.J.-�� �鶹��ý has been selected as New Jersey’s northern region climate change education center for K-12 school districts. The $650,000 is the largest amount awarded by the New Jersey Department of Education for its initiative.��

As New Jersey’s top public liberal arts college, �鶹��ý is well-positioned to deliver professional development with an interdisciplinary approach, which is fundamental to its liberal arts education, values, and mission. New Jersey school teachers will be equipped to incorporate climate change education into lesson plans in not only science and social studies, but art, world languages, and physical education, to name a few.��

“Preparing teachers and local education agencies will result in increasing student understanding of the most critical issues facing the planet,” said Dr. Adam Fried, assistant dean for teacher education at �鶹��ý. “Alignment of the plan with the New Jersey Student Learning Standards in all content areas will result in an interdisciplinary, real-world approach to the issues resulting from climate change necessary to solve the problems we are facing.”

The Learning Commons, home of the George T. Potter Library

�鶹��ý has established three regional training centers, known as community-based organizations (CBOs), to serve seven counties in the northern region: The in Bergen County, the in Morris County, the in Sussex County. �鶹��ý will deliver in-person training for teachers and educators at the sites. Virtual instruction opportunities will be provided along with a robust climate change interactive website that includes a library of resources by grade level for all content areas as well.��

New Jersey is the first state to mandate the incorporation of climate change education across subjects in the K-12 curriculum. “Our nation-leading climate change education standards are setting New Jersey students up for a successful future as climate literate leaders of tomorrow,” said First Lady Tammy Murphy.

For more information about �鶹��ý and teacher education, visit .

“Lieutenant Governor Way is an inspiring public servant and sincere advocate for the students of New Jersey. We are honored to have her celebrate this day with us,” said �鶹��ý President Cindy Jebb, adding, “She is a leader who exemplifies �鶹��ý’s commitment to developing empathetic problem solvers, ethical change agents, and responsible leaders. Her influence and decision-making continues to enhance the quality of life for all New Jerseyans.”

The Lieutenant Governor’s commitment to education and leadership mirrors the values of �鶹��ý. “I am thrilled to join �鶹��ý later this month to provide commencement remarks to the Class of 2024,” said Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way. “As this year’s graduating class looks to set out into the world, representing the best of what an education from a New Jersey institution has to offer, I look forward to providing words of encouragement as they enter the next chapter of their lives. This talented group of graduates will undoubtedly make their mark as the future leaders of our state and country.”

The ceremony will be held at Prudential Center in Newark on Wednesday, May 29, 2024. Doors will open at 7:30 a.m. The ceremony will begin with the academic processional at 8:40 a.m. Persons unable to attend may enjoy the ceremony via livestream on ramapo.edu/commencement.��

The Class of 2024 includes more than 1,160 degree candidates. Nursing major and first-generation student Nashari Payano of South Amboy, N.J. will address her classmates as the Undergraduate Student Speaker.��

The Honor Guard is composed of graduates selected by their respective school deans for their scholarship and contributions to �鶹��ý. The following students will lead their schools during the ceremony by carrying their school’s gonfalon and addressing their peers:

• Dynazia Holness of Camden, N.J., School of Social Science and Human Services
• Rojja Kharel of Kathmandu Nepal, School of Humanities and Global Studies
• Anna Kozan of Lincoln Park, N.J., School of Theoretical and Applied Science
• Mia Schutz of Metuchen, N.J., School of Contemporary Arts
• Chris Vedra of Maywood, N.J., Anisfield School of Business

Madison Weeks of Mount Laurel, N.J. was selected by the Student Government Association to carry the �鶹��ý gonfalon.��

The �鶹��ý Graduate Programs Commencement will be held on its beautiful Mahwah campus on Wednesday, May 22, 2024.�� The degrees of more than 280 master’s and doctoral students will be conferred this year. Doors will open at 4 p.m. and the academic processional will begin at 5:15 p.m. The graduates will be led by Kelly O’Reilly of Wayne, N.J. and Joan Pollner of Phillipsburg, N.J., who comprise the Honor Guard. The 2024 Graduate Student Speaker is two-time alumnus and �鶹��ý EOF Student Development Specialist Keivon Hemmings of Newark, N.J., who also served as the 2018 Undergraduate Student Speaker. Tickets are required for all guests. Additional information can be found on the �鶹��ý Commencement website: ramapo.edu/commencement.

Tahesha L. Way, Esq.

Tahesha L. Way serves as New Jersey’s 3rd Lieutenant Governor. She was appointed to the position by Governor Phil Murphy on September 8, 2023.

A lifelong public servant, Lieutenant Governor Way has devoted her entire career to improving the lives of her fellow New Jerseyans. Over the past two decades, she has served at numerous levels of local and state government.

As Lieutenant Governor, Ms. Way brings her extensive experience to bear on addressing the greatest challenges facing New Jerseyans — from making life more affordable, to protecting fundamental freedoms—like access to reproductive health care and equality under the law — to maintaining New Jersey’s reputation as the best and safest state to raise a family.

In addition to her role as Lieutenant Governor, Ms. Way also serves as New Jersey’s 34th Secretary of State — a position she has held since the beginning of the Murphy Administration.

As Secretary of State, Ms. Way leads one of the nation’s oldest constitutional offices and directs a department with a diverse portfolio. In her capacity as New Jersey’s top election official, she has overseen the state Division of Elections and its work in securing our democracy and ensuring broad, fair access to the right to vote. In addition to the critical work protecting what lieutenant Governor Way calls the “fraternal twins of democracy,” she also oversees the state government offices supporting New Jersey’s vibrant arts, culture, history, and business communities. Under her leadership, the state’s tourism economy has generated record-high revenues.��

Following her 2022-2023 service as the first Black person and first Secretary from New Jersey to lead the National Association of Secretaries of State (NASS) as President, Lieutenant Governor Way continues to serve on the NASS Executive Board as Immediate Past President.

Lieutenant Governor Way is a graduate of Brown University, where she served as Vice President of the collegiate chapter of the NAACP, President of the Iota Alpha chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. taught religious education, and was a radio announcer for WBRU-FM. She holds a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law at Charlottesville, where she clerked for the Virginia Legal Aid Society and the United Steelworkers of America.

Lieutenant Governor Way lives in Wayne, New Jersey with her husband Charles and their four children Fallon, Farrah, Faythe, and Fiona. She was raised in the Bronx by her late parents, Robert and Rosa Wright, who also devoted their careers to public service as employees with the New York City Transit Authority.

Hours through May 15 will be Tuesday through Friday from 12-6 p.m. and Saturday 2-6 p.m. Special Arching Day hours on May 23rd TBA.

Exhibiting artists:

Abby Vatasin

Belanna Valerio

Dean Smith

Ori Shem-Tov

Jai Snow

Jake Tennant

Mason Murphy

Megan Mitchell

Mia Schutz

Chantal Peña Martinez

Raven Bavos-Chen

Samantha Hernandez

Sarah Caldwell

Stephen Blake

Lauren Wilson

Michael Otero

Tzvetozara Filkova

The Kresge and Pascal Galleries are located in the Berrie Center for Performing and Visual Arts on the �鶹��ý campus. For more information contact Sydney Jenkins at 201-684-7147.

DeSare has won critical and popular acclaim for his concert performances throughout North America and abroad. He has performed at jazz clubs, Carnegie Hall, and in Las Vegas, headlining with Don Rickles and major symphony orchestras.

DeSare has earned four top 10 Billboard jazz albums under his belt and has been featured on the CBS Early Show, NPR, A Prairie Home Companion, and the Today Show, and his music has been posted by social media celebrity juggernaut, George Takei. He is also an award-winning composer, who has not only won first place in the USA Songwriting Contest but has written the theme song for the motion picture, “My Date With Drew.”

Arch Performances is a community resource generously funded by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, Mid Atlantic Arts, and Impact 100 Garden State.�� Events are open to the public with discounts for children 17 and under, and they offer easy access and free parking. For exact event information and tickets, please visit .

Mahwah, New Jersey—�鶹��ý of New Jersey has earned the 2024-2025 Military Friendly® School designation. For more than ten years, �鶹��ý has been named a Military Friendly® institution, earning the Gold Award the last three years.��

Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2024-2025 survey with 537 earning special awards for going above the standard.��

“I know firsthand how important it is to set the conditions for a learning environment that takes into account the unique experiences, contributions, and needs of veterans and service members to include active, Reserve, National Guard, and ROTC cadets,” said President Cindy Jebb, a 39-year veteran of the U.S. Army and former Dean of the Academic Board at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. “At Ramapo, we continue to be highly intentional about setting these conditions, and this designation, along with the success of our students, are a testament to those efforts.”

�鶹��ý offers a committed veteran student success team to assist students from the time interest is expressed in applying through graduation. Priority registration, a dedicated lounge, and an active Veteran Student Organization are part of the robust support services and resources available to veteran and ROTC students.��

The 2024-2025 Military Friendly® Schools list will be published in the May and October issue of G.I. Jobs magazine and can be found at . Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Viqtory with input from the Military Friendly ® Advisory Council of independent leaders in the higher education and military recruitment community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for Student Retention, Graduation, Job Placement, Loan Repayment, Persistence (Degree Advancement or Transfer) and Loan Default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.��

“Military Friendly® is committed to transparency and providing consistent data-driven standards in our designation process. Our standards provide a benchmark that promotes positive outcomes and support services that better the educational landscape and provide opportunity for the Military Community. This creates a competitive atmosphere that encourages Institutions to evolve and invest in their programs consistently. Schools who achieve awards designation show true commitment in their efforts, going over and above that standard.” – Kayla Lopez, National Director of Military Partnerships, Military Friendly®.��

For more information about the �鶹��ý student veterans program, visit .��

Mahwah, NJ-�� U.S. Marine Corps Captain Everett Leland Yager died in a military training exercise in July of 1951. All of his remains were recovered in the Riverside County, California area and buried in Palmyra, Missouri, or at least thought to have been. Fast forward years later to a child who wanted to build a rock collection, and increased said collection by one during a scavenging exploration, presumably in Arizona. But it was not a rock; it was a human jaw bone. For the time being, the bone belonged to Rock Collection John Doe.

That was until January 2023 when the (YCSO) and Yavapai County Medical Examiner referred the case to the �鶹��ý Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center. In May, the North Texas Center for Human Identification sent the extract from Rock Collection John Doe to Intermountain Forensics in Salt Lake City, Utah, where whole genome sequencing and bioinformatics were performed. A profile was developed and uploaded to GEDmatch Pro and FamilyTreeDNA.

This photo of Captain Yager appeared in the Palmyra Spectator newspaper December 20, 1944.

In July, students in the �鶹��ý IGG Bootcamp worked on the case. It took them, along with IGG Center intern Ethan Schwartz, fewer than 2 days to produce a candidate lead which was then handed over to YCSO. The following month, a DNA sample was taken from the daughter of Capt. Yager to directly compare to the jaw bone profile.

It was not until March 2024 that the DNA sample from Capt. Yager’s daughter confirmed a parent/child relationship, resolving the case and confirming that Rock Collection John Doe was indeed Capt. Everett Leland Yager.

No one is quite sure how the jaw bone ended up in Arizona since the accident took place in the air over California. One theory is that a scavenger, such as a bird, picked it up and eventually deposited it during its travels over Arizona. Plans are being made to reunite the remains with the family.

This is the first case resolution performed by the IGG’s summer bootcamp student cohort, and New York resident and Suffern High School student Ethan Schwartz is reportedly the youngest person to ever contribute to an investigative genetic genealogy case resolution.��

“This case was a lesson in expecting the unexpected, and a testament to the power of IGG education at �鶹��ý of New Jersey,” said Cairenn Binder, assistant director of the �鶹��ý IGG Center. “The team that worked on this case at our IGG bootcamp included some truly outstanding researchers, and we are so proud of them for helping to repatriate Captain Yager’s remains and return them to his family.”

For more information about �鶹��ý, the IGG Center and its offerings, visit ramapo.edu/igg.

David Alexander
Mauro Altamura
Kevin Backman
Gary Boni
Robbie Bulilan
James Danielson
Rachel Dickstein
Douglass Dresher
Lauren Fedorchak
Holly Fletcher
Barbara Kalina
Bob Martin
Tyler Manuele
Michael Pacheco
Brianna Pflug

There will be a closing reception with artist talks on Thursday, April 4, from 4 to 6:30 p.m. ALBUM was juried by Ramapo Photo Lab Supervisor Eva Fazzari and Professor Emeritus of Photography David Freund.

The Pascal Gallery at �鶹��ý is located in the Berrie Center for Performing and Visual Arts on the �鶹��ý campus. Gallery hours are Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 1-5 p.m., and Wednesday 1-7 p.m. RAMAPO COLLEGE IS CLOSED FOR SPRING BREAK THE WEEK OF MARCH 18. For more information contact Director of Art Galleries Sydney Jenkins at 201-684-7147.

Feature image credit: Mauro Altamura,��Untitled��(Beach Figures #5), 2020, 6 inches x 4 inches

Co-sponsors include Columbia University’s Cultural Memory University Seminar, the Master of Arts in Holocaust and Genocide Studies program at Stockton University, the Sara and Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center at Stockton University, and Temple Kol Tzedek of Philadelphia.

This free event will be held Tuesday, March 26 at 7:00 p.m. in the Anisfield School of Business Room 136 and is open to the public. Complimentary parking will be provided and no registration to attend in person is required. Visitors should request directions from the booth at the main entrance to campus. Attending via Zoom is also an option. To register for Zoom, click .

For more information and questions, contact Gross Center director Dr. Jacob Ari Labendz: holgen@ramapo.edu / (201) 684-7409.

About the book

At the turn of the millennium, Middle Eastern and Muslim Germans had rather unexpectedly become central to the country’s Holocaust memory culture—not as welcome participants, but as targets for re-education and reform. Since then, Turkish- and Arab-Germans have been considered as the prime obstacles to German national reconciliation with its Nazi past, a status shared to a lesser degree by Germans from the formerly socialist East Germany. It is for this reason that the German government, German NGOs, and Muslim minority groups have begun to design Holocaust education and anti-Semitism prevention programs specifically tailored for Muslim immigrants and refugees, so that they, too, can learn the lessons of the Holocaust and embrace Germany’s most important postwar democratic political values.

Based on ethnographic research conducted over a decade, Subcontractors of Guilt explores when, how, and why Muslim Germans have moved to the center of Holocaust memory discussions. Esra Özyürek argues that German society “subcontracts” guilt of the Holocaust to new minority immigrant arrivals, with the false promise of this process leading to inclusion into the German social contract and equality with other members of postwar German society. By focusing on the recently formed but already sizable sector of Muslim-only anti-Semitism and Holocaust education programs, this book explores the paradoxes of postwar German national identity.

