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Faculty Accomplishments

Dr. Venessa Garcia

Dr. Venessa Garcia has rejoined the editorial board for the prestigious Sage journal Feminist Criminology (). 

After serving as Deputy Editor since its inception (2006-2019), Dr. Garcia stepped down to sit on the Editorial Board (2019-2021). She left the journal’s Editorial Board to Chair the Publications Committee (2021-2023) for the journal’s parent organization, the Division of Feminist Criminology of the American Society of Criminology. The work of this committee was to redefine the aim and scope of the journal, the job of the journal’s editor, and the composition and duties of the editorial board. After three years off the board, Dr. Garcia was invited to rejoin and was honored to accept. Dr. Garcia has also accepted an invitation to sit on the Editorial Board for Sage’s Encyclopedia of Crime and Gender, a three-volume project to be released in 2026.
 

Dr. Esther Nir Publication

Dr. Esther Nir published an article titled, “The Influence of Prior Legal Background on Judicial Sentencing Considerations” with her Penn State-Harrisburg (and former NJCU) colleague, Dr. Siyu Liu. This article was based on Dr. Nir’s in-depth qualitative interviews with State Court judges. The article examines how judges’ prior prosecutorial, or defense experiences contribute to their judicial decision-making processes. This article was published in the International Journal on Responsibility.

Mock Trial Team

The NJCU Mock Trial Team had an excellent 2023-2024 competition season! The team competed at numerous competitions, including scrimmages, invitational tournaments, and the AMTA Regional Competition in Princeton, New Jersey. Throughout the season, they faced off against many universities including University of Richmond, University of Buffalo, Drexel University, Seton Hall, Dickinson University, Fairleigh Dickinson, TCNJ, and Rutgers University, among others.  It was moving to watch the comradery and teamwork of our students. Several students competed for the first time and did a great job! 

Among other successes, our brand-new B Team won the Spirit of AMTA award, which is a special award presented to the team that best exemplifies the ideals of honesty, civility, and fair play at Regionals. The team was so honored! 

Several of our students were recognized for their excellent work at various competitions throughout the season. Congratulations to our talented captains, Stella Bajor-Gil and Cesar Romero, for winning outstanding attorney awards. Congratulations to Samantha Jaipersaud, Isabella Pietroski, Ryan Caley, and Ashley Martinez for winning outstanding witness awards. 

Our student leadership team (Leandra Alexander, Stella Bajor-Gil, and Cesar Romero) worked tirelessly to prepare the team and make sure everything ran smoothly and did an excellent job. Congratulations to all our team members, who consistently contribute to the team’s preparation and performance: Stella Bajor-Gil (co-captain), Cesar Romero (co-captain), Leandra Alexander (president), David Jaipersaud, Samantha Jaipersaud, Isabella Pietroski, Yasmin Guardarrama, Ryan Caley, Ivanna Ramirez, Andrea Izaguirre, Ashley Martinez, Abdulbasit Junaid, Iris Gonzalez, Ariana Garro-Chavez, Haidelyn Castillo, and Daniel Martinez.

NJCU Fire Science Present at FDIC International

The Fire Department Instructors Conference, FDIC International as it is known throughout the fire service, is a leading conference that brings together professionals from around the world. Held annually in Indianapolis, Indiana, it is a week-long conference for education of the fire service. 

As NJCU is a leader in fire service education, we are honored to have four of our own present at this year’s conference.  Presenting at this year’s conference are Deputy Chief Anthony Avillo (Ret.), Deputy Chief Jack Murphy (Ret.), Dr. Denis Onieal (Ret.), and Andy Soccodato, owner, The Water Thieves, a training company. 

Deputy Chief Avillo, travels the country speaking at numerous conferences, and seminars teaching fireground strategies. He has written numerous books and articles and is a major contributor to the NJFMBA Bulletin. His numerous accolades include the honor of earning the Fire Engineering/ISFSI George D. Post Instructor of the Year in 2012 which is awarded annually at the FDIC Conference. This year Deputy Chief Avillo will be presenting “Fireground Strategies: Strategic Decision Making”.

