News

News Notes for Faculty, Staff, and Students

Wartyna Davis, associate dean, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, was honored on February 26 by the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders as part of its African American History Month celebration.  Davis was recognized for her contributions to the African American community, the County of Essex, and the State of New Jersey during a ceremony at the Hall of Records in Newark.  She is a councilwoman in Bloomfield.

Eight Honors College students will present their senior thesis research at the Northeast Regional Honors Conference in Niagara Falls, N.Y. in April. The conference, one of the largest regional honors conferences, is organized by the National Collegiate Honors Council and the Northeast Regional Honors Council, and includes students from 200 colleges and universities in 12 northern states, Canada, and Puerto Rico.  Attendees will include Caitlin Hoolihan, psychology; Neil Joshi, biology; Alexis Martinez, nursing; Tanya Monroe, nursing; Devin Pendergast, marketing; Katherine Pirera, psychology; Chris Polkowski, accounting; and Rebecca Wance, history, elementary education and special education.

Djanna Hill, secondary and middle school education, was interviewed on Colorado Public Radio about the topic of why race matters in the classroom, particularly the lack of minority teachers.

Three Honors College students will present posters based on their research in the cognitive science track at the Eastern Psychological Association conference in March.  Torri Jaime, communication disorders, Colleen DeVoti, elementary education and mathematics, and Stacey DelosSantos, communication disorders, have conducted their research under the mentorship of Professor Amy Learmonth, psychology.

Numerous members of the music department participated in the New Jersey Music Educators Conference, held from February 20 to 22, including faculty members Craig Davis, who served as one of the conductors for the intercollegiate concert band, and presented a workshop session during the Wind Band Academy; Dave Demsey, who recruited students for the intercollegiate jazz band; Diane Falk Romaine, who organized and staffed recruitment booth; Steve Marcone and Dave Philp, who collaborated on the presentation of two sessions on music management; Bob Gray, who performed a lobby concert with the William Paterson University Bassoon Ensemble; and Sandra Dackow and Matt Paterno, who presented workshops. Graduate assistants Ryan McBride and Evan Butler set up and staffed the recruitment booth, and master’s degree students Abelita Mateus and Artemisz Polonyi presented workshops. Alumni John Maiello ‘86, Jeffrey Bittner ‘98, Darryl Bott ‘78, Bobby Hamm, MM ’07, Chris Bernatos ‘91, and Joe Bergen ‘07presented workshops or concert programs.

Student Kelly McNerney, a financial planning major, introduced a TD Ameritrade executive at the TD Ameritrade Conference in Orlando, Florida in January. McNerney is one of three University students who were among ten students across the country who were awarded TD Ameritrade Institutional NextGen Scholarships for the 2013-14 academic year.

Matt Paterno, an adjunct professor of music, was named one of 50 music directors nationwide who make a difference by School Band & Orchestra Magazine.  Paterno, who is the band director at Wayne Hills High School and musical director of the Hanover Wind symphony, was honored as New Jersey’s representative.

Zach Matari, a popular music major, performed at Resorts World Casino on January 31 as the opening act for R & B singer Mario.  His appearance was previewed in a segment on News 12 New Jersey.

Alejandro Anreus, art, will be one of three panelists for a program at the Bildner Center for Western Hemisphere Studies on March 7 at the CUNY Graduate Center in New York City, “Modern Cuban Art in New York: The MoMA Exhibition of 1944.”