Honors and Awards

Honors and Awards 2022-23 

• Zhiyuan Cong, professor of art, a Chinese-born artist who is internationally known as a master of Chinese arts, received a special honor: an art museum named after him was established in his hometown of Bencha, a famous ancient town in Jiangshu Province, China. (June 2023)

• For the second straight year, William Paterson was nationally recognized for being among the top LGBTQ-friendly campuses in 2023 by the Campus Pride Index, a national listing of LGBTQ-friendly colleges and universities. The University earned a score of 4.5 out of a possible 5. (June 2023)
  

• Thirty-nine Pioneers earned selections to their sports’ respective College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Teams, while 66 were named to the Academic All-NJAC Team. (June 2023)

• Five William Paterson voice students were accepted into summer 2023 opera music festival programs in Europe. Alejandro De Los Santos, Owen Gavigan, and Austin Sidito were selected for the Prague Summer Nights Festival in Tabor and Prague, Czechia. Viviana Kaszubski and Allysa Totten were accepted to the Assisi Music Festival, held in Assisi, Italy. (June 2023)

• Gihan “Gigi” Mohamed, assistant professor of educational leadership and director of the doctoral program in educational leadership, and Cara Berg, business librarian and co-coordinator of user services, along with colleagues at five other New Jersey colleges and universities, received the 2023 New Jersey Library Association College and University Section Research Award, presented by the New Jersey Library Association for their cooperative research study, “First years’ information literacy backpacks: What’s already packed or not packed?”, published in The Journal of Academic Librarianship. (June 2023)

• Robert Laud and Stephen Betts, professors of management, and Bruce Diamond, professor of psychology, received a Distinguished Research Award from the Institute for Global Business Research for their study that measured students’ materialistic ideations against their academic majors. (June 2023)
  

• Sandra Foley, DNP ‘19, a clinical nursing instructor and current president of the New Jersey State Nurses Association, was one of seven honorees statewide selected as a 2023 NJBIZ Healthcare Heroes honoree in the Nurse of the Year category. (June 2023)

• Michele Cascardi, professor of psychology and a dean’s fellow in the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, was selected for the 2023 HERS (Higher Education Resource Services) Leadership Institute, a highly selective and prestigious leadership program for women in education. (June 2023)

• William Paterson was named a “Healthcare Hero” by NJBIZ. The University was recognized for its leadership in educating New Jersey’s healthcare workforce, including its investment in growing its healthcare programs to meet the significant need for nurses and public health professionals, as well as increased demand for online learning by adult learners and those seeking advanced degrees via flexible delivery models. (June 2023)

• Wartyna Davis, dean, College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, was selected to participate in the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Millennium Leadership Initiative for 2023-24. The program is designed to diversify and enrich the American college presidency and recruits and prepares Black, Hispanic, Latino, Asian, Indigenous, LGBTQ, and women leaders from senior-level positions in higher education who aspire to be campus presidents or chancellors. (May 2023)
  

• Three faculty were honored for excellence during the University’s 2023 Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony. Neil Kressel, professor of psychology, received the 2023 Faculty Excellence in Research, Scholarship, and Creative Expression Award; David Weisberg, professor of music, received the 2023 Faculty Excellence in Teaching Award, and Carrie E. Hong, professor of educational leadership and professional studies, received the 2023 Faculty Excellence Award for Service. (May 2023)
  

• Racha Ahmad ’23, who earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature and political science, cum laude. was selected as the student speaker for the University’s 2023 Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony. Ahmad, an asylee, came to the United States in 2014 from war-torn Syria with her mother, Stani Hajdi ’23, who earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting at the same ceremony. (May 2023)

• Emely Cosme, MBA ’23, and Ashly Pauly, MS ’23, were selected to deliver the graduate student addresses at the 2023 Graduate Commencement Ceremonies. Cosme, who earned a master of business administration degree, spoke at a ceremony for graduates of the College of the Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences and the Cotsakos College of Business. Pauly, who earned a master of science degree in exercise and sport studies, spoke at the ceremony for graduates of the College of Education and College of Science and Health. (May 2023)