Deputy Chief Murphy, retired from the Leonia Fire Department has always believed in education.  A writer for Fire Engineering, he continues to educate through his articles and serves as an Adjunct Professor. His career includes time serving on the New York Model ICC Building and Fire Codes Program, as the NJ State Deputy Fire Coordinator for Bergen County, and member of NFPA committees for High-Rise Building Safety and Pre-incident Planning. Deputy Chief Murphy’s many accomplishments include being the recipient of the 2012 “Tom Brennan Lifetime Achievement Award” awarded annually at the FDIC Conference. At this year’s conference, Deputy Chief Murphy will be speaking on “Good, Bad, and Ugly High-Rise Construction and Alteration Projects”.

Dr. Onieal, began his career with the Jersey City Fire Dept, moving up the ranks and becoming Chief of Department and an acting adjunct professor in Fire Science at NJCU. Once leaving Jersey City, he served as the Deputy US Fire Administrator, and superintendent of the National Fire Academy, the county’s leading authority in the fire service. Dr. Onieal will be presenting “Leadership Lessons Learned on the Line” at this year’s conference. 

Besides Andy Soccodato being the owner of The Water Thieves, he also serves as an instructor with the Tennessee State Fire Academy and is on the editorial board of Fire Apparatus & Emergency Equipment. While at the conference, he will be teaching “Advanced Drafting Operations: Getting Greedy with Your Water in the Rural Environment”.

The Fire Science Department is honored to have these professionals from the NJCU Fire Science program continue to lead and educate those in the fire service!

School Nurse Program Exhibits at 30th Annual NJSSNA Conference

The 30th annual NJSSNA conference was held at the Heldrich Hotel & Conference Center in New Brunswick, NJ on Friday March 15th - March 16th, 2024. This conference was attended by registered nurses who are members of the New Jersey State School Nurses Association (NJSSNA) and National Association of School Nurses (NASN). Exhibitors at the conference included representatives from institutes of higher education (Caldwell University and Chamberlain University), NJ Department of Health, healthcare providers, insurance companies, and school nursing supply organizations

Program Coordinator Dr. Nelda Ephraim and Program Assistant, Emily Alequin represented the NJCU Graduate School Nurse program and spoke with both current and former NJCU students, faculty support members, and nurses interested in obtaining their M.S. Degree.

Several visitors of note included current program adjunct faculty, Dr. Margaret R. Bush, Dr. Gius Pagnotta, Prof. April Forys, and Prof. Jennifer Garofalo. Dr. Gius Pagnotta also presented her research poster, The Development and Evaluation of a Toolkit for Nurses on the Psychosocial Issues in Children with Cancer and their Families, during the conference. 

Nursing Research Day 

School Nursing participated in the 37th Nursing Research Day event on April 30th, 2024, by hosting an exhibitor table for School Nurse program recruitment. Additionally, two esteemed School Nurse Researchers; Dr. Gius Pagnotta, President of the Monmouth County School Nurses Association, and Dr. Cynthia Samuel, Executive Board Member of the New Jersey State School Nurses Association presented their research posters during the event. Both Dr. Pagnotta and Dr. Samuel are NJCU alumni. Both completed their RN-BSN and School Nurse Certification at NJCU. Dr. Samuel also completed her Master’s Degree in Health Sciences with NJCU.

On April 17, 2024, senior Public Health Education students planned and hosted the 9th Annual Save the Youth Event & Rally to Prevent Youth Violence. The event gathered over 100 attendees, including partners from the NJ Attorney General’s Office, Hudson CMO, Hudson Anti-Violence Coalition, Team Wilderness, Partners in Prevention, Connected V.I.N.E., Credible Messengers, Guazabara Insights, Councilman Frank Gilmore and more!

Civil Security - Leadership, Management and Policy (CSLMP), D.Sc. Program: Dissertations & Student Accomplishments

2024 D.Sc. Graduate, Ike D. Ejikeme, Successfully Defends Dissertation on U.S. Security Cooperation in Africa


Dissertation Title: U.S. Security Cooperation in Africa: The Impact of the International Military Education and Training (IMET) Program on the Career Advancement of Its West African Graduates

For more than four decades, the United States has used the International Military Education and Training (IMET) program as a foreign policy tool to achieve its geopolitical interests in Africa and elsewhere. The program, which consists in training foreign military personnel at American institutions, aims to strengthen alliances and regional stability while advancing mutually beneficial security interests through military partnerships. Despite its geopolitical purpose, scholarship on the program's influence abroad remains limited. Ike Ejikeme’s dissertation adds to this body of research. His study uncovers a variety of ways through which the IMET program influences the career trajectories of foreign military officers, thus fostering partnerships that may help to advance U.S. geopolitical interests. 

