NJCU Honors Faculty and Staff at 2021 STARS Awards

December 13, 2021
STARS Event 2021 program screenshot

JERSEY CITY, N.J. | The NJCU Foundation Board and President Sue Henderson honored the faculty and staff of the university for their service and outstanding achievements on December 13, 2021 during the 8th Annual Special Thanks and Recognition of Service (STARS) Awards. The event was held in person on campus in the Gilligan Student Union multi-purpose room.

Event Brochure and Program

Veronica Garcia `11, Director of SOAR (Student Outreach and Retention) was bestowed the Presidential Award: Top Knight.

Top Knight is an award given to an individual who has served as a model to our community, and has exhibited an attitude of excellence and professionalism while carrying out duties. This employee has shown independent thinking, good judgment, interest in self-development, and a desire to work beyond the limits of a job description. By his or her actions, this individual personifies the mission of our University.

, the Associate Dean for the College of Education was named the 2021 Hidden Hero recipient.

The Hidden Hero Award recognizes an employee who has shown outstanding achievement by providing tireless service to the community behind the scenes. This individual’s productivity, high caliber of work, leadership, and attitude have motivated others to excel.

Garcia and Sutton were each surprised by their colleagues prior to the ceremony with the news of their recognition. Watch those moments.

  • Top Knight:
  • Hidden Hero:

Additionally, Milestone Awards for Continuous Service and Retiree Awards were also presented. Winners of the NJCU fitness challenge were also recognized. Those individuals are listed below.


