INFORMATION FOR
Alumni Greg Makowski ’81, founding partner and managing member of CFS Investment Advisory Services, LLC and Dawn Makowski ’80, president of AL Alexander Agency; Bill Duffy, head of cataloging and metadata for the David and Lorraine Cheng Library and a member of the William Paterson Foundation Board; and Valley Bank, a regional consumer and commercial bank, were honored when the William Paterson University Foundation hosted its 34th Annual Legacy Award Gala on April 24.
This year’s Legacy Scholars: standout WP students who have reached new heights thanks to donor-funded scholarships. Top row, from left are: Kevin Brennan, Carissa Ostolaza, and Carmine Coscia. Bottom row from left: Kasai Sanchez, Christina Zamor, Amjad Shehadeh, Aiden Kopec, and Teddy Lockhart
The annual event is the largest to raise funds for student scholarships at WP. This year’s gala is anticipated to net over $100,000 to support institutional scholarships.
Legacy Awards honor those who exemplify the leadership of our University’s namesake, William Paterson, by demonstrating a strong support for public higher education in the state of New Jersey and dedication to the success of students at the University.
The Makowskis were honored as Distinguished Alumni, Duffy as Distinguished Faculty/Staff, and Valley Bank as Distinguished Organization.
“Now in its 34th year, the Legacy Gala truly is one of those marquee events that is strongly woven into the fabric of our University’s rich heritage. It is a chance to come together and celebrate the dedication and support that you and so many others have shown for William Paterson University, as well as the many wonderful students who are doing amazing things as a result,” WP President Richard J. Helldobler said to the honorees during his remarks at the Gala.
“It is with great joy and pride that we highlight our loyal alumni, friends, and corporate partners while also empowering the next generation of William Paterson Pioneers,” adds Pam Ferguson, president of the William Paterson University Foundation and vice president for institutional advancement.
All proceeds from the Gala directly fund academic scholarships at WP, thereby directly affecting the lives of students—most of whom rely on scholarships to complete their education.
Kasai Sanchez, an Honors College student majoring in management, is a recipient of one of those scholarships.
She started working at 15 and spent both the morning and afternoon of her high school graduation day working – “during the day that was meant to celebrate me” – to afford to go to college, Sanchez explained in her remarks at the Gala.
“When you come from a background where every dollar has a purpose, a scholarship means far more than money. Scholarship means the alleviation of financial burden. Scholarship means that you can pay more attention to the content in a textbook rather than the fact that you might not be able to afford one. Scholarship means breathing room. It means getting to say ‘yes’ to opportunities instead of ‘I wish I could,” Sanchez said, in thanking donors in the room.
About the Honorees
Greg Makowski ’81 is a founding partner and managing member of CFS Investment Advisory Services, LLC., in Totowa. He has been recognized by Barron’s as one the of the top Best-In-State Wealth Advisors in the country for 10 years and by Forbes as a Best-in-State Wealth Advisor. He is a multi-year New Jersey Five Star Wealth Manager award winner and is the co-author of Common Financial Sense, a number one Amazon bestselling book.
A graduate of William Paterson with a bachelor of arts degree in music, he is a member of the William Paterson University Cotsakos College of Business Advisory and Advancement Board and is a mentor in University’s Pesce Family Mentoring Institute.
As a student, a music department scholarship provided much-needed help in paying for his education.
“What greater gift can ever exist but to give joy to others … Being kind is so easy and changes the energy in the world,” Greg Makowski said in his remarks at the Gala. “People helped me and I am eternally grateful for their help. They changed my world.”
Dawn Makowski ’80 is the president of AL Alexander Agency, an independent insurance agency located in Totowa. She joined her family’s insurance agency after graduating from William Paterson with a bachelor of arts degree in music and became president of the Al Alexander Agency in 2000.
The Makowskis, who met on campus, have been donors to the University for more than two decades.
“I am grateful to have experienced the opportunities afforded to me as a result of going to this beautiful University,” Dawn Makowski said. “…It has been a joy to return our blessings to others for it is in giving that you truly receive.”
Bill Duffy, the head of cataloging and metadata for the David and Lorraine Cheng Library at William Paterson University, has been a member of the library staff since 1978. A member of the University’s Faculty Senate since 1984, Duffy currently serves as the Senate’s secretary, a position he has held dozens of times during the past four decades. His long record of service includes his involvement on countless University-wide committees, and he has been honored with the Faculty Senate Outstanding Service Award and the Provost’s Award for Excellence in Service.
“Over the past four decades, service has been my most significant work on campus outside of my day job in the Library in Reference and now Cataloging,” Duffy said in his remarks at the Gala, underscoring that he has served on the William Paterson University Foundation Board and its Scholarship Committee since 2003. In 2017, he established the annual Barbara Duffy Nursing Scholarship in honor of his wife, a pediatric nurse practitioner and a 1981 graduate of William Paterson.
Valley Bank, the principal subsidiary of Valley National Bancorp, is a regional bank with more than 200 consumer branches and commercial banking offices in communities across the United States. More than 50 William Paterson University alumni are Valley employees.
Justin Black ‘03, a member of the Cotsakos College of Business Advisory Board and a longtime Valley employee currently serving as president of digital and retail banking, accepted the Legacy award on behalf of the organization.
“The impact this institution has on students' lives extends far beyond academics. As I reflect on what makes William Paterson truly special to me and countless others, I'm reminded of the extraordinary mission it fulfills every single day,” Black said in his remarks at the podium. “…. When a first-generation college student like me walks across the stage at graduation, that moment reverberates through generations to come.”
Valley has been a supporter of William Paterson University since 1989. Its involvement has included support for many university events and participation in the annual COIN (Career Outlook and Industry Networking) professional enrichment Program on campus. In 2020, Valley pledged $1 million for the Valley Bank Endowed Scholarship at William Paterson University, which provides support in perpetuity for full-time undergraduate students.