About the author

Esra Özyürek is the Sultan Qaboos Professor of Abrahamic Faiths and Shared Values at the University of Cambridge. She is the author of Being German, Becoming Muslim: Race, Religion, and Conversion in the New Europe (2015).

Collaborative printer Shore worked for Dick Solomon at Pace Prints (starting out under Ruth Lingen and Bill Hall) for over a decade before opening her own workshop to collaborate with emerging and established artists to create original prints which are hand-printed in very limited editions with the direct involvement of the artist. Shore Publishing prints are in the collections of the New York Public Library, The Cleveland Clinic, The Whitney Museum, The Museum of Modern Art, NYC, Memorial Sloan Kettering, Stanford Health Care, the Beinecke Library at Yale University, The Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation, Detroit Institute of Arts and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Shore Publishing is a member of the IFPDA.

The exhibition will be on view through April 4. There will be a Closing Reception on Thursday, April 4, from 4-6:30 p.m. Shore Publishing Director Mae Shore will give an informal gallery talk at 4:30 p.m.

The Kresge Gallery at �鶹��ý is located in the Berrie Center for Performing and Visual Arts on the �鶹��ý campus. Gallery hours are Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 1-5 p.m., and Wednesday 1-7 p.m. RAMAPO COLLEGE IS CLOSED FOR SPRING BREAK THE WEEK OF MARCH 18. For more information contact Director of Art Galleries Sydney Jenkins at 201-684-7147.

Image credit: William Villalongo,��Vitruvian’s Daughter, 2014, woodcut, linocut, and pochoir on Hosho white paper, 22 x 22 inches.�� Edition of 20. Printed and published by Shore Publishing.

Mahwah, NJ – In another historic win for the �鶹��ý Adler Center of Nursing Excellence, a remarkable 106 students in the Class of 2023 sat for and passed the National Council of Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) on the first attempt, making for a 100% pass rate in the graduated class.��

�鶹��ý consistently boasts above national average passing rates. What makes this year’s accomplishment even more impressive is that 2023 was the first year the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN), the updated NCLEX, was administered. All nursing students must pass the exam in order to become licensed registered nurses in the U.S.

One significant change between the old and new exam is how clinical judgment is measured. Rather than an emphasis on information recall applied to clinical situations, the NGN assesses the ability to analyze patient data and make sound clinical decisions. This is done, in part, through an increase in case study questions that reflect real-world situations and ask students to identify the best course of action.

And this is one area in which Ramapo’s nursing curriculum excels at preparing students for practice. “The nursing faculty and staff carefully prepare their teaching methodologies to focus on clinical decision making. They integrate case studies and simulation in all classes, enabling students to critically assess situations and make sound clinical judgments,” said Dr. Kathleen Burke, professor of nursing and assistant dean of nursing programs. “I applaud the students on their accomplishment, and thank the faculty and staff for their tireless support and work.”

Students are eligible to sit for the exam around 45 days after graduating. If they do not pass, they have to wait a minimum of another 45 days to retake the exam. This adds a considerable amount of time to become licensed and able to begin practicing. With an impressive first-time pass rate for so many students, New Jersey hospitals and healthcare centers were able to fill vacant positions quicker.

�鶹��ý of New Jersey continues to see record numbers of applications for its undergraduate nursing program. In the last three years, applications to the BSN program increased 36%, with more than 1,280 submitted to-date for the upcoming academic year. This increase in demand, coupled with the January launch of the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN), led to the current expansion of nursing facilities on campus and increase in nursing faculty, thanks to a $1M appropriation from a legislative resolution co-sponsored by and to help mitigate the nursing shortage in New Jersey.

To learn more about all of the nursing programs offered at �鶹��ý, visit ramapo.edu/nursing.��

Mahwah, NJ – �鶹��ý of New Jersey held its 18th Annual Diversity Convocation on February 21, 2024, featuring keynote speaker . The Convocation additionally featured remarks from �鶹��ý President Cindy Jebb, Ph.D., Chief Equity and Diversity Officer Nicole Morgan Agard, Esq., Student Trustee Gloria Jeong, and Student Government President Victor Oluwagbemi.

President Jebb emphasized in her opening remarks that Ramapo puts forward a culture of belonging, and that the community must hold one another accountable and elevate the voices that often go unheard. “We know who we are, and we know our identities are our assets. Our diversity makes us better, smarter, and kinder,” said Jebb.

Lt. Governor Way spoke about being raised in the Bronx, NY, by two hard-working parents who underscored the importance of education. She shared with the audience of students, staff, and faculty, the message her mother instilled in her: Be present. Take up space in the room. Show up for yourself. “We should embrace individuality, embrace people as their full authentic selves rather than trying to make everyone the same,” she said, while stressing the importance of public service, diversity, and education. “And we’re richer for it…especially in government, where it isn’t just our goal, but our lawful responsibility to serve ALL the people.” Lt. Governor Way closed with a powerful message on the importance of diverse and inclusive spaces to create a better world.

L to R: Pres. Cindy Jebb, Lt. Gov Tahesha Way, and EDIC VP Nicole Morgan Agard

The Diversity Convocation is hosted annually by the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Compliance (EDIC). EDIC serves to ensure compliance and coordinate leadership for college-wide equity, diversity, inclusion, and justice to uphold the College’s commitment to foster a safe and inclusive space of belonging for all students, faculty, and staff.

Tahesha Way serves as New Jersey’s 3rd Lieutenant Governor. She was appointed by Governor Phil Murphy on September 8, 2023 to fill the term of the late Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver. She additionally serves as the state’s 34th Secretary of State, a position she has held since the beginning of the Murphy administration. Lt. Governor Way is a graduate of Brown University and the University of Virginia School of Law, as well as a strong advocate for financial aid, youth voter engagement, equal protection under law, and inclusive census counting.��

The exhibit includes rare family photos, Les behind-the-scenes, famous musicians, and pictures of the man with a larger than life sense of humor and an amazing curiosity for innovation. Guests at the exhibit can follow along while viewing each photograph on the web-initiated story lines for each rare image. Les Paul spent much of his life in Mahwah, New Jersey. The Les Paul Foundation honors and shares the spirit and legacy of his life.

“Les was an icon. His inventions paved the way for musicians all over the globe. His curiosity gave us the most important inventions in the music industry today. Since we want to celebrate him all year we created the Les Paul Thru the Lens gallery exhibit. Guests will have the opportunity to find out more about Les through the beautifully displayed photographs depicting important people and moments in his life. We hope you love it as much as we do,” said Michael Braunstein, Executive Director of the Les Paul Foundation.

The exhibit at �鶹��ý is on loan from the Les Paul Foundation and co-sponsored by the Mahwah Museum. Learning Commons hours are: Monday-Thursday 7:45 a.m-12 a.m., Friday :45 a.m. – 6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., and Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. For more information, contact Director of Art Galleries Sydney Jenkins at 201-684-7147.

Mahwah, NJ- The �鶹��ý Foundation will honor four individuals for their professional achievement, commitment and community service at its Annual Distinguished Citizens Gala on Friday, April 5, at the Rockleigh Country Club in Rockleigh, N.J.

The Honorable Paul A. Sarlo

Paul A. Sarlo is the Deputy Majority Leader of the New Jersey Senate. He has served as Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee since 2010, making him the Committee’s longest serving chairperson in state history. He is a member of the Judiciary Committee and Chairperson of the Joint Budget Oversight Committee, and former Chairperson of the Judiciary Committee and the Labor Committee.

Senator Sarlo has been the prime sponsor of more than 300 bills which have been signed into law, and has played a leading role on legislation to promote job creation and economic development. He has been the prime sponsor of bi-partisan legislation which reformed the state’s school funding formula, lowered income taxes for the middle class, working poor and senior citizens, strengthened the fiscal health of the state pension fund, and provided dedicated funding for the Transportation Trust Fund to finance vital infrastructure projects throughout the state. He has also sponsored bills which reformed New Jersey’s worker’s compensation system, criminalized the illegal trafficking and distribution of prescription drugs, required schools to adopt bullying prevention policies and upgraded penalties for identity theft.

Senator Sarlo’s career in public service spans nearly three decades. He has served as Mayor of the Borough of Wood-Ridge since 2000 and served on its Borough Council from 1995-2000. In 2001, he was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly, a position he held until May 2003 when he was sworn in to the New Jersey Senate to fill an unexpired term. He was elected to a full term in the New Jersey Senate in November 2003 and was re-elected in 2007, 2011, 2013, 2017, 2021 and 2023. Mr. Sarlo represents the 36th legislative district, which includes 15 municipalities in Bergen and Passaic Counties.

A licensed professional engineer and licensed professional planner, Senator Sarlo holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, where he was a Division III All-American baseball player. He is the Chief Operating Officer of Joseph M. Sanzari Construction Inc., where he has been employed since 1998.

Brian and Diane Flynn ‘85

Brian Flynn is a partner at PKF O’Connor Davies, LLP, the leading North American firm in the PKF International network of independent accounting and advisory firms. He is a member of the executive committee and managing partner for the firm’s New Jersey market.

Brian has more than 30 years of audit experience with closely-held corporations, educational institutions and not-for-profit organizations. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Monmouth University. He serves on the board of Lakeland Bank and is an active participant in numerous community and professional groups. Brian often serves as a conference leader and speaker at industry events and sits on the boards of several local not-for-profit organizations.

Diane Flynn is a �鶹��ý alumna, having earned a bachelor’s degree in information systems in 1985. She has worked in human resources/employee benefits and has been an editor at Paulist Press.

The Flynns have been longtime donors to �鶹��ý, having made a major gift to the capital campaign to build the Berrie Center for Performing and Visual Arts. The couple has also supported the Distinguished Citizens Gala and Golf Outing. O’Connor Davies performs the annual audit of the �鶹��ý Foundation. Over the years, Brian has been instrumental in securing significant corporate support from PKF O’Connor Davies for �鶹��ý events and projects. The Flynns live in Wyckoff.

Nicole Cicalo DeCaro

Nicole is head coach of the Bergen Barracudas swim team, a parent-run, non-profit organization founded in 1980 that practices on the �鶹��ý campus and competes at venues across northern New Jersey. She has over 22 years of coaching experience. Nicole is a lifetime member of the American Swimming Coaches Association and is ASCA Level 3 certified. She holds a master’s in childhood special education from Fordham University and two master’s degrees from Ohio University: a master’s of science in recreation and sports management; and a master’s in business administration. Nicole serves on the Friends of Ramapo board as the nominating chair; she has also served as chair and vice chair of the board. With Nicole’s assistance, the Bergen Barracudas have supported the Friends of Ramapo, Summer Concerts, Annual Fund and the Distinguished Citizens Gala. Nicole’s husband, Lawrence, is a construction project manager. The couple lives in Blauvelt, NY.

Sponsorship and participation information can be found at ramapo.edu/dcg or by contacting Liz Kloak at lkloak@ramapo.edu or 201-684-6834.

Mahwah, NJ-�� Students of the �鶹��ý of New Jersey Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) Center have successfully uncovered the identity of “Beaver Creek John Doe,” now known to be Mr. David Emil Jacobsen, through DNA testing and investigative genetic genealogy.��

In 2011, the deceased body of a male subject was discovered near a hiking area in Beaver Creek, Yavapai County, Arizona. This decedent had no wallet or identification on his person to aid with his identification, which hampered the investigation.�� More than 12 years passed while hoping for a match through NamUs or the Cogent Automated Fingerprint Identification System, which both yielded unsuccessful results to help identify Beaver Creek John Doe.

Enter the �鶹��ý Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center.

Ramapo IGG partnered with the YCSO to provide free case support. A blood blot card for John Doe was sent to Intermountain Forensics in Salt Lake City Utah for DNA extraction, whole genome sequencing, and bioinformatics. Intermountain successfully generated a SNP profile which was uploaded to the DNA databases GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA.��

Students in the �鶹��ý Investigative Genetic Genealogy Certificate Program discovered the most likely candidate to be David Emil Jacobsen. The discovery of a candidate was brought about by the combination of family tree research and the presence of unique circumstantial details observed by the students. “The case was challenging due to recent immigration on both sides of John Doe’s family trees,” said Cairenn Binder, assistant director of the �鶹��ý IGG Center.��

Mr. Jacobsen’s identity was confirmed by the Yavapai County Medical Examiner’s Office through MtDNA comparison from a DNA sample from one of Mr. Jacobsen’s siblings. Mr. Jacobson died of natural causes due to heart complications.

“The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office appreciates the efforts of �鶹��ý and their students’ diligent work in this endeavor. We hope to partner with them on other cases in the future,” said Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes.

The Jacobsen family is very grateful to everyone for their efforts to bring closure to this painful experience.

For more information about �鶹��ý and the IGG Center, visit ramapo.edu/igg.

Mahwah, NJ–The 12th annual Les Paul Concert at �鶹��ý will feature a performance by Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Amythyst Kiah and her band on Saturday, February 10 at 8 p.m. in the Sharp Theater.

The concert, generously supported with funding from the NJ State Council on the Arts and the Schomburg Distinguished Visiting Scholars Program, is a collaboration between the College’s esteemed music department and Ramapo’s Arch Performances.

With a 2019 Grammy Award nomination for Best American Roots Song and a Song of the Year win at the 2019 Folk Alliance International Awards, Kiah — who Rolling Stone calls “one of Americana’s great up-and-coming secrets” — has an unforgettable voice that’s both unfettered and exquisitely controlled. In her solo work, she expands on the uncompromising artistry she revealed as part of Our Native Daughters, an all-women-of-color supergroup.

In addition to the concert, the School of Contemporary Arts is thrilled to present Les Paul “From Start to Finish” on Saturday, February 10 at 5:30 p.m. in the Adler Theater. Presented by longtime friend and Mahwah mayor, Jim Wysocki, the event is a chance to hear great stories and see Les Paul’s personal guitars, studio equipment, and additional memorabilia. The ticket cost is $150 and includes Les Paul “From Start to Finish,” reception, and a ticket to the Les Paul Concert. Proceeds will be used to purchase equipment for the Les Paul Recording Studio at �鶹��ý which supports over 100 music students each year. Tickets are available .

Arch Performances is a community resource generously funded by the New Jersey State Council of the Arts, Mid Atlantic Arts, and Impact 100 Garden State.�� Events are open to the public with discounts for children 17 and under, and they offer easy access and free parking. For exact event information and tickets, please go to ramapo.edu/berriecenter.