Ike Ejikeme received his undergraduate degree from NJCU and holds a master’s degree in criminology with a specialization in Homeland Security from Stockton University in Galloway, NJ.  He is an experienced Federal Government Civil Servant, with over half a decade of service within the United States Department of Homeland Security. He has earned prestigious accolades during his tenure, including a DHS Director’s commendation and service award for his exceptional performance at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC). Currently, he serves as an Intelligence Operations Specialist at the National Operations Center in Washington, DC.

2024 D.Sc. Graduate, Alyza Brevard-Rodriguez, Successfully Defends Dissertation on Black Women’s Ascendance to Executive Leadership in the Security Industry

Dissertation Title: The Angry Black Woman Who Broke Through the Concrete Ceiling: A Phenomenological Study Exploring the Lived Experiences of Black Women's Ascendance to Executive Leadership in the Protection Industry

Empirical evidence shows that Black women are the least represented in executive leadership in the security industry. Yet, research on this subject is limited. Alyza Brevard-Rodriguez’ dissertation addresses this gap in the literature by examining the lived experiences of Black women who broke through the concrete ceiling and ascended to executive leadership in the protection industry. Her findings highlight various strategies to overcome barriers in the ascendance to executive leadership by Black women, while also offering empirical evidence of the value Black women bring to the protection industry. Her dissertation research adds to scholarship on security leadership and women studies. 

Alyza Brevard-Rodriguez received an undergraduate degree from NJCU and an M.S. in Security Management, graduating Cum Laude, from John Jay College in New York, NY. She is an entrepreneur and adjunct professor. She is a two-time combat veteran, having completed 10 years of service in the U.S. Navy before entering the world of academia and business. On business fronts, she was named Hoboken Girl Women to Watch 2019, NJ Biz Top 40 under 40 in 2020, and Top Veterans in Business in 2023. Featured in Yahoo! Finance, Business Insider, Bloomberg, PBS, and several others, she is a devoted leader committed to making change through scholarly and innovative perspectives. 

2024 D.Sc. Graduate, Daryl J. Lynch, Successfully Defends Dissertation on Acceptance of Advanced Technology by Emergency Management Coordinators in New Jersey

Dissertation Title: Discerning the Resistance to Acceptance of Advanced Technology by Emergency Management Coordinators in New Jersey

Advanced technology tools offer great potential for enhancing emergency managers’ capabilities in managing and mitigating crises. Daryl Lynch’s dissertation quantitatively examines factors that may influence an emergency management coordinator’s acceptance of advanced technology in New Jersey counties. His results add to the current literature on the adoption of technology by demonstrating that the significant predictors of perceived technological acceptance may increase the adoption of advanced technology among emergency management coordinators, thereby contributing to the realization of economic and social dimensions of adopting technology in emergency management settings. Daryl has served both in law enforcement and the military. 

D.Sc. Student Honored by Vogue PH for International Women’s Day: 

Virginia Mayo, D.Sc. Student 
Vice President & Distinguished Engineer 
Kyndryl Security & Resiliency Global Delivery

D.Sc. Student Virginia Mayo was recently featured by Vogue Philippines’  program as one of the inspiring women honored during the International Women’s Day celebration. Virginia Mayo’s work holds immense importance in today’s global digital economy, where flexibility, scalability, and security are paramount. As a Distinguished Engineer at Kyndryl, she stands among a select group of innovators shaping the future of digital infrastructure. With her role as Vice President of Security and Resiliency Global Delivery Practice, Mayo ensures that Kyndryl’s clients benefit from secure, resilient, and compliant systems, safeguarding their businesses against potential threats. Her extensive expertise in enterprise infrastructure automation, security, and resiliency has earned her global recognition, culminating in her appointment as the first Filipino-American technical executive in IBM corporate history.

D.Sc. Candidate Speaks at Purdue Global and FEMA Cybersecurity Webinar.

Mollie S. Mercado, a third-year candidate in the D.Sc. program, was provided the opportunity to guest speak for Purdue Global’s Women in the Justice System roundtable discussion in March. This opportunity was provided to current staff and alumni of Purdue University to discuss their experiences both as women in the justice system and women in higher education. During this discussion, Mollie shared her insight and experiences as both a professional in the security field and a student in NJCU’s Doctor of Science in Civil Security Leadership, Management, & Policy program. Mollie was also a guest speaker at a webinar on cybersecurity and emergency management hosted by NJCU’s Department of Professional Security Studies (PSS) in collaboration with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Alongside PSS faculty members Dr. Abdullah Al-Hayajneh and Dr. Kutub Thakur, Mollie was able to present an overview of her dissertation research, highlighting the trends, drivers, and impacts of active school shootings, as well as her methodology and review of the gaps she is addressing in her study. 