Milestone Awards for Continuous Service

First Name Last Name Department Division Years of Service
Susan Iwanowski Dean of Art and Science Academic Affairs 45
James Brown Library Services Academic Affairs 40
Loretta Davis-Murray Registrar Student Services 40
Allan De Fina Literacy Education Academic Affairs 40
Christine Bruno Career Planning and Placement Academic Affairs 35
Paul Gargiulo Marketing & Communications-UA University Advancement 35
Patricia Holzman A. Harry Moore School Academic Affairs 35
John Melendez Educational Leadership Academic Affairs 35
Liza Fiol-Matta Women's Studies Academic Affairs 30
Kenneth Good Sociology and Anthropology Academic Affairs 30
Linda Griffin Construction Mgmt-External Operations and Innovation 30
Norma Mccloud Early Childhood Education Academic Affairs 30
Francis Moran Political Science Academic Affairs 30
Godwin Ohiwerei Sociology and Anthropology Academic Affairs 30
Anna Pryor Online Learning Academic Affairs 30
Joe Rodriguez Security and Safety Operations and Innovation 30
Jay Smaw FCM - Housekeeping Operations and Innovation 30
Timothy Stuckey Art Academic Affairs 25
Rosemary Thurston History Academic Affairs 30
Jose Balda Admissions Student Services 25
Gilles Bernard Music Dance Academic Affairs 25
Rickey Campbell FCM - Housekeeping Operations and Innovation 25
Sabato Caporrino FCM - Grounds/Landscaping Operations and Innovation 25
George Deaver Athletics University Advancement 25
Donna Farina Multicultural Center Academic Affairs 25
Margaret Garvey A. Harry Moore School Academic Affairs 25
Andrew Getzfeld Psychology Academic Affairs 25
John Grew Biology Academic Affairs 25
Willie Holly FCM - Housekeeping Operations and Innovation 25
Thomas Lee II Athletics University Advancement 25
Winifred McNeill Art Academic Affairs 25
Laura Pannaman Biology Academic Affairs 25
Alberto Pinkas Physics Academic Affairs 25
Ellen Quinn Art Academic Affairs 25
Muriel Rand Early Childhood Education Academic Affairs 25
Sergio Villamizar Athletics University Advancement 25
Kenneth Yamaguchi Chemistry Academic Affairs 25
Jennifer Aitken Office of Specialized Services Academic Affairs 20
Angela Arriaza-Jarquin Registrar Student Services 20
Botros Botros FCM - Housekeeping Operations and Innovation 20
Ethan Bumas English Academic Affairs 20
Evelin Candelario Admissions Student Services 20
Christopher Cofone Career Planning and Placement Academic Affairs 20
Dennis Dittrich Art Academic Affairs 20
Barbara Drew University Advisement Center Academic Affairs 20
Xiaoli Fang Library Services Academic Affairs 20
Randi Fontanez University Advisement Center Academic Affairs 20
Gustavo Garcia FCM - Grounds/Landscaping Operations and Innovation 20
Kareem Germaine Security and Safety Operations and Innovation 20
Leslie Graham-Wilson Opportunity Scholarship Prgm Student Services 20
Hanae Haouari Chemistry Academic Affairs 20
Tan Lin English Academic Affairs 20
Tracy Matos Security and Safety Operations and Innovation 20
Kim Mazyck A. Harry Moore School Academic Affairs 20
Andrew Mccabe Special Education Academic Affairs 20
Jessica Mckenzie Marketing & Communications-UA University Advancement 20
Diana McLean Registrar Student Services 20
James Musante Information Technology Operations and Innovation 20
Marcin Ramocki Media Arts Center Academic Affairs 20
Florencio Rivera FCM - Housekeeping Operations and Innovation 20
Christopher Shamburg Educational Technology Academic Affairs 20
Beimnet Teclezghi Mathematics Academic Affairs 20
Ira Thor Marketing & Communications-UA University Advancement 20
David Watson FCM - Maintenance Services Operations and Innovation 20
Cindy Arrigo Biology Academic Affairs 15
Helen Bongon Mathematics Academic Affairs 15
Raynard Branigan FCM - Housekeeping Operations and Innovation 15
Alyssa Casazza A. Harry Moore School Academic Affairs 15
Zhixiong Chen Mathematics Academic Affairs 15
Sharon Coaxum A. Harry Moore School Academic Affairs 15
Hernan Delgado FCM - Housekeeping Operations and Innovation 15
Mariana Diaz Bursar Office Finance and Treasury 15
Divendra Etwaroo A. Harry Moore School Academic Affairs 15
Darren Fisher Art Academic Affairs 15
Danny Guevara A. Harry Moore School Academic Affairs 15
Rosa Gutierrez FCM - Housekeeping Operations and Innovation 15
Michael Hunter Fleet Management Operations and Innovation 15
Deborah Jack Art Academic Affairs 15
Jeong Kim Multicultural Center Academic Affairs 15
John Laski Management Academic Affairs 15
Woodrow Lewis Jr. Dean of Students Student Services 15
George Li Finance Academic Affairs 15
Anthony Lofton Art Academic Affairs 15
Erik Morales Elementary/Secondary Education Academic Affairs 15
Zandile Nkabinde Special Education Academic Affairs 15
Maxine Perkins Health & Wellness Center Student Services 15
Mary Robinson Dean School of Business Academic Affairs 15
Michael Rotenberg-Schwartz English Academic Affairs 15
Karen Ruiz Bursar Office Finance and Treasury 15
Jenell Santiago Business Services Operations and Innovation 15
Ritu Shastri Information Technology Operations and Innovation 15
Jinfen Shi Information Technology Operations and Innovation 15
Rosemary Tavares Controller's Office Finance and Treasury 15
Malvanie Williams Campus Life Student Services 15
Inki Yi Facilities & Construction Mgmt Operations and Innovation 15
Deatra Ashley Dean School of Business Academic Affairs 10
Nurdan Aydin VP of Academic Affairs Academic Affairs 10
Madelynne DelaRama Marketing & Communications-UA University Advancement 10
Susan Gerber Institutional Effectiveness President 10
Craig Katz International Student Adviseme Academic Affairs 10
Tricia Koufodontis Child Care Center Student Services 10
Ida Masa Center for Student Success Student Services 10
Alison Maysilles Enrollment Management Student Services 10
Jane McClellan Alumni Relations University Advancement 10
Frank Nascimento Psychology Academic Affairs 10
Renee Robinson Security and Safety Operations and Innovation 10
Sandra Scott FCM - Housekeeping Operations and Innovation 10
Kirsten Sejda Art Academic Affairs 10
Patrick Silverthorne FCM - Maintenance Services Operations and Innovation 10
Theresa Spataro Dean of Professional Studies Academic Affairs 10
Daniel Ward Online Learning Academic Affairs 10
Iris Wilcox Facilities & Construction Mgmt Operations and Innovation 10
Danielle Beam Athletics University Advancement 5
Andrew Bossie Economics Academic Affairs 5
Gunhan Caglayan Mathematics Academic Affairs 5
Isabel Casais Dean School of Business Academic Affairs 5
Stephany Aracelly Castellanos Child Care Center Student Services 5
Deanna Cooper Information Technology Operations and Innovation 5
Ivelisse Cruz AVP of Student Affairs Student Services 5
Ricardo Diaz Information Technology Operations and Innovation 5
Venessa Garcia Criminal Justice Academic Affairs 5
Andre Maurice Grant Security and Safety Operations and Innovation 5
Ronald Hurley Security and Safety Operations and Innovation 5
Jayadhurganandh Jayaraman Finance Academic Affairs 5
Priscilla Jesudian Information Technology Operations and Innovation 5
Shanda Johnson Nursing Academic Affairs 5
Jimmy Lau Registrar Student Services 5
EunSu Lee Management Academic Affairs 5
Yung Wei Lin Counselor Education Academic Affairs 5
Ashley Lyon Art Academic Affairs 5
Gail Annette Marquis Development Office University Advancement 5
Amanda McGee Business Services Operations and Innovation 5
Karla Mejia Athletics University Advancement 5
Amit Jayant Mokashi Management Academic Affairs 5
Virginia J Ochoa-Winemiller Latin American Studies Academic Affairs 5
Eliyphaz Rivers Security and Safety Operations and Innovation 5
Benjamin Rohdin VP of Student Affairs Student Services 5
Kerolos Rophail Dean of Students Orientation Student Services 5
Arlene Rusak Business Services Operations and Innovation 5
Andrea Spencer President's Office President 5
Matthew Sutton Opportunity Scholarship Prgm Student Services 5
Zhimin Wang Finance Academic Affairs 5
Yufeng Wei Chemistry Academic Affairs 5
Mingshan Zhang Accounting Academic Affairs 5