“The �鶹��ý Board of Trustees is a group of truly dedicated, thoughtful, and discerning fiduciaries who embody the values that mark our institution. I am excited to work with and learn from Trustee Helmy and know that her expertise will be a wonderful addition to the Board and to the College at large,” said College President Cindy Jebb. “We all look forward to serving with her to leverage her talents in support of our students and in furtherance of our mission as NJ’s premier public liberal arts college.”

A partner with The Manna Helmy Law Group, Helmy brings a nuanced understanding of governance, compliance, and ethical considerations to the board. Helmy is passionate about making a positive impact on the educational landscape, teaching at local schools and sharing her expertise in elder law and guardianships with social workers to help them secure valuable continuing education credits for licensure.��

“I am honored to have the responsibility to serve the �鶹��ý community as a Trustee especially during this time in its demonstrated rising excellence,” said Helmy. “As a big proponent of interdisciplinary learning and the importance of a broad holistic understanding, I am excited to contribute towards this mission.”

Helmy is the newest member of the Board of Trustees, following the May 20, 2023 appointments of Michael Ben-David of Franklin Lakes, Chris Lopez of Oakland, and Albert C. Nieves of Wood-Ridge.��

Marize Helmy, Esq.

Helmy is a practicing attorney specializing in Elder Law and Estate Planning at , formerly known as Michael A. Manna & Associates. She holds a BA in Visual Arts from Fordham University and a JD from SUNY at Buffalo Law School. During her time in law school, Helmy was president of the Buffalo Public Interest Law Program and raised funds to support and fund otherwise unpaid internships. She also worked in the career services office and was also involved with student conduct, later serving as the Assistant Chief of the Student Wide Judiciary. Upon graduation, she received an award from the law school for the greatest contribution to the community. While studying for the bar exam, she volunteered her time translating and filing immigration applications for domestic violence victims and also dedicated her time to rehabilitative and innovative court developments such the Newark Drug Courts and Child Welfare Improvement Project. Helmy teaches at the local community schools as well as to social workers for their mandatory continuing education credits on topics relating to elder law, guardianships and other ethical issues. She is board member and acting treasurer of her church in Bergen County and is a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, and the Bergen County Bar Association. Helmy has been honored by Thomson Reuters as a New Jersey Super Lawyers Rising Star in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Mahwah, N.J.- �鶹��ý aims to graduate more licensed nurses to address the shortage in New Jersey with the addition of the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. The innovative program enables qualified candidates to complete the degree requirements in only 16 months. As U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) , New Jersey is one of the top ten states with the most open nursing positions. The state also expects a shortage of more than 11,000 nurses by 2030, according to President and CEO Cathy Bennett.��

�鶹��ý nursing students working together in the simulation lab on campus.

The ABSN is a full-time, 16-month program beneficial to those with an undergraduate degree and interested in a career change into nursing, those currently working in healthcare and wish to become RNs with a BSN, and community college students with a non-nursing associate’s degree and want to earn a BSN. For candidates who might not have the necessary prerequisites, a bridge program that offers the required coursework for the ABSN is available.

Students will enjoy special flat-rate program tuition, a cohort model that fosters collaboration and support with classmates as well as the state-of-the-art facilities in the Adler Center for Nursing Excellence. Ramapo has long-standing partnerships with a number of esteemed area hospitals and centers for clinical site placements including Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Paterson, University Hospital in Newark, Holy Name in Teaneck, New Bridge Medical Center in Paramus, HMH Hackensack University Medical Center, and Atlantic Health System hospitals.

This program can be attributed to a legislative resolution co-sponsored by and that provided Ramapo with a $1M appropriation to meet the expected need for more nurses in New Jersey. The funds awarded are being used to increase the number of clinical simulation rooms and hire additional faculty to meet the demands that increasing enrollment will create.

Nursing students processing in the time-honored tradition of Arching at �鶹��ý.

Interest in nursing is growing, as evident in the more than 900 applications for �鶹��ý’s direct-admit BSN program, an increase of more than 30% over this time last year. Nursing programs at �鶹��ý have been revered for years, with consistently impressive rankings that include having one of the top three BSN programs, the #1 online RN to BSN program in New Jersey, and the #5 MSN in Nursing Administration program in the nation. The college graduated its first Doctor of Nursing Practice students in May 2023.

The ABSN program will enroll its first cohort to begin in May 2024, and the portal to submit applications is now open. Online information sessions about the program will run . Visit the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing webpage for additional details about the program. To learn more about all �鶹��ý nursing programs, visit ramapo.edu/nursing.

Mahwah, NJ-�� Students of the �鶹��ý of New Jersey Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) Center have successfully uncovered the identity of “Rhinelander John Doe,” now known to be Mr. Norman Grasser of Chicago, IL through DNA testing and investigative genetic genealogy.��

The Chronology

On March 19, 1980, the Oneida County Medical Examiner’s Office along with the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call about a body found in the snow in a field in the Town of Pine Lake, WI approximately 46 yards off of Highway 17. No identification was found on the body. A forensic autopsy performed at the University of Wisconsin determined that the male died from cold exposure due to hypothermia. Fingerprints sent to the Wisconsin State Crime Laboratory and Federal Bureau of Investigation did not confirm an identity. The case continued to be investigated through missing persons reports and press releases through the years.��

In 2019, the unidentified male was entered into NamUs. Multiple potential matches were all confirmed to be negative.��

In April 2021, the Oneida County Medical Examiner’s Office exhumed the body of John Doe 1980. The body was taken to the Fond du Lac Medical Examiner’s Office to be processed for DNA collection. The collected items were sent to the FBI Laboratory in Quantico for DNA profiling.����

In January 2023, the �鶹��ý IGG Center was enlisted by the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office in Rhinelander, WI to assist with identifying “Rhinelander John Doe.”��

In February, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office sent a portion of John Doe’s lower jaw to Intermountain Forensics where DNA extraction, whole genome sequencing, and bioinformatics were performed.��

In May, the same month that Intermountain successfully generated a SNP profile which was uploaded to the DNA databases GEDmatch and FamilyTreeDNA, students in the �鶹��ý IGG Certificate Program investigated genetic matches of “Rhinelander John Doe” and identified Norman Grasser as a candidate.

Mr.Grasser’s brother had been searching for him for over 40 years and even created a page noting that the date of Mr. Grasser’s death was the day he was reported missing, January 20, 1980, in Chicago, IL.��

DNA testing and the work of the �鶹��ý IGG Center were able to bring closure to Mr. Grasser’s family, who are grateful for identifying Mr. Grasser after 43 years, and wish for privacy to grieve and process this information.

IGG combines traditional genealogy and genetic genealogy to provide investigative leads in cases involving violent crime and unidentified human remains. IGG can also be used to help exonerate the wrongfully convicted. The first of its kind in the nation, the IGG Center opened in December of 2022 and trains students to become proficient and ethical practitioners using IGG to resolve cases involving violent crime, unidentified human remains, and wrongful convictions. More than 40 cases from across the United States have been accepted since the center opened.��

For more information about �鶹��ý and the IGG Center, visit ramapo.edu/igg.

Mahwah, N.J.- �鶹��ý of New Jersey is better positioned to address the needs of food access on campus thanks to grants awarded by the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education Hunger-Free Campus Act and the Bergen County Office of Food Security totaling almost $70,000.��

During the Fall 2023 semester, the We Care Program food pantry provided almost 700 bags of food to students, averaging 40-50 bags of food per week. The timing of the Hunger-Free Campus Grant award is critical, given the increase in students experiencing food insecurity. The funds enable pantries on campus to be stocked from now through June 2024 with fresh food and frozen meals in addition to shelf-stable food items. Funds also will be used to increase shuttle service to the Ramsey Farmers Market for additional access to fresh, locally sourced food.��

The almost $68,000 is on top of the $125,000 awarded by the same program in January and May. New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education Dr. Brian K. Bridges visited campus in April to see the first expansion of the food pantry on campus. Since that visit, �鶹��ý has been able to add eight satellite pantries on campuses in and near offices with a high-traffic student footprint.��

The Bergen County grant is a first for �鶹��ý. In April, visited the food pantry on campus and learned about the increase of food insecurity experienced by students. The funds enable the purchase of an additional commercial refrigerator/freezer and freezer chest as well as digital barcode scanners, carts for transporting food across campus, and storage bins for satellite pantries. The addition of a freezer chest provides the opportunity for a new frozen food satellite pantry, to be located by the Civic and Community Engagement Center, which houses the We Care Program.

“We are very excited to receive these funds and so grateful to the Bergen County Office of Food Security and OSHE for their support to bolster our food insecurity initiatives on campus,” shared Dylan Heffernan, assistant director for the We Care Program and Civic Engagement. “We want to make sure students have both access to fresh food on campus and the ability to obtain food even when the pantry isn’t open. These funds will help make that a reality.”

Mahwah, N.J.- �鶹��ý commits to making access to college easier for New Jersey’s adult learners by participating in the statewide initiative . According to state data, more than 790,000 New Jersey residents have some college credit, but did not complete the academic requirements and graduate. The SCND program provides personalized support to help adults re-enroll and earn their undergraduate degree. Ramapo aims to deliver a transformative education in a diverse community dedicated to welcoming and mentoring students who bring with them a range of lived experiences.

“As New Jersey’s Public Liberal Arts College, Ramapo is committed to increasing access to higher education for all underserved populations,” said �鶹��ý President Cindy Jebb. “The SCND initiative aligns closely with the goals and objectives of Ramapo’s strategic plan, Boldly Ascending, specifically: furthering academic excellence and student success, fostering an inclusive community, and strengthening agile stewardship.”����

Mission-critical to �鶹��ý is an unwavering commitment to supporting both the academic and non-academic needs of its students. The award, provided by the Office of the Secretary for Higher Education (OSHE), affords Ramapo the opportunity to provide grants for persistence, educational supplies, and emergency funds. The award also allows for expanding curricular pathways for SCND students as well as refresher workshops focused on writing, reading, and time management skills in the Center for Reading and Writing.

Recognizing some of the barriers that prevent adult learners from completing their degree might include facing food insecurity and homelessness, the WeCare Program at Ramapo, which opened in 2017 as a food pantry for students, commits to mitigating financial hardships of SCND students with emergency relief funding. Earlier in 2023, New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education Dr. Brian K. Bridges visited the campus to learn about the success of the WeCare Program and how it assists students in need.��

To learn more about the �鶹��ý Degree Completion Program, visit ramapo.edu/dcp/.��

Mahwah, N.J.-The �鶹��ý Foundation named Harlem Globetrotters CEO and Ramapo alumnus Keith Dawkins ‘94 as the new chairperson of the Board of Governors at the October 26, 2023 Foundation Board of Governors meeting. The decision made history for the Foundation, as Dawkins is the first Black chairperson of the board.

Dawkins, who is president of the and and owns , has served on the board for 12 years, most recently as secretary. Mission-critical to Dawkins is ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion are a vital part of all of his business ventures, community engagement, and service to the Ramapo Foundation. He was honored at the 2013 �鶹��ý Foundation Distinguished Citizens Dinner for his many contributions in the world of media, which included growing the viewership of Nicktoons from eight to 61 million as the company’s first general manager as well as partnering with the NFL and co-producing the series NFL Rush Zone.

Keith Dawkins ’94 addressing the Class of 2022 at the �鶹��ý Commencement

His involvement and commitment to Ramapo go beyond his board contributions. At the May 2022 Commencement, Dawkins received the President’s Alumni Award of Merit for his service-oriented leadership and continued advocacy of Ramapo. In October 2022, he delivered the alumni address at President Cindy Jebb’s inauguration. He looks forward to working with the board in his new role, sharing that, “�鶹��ý has given me so much over the years.�� It’s a place where I furthered my education, started my career journey and met the person that would become my wife of 25 years. Being able to pay it forward and have an impact for future Ramapo students is both a privilege and an honor.”

Dawkins succeeds outgoing chairperson and TonyⓇ award-winning producer Roy Putrino, who served as Foundation chair from 2020-2023. Putrino leaves behind a legacy of noteworthy contributions, for which he was honored through the years. In 2013, he received the Distinguished Citizens Award. In 2015, he received the Mission Award for the Performing Arts, and in 2020 he was the recipient of the Havemeyer Presidential Leadership Award. As Foundation chair, Putrino was “delighted and honored to be actively engaged in leading during the transition of the new administration of the college and the restructuring of the foundation as part of President Jebb’s initiatives,” adding that “these changes, along with the tireless work of our Foundation Board of Governors, will allow us to meet the new challenges that face the college as well as continue to secure the resources necessary to make the difference in Ramapo’s strategic plan.” Putrino is founder and chairman of the board at Home Infusion and joined the Board of Governors in 2014. He will remain on the board as immediate past chairperson.��

�鶹��ý Foundation Executive Director Christopher Romano is grateful for the service of board members like Dawkins and Putrino, and recognizes the value Dawkins will bring. “I am very much looking forward to working closely with Keith as he assumes the role of chair.�� His marketing and strategic partnership acumen coupled with his commitment as a Ramapo alum make him well positioned to lead the Foundation into its next strategic plan.” Dawkins resides in Ridgewood, NJ with his wife and two sons.

To learn more about the mission of the �鶹��ý Foundation, visit ramapo.edu/foundation. To learn more about the Board of Governors, visit ramapo.edu/foundation/governors.

Mahwah, N.J.-The �鶹��ý of New Jersey Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) Center has successfully uncovered the identity of “St. Louis John Doe,” now known to be Joseph Daniel Pierce of St. Louis, MO.

Pierce was 23 years old when his remains were found in 2012. The attempted to identify him with traditional means but his name remained a mystery.��

It was at the Missing and Unidentified Persons Conference held in May 2023 where a member of the St. Louis City Medical Examiner’s Office attended a presentation given by David Gurney and Cairenn Binder of the �鶹��ý Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center about how investigative genetic genealogy helps human identification.��

Timeline from Case Referral to Identification

• The St. Louis City MEO referred Pierce’s case to the Ramapo IGG Center on May 12, 2023.
• A blood card for St. Louis John Doe was sent to Intermountain Forensics in May.
• Extraction was completed by sequencing in July and bioinformatics were performed in August by Intermountain Forensics.
• John Doe’s SNP profile was uploaded to the GEDmatch database in early September.
• Genetic genealogy was performed by Cairenn Binder, director of the IGG certificate program at �鶹��ý IGG Center, in the days that followed and a candidate, Joseph Daniel Pierce, was presented to the agency on September 5.
• John Doe’s identity was confirmed as Joseph Daniel Pierce by St. Louis City MEO on October 5.��

Pierce, from Texas, was loved and missed by his family without any idea about his whereabouts or whether he was alive or dead for more than a decade. St. Louis City MEO Executive Director of Operations Tara Rick could not give up on this case and shared, “Over the past eleven years, the family and what they must be going through never left my mind. I’m honored to have been part of the team able to restore Joseph’s name. I am thankful to the RCNJ IGG Center for their partnership and collaboration with Intermountain Forensics to resolve this case.”��

Pierce’s mother also hopes sharing this story encourages others to upload DNA to databases to help solve cases like her son’s. “The genetic genealogy in this case was straightforward due to the presence of one of John Doe’s relatives in the GEDmatch database. Thanks to that family member, we were able to quickly provide an investigative lead and ultimately restore Mr. Pierce’s name,” said Binder.