• Rebecca Gilliland ’23, who earned a bachelor of arts degree in psychology and minors in criminology and criminal justice and sociology, summa cum laude, was named the 2023 “Outstanding Senior” by the William Paterson University Alumni Association. (May 2023)

• Baseball outfielder Dan Carter, field hockey midfielder Megan Hoopes, softball pitcher Jaelynn Miller and baseball first baseman Carson Weis were all-region honorees. (May 2023)

• Baseball catcher Steve Yelin was named the American Baseball Coaches/Association (ABCA)/Rawlings National Position Player of the Year, the first Pioneer to earn that award in program history. Also a member of the ABCA/Rawlings All-America First Team and D3baseball.com All-America Second Team, Yelin was a first-team all-region and all-conference honoree. (May 2023)

• Baseball second baseman Colin Lombardo was selected as an all-American for the second straight year, garnering spots on the ABCA/Rawlings All-America Second Team and D3baseball.com All-America Third Team. Lombardo added first-team all-region and all-conference awards to his season tally. (May 2023)
  

• Five University employees— 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—were among those honored by Governor Phil Murphy for their exceptional performance and service at a New Jersey State Employee Recognition Day Award Ceremony in Trenton. (May 2023)
  

• Emily Martinez ‘24, an Honors College student majoring in political science with minors in legal studies and philosophy, was one of 20 students nationwide to be accepted to a prestigious pre-doctoral summer program, the American Political Science Association’s Ralph Bunche Summer Institute. (April 2023)
  

• A script by Gina Guerrieri, professor of communication, titled Enduring Freedom, was a semifinalist in the 2023 Bluecat Screenplay Competition. The script was also selected for the 2022 American Screenwriting Conference. (April 2023)

• The Pioneer Bowling Team finished the regular season ranked #11 in the United States Bowling Congress collegiate rankings and #1 in the collegiate club rankings. (April 2023)
  

• Carol Frierson-Campbell, professor of music, was awarded a 2023-24 Fulbright U.S. Scholar award, location to be determined, to continue her research on music making. (April 2023)

• Mary Ellen Levine, professor of nursing, received the 2023 President's Award from the New Jersey Emergency Nurses Association. (March 2023)

• In the Division I American Collegiate Hockey Association, senior ice hockey team member Adam Marvin finished no. 2 in the nation in total assists (44) and  no. 6 in the nation in total points (69) and freshman ice hockey team member Thomas Swartwout finished no. 5 in the nation in total goals (30). (March 2023)
  

• Three William Paterson University student groups—the William Paterson University Jazz Orchestra and two other jazz ensembles—celebrated the 100th birthday of Thad Jones, the late trumpeter, bandleader, arranger, and founding director of the University’s Jazz Studies Program, during performances at Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola/Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City. The ensembles performed music written by Thad Jones held in the Thad Jones archive on campus as part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Jazz Studies Program. (March 2023)

• William Paterson’s WPTV-6 television station won two awards from six nominations in the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Awards. Students Vont Leak, Johan Yamoza, Isabel Birritteri, Calvin Richey, Marissa Banks, Alyssa Figueroa, and Justis Gregg won Best Variety Program for “Very Late with Vont Leak,” and Samory Rose won Best Sports Program for “WP Sports Desk.” (March 2023)
  

• WPSC-FM radio station won three awards from seven nominations in the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Awards, including Best On-Air Personality and Best Program Director, Vont Leak, and Best Community Outreach Event for “Flag Football Fundraiser,” Maura Perez-Hernandez and Jacob Chalfant. (March 2023)
  

• The Women’s Basketball, Men’s Swimming and Diving, and Women’s Swimming and Diving programs earned team academic awards from the respective national coaches’ associations. A total of 26 Pioneers were named to their sports’ respective all-NJAC teams. (March 2023)
  

• The Women’s Basketball Team advanced to the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Tournament quarterfinals and the ECAC Tournament semifinals. Renee Wells was named Women’s Basketball Rookie of the Year by the NJAC. (March 2023)
  

