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Five William Paterson University employees were among those honored by Governor Phil Murphy for their exceptional performance and service at a New Jersey State Employee Recognition Day (SERD) Award Ceremony in Trenton on May 11, 2023. The ceremony was held to recognize and honor state government employees for their outstanding contributions, a work ethic that inspires accomplishment, and their commitment to excellence in public service.
The five employees honored were: Dr. Jill Guzman, director of the Counseling, Health, and Wellness Center; Sgt. LaWanda Walker-Roney, supervisor of the Community Policing Unit and student patrol staff, University Police; James Shelley, director of physical plant operations; Joseph Alaya, director of enterprise information systems; and Cindy Gennarelli, director of early childhood education innovation and director of the University’s Child Development Center.
“William Paterson University is fortunate to have such talented faculty and staff employees in every college, office, and department across campus,” says President Richard J. Helldobler. “I am proud to see these particular members of our campus community recognized for their exceptional work and service to the University and the State of New Jersey.”
Recipients were chosen from a pool of nominees based on the following criteria: outstanding effort, consistent quality performance and contributions to the department/agency above and beyond the call of duty; innovative thinking, taking initiative, identifying organizational efficiencies and effecting cost savings; a demonstrated commitment to the citizens of the state and the clients they serve; demonstrated willingness to share knowledge, teach others, and work as part of a team; and representing the State of New Jersey with the highest standards of professionalism and ethics.
Dr. Jill Guzman received the Governor’s Team of Excellence Award in recognition of her exceptional leadership throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. In her role as director of the Counseling, Health, and Wellness Center, as a member of the University's emergency response leadership team, and as co-chair of the University’s Pandemic Response Team, Guzman brought her long record of providing excellent student health services to inform the University’s pandemic response for the entire campus community. She advised the president and the University administration on policy matters and maintained ever-changing protocols to ensure compliance with state requirements. Through her collaborative work with campus colleagues, the University was able to safely bring students back to campus for in-person classes sooner than most New Jersey colleges and universities while avoiding major outbreaks illness and earning the acclaim of local health departments.
Sgt. LaWanda Walker-Roney received the New Jersey Award for Heroism for her life-saving service to the campus community. As supervisor of the University’s Community Policing unit, which is focused on developing relationships and building trust with members of the campus community, Walker-Roney was able to use her skills to prevent a student from taking their own life. Without regard for her personal safety, Walker-Roney approached a dangerous situation, brought the student to safety, convinced them to be receptive to help, and stayed with them in the ambulance until they reached the hospital.
James Shelley received the Innovation and Efficiency Award for identifying cost-saving measures, especially in the University's energy and sustainability initiatives, which have contributed to William Paterson becoming a greener campus through conservation, efficiency, and education in areas including food waste composting, energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems, recycling initiatives, and resource conservation. Through his leadership, the University’s Department of Physical Plant Operations has fostered a culture of efficiency that has resulted in an interest in conserving both funds and resources. For example, more than 25 percent of the University’s energy purchases now come from renewable sources. Jim has placed a high priority on energy efficiency, the use of renewable energy sources, water conservation, waste minimization, and green building design.
Joseph Alaya received the Leadership/Professional Achievement Award for his work on a suite of COVID-19 applications which were instrumental to the University’s functioning and compliance throughout the pandemic. In particular, Alaya developed an application that allowed the University to interface with the New Jersey Immunization Information System and obtain COVID-19 vaccine information for students and employees. Thanks to his efforts, William Paterson was the first higher education institution in the state to accomplish this integration, which directly contributed to the institution being among the first colleges and universities in the New Jersey to safely bring students back to campus. In addition, Alaya provided guidance to other institutions on the particulars of the interface, which ultimately supported the success of their pandemic responses.
Cindy Gennarelli received the Community Service Award for growing William Paterson’s impact on local schools and its role as a resource for the local community. Gennarelli worked to expand the University’s Professional Development School Network to include a focus on the particular needs of preschools during a period of statewide preschool expansion. As a result, the network’s professors-in-residence now work alongside preschool teachers and administrators, helping to ensure the health and safety and academic and social development of New Jersey’s youngest learners. Gennarelli also a major force in the planning and development of William Paterson’s new Child Development Center, which opened in September 2022 to serve as both a needed resource for local families and an important learning environment for William Paterson students.