IGG combines traditional genealogy and genetic genealogy to provide investigative leads in cases involving violent crime and unidentified human remains. IGG can also be used to help exonerate the wrongfully convicted. The first of its kind in the nation, the IGG Center opened in December of 2022 and trains students to become proficient and ethical practitioners using IGG to resolve cases involving violent crime, unidentified human remains, and wrongful convictions. More than 20 cases from across the United States have been accepted since the center opened.��

The �鶹��ý IGG Center is grateful for the collaborative work conducted with the St. Louis City Medical Examiner’s Office as well as Intermountain Forensics, who performed DNA extraction and sequencing, and Qiagen/Verogen for use of their databases.��

For more information about �鶹��ý and the IGG Center, visit ramapo.edu/igg.

João (Juno) Zago is a queer visual artist working in Newark, NJ.�� Born in Brazil, Zago came to the US in 2005 where he’s since lived in and around Newark.�� In 2016 he obtained his BA in Visual Arts from �鶹��ý of New Jersey.

He’s been an artist in residence at Gallery Aferro in Newark, NJ since 2017. His work brings together disparate media and images to create process-based compositions dealing in themes such as personal introspection, religiosity, and sexuality, all while appropriating images in a similar way to fast-paced internet culture. His work has been shown in various galleries in Newark and throughout New Jersey. He has also exhibited at the Newark Museum of Art, Morris Museum in Morris Township, NJ, and the New Jersey State Museum in Trenton, NJ. In 2020 he was one of 45 grantees of the Newark Artist Accelerator Fund.��

In 2023 he stepped into the role of Creative Director at Gallery Aferro where he previously worked as Registrar and Collections Manager for nearly six years. Today he leads the gallery’s curatorial and programmatic endeavors.��

Pascal Gallery hours are Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 1 to 5 p.m. and Wednesday from 1 to 7 p.m.�� NOTE: The gallery is closed Thanksgiving week. For more information contact Sydney Jenkins at 201-684-7147.

�鶹��ý President Cindy Jebb and Bergen Community College President Eric Friedman signed the memorandum of understanding on Bergen’s Paramus campus during “Ramapo Day at Bergen” in the presence of leaders from both institutions. Working teams from both institutions will design and operationalize the vision for a more cohesive and integrated Ramapo@BCC experience. “This partnership continues to strengthen because our two institutions remain committed to building a sustainable, entrepreneurial, and trusted relationship in order to do all that we can for New Jersey’s residents, communities, and employers,” said Jebb.��

The schools have had a partnership for more than 10 years and continue to envision how to deliver education in an ever-changing world. Ramapo@BCC builds on the opportunity to focus on advancing social mobility and economic and workforce development in Bergen County.�� Programming will include undergraduate degree completion as well as partnerships with business and industry to provide certificate programs and workforce development. “Our two institutions share a commitment to student access, success and affordability. We look forward to serving the needs of Bergen County residents to attain the credentials and degrees they need in today’s ever changing marketplace,” shared Christopher Romano, vice president of strategic enrollment, outreach, and engagement at �鶹��ý.��

A resource fair, offered by the RCNJ Office of Admissions, was also part of Ramapo Day at Bergen. BCC students were able to connect with Ramapo admissions representatives and learn more about transfer opportunities, majors, and schedule appointments with an onsite academic advisor. Visit ramapo.edu to learn more.

On Monday, October 9 at 6:00 p.m., acclaimed author and journalist, , will deliver the keynote address for a scholarly symposium.��Ms. Hagedorn will speak about her latest book,����(Simon & Schuster, 2021): Born in Iowa, schooled in science at Columbia University, and as American as baseball, George Koval was the ultimate secret agent. Because he had security clearances to the Manhattan Project, he was able to pass invaluable classified information that helped Soviet scientists produce an atomic bomb years earlier than US experts had expected. The FBI only identified him several years after he had returned to the Soviet Union, and in 2007, Vladimir Putin posthumously awarded him Russia’s highest civilian honor for his contribution to the Soviet atomic bomb program.

This event is free and open to the public. It will be held on campus in Friends Hall as well as online. To register, visit: /holocaust/gross-center-academic-symposium/ Light refreshments will be served in Friends Hall.

Symposium Organizers

Jacob Ari Labendz, �鶹��ý, NJ, USA

Rebekah Klein-Pejšová, Purdue University, IA, USA

Participating Scholars

Jonathan Dekel-Chen, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

Brian Goodman, Arizona State University, AZ, USA

Anna Kawałko, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel

Shaul Kelner, Vanderbilt University, TN, USA

Boris Morozov, Tel Aviv University, Israel

Kunduz Niiazova, Tel Aviv University, Israel

Dora Pataricza, Åbo Akademi University in Turku, Finland

Anat Plocker, Stockton University, NJ, USA

Zohar Segev, University of Haifa, Israel

Paweł Sowiński, Polish Academy of Science, Poland

Jonathan Zisook, University of Pittsburgh, PA, USA

The symposium is the second in a two-part series, the aim of which is to publish an edited volume featuring contributions from the participants. The ��was held in May, 2022 at the����(Steel Museum).

For more information about these events or the Gross Center, contact Director Jacob Labendz (jlabendz@ramapo.edu / 201-684-7409).

The McNair program at �鶹��ý will provide one-on-one academic counseling, faculty-guided peer tutoring, research and internship opportunities, and support in the application process for post-baccalaureate programs, which includes workshops for the graduate school application process, standardized test preparation, and graduate program tours. “The McNair grant is the missing piece of our outreach programs. The Ramapo STEM Center supports programs for math and science students, the college, and the community. This grant helps bridge the achievement gap for STEM students from the time they are in high school all the way through their Ph.D.,” shared Dr. Sandra Suarez, director of the �鶹��ý STEM Center, Upward Bound Math Science, and who will also direct the McNair program at Ramapo.

The grant enables Ramapo to expand existing support for economically disadvantaged and underrepresented students. In 2022, the College opened the First-Generation Student Center, which, in part, supports students in navigating and accessing resources to alleviate institutional barriers.��This fall, the College enrolled its most diverse class in history. More than 46% of first-year students identified as first-generation and 48% as non-White students.��

“We are thrilled to receive the McNair grant, as it reflects the dedication of our faculty, staff and students to inclusive excellence. Ramapo has a long-standing tradition of providing opportunities for all students to excel academically and pursue their dreams,” said �鶹��ý Provost and Vice President of Teaching and Learning Dr. Michael Middleton. “The grant will allow us to build on that legacy and empower even more students to reach their full potential.”

�鶹��ý is one of fewer than 200 institutions nationwide to be part of the McNair program. McNair is one of a cluster of eight federal programs collectively known as TRIO that are designed primarily to identify and provide services for individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, with the ultimate goal of helping them to overcome economic, social, academic and cultural barriers to higher education.��In addition to McNair, Ramapo is also a participant in two other TRIO programs: Upward Bound Math Science and Student Support Services, creating a pipeline of support for students from high school into college, and preparing them for success beyond graduation.��

The McNair program is named after Ronald E. McNair, who was an American astronaut and physicist. He was the second Black astronaut to fly in space, and perished with his heroic flight crew in the 1986 space shuttle Challenger explosion.

To learn more about �鶹��ý, visit ramapo.edu.

Mahwah, NJ- The Berrie Center’s Arch Performances will begin the 2023-2024 season with a performance from Calpulli Mexican Dance Company on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 8 p.m. in the Sharp Theater.

The performance, made possible with generous support from the Mid Atlantic Tours program of Mid Atlantic Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts, is part of the College’s celebration of Latinx Heritage Month.

Calpulli Mexican Dance Company’s performances are like the traditions of Mexico: colorful, passionate, and inviting. With glorious costumes, contagious rhythms and captivating performers, the Company has a vibrant repertoire of dance and live music with cherished dance traditions, lesser-known stories and original works that capture the Mexican-American spirit.

Calpulli is a touring company dedicated to celebrating the rich diversity and traditions of Mexican heritage and Mexican-American cultural expression through dance-based programming. With artistic direction from Alberto Lopez Herrera and music direction from George Saenz, the Company made its international debut in the Kingdom of Bahrain in 2013 and has also been featured at Lincoln Center Out of Doors, Dollywood Festival of Nations, and Carnegie Hall.

As a community resource, the Berrie Center hosts a range of performances year-round including talented professional musicians, theater groups, and performance artists through the Arch Performances series and compelling student theater productions through the College’s Theater Program. The Center is generously supported by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Events are open to the public, with discounts for children 17 and under, and feature easy access and free parking. For exact event information and to purchase tickets, please visit .

Ramapo ascended the rankings for Best Undergraduate Teaching, which affirms the College’s steadfast commitment to and focus on teaching excellence for our undergraduate students. “Ramapo’s innovative curriculum, enriched by diverse perspectives and immersive experiences, prepares students to succeed in a rapidly evolving world by cultivating their intellectual curiosity, critical thinking skills and capacity for interdisciplinary engagement,” said Dr. Michael Middleton, provost and vice president for teaching, learning, and growth.��

Top Performers on Social Mobility, a category that measures success in enrolling and graduating a large proportion of economically disadvantaged students, is the most significant rankings increase for Ramapo this year. “Our ascension in social mobility is testimony to Ramapo’s commitment to, and prioritization of, making education accessible and affordable for students,” said Dr. Christopher Romano, vice president of strategic enrollment, outreach, and engagement.

“These findings continue to affirm Ramapo’s superior graduation and retention rates,” said �鶹��ý President Dr. Cindy Jebb. “We also know that much of what places Ramapo among “the best” in these categories goes unsaid in these reports—our inclusive community, culture of mentorship, focus on student well-being, and unwavering commitment to develop the responsible leaders, ethical problem solvers, and empathetic change agents who are needed now and are essential to the future of our democracy.”

The latest recognition by U.S. News & World Report adds to a host of honors �鶹��ý also earned this year, including:

• One of the top colleges in the northeast by The Princeton Review
• The #1 public college in New Jersey by College Choice
• A college of distinction with six awards, the highest amount awarded to a New Jersey school, by College of Distinction��

To learn more about the power of the affordable and transformative education �鶹��ý delivers, visit ramapo.edu.

MAHWAH, N.J. – �鶹��ý of New Jersey is once again one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to the Great Colleges to Work For® program.

The results are based on a survey of 194 colleges and universities. In all, 72 of those institutions achieved “Great College to Work For” recognition for specific best practices and policies. �鶹��ý is the only college in New Jersey to be recognized.

“This recognition reaffirms for the �鶹��ý community our intentionality towards building an inclusive and tight-knit community that is rich with talented and valued team members who serve together to make Ramapo a great place to work, study, and grow,” said �鶹��ý President Cindy Jebb.

�鶹��ý won honors in the category this year. “Each employee plays a crucial role in supporting our students and creating a vibrant campus experience. I couldn’t be more proud of the work we do to provide a robust compensation and benefits plan to our dedicated employees,” said Virginia Galdieri, vice president of People Operations and Employee Resources at �鶹��ý. “It is an honor that �鶹��ý was named one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, and we are thrilled to have been recognized in this category.”

The Great Colleges to Work For® program is one of the largest and most respected workplace-recognition programs in the country. The survey results are based on a two-part assessment process: an institution questionnaire that captures employment data and workplace policies from each institution, and a survey administered to faculty, administrators, and professional support staff. The primary factor in deciding whether an institution received recognition was the employee feedback.

To learn about employment opportunities at �鶹��ý, New Jersey’s premier public liberal arts college, visit People Operations & Employee Resources.

During her tenure as interim CFO, the College passed its first balanced budget since the Covid-19 pandemic, received a clean financial audit, earned an A-rating and positive outlook from Standard & Poor’s, and more than quadrupled Ramapo’s investment income. O’Keefe has been working closely with the Offices of Capital Planning and Facilities Management to ensure critical improvements are prioritized. “She has advanced the Fiscal Health Core as an integrated resource to equip leaders across campus towards achieving fiscal responsibility, thereby supporting our all-hands-on-deck culture,” said �鶹��ý President Cindy Jebb. “I am thrilled to have such a thoughtful, caring, hard working, and innovative leader on the Ramapo Mission Element Team.”��

O’Keefe began her career in public accounting right out of college, serving both large SEC clients as well as not-for-profit and higher education clients. After more than 20 years in public accounting, she transitioned into consulting as the director of internal audit at a large international manufacturer and moved into the New Jersey higher education arena in 2014.��

O’Keefe graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s of science degree from the University of Richmond and is a certified public accountant in New Jersey. She is also a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and resident of Oakland, NJ.

Arch Performances replaces what has been affectionately known as the Berrie Center Performances. This rebrand is a collaboration between the Berrie Center for the Arts and the �鶹��ý Office of Marketing, with the new logo designed by Angela Moore, web & digital designer. The new logo is an artistic interpretation of the three-tiered building that is one of the most distinguishing features of the Berrie Center.��

Berrie Center Director Lisa Campbell explained the realignment of the logo and the mission. “Over our twenty-four-year history, so much has changed on our campus. The Berrie Center for the Arts is now home to a wide variety of programs and users and we are looking to distinguish our performing artist series. Our series has always had the vision of being a community resource welcoming 85% of our audiences from the greater Mahwah region.”

Arch Performances is a nod to �鶹��ý’s most distinguishing feature. “We like the idea of relating a key icon as an identifier with our series.�� In addition, the true meaning of ‘arch’ is to serve as a support – something we strive to do every day for both our campus and neighboring communities,” Campbell explains.��

The logo is synonymous with professional and high caliber performing arts by Arch Performances’ guest artists at an affordable price.

Arch Performances. Same great events. Same great location.