• William Paterson won three Educational Advertising Awards including a Gold Award for a website refresh of academic department webpages featuring career outcomes; a Silver Award for University’s Spirit Branding Campaign; and a Merit Award for a web refresh of the academic search page. (March 2023)
  

• For the 13th year in a row, William Paterson University has been recognized as a military-friendly school in the Guide to Military Friendly Schools. (February 2023)
  

• Robb Rehberg, professor of kinesiology, an Athletic Trainer Certified (ATC) spotter for the National Football League, was named one of the league’s senior medical advisors. He worked as a spotter for his fourth consecutive Super Bowl in 2023. (February 2023)
  

• Women’s swimmer Carly McDaniel established new school records in the pool in the 50 butterfly (26.17) and 100 individual medley (1:02.14). (February 2023)
  

• Aileen Torres, professor of psychology, received the 2023 Foundation Training Directors Scholarship from the American Board of Professional Psychology. (February 2023)
  

• The University was selected as a 2023 NJBIZ Leader in Digital Technology honoree. William Paterson was the only higher education institution to be recognized among 23 organizations and 25 individuals for this award, which recognizes companies and individual innovators who have demonstrated excellence in technology and leadership. The University was honored for its advancements in online learning, including the adult learning market. (February 2023)
  

• Geoffrey Keezer, adjunct professor of jazz studies, won a 2023 Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition for his composition “Refuge,” on his newest album, titled Playdate. Keezer teaches jazz piano and coaches one of the University’s 24 small jazz groups. (February 2023)
  

• For the 15th consecutive year, William Paterson University’s Cotsakos College of Business was included in The Princeton Review’s guide to the top graduate business schools. (January 2023)

• Ali Mir, professor of management, received a Bright Idea Award, sponsored by the Stillman School of Business at Seton Hall University. Mir was the lead author of a paper titled “Racial Capitalism and Student Debt in the U.S.” that was published in Organization, a highly rated journal in the discipline of management. His manuscript was included in the 21st annual volume of Publications of New Jersey’s Business Faculty. (January 2023)
  

• Neil Grimes, education and curriculum materials librarian, received the Association of College & Research Libraries 2023 Conference Scholarship for mid-career librarian. (December 2022)

• Football linebacker Nazier Wright garnered a spot on the D3football.com All-America Fourth Team, as well as the All-Region Second Team and All-New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) First Team. He was also named NJAC Football Defensive Player of the Year. (November 2022)

• Football running back Nazir Dale was named NJAC Offensive Rookie of the Year. (November 2022)
  

• The University’s longtime dedication to environmental sustainability was recognized by The Princeton Review, which included William Paterson in its new Guide to Green School: 2023. (November 2022)
  

• President Richard Helldobler accepted a “We Value Our Veterans” Community Award from Governor Philip Murphy and Brigadier General Lisa Hou, Adjutant General and Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, on behalf of William Paterson. The award recognized the contributions of the University’s student, faculty, staff, and alumni veterans, as well as the work of everyone who supports them on campus and in our community, including WP’s Office of Veteran and Military Affairs. (November 2022)

• Darlene Russell, professor of educational leadership, was selected to serve as editor of the academic journal ProudFlesh: The New Afrikan Journal of Culture, Politics, & Consciousness, which recognizes, celebrates, and propagates the work of scholars of the African diaspora around the globe. (October 2022)

• Nicholas Wilkerson ’23, a communication major, visited the White House as part of a group of students, faculty, and staff from across the United States in honor of World College Radio Day. He also interviewed Vice President Kamala Harris for a segment that aired on WPSC 88.7 FM, Brave New Radio. (October 2022)

• Pamela Brillante, professor of special education and disability studies, was appointed to the New Jersey Special Education Advisory Council. The council, established by the New Jersey Department of Education and required under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 2004, provides policy guidance on special education and related services for children with disabilities in New Jersey. (October 2022)