Retirees

First Name Last Name Department Division Years of Service
Jay Berman Criminal Justice Academic Affairs 39
Jennifer Brower University Advancement University Advancement 11
William Craven Accounting Academic Affairs 31
Abisola Gallagher Counseling Center Student Affairs 30
Jennifer Jones Career Planning and Placement Academic Affairs 42
Romulo Orejudos FCM - Housekeeping Operations & Innovation 26
Jose Santamaria Construction Mgmt-External Operations & Innovation 9
Annamarie Scrazati Philosophy and Religion Academic Affairs 17
Ivan Steinberg Economics Academic Affairs 51
Vera Superville FCM - Housekeeping Operations & Innovation 19
Ashok Vaseashta Grants Office Academic Affairs 3
Robert Foster Media Arts Center Academic Affairs 34
Denise Melendez Professional Security Studies Academic Affairs 23
Luis Morales Payroll Finance & Treasury 18
Phillip Patrick FCM - Maintenance Services Operations & Innovation 25
Edwin Arenas A. Harry Moore School Academic Affairs 33
Sandra Caravella Mathematics Academic Affairs 16
Michelle Hayes-Venable A. Harry Moore School Academic Affairs 31
Frances Levin Literacy Education Academic Affairs 23
Adela Martinez ESL Academic Affairs 37
Shereen Rahaman FCM - Housekeeping Operations & Innovation 25
Connie Yu Computer Science Academic Affairs 19
Lynn Zisa M.Jerry Weiss Center Academic Affairs 9
Nilsa Soler-Rosas Security and Safety Operations & Innovation 26
Hugo Tejeda FCM - Maintenance Services Operations & Innovation 26
David Howard A. Harry Moore School Academic Affairs 33
Maxcel James Security and Safety Operations & Innovation 23
Raynard Branigan FCM - Housekeeping Operations & Innovation 16
Robert Piaskowsky Human Resources Operations & Innovation 25
Xiaoli Fang Library Services Academic Affairs 21
Alissa Koval-Dhaliwal Counseling Center Student Affairs 25
Carol Stephens Counselor Education Academic Affairs 25
Eve Harrinauth Security and Safety Operations & Innovation 25

Fall 2021 NJCU Fitness Challenge Results

Name Total Steps Place
Roberto Romero 1,714,390.00 1st Place
Sachie Tsumura-Tmart 793,281.00 2nd Place
Sukesh Gill 777,613.00 3rd Place
Odilia Cano 560,724.00 4th Place
Abraham Guallpa 557,854.00 5th Place
Lauren Materowski. 537,050.00 6th Place
Jose Rivas 490,220.00 7th Place
Louise Stanton 449,623.00 8th Place
Erica Seitzman 433,046.00 9th Place
Christine Atkins 402,314.00 10th Place

 

¿ìèÆƽâ°æ NJCU:
¿ìèÆƽâ°æ is an institution of higher learning with an audacious goal: the development of our students, our city, our communities, our state, and the world beyond. We are a game-changing force for our students and their families. Whether our students are enrolled in one of our 50 undergraduate, 28 graduate or three doctoral programs, NJCU provides an affordable, diverse environment, and an exceptionally supportive faculty—all of which prepares them to be critical thinkers in a global landscape.

We’re also changing the game for our city, our communities, and our state. As the educational anchor institution in Jersey City, we’ve established partnerships to ensure the area’s growth directly benefits our students and community members. We seek to improve the lives of everyone in the Garden State, whether creating a home for the arts, bringing educational programs to K-12 students, offering bachelor’s degrees in partnership with community colleges, or providing professional development opportunities for adults.

At NJCU, we’re not just educating minds, we’re nourishing souls and lifting communities. We’re changing the game.

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Contact:
Ira Thor
, Senior Director of University Communications and Media Relations | ithor@njcu.edu | 201-200-3301