Mahwah, NJ- ��will hold its 36th Annual Golf Outing at the Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, N.J., on Thursday, September 14, 2023.�� Proceeds from the event provide student scholarships, fund faculty-student research, and support special programs on campus. Century 21 Construction and the Anthony J. Marino family, serve as lead sponsors of the event.����

Lisa Ryan ‘84 and Eric Bechtel will receive the Havemeyer Presidential Leadership Award at this year’s outing. The award is given to individuals who offer their expertise and whose contributions touch the lives of students, faculty and staff at �鶹��ý. It��is named for Theodore Havemeyer, an American businessman who was the first president of the U.S. Golf Association in 1894. Mr. Havemeyer lived on an estate in Mahwah, which is now owned by �鶹��ý.��

Lisa Ryan joined the Board of Governors in 2013 and serves on the executive committee of the �鶹��ý Foundation as vice president and is a member of the Alumni Association.�� She is co-chair of the Athletics Hall of Fame committee. She has received the Distinguished Alumnus Award five times from the �鶹��ý Athletics Department. In addition, she was awarded the 2014 Mission Award from the �鶹��ý Foundation for her longstanding commitment to enhancing the educational experience for every �鶹��ý student. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts from �鶹��ý in 1984. Lisa has been an active committee member of the �鶹��ý Foundation Distinguished Citizens Gala and Annual Golf Outing.�� She continues to serve as auction chair for both committees.�� Her philanthropy includes donations to the Learning Commons capital campaign and the 50th Anniversary fundraising campaign.��

Eric Bechtel is founder and president of IdeaQuest, LLC, a sports, entertainment, technology and commerce marketing consulting firm in Ramsey, New Jersey. With over 30 years of experience, Eric has assisted Fortune 500 brands, professional athletes, entertainers, broadcast talent, media companies and league and team properties to successfully navigate their collaborations. He has partnered with some of the world’s most respected brands and clients to secure naming right deals, property sponsorships and endorsements. He has worked with professional athletes including: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Rory McEllroy, Steve Young, Shaquille O’Neal and Derek Jeter. Prior to IdeaQuest, Eric joined Integrated Sports International and successfully sold stadium naming rights to 3Com Park for the San Francisco 49ers, Ericsson Stadium for the Carolina Panthers, and Xfinity Center for the University of Maryland. Eric graduated from the University of Connecticut where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Actuarial Science and was a member of the football team. He received a Master of Sports Administration from Ohio University. He joined the �鶹��ý Foundation Golf Committee in 2003. He is the father of three adult children and resides in New Jersey.

The cost for the outing is $650 per golfer/$2,600 per foursome. Sponsorships are available. To register and for more information, please visit ramapo.edu/golf-outing or contact Liz Kloak at lkloak@ramapo.edu or call 201-684-6834.

The project “Englewood Makes History” is a community-based initiative to collect and digitize archival materials related to the vibrant history of the City of Englewood, in particular those of African American residents in the 4th Ward and immigrant communities in the 3rd Ward. The project will pay particular attention to collecting documents and items related to the history of race, ethnicity, and class in the City and to Englewood’s historic 4th ward, an African-American neighborhood once known as “Little Texas” and the 3rd ward’s diverse immigrant communities, in particular its historic Colombian neighborhood.��

Students from Janis E. Dismus Middle School in Englewood and �鶹��ý in Mahwah will enjoy hands-on learning on the archival project. “The partnership will help students better understand the history of New Jersey, develop a deep understanding of the history and present-day circumstances of their own communities, and a clear understanding of the value of History as a discipline,” said Colman. Additional collaborators include Englewood City community groups, religious organizations, Englewood City officials, and non-profit organizations such as the Bergen Family Center.

One digital project entails digitally mapping and recreating buildings and landmarks that no longer exist in the 4th ward as a result of gentrification. Long term, the project will become a permanent feature of Englewood civic life and allow students and residents to work together to document the City’s history and use the lessons of that history to make more informed decisions about Englewood’s present and future.

Visit ramapo.edu to learn more.

Ramapo offers a variety of residential living. From first-year living in Mackin and Bischoff Halls,�� to suite-style living in The Overlook and Laurel Hall, to apartment-style living in the College Park Apartments to The Village, students enjoy a variety of amenities. Every room, suite, and apartment has its own bathroom, a microwave and refrigerator, and HVAC unit. Students are also guaranteed housing all four years and can bring a vehicle the first year on campus.

Laurel Hall offers suite-style living with a quad complete with BBQ grills, a basketball and handball court, and a beach volleyball court.

Niche’s Best College Dorms in America ranking is based on key statistics and student reviews. Top-ranked colleges offer outstanding campus housing that is safe and clean with modern amenities at reasonable prices.��

“Aside from the amenities and physical structures our students call home, being ranked as offering the #1 residence halls in New Jersey is a testament to Ramapo’s commitment to providing our residential students a home where their dreams are nurtured, friendships are forged and memories are made,” said Office of Residence Life Director Lisa Gonsisko. “Residence Life is proud to set the bar high, creating an environment that inspires every resident’s college experience.”

Take or watch a of housing options and see why �鶹��ý is #1 in New Jersey and one of the best in the United States. ��

Hangen brings a wealth of experience and a distinguished background from her service as interim dean of the school and as a professor of anthropology and international studies at �鶹��ý. As interim dean, she has led initiatives in the areas of , international education, civic engagement, and has overseen numerous college-wide programs and centers including the Gross Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Jane Addams Papers Project, Center for Reading and Writing, and the �鶹��ý Honors Program.��

At the college level, Hangen has been instrumental in her roles on the Provost’s Council and Graduate Council since 2017; the Strategic Plan: Boldly Ascending writing team, to which she was appointed by President Cindy R. Jebb in 2022; and as a member of the Academic Master Plan Taskforce. Additionally, Hangen served as co-chair of Standard V on Educational Effectiveness Assessment the College’s reaffirmed accreditation in 2020 by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

“Throughout the selection process, Dr. Hangen demonstrated a deep understanding of Ramapo’s vision, mission and goals. Her innovative ideas and collaborative spirit align with the direction of the College,” shared Dr. Michael Middleton, �鶹��ý Provost and Vice President for Teaching, Learning, and Growth. “As Dean, Dr. Hangen will provide strategic leadership and guidance to HGS. She will play a pivotal role in advancing our academic programs, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and promoting excellence in teaching.”

The School of Humanities and Global Studies offers 20 undergraduate academic programs including Africana Studies, American Studies, World Languages, History, Human Rights and Genocide Studies, International Studies, English and Literary Studies, and Political Science.��

“I am honored to be appointed as the Dean of the School of Humanities and Global Studies. The School plays an important role in contributing to the public liberal arts mission of �鶹��ý, and has launched many curricular innovations, including new community-based research projects,” said Hangen. “I look forward to continuing to support our outstanding faculty in their scholarship and teaching, and to ensuring that our students have opportunities to explore the world in college.”

Hangen earned both her M.A. and Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Wisconsin- Madison, and a B.A. in Asian Studies from Trinity College in Hartford, CT.

Students of the �鶹��ý of New Jersey Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) Center have successfully uncovered the identity of “Nogales John Doe,” now known to be Donald Sigurd Hadland, Jr.��

Hadland’s remains were found in a hotel room in Nogales, Arizona in 2002, where he had registered for a room under a false identity just prior to his death. Although a fingerprint match was found revealing a possible identity as Hadland, questions regarding his identity remained unanswered due to conflicting identifying information. The called him “Nogales John Doe” and his remains were interred in 2003 in Nogales.

Students in the inaugural cohort of the Investigative Genetic Genealogy Certificate Program at �鶹��ý, launched in January 2023, examined genetic associations of John Doe in the database GEDmatch Pro, which revealed his identity was that of Mr. Donald Sigurd Hadland, Jr. “This case was unique as there was an investigative lead to the identity of Donald Hadland Jr. to begin with,” said Ramapo IGG Certificate Program Director Cairenn Binder. “The students were able to compile additional supporting information using investigative genetic genealogy to demonstrate how Nogales John Doe’s genetic matches were consistent with Donald Hadland Jr.”��

This case is the first announced successful identification for the IGG Center at �鶹��ý of New Jersey. “The teamwork and diligence of our IGG students’ work on this case is a great and consequential example of how the IGG Center at �鶹��ý, the first of its kind nationally, contributes meaningfully to our society,” said �鶹��ý President Cindy Jebb. “The hands-on learning, research, and investigative casework taking place at the Center helps our law enforcement partners locally and across the nation, as well as those in our communities who long for closure on the loss of loved ones.”

IGG combines traditional genealogy and genetic genealogy to provide investigative leads in cases involving violent crime and unidentified human remains. IGG can also be used to help exonerate the wrongfully convicted. The first of its kind in the nation, the IGG Center opened in December of 2022 and trains students to become proficient and ethical practitioners using IGG to resolve cases involving violent crime, unidentified human remains, and wrongful convictions. More than 20 cases from across the United States have been accepted since the center opened.��

The �鶹��ý IGG Center is grateful for the collaborative work conducted with the PCOME and DNA Doe Project, a nonprofit organization with the mission to identify John and Jane Does and return them to their families and communities, as well as Genologue, who performed DNA extraction and sequencing, and Kevin Lord of Saber Investigations who performed bioinformatics on this case.��

For more information about �鶹��ý and the IGG Center, visit ramapo.edu/igg.

]]> /news/press-releases/ramapo-college-announces-2023-summer-concert-series-lineup/ Thu, 15 Jun 2023 13:43:30 +0000 /news/?post_type=press-releases&p=17455 MAHWAH, N.J. – �鶹��ý of New Jersey is excited to announce that the 2023 TD Bank Summer Concert Series is back and better than ever! Mark your calendar and pack your lawn chair or blanket to enjoy live music on the Bandshell Lawn on one of America’s top 50 most beautiful campuses as the sun sets behind the Ramapo Mountains.��

This season’s lineup is packed with talent. Enjoy the musical stylings of:

The Nerds: Thursday, June 29

The Infernos Salute to America: Thursday, July 6 (fireworks at dusk)

The Beatles and Beyond by The Mahoney Brothers: Thursday, July 13 (rain date for fireworks)

Super Trans Am, Thursday: July 20��

All concerts are from 7 – 9 p.m. rain or shine at �鶹��ý, 505 Ramapo Valley Road, Mahwah, NJ. Admission is free. Parking is $5 per car. Concertgoers should bring chairs and blankets. In case of inclement weather, the shows will be held indoors in the air-conditioned Bradley Center Arena. Please email foundation@ramapo.edu with questions.��

In addition to TD Bank, the Summer Concert Series is sponsored by Liberty Cars of New Jersey and Friends of Ramapo. A snack bar, sponsored by Inserra Supermarkets, along with Conrad’s Homemade Ice Cream Truck, will be available. Visit the Summer Concert Series website for a full list of sponsors and to inquire about sponsoring this summer favorite series.��

To learn more about �鶹��ý, visit ramapo.edu.��

“�鶹��ý is delighted that we produced a second volume with Shawn Adler, and captured the diverse experiences of high school students in New Jersey. The students wrote their own stories about how they navigated difficult times with the help of family, friends, educators and community members.�� We hope they are inspired to keep writing their stories as they move into college and beyond,” said Dr. Susan Hangen, interim vice provost of teaching and learning at �鶹��ý.

In 2022, the memoir , containing narratives from New Jersey high school students about the effects of the pandemic on their lives, was published. Proceeds from the sale of this book went directly to the We Care Program, and raised more than $400 to date.

All 100% of proceeds from the sales of will benefit the We Care Program at �鶹��ý once again. The program provides resources to students who need assistance with additional funding resources or experience food insecurity or face homelessness.

To learn more about �鶹��ý, visit ramapo.edu.

MAHWAH, NJ – �鶹��ý of New Jersey is one of only 76 new members of the for 2023-24. The , an initiative of NASPA and The Suder Foundation, selected �鶹��ý for its demonstrated commitment to improving experiences and advancing success for first-generation college students.

“With over 40% of our undergraduate students identifying as the first in their family to potentially graduate from college, �鶹��ý has hit the ground running to impact the success of our first-gen students,” said Dr. Nicole Videla, senior director of the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) and Student Success.�� “Being accepted into First Scholars Network shows our long-term commitment to continuous learning as we build the foundation for our first-gen students as they make history at �鶹��ý. Two recent initiatives include recognizing November as First-generation College Celebration Month and establishing the Zeta Nu chapter of the first-generation student honor society, Alpha Alpha Alpha (Tri-Alpha).

The First-Generation Student Center at �鶹��ý of New Jersey provides purposeful support and engaging services to create an equitable environment for first-generation students. The goal of the center is to promote first-generation student success through learning experiences that cultivate a sense of belonging and encourage holistic student development. The First-Generation Student Center also provides training and resources to campus community members to increase awareness and understanding of the lived experiences of first-generation students.

“The Center is pleased to welcome �鶹��ý of New Jersey into the First Scholars Network,” said Dr. Sarah E. Whitley, vice president with the Center for First-generation Student Success. “Through the application process, it was evident that �鶹��ý is not only taking steps to serve first-generation students but is prepared to make a long-term commitment and employ strategies that foster an environment of success for this important population.”

To learn more about first-generation efforts at �鶹��ý, visit the �鶹��ý First-generation Student Center website at ramapo.edu/first-gen/.

Mahwah, NJ- Thanks to the support of Governor Phil Murphy and Secretary of Higher Education Brian K. Bridges, �鶹��ý students will be able to access mental health counseling around the clock. Just in this last year, student appointments for mental health counseling increased 18% on campus, indicating the need for students to have access to additional, much-needed support.

“Well-being is crucial to student success, and we are committed to increasing access to critical support services including mental health counseling, instructional-related accommodations, and other support services,” said President Cindy R. Jebb. “We are thankful for the prescience of Governor Murphy and Secretary Bridges in recognizing the increasingly complex needs of our students and the demands on our institution, and we very much look forward to integrating Uwill into the menu of support services provided to our students.”

The program partners with Uwill to provide telehealth to students at colleges and universities in New Jersey, and will bolster an already impressive array of support and services �鶹��ý currently provides its students.��

“Ramapo is happy to be able to provide additional mental health support to students through Uwill. Counseling Services at �鶹��ý provides time-limited mental health treatment, both in-person and through telehealth, crisis support and referrals for students who need more long-term treatment. Uwill can fill a niche where students want evening or weekend telehealth appointments,” said Dr. Judith Green, Director of the Center for Health and Counseling Services at �鶹��ý.

Earlier this year, due the support of Governor Phil Murphy and Secretary of Higher Education Brian K. Bridges, �鶹��ý received a that helps create additional opportunities for students to receive support in a variety of ways beyond traditional counseling sessions as well as partner with community organizations to increase professional development for staff. Examples include securing , a peer-to-peer online platform that allows students to access an anonymous and safe community to share feelings and give or get wellness support, as well as work with , , and Cornell University’s . Counseling staff will gain valuable training that helps them connect with, understand, and support students of color, first-generation students, and LGBTQ+ students.

To learn more about the �鶹��ý Center for Health and Counseling Services, visit ramapo.edu/chcs/.