D.Sc. Student Participates as a Panelist in Military Veterans Discussion at New York Power Authority and Canals (NYPA)
Brian Stanislaus, D.Sc. Candidate
Program Manager – Business Continuity Management

Brian Stanislaus, a third-year doctoral candidate in the D.Sc. program, was recently invited to speak on a panel at New York Power Authority and Canals (NYPA). The webinar was facilitated by the Generations ERG Group at NYPA. Each panelist from the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Navy discussed their military experience, their civilian and corporate transition from military duties, and the skills and education obtained in the military that were transferable, leading to rewarding careers in the private sector. This enterprise employee program was created by NYPA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) to foster understanding of racial justice through clean energy businesses and energy sustainability. Within DEI is the Employee Resource Group, of which the Military Veterans group collaborates and connects with employees to share their military experiences as part of a diverse and inclusive culture at NYPA.

Brian Stanislaus, a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, manages the company’s Business Continuity program designed to strengthen the company’s resilience of operations to provide continuation of business services. He has over a decade of experience in resilience and is completing his doctoral degree in National Security Studies at ��è�ƽ��.

D.Sc. Program Alumna Contributes to the Development of National Cybersecurity Baselines for Electric Distribution Systems

Dr. Lynn P. Costantini, CISSP
Deputy Director – Center for Partnerships and Innovation
National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners

In February 2024, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, in collaboration with the U. S. Department of Energy Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response, released a set of cybersecurity baselines for electric distribution systems. We are proud to see that Dr. Lynn P. Costantini, a graduate and now a faculty member in our Doctor of Science in Civil Security program, has significantly contributed to this project. The intended outcome of these baselines is to improve the cyber resilience of utilities across the country that deliver the power that drives our economy and underpins the health and safety of us all. Dr. Costantini has been working in the policy/regulatory space for critical energy infrastructure for a long time, with more than 30 years of experience in the electric utility sector. She completed her doctoral degree in Civil Security Leadership, Management & Policy at the ��è�ƽ�� in 2016. Speaking about the value of this degree, she said the following:

“What I learned during my doctoral studies and through development of my own dissertation, is that collaboration thrives on trust. I bring what I learned into my professional life every day. The success of the cyber initiatives I work on, like these cybersecurity baselines, is testament to that.”

Faculty Accomplishments

Jonathan Rosen, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Professional Security Studies
Program Coordinator of the Master's in National Security Studies

This March, Dr. Rosen presented in Spanish on tough-on-crime policies to the William Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies in Washington, DC. The audience consisted of 50 professionals from around Latin America and the Caribbean. 

Scott Fisher, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Professional Security Studies

Dr. Fisher was recently appointed to the City Council where he lives in northern New Jersey. His volunteer role includes serving on the Police Commission, working with the town’s Office of Emergency Management, and aiding the town government in increasing its data-driven transparency. 

Dr. Fisher looks forward to integrating knowledge and experience from his council service into his pedagogy, especially in relation to the Doctoral program’s Policy and Budget course.

Michael T. Wiltsey, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Professional Security Studies 

Dr. Wiltsey co-authored the below publication:

Sheganoski, T., Wiltsey, M. T., Horne, T., Sheganoski, A., & Hood, I. (2024). A “concrete” identification in a dismemberment case. Journal of forensic sciences, 69(2), 714-717.

Dr. Wiltsey was a co-facilitator for Resilience Training provided to the Colorado State Patrol in Grand Junction Colorado April 2-4, 2024. 

Faculty Hosts FEMA Cybersecurity Webinar

On Wednesday, March 20, 2024, Dr. Kutub Thakur and Dr. Abdullah Al Hayajneh hosted the FEMA Region 2 Cybersecurity Webinar at ��è�ƽ��. 

Dr. Thakur and Dr. Al Hayajneh discussed relevant issues and changes that affect the field of Cybersecurity, including recent cybersecurity methodology, Ransomware Cybersecurity attacks, and Social Engineering attack techniques.