• Billboard magazine has placed William Paterson University on its list of top music business schools in the nation—recognizing the University’s undergraduate program in music and entertainment industries. This is the fifth time the University has landed on the list, which Billboard has not generated since 2020 prior to the COVID pandemic. (October 2022)

• Amirah Elayan ’22, who graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in English, was nationally recognized with the third place Prize in Ethics in the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity’s prestigious annual contest. Elayan was honored for her essay, “The Moral Dilemma of Living.” (September 2022)

• Tyler Sanchez ’24 was one of 30 college students nationwide selected for the American Heart Association’s Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) Scholars Program, which supports promising undergraduate students who are committed to diminishing health inequities in Latino communities. (September 2022)

• Photographs by Robin Schwartz, professor of art, were featured in the fall 2022 “Voyages” issue of the New York Times Magazine. Schwartz traveled to Seoul, South Korea, where she photographed the city’s animal cafes, known for a whole panoply of exotic beasts: snakes, sheep, raccoons, meerkats, prairie dogs, arctic foxes, wallabies, hedgehogs, parrots, and many more. (September 2022)

• William Paterson moved up 15 spots, to no. 75 from no. 90, in the Best Regional Universities North category in U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 edition of Best Colleges. The University is included on the Best Value Schools, Top Public Regional Universities North, and Best Colleges for Veterans lists, and is nationally ranked for its undergraduate nursing program. (September 2022)

• The University ranked no. 21 of 175 regional universities in the northern United States in terms of social mobility in U.S. News & World Report’s 2023 edition of Best Colleges. (September 2022)
  

• President Richard Helldobler was included on the 2022 NJBIZ Education Power 50 list of education leaders from across New Jersey. The list includes the most influential educators conducting vital research and training a new generation of leaders. He was also named to ROI-NJ’s Higher Education Influencers list in the category of “Most Influential Presidents.” (September 2022)

• Paterson: A Delicious Destination, a documentary by Vincent Parrillo, professor emeritus of sociology, was an official selection of the 10th annual Northeast Film Festival. The documentary was shot by William Paterson University staff, including Rod Holliday, production coordinator, who served as technical director and assistant producer. (August 2022)

• Lydia Albuquerque, DNP ’18. assistant professor of nursing, was named a 2022 American Academy of Nursing Fellow. She was one of 250 distinguished nurse leaders from across the U.S. and 17 other countries selected for the honor based on their outstanding contributions to nursing, health care, and advancing the public’s health. (August 2022)

• Ana Cristina Siqueira, associate professor of management and director of the Center for Socially Responsible Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the University’s Cotsakos College of Business, was included on New Jersey business publication ROI-NJ’s 2022 higher education influencers list, honoring the people, programs, and facilities that have greatest influence and impact. She was named among the “Best Leaders in Entrepreneurship.” (August 2022)
  

• The University’s bachelor of science program in professional sales was recognized in the category of “Most Unique/Innovative Class or Program” and its Cybersecurity Research Lab was noted as a “Best Campus Improvement” in New Jersey business publication ROI-NJ’s Higher Education Influencers list. (August 2022)

• Christopher Herbert, associate professor of music, received a 2022 National Endowment for the Humanities Research Fellowship at LancasterHistory, a collection of books, archival documents, artifacts, and other research resources that cover nearly 300 years of life in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  (August 2022)

• Martha Witt, professor of English, was awarded a Fulbright Scholar Fellowship for the 2022-23 academic year. She will spend the spring 2023 semester in Ilhéus, Brazil teaching and working on a book. (July 2022)

• Alexis Bennett ’22, a summa cum laude graduate with a bachelor’s degree in management, was selected for the Peace Corps. She will spend two years in Ghana beginning in January 2023 as a Community Health Extension Agent, working to raise rural communities' average health standards through community-centered education initiatives. (July 2022)

• Kimberly Perez-Lucero and Melissa Zea, master’s degree students in clinical and counseling psychology, each received prestigious American Psychological Association 2022-23 Minority Fellowship Program awards. Perez-Lucero received APA’s award for Services for Transition Age Youth, Zea received APA’s Interdisciplinary Minority Fellowship Program award. (July 2022)