“As we celebrate the �鶹��ý Class of 2023, we welcome Alex back to our campus. A leader who has modeled the importance of equity, innovation, and service throughout his career, Alex embodies the �鶹��ý promise: to develop the empathetic problem solvers, ethical change agents, and responsible leaders�� our communities so desperately need,” shared President Cindy Jebb.

The Graduate Programs Commencement Ceremony will be held at �鶹��ý in the Bill Bradley Sports and Rec Center on Thursday, May 18, 2023. Doors will open at 4:00 p.m. The ceremony will begin with the academic processional at 5:15 p.m. Persons unable to attend may enjoy the ceremony via livestream on ramapo.edu/commencement.��

Dylan Heffernan, assistant director for the We Care Program and Community Services, is grateful for the support that New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education Brian K. Bridges, Ph.D., continues to provide. “The Hunger Free Campus Grant has allowed us to grow the pantry in ways I could only hope to see. The first round of funding allowed the food pantry to provide over 250 bags of fresh produce to students this semester and approximately 1,500 meals in the dining hall. With these additional funds, we’ll be able to do even more to support our students and reduce food insecurity on campus.”

The �鶹��ý Food Pantry was developed six years ago to help students who face food insecurity. That effort is one of many student-support resources that reside under the umbrella of the We Care Program, which includes the Emergency Student Relief Fund, Clothing Closet, and Laptop Upcycle @ Ramapo. The additional funding brings the award total to approximately $77,000 and will expand the goals of the Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program by providing healthier choices in our on-campus food pantry, particularly by increasing the amount of fresh food. Earlier this year, �鶹��ý received approximately $51,000 from the Hunger-Free Campus Act.

To learn more about �鶹��ý, visit ramapo.edu.��

“It is really awesome to have Dr. Leslie T. Fenwick participate in the �鶹��ý Class of 2023 Commencement Ceremony,” said President Cindy Jebb, “Leslie is a gifted scholar, exemplary educator, and inspiring leader whose service and research continues to shape and inform public policy decisions and educational practices that are focused on driving opportunity, justice, empathy, and equity.”

�鶹��ý’s Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony will be held at Prudential Center in Newark on Thursday, May 11, 2023. Doors to the Prudential Center will open at 5:30 p.m. The ceremony will begin with the academic processional at 6:45 p.m. Persons unable to attend may enjoy the ceremony via livestream on ramapo.edu/commencement.��

Dr. Leslie T. Fenwick

Leslie T. Fenwick, Ph.D., is noted for her expertise in public policy, character leadership, and ethics. A lifelong educator who has worked in every sector of education, Dr. Fenwick is known as a “fearless voice” for educational equity and equal opportunity. In 2020, she was a finalist for the U.S. Secretary of Education post. Additionally she is a U.S. Presidential appointee to the Board of Visitors for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point (USMA) where she has served since 2017 as a MCLC Senior Fellow occasionally lecturing about character leadership and ethics.��

A former Harvard University Visiting Scholar and Visiting Fellow, and Salzburg Global Fellow, she is the author of the award-winning and bestselling book Jim Crow’s Pink Slip (Harvard Education Press, 2022). Jim Crow’s Pink Slip has been referenced by the New York Times and is an NPR Book of the Day. It is also winner of the 2023 Gloria Ladson-Billings Outstanding Book of the Year Award, and is an Amazon #1 Bestseller in Education History. Dr. Fenwick is recipient of the W.E.B. DuBois Higher Education Leadership Award for her national efforts to expand equal educational opportunity and access to higher education.��

As a very public-facing scholar and advocate, Dr. Fenwick’s policy research and op-ed articles have been cited and published by the New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Politico, the National Academy of Education, Brookings Institution, and the Center for American Progress. She has been a featured speaker at the National Press Club (Washington, D.C.) and has appeared on NPR, CNN, C-SPAN Live, Yahoo! Finance News, and Washington Post Live discussing public policy, educational equity, and the changing U.S. workforce.��

She has made a sustained contribution to the research literature publishing numerous journal articles, policy monographs, book chapters, and books. Additionally, she has delivered more than 150 distinguished lectures and keynotes to national and international audiences that include corporate, political, and educational leaders. Dr. Fenwick has served as a consultant to CEO Action for Racial Equity founded by Tim Ryan, U.S. Chairman and Senior Partner, PwC. Featured in the New York Times, CEO Action for Racial Equity is the first business-led coalition (composed of 2,000 corporate chairpersons and CEOs) of its kind with a mission to advance racial equity through public policy.��

Dr. Fenwick is one of 11 nationally distinguished scholars appointed a member of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) Scholarly Advisory Committee (SAC). The SAC was established by renown historian Dr. John Hope Franklin to establish the museum’s intellectual agenda and exhibition content. The NMAAHC is the world’s third busiest museum.��

Dr. Fenwick is Dean Emerita of the Howard University School of Education where she is a tenured professor of policy and Dean in Residence at the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE). She earned a Ph.D. in education policy and leadership studies at The Ohio State University where she was a Flesher Fellow, and a bachelor’s degree at the University of Virginia.

Mahwah, NJ- �鶹��ý and the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) announced that Nora Rachouh ‘23 has been recognized as part of the 2023 ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll. The awards college students doing outstanding work to advance nonpartisan democratic engagement at participating campuses.��

Rachouh joins a group of 175 students recognized for their voter registration, education and turnout efforts ahead of last year’s historic midterm elections. The 2022 midterm elections saw one of the highest youth turnout rates for a midterm election in the past 40 years — an estimated 23% of young people ages 18 to 29 turned out to vote. “I am honored to be a part of the ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll! I have worked throughout my years at �鶹��ý in the Civic and Community Engagement Center (CCEC) and have strived to get my fellow students to recognize the importance of being politically engaged regardless of preferences.”����

“As a nursing major, Nora understands the power of healing and community. In her position as the student manager of the Civic and Community Engagement Center, Nora has dedicated herself to building community and empowering her peers to learn more about the political process and to vote in every election,” shared Karen Booth, coordinator for civic and political engagement in the CCEC.

In November, ALL IN recognized �鶹��ý as a most engaged campus for college student voting, and remains committed to promoting civic engagement and the democratic process. It is what Rachouh loves most about being a Ramapo student. “The college’s interdisciplinary commitment to forming well-rounded, informed, and empowered students of democracy through the Civic and Community Engagement Center is what I love most at Ramapo. The hands-on service ignites a flame within you, creating a want for change that promotes the desire to vote. Ramapo’s commitment to integrated classes with social issues and community service through the CCEC creates knowledgeable student leaders who understand no matter what major you have or where you are planning to work, being a well-informed politically engaged adult is for everyone.”

To learn more about �鶹��ý, visit ramapo.edu.��

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement. With the support of the ALL IN staff, campuses that join the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge complete a set of action items to institutionalize nonpartisan civic learning, political engagement and voter participation on their campus. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge currently engages more than 9.8 million students from more than 965 institutions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Campuses can join ALL IN .

The program offers four track options: Family nurse practitioner, adult gerontology nurse practitioner, nursing administration, and nursing education. Nurses who complete the program have the opportunity to attain certification in their respective specialty and become nurse leaders where they work.

Patricia Conte is a nurse working in the Emergency Department at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. She is studying to become a family nurse practitioner. “The MSN program provides me with the best education and supportive resources to advance my nursing career. With exam preparation, research-based discussions, and clinical case study presentations, the MSN degree has helped me grow with confidence in the assessment, clinical diagnosis, and education of patients.”

Students complete the program online with some hybrid formats, which provides flexibility for nurses who work and want to further their education, like Conte. “The hybrid program contributes to achieving a perfect work-school-life balance. I love the program’s supportive community and degree of continuity. The professors have been consistent, exceptional resources in my learning experience and are always readily available to discuss questions or concerns pertaining to educational content or clinical experience. The staff are extremely approachable, organized, insightful, and compassionate. The sense of genuine thoughtfulness and support that comes from the MSN staff at �鶹��ý has helped fuel my success in the program.”��

Christie Rice, a registered nurse and certified clinical research professional who is graduating from the nurse education track in May, agrees. “The professors are extremely supportive and understanding of graduate students, realizing we all are balancing work, family and school responsibilities. The hybrid nature of the program with a majority of the courses online makes it attainable to fit the scheduled in-person classes with a variety of nursing jobs as these sessions are offered virtually.

Prospective students can learn more about the MSN and all nursing programs offered at �鶹��ý by visiting the nursing programs website.

On the surface, Catapult is a shadow dance company, but it also is a theatrical art form that is an amazingly imaginative combination of dance, story-telling, and sculpture. Founded in 2009 by choreographer Adam Battlestein, who has been creative director and master teaching artist for Pilobolus Dance Theatre for 19 years, Catapult rose to fame in the finals on Season 8 of “America’s Got Talent.”

“Magic Shadows” features eight fully-realized stories told through music and shadows and six short shadow dance videos which play between the live dances that are full of humor and emotion. The show is packed with hundreds of shape transformations from a helicopter to a full-size elephant and many more. The dancers move behind a screen to create seemingly impossible dancing shadow silhouettes of shapes from the world around us that will leave the whole family happy and in awe.

As a community resource, the Berrie Center hosts a range of performances year-round including compelling student theater productions and musical performances as well as countless talented professional musicians, theater groups, and performance artists. The Center is generously supported by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Events are open to the public with discounts for children 17 and under, and feature easy access and free parking. For exact event information and to purchase tickets, please visit ramapo.edu/berriecenter.

This dynamic exhibition showcases the creative talents of 25 graduating Visual Arts seniors, and features artwork in a wide-range of media including animation, drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, installation, and performance. Associate Professors Ann LePore and Jackie Skrzynski are the faculty curators.����

Featured artists include:�� Emily Abreu, Josie Ajello, Kaitlin Balasaygun, Isabella Cannao, Kira Constantine, Alejandra Esquivias, Jenna Genocchio, Shugar Hall, Jennifer Holland, Christine Huysers, Andrew LaMonica, Erika Larsen, Rachel Liptak, Veronika Miller, Trent Montgomery, Bridget Nichols, Dominic Notoris, Danielle Opitz, Armand Partis, Chantel Pridgen, Cecily Santana, Blake Taylor, Grace Velarde, Erin Ward, Megan Woods.��

Special hours for the exhibition are:

Wednesday, April 26:�� 5-7 p.m. (Opening Reception)

Thursday, April 27:�� 1-7 p.m.

Friday, April 28: 1-5 p.m.

Saturday, April 29:�� 1-6 p.m.

Sunday, April 30:�� 1-4 p.m.

Monday, May 1:�� 1-5 p.m.

Tuesday, May 2:�� 1-5 p.m.

Wednesday, May 3:�� 1-7 p.m.

Thursday, May 4:�� 1-7 p.m.

Friday, May 5: 1-5 p.m.

Sunday, May 7: 1-4 p.m.

Monday, May 8:�� 1-5 p.m.

Tuesday, May 9:�� 1-5 p.m.

Wednesday, May 10:�� 11 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

For further information, contact Sydney Jenkins at 201-684-7147. To learn more about �鶹��ý, visit ramapo.edu.

A ceremony featuring brief remarks from dignitaries, an address by Dr. Jacob Ari Labendz, director of the Center, and a musical performance by Naomi Miller will be held in the Robert A. Scott Student Center, Friends Hall. A processional with the Torah scroll will follow to the Peter P. Mercer Learning Commons, home of the Center, where it will be installed in the exhibition space. This event and the exhibit are open to the public. Registration is strongly encouraged as space is limited via this

The Center hopes to function as the nexus of a multi-site exhibit, featuring Czech scrolls and their custodians in the region and beyond. While the exhibit will be primarily virtual, communities may produce beautiful, physical displays to tell the fascinating histories of the Czech scrolls and of their scroll’s community of origin. They will also script a lasting testament to their own community, its history, and its relationship to its Czech scroll.

All inquiries should be directed via email to Dr. Jacob Ari Labendz, director of the Center:��holgen@ramapo.edu. Visit The Center website for more information about the scroll and the Jewish community of Kolín.

Brandon, a music professor at �鶹��ý for more than 20 years, has worked with musical legend Ben E. King, The Drifters, Average White Band, and The Supremes. His choir features the best voices from around the state, including �鶹��ý students.

Brandon promises a night full of joyous gospel music from various genres that he is excited to share with the audience. “I see the concert as being more than a simple presentation – it is a time of sharing. In fact, every ticket holder is automatically a choir member. If you know a song, sing along!” he said.

As a community resource, the Berrie Center hosts a range of performances year-round including compelling student theater productions and musical performances as well as countless talented professional musicians, theater groups, and performance artists. The Center is generously supported by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Events are open to the public with discounts for children 17 and under, and feature easy access and free parking. For exact event information and to purchase tickets, please visit ramapo.edu/berriecenter.

Accompanied by �鶹��ý President Cindy Jebb, Secretary Bridges also met with students in the Educational Opportunity Fund program in the newly opened Multicultural Center, students who receive support from the Office of Specialized Services, and visited the Adler Center for Nursing Excellence to see the state-of-the-art simulation labs.

“The chance to interact with Ramapo students who are supported by programs like EOF and the college’s Office of Specialized Students, students who might otherwise lack the support they need to be successful, reinforced the value of New Jersey’s state-level investments in higher education,” said Dr. Bridges. “Not only that, but seeing firsthand how Ramapo is contributing to the development of our workforce in high-demand fields like nursing, by preparing students in their simulation labs, demonstrates just how vital 21st century learning environments are to equip students for the careers of both today and tomorrow.” Secretary Bridges last visited �鶹��ý on September 22, 2021 for the Peter P. Mercer Learning Commons ribbon-cutting ceremony.��

“Our students were thrilled to have the opportunity to learn from and spend time with Secretary Bridges and to share with him their stories and experiences as valued members of the �鶹��ý community,” said President Jebb. “Ramapo faculty and staff invest their time, resources, and energy in our students through individualized attention and mentorship. We are grateful that Secretary Bridges not only got to witness that investment first-hand as part of his campus visit but also furthered it by sharing his own story and experiences with Ramapo students.�� We appreciate the advocacy Secretary Bridges provides for public higher education in NJ and the support of the state in helping Ramapo continue to meet our students’ educational, social, and well-being needs as learners and as society’s future leaders.”��

�鶹��ý is #1 in New Jersey for its online RN to BSN program and in the top 3 for its RN program. The College is also #1 in New Jersey and #24 in the nation for being a top college for students with disabilities. Visit the accolades page to learn more honors for �鶹��ý.

The mission of the 2023 Voter Friendly Campus designation is to bolster colleges and universities’ efforts to help students overcome barriers to participating in the political process – every year, not just during years featuring federal elections. �鶹��ý was evaluated based on a written plan for how we planned to register, educate, and turnout student voters in 2022, how we facilitated voter engagement efforts on our campus, and a final analysis of our efforts.

“Although presidential and midterm election years get a majority of the attention, there are state and local elections which have an incredible impact on our lives and our communities every year,” shared Eddie Seavers, associate director for the Center of Student Involvement. “The designation as a Voter Friendly Campus represents that being civically engaged is a hallmark of being a Ramapo student.”

As part of our effort to be designated a Voter Friendly Campus, the Civic and Community Engagement Center held a robust Civic Engagement Week in 2022. Activities included a voter engagement fair, tabling to bring awareness to midterm elections, roving campus trivia, and a trip to Washington, D.C.��

�鶹��ý has made a strong statement about our civic mission to prepare students to be engaged participants in our democracy, building upon awards for our 2022 ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge Highly Established Action Plan Seal and Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting and is eager to continue engaging students through 2023, 2024, and beyond.

The institutions designated Voter Friendly Campuses represent a wide range of two-year, four-year, public, private, rural, and urban campuses, collectively serving over 3.5 million students. Notably, the list of designated institutions includes 49 Minority Serving Institutions and 13 Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as well as 41 Community Colleges.

The theme of this year’s symposium, Power-Based Violence: A Look into College Life, takes a deep dive into dating violence and the college student population. Topics include social media harassment, what violence prevention looks like on a campus, stalking behavior and recognizing the signs, as well as resource disparities and barriers that prevent marginalized populations from coming forward to report these crimes.

Moderated by New Milford Councilman Matthew Seymour, symposium panelists include:

• Laura Melendez (Bergen County Alternatives to Domestic Violence/ADV)
• Simaza Sadek, MSW, LSW (Director, YWCA Northern New Jersey healingSPACE)��
• Marie-Danielle Attis (�鶹��ý)
• Onya Brown, Esq. (Felician University)
• Lieutenant Kevin Mathew (Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office – Special Victims Unit)
• Sergeant Melissa Cohen (Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office – Special Victims Unit)
• Assistant Prosecutor Lee Schaer, Esq. (Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office)
• Amanda Murray (Center for Hope and Safety)��
• Honorable Ronny Jo Siegal (Retired NJ Superior Court Family Law Judge)

Welcome remarks will be delivered by Bergen County Sheriff Anthony Cureton, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella, and �鶹��ý President Cindy Jebb.��

According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline:

• 1 in 6 college women (16%) has been sexually abused in a dating relationship.
• 57% of all college students say it is difficult to identify dating abuse.
• 38% of college students say they do not know how to get help for themselves if they experience dating abuse as a victim.
• 58% of college students say they do not know what to do to help someone who is a victim of dating abuse.
• 52% of college women report knowing a friend who’s experienced violent and abusive dating behaviors, including physical, sexual, digital, verbal, or other controlling abuse.
• Nearly 1 in 3 college women (29%) say they have been in an abusive dating relationship.
• Most female (69%) and male (53%) victims of rape, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner had their first experience with intimate partner violence before the age of 25.

Councilman Seymour created this program in 2019 in New Milford “to provide information about resources and services that are available to domestic violence survivors. I am honored to partner with �鶹��ý to present a symposium that is specifically tailored to the college student population. With the tragic events that occurred earlier this year near a college campus in Idaho, it is imperative to address stalking and dating violence.”

High school and college students as well as parents and guardians of these populations are encouraged to attend to learn more about intimate partner violence prevention and how to recognize the signs. For more information on the Violence Awareness Symposium, email mseymour@newmilfordboro.com or visit .

Mahwah, NJ– �鶹��ý of New Jersey remains the #1 public college in New Jersey, according to College Choice, a leading authority in college and university rankings and resources.

“Ramapo’s consistent ranking atop this list reaffirms the value of a �鶹��ý degree in today’s uber competitive marketplace. We pride ourselves on our commitments to both affordability and student success; ensuring that students who enroll at Ramapo not only just thrive while they’re with us, but are positioned for both personal and professional success,” said Christopher Romano, vice president for strategic enrollment, outreach, and engagement at Ramapo.

Offering exceptional value with below average in-state and out-of-state tuition rates, coupled with an above average four-year graduation rate, �鶹��ý provides a high-quality education with a strong return on investment. On average, students are awarded competitive grants or scholarships, making �鶹��ý an affordable option to earn a degree in four years. Findings from the most recent New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities (NJASCU) economic impact study show that Ramapo alumni who stay in New Jersey enjoy an aggregate $2.55 billion increase in annual household income. �鶹��ý also remains #1 in New Jersey for best residential halls, and is one of the Top 50 most beautiful campuses in America.

The ranking is a result of a rigorous methodology that includes data from two U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) sources. The College Scorecard records college cost, loan default rates, student borrowing, graduation rates, and employment after graduation, and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS),which is a division of the National Center for Education Statistics but run by the USDOE, collects information reported by schools that participate in federal student aid programs including enrollment, graduation rates, student financial aid, and admission. Additional data sources include U.S. News & World Report and Payscale.

To learn more about the honors and accolades of �鶹��ý, visit RCNJ Accolades.

High school students are encouraged to register in advance at but can attend without a reservation.

“The Bergen County Directors of Guidance, which represents the close to 50 high schools in Bergen County, is thrilled to continue this partnership with �鶹��ý as the event host. Last year’s event, the first live fair since 2019, was an overwhelming success,” said Dominick Gliatta, president of the Bergen County Directors of Guidance and Director of School Counseling at Mahwah High School.�� “We plan to have an even larger attendance of representatives from colleges, universities, trade schools, and the military who will be on hand to answer any and all questions students and parents may have.”

Christopher Romano, vice president of strategic enrollment, outreach and engagement at �鶹��ý, added, “After the success of our first year hosting the fair, I cannot wait to see so many prospective students tour our campus.�� As a public college, Ramapo’s mission is to play an integral role in facilitating more college attainment in New Jersey. Providing these opportunities for students and their families to learn about the diversity of higher education offerings is essential to that mission.”

Photo from the 2022 Bergen County College Fair at �鶹��ý in the Bradley Arena

Students and their families are encouraged to take advantage of all the fair has to offer. In addition to visiting with and meeting representatives from over 200 colleges and universities in attendance. There will be opportunities to tour Ramapo’s campus and to learn about the ins and outs of financial aid from the RCNJ Financial Aid office.

Registration information can be found at . More information about the event including directions, a full list of the colleges/universities attending the fair can be found by visiting RCNJ Admissions.

(Mahwah, NJ)– The (ALL IN) announced that �鶹��ý has been awarded a Highly Established Action Plan Seal, one of only two 4-year colleges in New Jersey. This seal is awarded to campuses that have worked to increase nonpartisan democratic engagement and graduate engaged voters by building a strong nonpartisan action plan. ALL IN and the American Democracy Project, Campus Vote Project, NASPA Lead Initiative, and the Students Learn Students Vote Coalition created the to help guide campuses on their journey to graduate democratically engaged students by building effective action plans. The Highly Established Action Plan Seal recognizes campuses that score at least 31.5 out of 36 possible points on the Strengthening American Democracy rubric.

��“Our students’ continued commitment and passion to advance and engage in the democratic process is both commendable and inspiring. They lead boldly, recognizing the right to vote as a privilege and responsibility. This award reflects our students as problem solvers, ethical change agents, and civic-minded leaders,” shared �鶹��ý President Cindy Jebb, who committed in 2022 to fostering a culture that supports nonpartisan student civic learning, political engagement and student voter participation, spearheaded on campus by the Civic and Community Engagement Center.��

“Colleges and universities have a responsibility to prepare students to engage meaningfully in our nation’s democracy. The role they play in developing the next generation of voters and shaping our future cannot be understated,” said Dr. Jennifer Domagal-Goldman, Executive Director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. “We are proud to recognize �鶹��ý of New Jersey for working to graduate the next generation of voters by developing and implementing a comprehensive, data-informed campus action plan.”����

�鶹��ý is no stranger to leading efforts to empower and strengthen student democratic engagement. In 2022, Ramapo was named an ALL IN Most Engaged Campus for Student Voting in 2022 and Keren Ortega ‘22 was named to the ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll. �鶹��ý was named an in the 2020 presidential election, boasting a student voter rate 11% above the national average.����

ABOUT ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge:

The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) is a national nonpartisan initiative of Civic Nation, a 501(c)(3) organization. ALL IN strives to change civic culture and institutionalize democratic engagement activities and programs on college campuses, making voter participation a defining feature of campus life.

ALL IN, in collaboration with over 960 higher education institutions, seeks to make participation in local, state, and federal elections a social norm; substantially increase the number of college students who are democratically engaged on an ongoing basis, during and between elections, and not just at the polls, and; make educating for democratic engagement on college campuses an accepted and expected part of the culture and curriculum so that students graduate with the knowledge, skills, behaviors, and values needed to be an informed and active citizen.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the culmination of the project, at which �鶹��ý President Cindy Jebb expressed how “the Multicultural Center provides an inclusive and welcoming space that will host programs and workshops designed to help foster constructive intercultural dialogue–dialogue that encourages understanding, empathy, and solidarity.” Consul General Bishnu Prasad Gautam of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nepal, attended the event and reflected on how the �鶹��ý community mobilized relief funds to support victims of the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, and again during the Covid-19 pandemic. “Cultural and community identity are very important aspects in our personal development. I think the College has internalized this in opening the Center, and it will give one more reason for students to choose this college.”

Additional invited guest speakers who shared remarks about the significance of the opening included alumni Tamika Quick ‘03, executive director of the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Kean University; Jonelyn Planillo-Pachay ‘09, co-founder of both the Pilipino American Unity for Progress (UniPro) and the Professional Filipino American Youth (PFAY), and service sales representative at Schindler Elevator; Eileen Ramos ‘11, event coordinator for the Asian American Literary Review; and Stephan Lally ‘20, advisor to the speaker and director of appointments at the New Jersey Assembly Democratic Office.

The pandemic halted the work of the center’s fruition, which began in December 2019 with the formation of the Multicultural Center Exploratory Committee, composed of students, faculty and students and established through the Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Compliance (EDIC). The Opportunity Meets Innovation Challenge (OMIC) grant awarded by the State of New Jersey helped fund the project, which resumed in Spring 2021.

The Multicultural Center supports one of the goals of the College’s strategic plan, Boldly Ascending, approved by the �鶹��ý Board of Trustees in January 2023. Ramapo’s Annual Diversity Convocation will be held in March, and plans are underway through EDIC to host diversity-related programs and workshops in the Multicultural Center for all students.

The Concert, generously supported with funding from the Les Paul Foundation, is a collaboration between Ramapo’s Berrie Center for the Performing and Visual Arts and the College’s esteemed music department. Attendees are invited to stay for an intimate post-performance conversation with Keating.

Keating, a composer and performer, uses a cello and a foot-controlled laptop to record and layer sounds to create lush, beautiful yet unclassifiable music. Her performances are unique as she spontaneously improvises around her works, demonstrates how she makes them, and tells the stories behind each piece.

For the past 20 years, Keating has used her DIY approach to compose, produce and independently release her albums, which have sold over 35,000 copies. Keating also composes for TV, theater, film and dance, and most notably, she co-composed the score of the HBO film “Oslo” with Jeff Russo, which earned the pair an Emmy Nomination in 2021.

Ramapo’s Berrie Center is a centerpiece of the College’s School of Contemporary Arts (CA). Students enrolled in CA programs benefit from hands-on learning with artists like Keating and can choose to focus their studies in:

• Communication Arts (with concentrations in Digital Filmmaking, Global Communication and Media, Journalism and Writing, as well as Visual Communication Design which includes Game Design and Graphic Design)
• Music (with concentrations in: Music Industry, Music Performance, Music Production, Music Education and Music Studies, and an MFA Program in Creative Music Technology)
• Theater (with concentrations in: Acting, Directing/Stage Management, Design/Technical Theater, and Theater Studies); and
• Visual Arts (with concentrations in: Art History, Drawing and Painting, Sculpture, Electronic Art and Animation, and Photography)

As a community resource, the Berrie Center hosts a range of performances year-round including compelling student theater productions and musical performances as well as countless talented professional musicians, theater groups, and performance artists. The Center is generously supported by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Events are open to the public with discounts for children 17 and under, and feature easy access and free parking. For exact event information and to purchase tickets, please visit ramapo.edu/berriecenter.

MAHWAH. NJ – Ramapo Professor Natalia Santamaría Laorden was recently elected to lead a pioneering national initiative that encourages the contextual teaching of language. Newly formed by the ACTFL, The Languages of Specific Purposes (LSP) Special Interest Group is the first of its kind to further the issue of language and profession through the ACTFL network of professionals and in classrooms across the country. Santamaría Laorden will serve as the LSP group’s chair throughout its first full year.

“The formation of the Language of Specific Purpose Special Interest Group at ACTFL is an optimistic sign of a broader cultural shift towards an interdisciplinary approach,” said Professor Santamaría Laorden. “Whether it is health equity, climate change, sustainability, or accountability, I firmly believe that the way we teach world languages can humanize interactions and better outcomes across industries.”

Reflective of growing student interest and real-world needs, the LSP Special Interest Group’s primary focus will be on cultural humility within language learning. Aligned with a broader focus on an interdisciplinary approach, the network of educators, professionals, and industry experts will define best practices and shared goals for educating towards the socio-dynamic context of language. Of all the ACTFL’s Special Interest Groups, the Languages for Specific Purposes group is the only one dedicated to providing students with real-world, transferable skills for the contemporary workplace. The principles defined and discussed in the group will lay the foundation for how colleges and universities approach language learning across the country.

“I am thrilled to serve in this position and extend the interdisciplinary work we already practice at Ramapo to the whole country,” added Santamaría Laorden. “We are currently expanding the Spanish program at the College through potential certification by the Certification Commission for Healthcare Interpreters. This will allow us to join efforts with county colleges to strengthen the mission of educating well-rounded foreign language teachers.”

A pioneer in the issue of language and profession, Natalia Santamaría Laorden introduced the concept to �鶹��ý with a Certificate Program on Spanish and Healthcare backed by a US DOE UISFL grant. Resonating with the student body and administration, the certificate program led to the creation of three popular new courses and an 80 percent increase in enrollment for its Spanish minor curriculum. The program also led to a successful new study-abroad opportunity in Bilbao, dedicated to immersing students in the Basque healthcare system.

In 2022, Santamaría Laorden co-authored the textbook, Spanish for Health Care and Human Services: An Interdisciplinary Approach (Cognella, 2021). Currently, 200 desk copies have been distributed in the United States, and 12 universities, and the University of Colorado-Boulder, Northeastern University, University of North Florida, and University of Cincinnati have already adopted it.

According to Santamaría Laorden, the group, its work, and her efforts at Ramapo will have a significant tie-in to desires at the federal level about enhancing language education as a way to increase global competitiveness. “My work with colleagues at the ACTFL will contribute directly towards addressing recent concerns by US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona about the needs to promote bilingualism as a gift and to educate professionals to compete abroad. In such a diverse country and world, the work will foster a better understanding by the education and business industries of the connection between world languages fluency and success. “

Providing vision, leadership and support for quality teaching and learning of languages, the ACTFL is an individual membership organization for language educators and administrators from elementary through graduate education, as well as government and industry. Since its founding in 1967, ACTFL has become synonymous with innovation, quality, and reliability in meeting the changing needs of language educators and their learners. It is where the world’s educators, businesses, and government agencies go to advance the practice of language learning.

To learn more about Natalia Santamaría Laorden, click here.

(MAHWAH & RANDOLPH, NEW JERSEY)- 2023 kicked off with the following declaration from Tech Crunch magazine: “Data science is perhaps the most exciting area in all of enterprise technology right now, and it’s evolving at a lightning pace.” Recognizing the significance of this dynamic industry, �鶹��ý of New Jersey and County College of Morris (CCM) have joined forces to create pathways for aspiring data scientists to earn a master’s in data science in as little as five years.

The presidents of Ramapo and CCM on February 1 signed a Data Science Transfer Agreement, the first between a community college and a four-year institution in New Jersey. Known as a 2+2+1 agreement, the partnership will allow students to begin their education at CCM to earn their associate degree and then seamlessly transfer to Ramapo to earn their bachelor’s degree and then a master’s in data science if they wish.

Thomas Ortega, of Randolph, NJ, a graduate of Morris Hills High School and CCM, is in his fourth year in ��the 2+2+1 program. Ortega, who also serves as the founder and President of the �鶹��ý Data Science Club, shared, “My pathway between County College of Morris and �鶹��ý has been a wonderful experience that has provided me with a great start to my data science career. With an engaging faculty, I always feel that I have the support I need to pursue hands-on data science projects.”

“Ramapo looks forward to welcoming more CCM graduates to our data science programs,” said �鶹��ý President Cindy Jebb. “Our Center of Data, Mathematical & Computational Sciences, which is home to our data science programs, is at the cutting edge of preparing undergraduate and graduate students to be highly skilled and ethical problem solvers by teaching them how to apply technical and interdisciplinary concepts to real-world challenges.”

By taking a number of graduate courses as an undergraduate at Ramapo, the master’s can be completed in one year. By starting at a community college and then earning a master’s in a year, students can enjoy significant savings on their higher education. Students are not required to earn a master’s and can opt instead to earn a bachelor’s only.

“We’re pleased to be offering this opportunity for CCM students to seamlessly continue their data science higher education at �鶹��ý so they can take advantage of a wide range of career opportunities,” said Dr. Anthony J. Iacono, president of CCM. “We’re proud to enhance our relationship with such a great institution that also builds upon our reputation as the best community college in the state for transfer students.”

Among the first institutions in NJ to offer advanced degrees in data science, Ramapo’s Master of Science in Data Science program is nationally ranked a Top 30 Master’s program by Fortune Magazine, making it the #1 graduate data science program in New Jersey. According to ��ǰ��ٳܲԱ�’s analysis, data science is one of the fastest growing fields due to the increasing volume of data generated every day, which is “creating a steep demand for workers that can harness, analyze and create value from the data available.”

“The path for students to pursue an associate’s, a bachelor’s, and even a master’s degree in data science is now seamless,” said Christopher Romano, vice president for strategic enrollment, outreach, and engagement at Ramapo, adding, “Through this agreement with CCM, we are expanding access, and clearly articulating the pathway to allow individuals to pursue careers, and earn continuous credentials, in a very exciting, high-demand, and high-growth industry.”

The strength of Ramapo combined with the strength of CCM, which is nationally rated the Best for Transfer Students in New Jersey by Intelligent, has created thoughtful, accessible, and seamless pathways for students to pursue their studies in this high demand growth industry. With the addition of this data science 2+2+1 agreement, CCM now has more than 170 to ease the process of earning an associate and then a bachelor’s degree.

To learn about the Data Science program at Ramapo, visit /dmc/.
To learn more about the Computer Science Program at CCM, visit .

�鶹��ý Contact: Brittany Williams-Goldstein, bwillia1@ramapo.edu, (201)684-7609
County College of Morris Contact: Kathleen Brunet, kbrunet@ccm.edu, (973)328-5052

The official selections included 42 films chosen by a panel of �鶹��ý film faculty, current Ramapo film students and industry professionals.�� Students entered original films in a variety of genres and were awarded in several categories including Best Editing, Best Writing, Best Cinematography, Best Acting, Best Animation, Best Documentary, Best Fiction Film, and Best of the Fest. Each entrant received an Oscar-type statuette. Approximately $5,000 in film equipment and software awards were distributed to winners from sponsors of the event.���� Reflecting on the success of the�� event, Neel Scott, Associate Professor of Digital Filmmaking at �鶹��ý shared, “This was the sixth annual festival and our biggest yet, with over 200 filmmakers, friends, parents, cast and crew packing the Berrie Center’s Sharp Theater to watch 42 films of every type and genre from dozens of high schools all across New Jersey. If the films from the festival are any evidence, the next generation of New Jersey filmmakers is very talented. We look forward to continuing to grow the festival each year, and to screening the impressive work of New Jersey high school students.”

The winners included:

Best Cinematography
23, directed by Anthony Conte
Lakeland Regional High School

Best Editing
Why My Room is Never Clean, directed by Sharice Lacson
High Tech High School

Best Screenwriting
TARDY! written by Joshua Apostolico and Jarrett Jackson
Columbia High School

Best Actor
Caroline Sheridan, SHREDS OF EVIDENCE
Park Ridge High School

Best Documentary
Maya Zeidman,�� ISLA NENA
East Brunswick Magnet School – School of the Arts

Best Fiction Film
Ross Perlman for OBLIGATORY PARASITE
Columbia High School

Best Animation
Leonardo Tarascio for CRISIS
River Dell Regional High School

Best of the Fest
Gabrielle Werts for A CASE OF YOU
East Brunswick Magnet School – School of the Arts

Planning will soon be underway for next year’s festival. Visit the RCNJ Film Festival website for more information.

Dana Lambert of West Milford High School was selected from dozens of counselors who have “gone above and beyond to continually connect great students with �鶹��ý and help students succeed every-day,” said Director of Admissions Anthony Dovi ‘05.

Jose Vallejo ‘02, Admissions Counselor presented the award to Ms. Lambert and stated, “Dana has fostered close relationships across the state of NJ and at Ramapo in support and advocacy of her students, school, and community.”���� Further, “Dana continues to expand the conversation around equity and access surrounding college admissions, especially relating to LGBTQ+ students,” Vallejo said.

During her tenure, Dana coordinated the annual instant decision day program at her school, served as member and leader of both the�� NJACAC and NACAC organizations, including leading the NJ National College Fair, co-chairing the NJ STEM Fair, co-chairing the government relations committee, and serving as President of NJACAC.���� In 2019, she was selected to be a member of the Creating On-Ramps to College Working Group, part of Governor Murphy’s Task Force for Higher Education.�� Most recently, she played a vital role in partnering with �鶹��ý in offering high school dual enrollment courses at West Milford.

This is the eighth year Ramapo has bestowed the award, which was named for the College’s former Director of Admissions, who fostered close relationships with guidance counselors across the state over her nearly 40-year career at �鶹��ý.

Ramapo is looking forward to once again hosting, and co-sponsoring the Bergen County Guidance Fair on Wednesday, March 15th for students, families, counselors and the community to learn more about Ramapo and robust college offerings available in NJ and throughout the United States.�� More information on the event can be found at /admissions/bergen-county-college-fair/

“We are so honored and pleased to use the awarded grant funds to further student well-being at Ramapo,” said President Cindy Jebb. Some of the steps the College will take include adding more bus routes to take students to a local farmer’s market, expanding offerings of food and supplies in its Food Pantry, promoting more healthy food options, issuing gift cards to local supermarkets, and increasing the amount of funds available to subsidize meal costs for students in need.��

In 2016, �鶹��ý was among the first institutions in the state to begin formally exploring and documenting college student health, hunger, and mobility issues as well as homelessness. At that time, the College’s Student Government Association formed a tight-knit working group and took the lead on identifying potential stakeholders, contributors, and the most essential forms of support to meet the needs of their peers who were confronting such hardships.�� “In addition to providing our students with much needed resources, this grant award also reaffirms the importance of student leadership at Ramapo and our demonstrable success in developing responsible leaders, empathetic problem solvers, and ethical change agents,” Jebb added.������

Stephan Lally graduated from �鶹��ý in 2020. While a student, Lally served as President of the Student Government Association and was one of the lead architects of the College’s student relief efforts during his undergraduate experience. Lally, who now serves as an advisor in the state capital shared, “I am delighted to see Ramapo receive a grant award from the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education’s Hunger-Free Campus Grant Program. This is a product of years of hard work from students, staff, and faculty across the College. The WeCare program is instrumental in helping Roadrunners complete their degrees and this funding will only increase its impact on campus.”��

Through an empathetic vision, bold leadership, and broad collaboration with the College’s administration, union leaders, faculty, staff, and donors, the student-led effort quickly attracted the attention of state legislators. In early 2017, Ramapo students were invited to testify as part of the Senate Higher Education Committee and Senate Health, Human Services, and Senior Citizens Committee Joint Hearing to Discuss Hunger Among College Students. Within that same year, the student-led efforts yielded the establishment of the �鶹��ý WeCare Program which continues to be an integral part of the College’s holistic approach to addressing student well-being. The WeCare Program is overseen by Melissa Van Der Wall, the College’s Dean of Students/Vice President for Student Well-being, and a team of professionals in the Center for Student Involvement, has grown over the past several years to now include a student financial relief fund, food pantry, clothing closet, and technology/equipment provisions.

“Food insecurity among the college-going population has been on the rise nationally since 2019 and these hardships have only been magnified by the pandemic,” said Van Der Wall. “At Ramapo we know that food insecurity affects the health, well-being, and academic performance of our students, and we are committed to doing all we can to mitigate these challenges by providing our students with the necessary resources and a supportive and safe environment to grow and thrive.”

For more information about how you can support these efforts and �鶹��ý students in need, please visit the College’s WeCare Program at ramapo.edu/ccec/we-care-program/.

The 2023 honorees include:

Harold V. Bolton, III ’10:�� Global Director of IT, Strategic Sourcing and Vendor Management at UPS.

Drs. Douglas S. Holden and Jean Weng: Ramapo Parents ’23.

Deborah Visocni:�� Chief Executive Officer, New Bridge Medical Center

Harold V. Bolton, III ’10

Drs. Douglas S. Holden and Jean Weng

Deborah Visocni

As the Foundation’s largest fundraising event of the year, it provides the College community the opportunity to recognize these outstanding individuals as well as raise funds that benefit student scholarships, faculty and student undergraduate research and further campus strategic initiatives.

“We are truly grateful for the service and support that Harry, Doug and Jean, and Deborah have provided directly to �鶹��ý as we navigated and are emerging from the pandemic,” said Christopher Romano, Executive Director of the Foundation and Vice President of Strategic Enrollment, Outreach and Engagement.�� “These individuals exemplify what we strive to instill in all of our students; an ethos of civic engagement, ethical leadership and the willingness to give back.”

The event, chaired by two �鶹��ý alumni who are active supporters of the College and members of the Foundation Board of Governors, Peter Seminara ’00 and Michael Hettesheimer ’99.�� To learn more about each of the honorees, inquire about sponsorship opportunities and reserve your seat at the event, please visit or contact Liz Kloak at lkloak@ramapo.edu��or��201-684-6834.

Dr. Michael J. Middleton will step into the role of Provost and Vice President for Teaching, Learning and Growth with �鶹��ý in May. Middleton brings a wealth of experience, perspective, and expertise to the state’s preeminent liberal arts college. He will join Ramapo from Hunter College, City University of New York, where he is the Klara and Larry Silverstein Dean of the School of Education and Professor of Educational Foundations. The recipient of multiple teaching excellence awards, Middleton has also secured millions of dollars in grant support from the National Science Foundation for successful efforts related to student motivation and persistence.

“As Ramapo ascends to serve as a national exemplar for public higher education, it is exciting to bring Dr. Middleton– an inspiring educator, research scientist, and leader– on to our leadership team,” said Cindy Jebb, president of �鶹��ý. “We look forward to welcoming Dr. Middleton to Ramapo at such a consequential time as we embark on a bold new strategic plan and as the outcomes of a �鶹��ý education grow increasingly synonymous with the development of responsible, ethical, and successful leaders across all sectors.”

Middleton has also enjoyed administrative and faculty roles with the University of Massachusetts Boston, Harvard University, University of New Hampshire, and George Mason University. Throughout his career he has also been tapped by national organizations including the American Psychological Association, the Carnegie Foundation, and the American Educational Research Association. His educational background includes: Ph.D. in Combined Program in Education and Psychology, University of Michigan; Ed.M, Human Development and Psychology, Harvard University; and A.B., Psychology, Cum Laude, Harvard College.

“What most attracted me to Ramapo is the emphasis on leader development, student success, and the liberal arts as an engine for personal, professional, and civic growth,” Middleton said. Co-author of Motivation to Learn: Transforming Classroom Culture to Support Student Achievement, Middleton’s research has focused on cultivating student achievement and teacher effectiveness by leveraging student motivation and learning strategies, and building classroom community. As part of his academic leadership while at Hunter, Middleton helped spearhead the formation of a Center for Social Emotional Learning, initiated programming on race and equity for faculty, staff and students, and advanced a team to secure grant funding as a Hispanic Serving Institute to examine the first year experience for STEM majors.

Middleton joins �鶹��ý on the heels of the institution receiving regional and national recognition for affordability, return on investment, quality, and student success. Graduation and retention rates of Ramapo students exceed state and national averages and, as just one of many markers of student success, the superior rates are made possible by the College’s provision of impactful mentorship and student well-being supports, award-winning advisement practices, hands-on learning, and a range of opportunities for service and leadership development. Ramapo was recently recognized by U.S. News and World Report as a top institution in the Best Regional Universities North category, being named as one of only two New Jersey public institutions listed in the top 10, and ascending several spots to the #28 ranking among all schools in the same region. In addition, �鶹��ý is one of only two New Jersey programs among 25 institutions in the Regional Public Universities North category to earn a Best Undergraduate Teaching designation, which acknowledges the College’s faculty and administrators’ commitment to teaching undergraduate students in a high-quality manner.