INFORMATION FOR
Martin Weinstein, professor emeritus of political science at William Paterson University, Carol Frierson-Campbell, professor of music at William Paterson University, and Risepoint, an educational technology company, will be honored as the William Paterson University Foundation hosts its 35th Annual Legacy Award Gala on Thursday, April 30, 2026 at The Grove in Cedar Grove.
Weinstein will be honored as Emeritus Distinguished Faculty/Staff, Frierson-Campbell will be honored as Current Distinguished Faculty/Staff, and Risepoint will be honored as Distinguished Organization. The awards recognize individuals and organizations that demonstrate leadership in the community and are dedicated to the success of students at William Paterson University.
The Legacy Award Gala is the Foundation’s largest event to raise funds to support the University’s mission of promoting student success and academic excellence through student scholarships. All proceeds from the Gala directly fund academic scholarships at William Paterson University, thereby directly affecting the lives of students—most of whom rely on scholarships to complete their education
“In their own unique ways, this year’s honorees all represent the Pioneer spirit of excellence and tradition of service,” says WP President Richard J. Helldobler. “At William Paterson, we are all focused on helping our students succeed, and this year’s honorees share that commitment. I look forward to our University community and friends coming together to celebrate them at what promises to be a very special event. More than a celebration, the Gala furthers the WP mission of student success by generating and honoring critical philanthropic support, including vital scholarship funds, which help more Pioneers stay enrolled, graduate, and launch rewarding careers.”
“We are honored to mark the 35th anniversary of the Legacy Gala by celebrating this year’s honorees, whose vision and generosity exemplify the best of the William Paterson community and shape how we serve our students,” says Sandra Diaz, vice president for institutional advancement and president of the William Paterson University Foundation. “As the new vice president for institutional advancement, I see this milestone as both a celebration and a testament to our shared commitment to the transformative power of education. On behalf of the University community, I extend my sincere gratitude for your leadership, generosity, and partnership.”
About the Honorees
Martin Weinstein is professor emeritus of political science at William Paterson University, where he served for 40 years from 1971 until his retirement in 2011. A graduate of Columbia College, he earned his MA and PhD in political science from New York University. The author of Uruguay: The Politics of Failure and Uruguay: Democracy at the Crossroads, he served as editor of Revolutionary Cuba in the World Arena and co-editor, with Abraham Lowenthal, of Kalman Silvert: Engaging Latin America, Building Democracy. His other publications include more than three dozen articles, book chapters, and encyclopedia entries on Uruguay, United States-Latin American relations, and human rights in Latin America. Along with Stephen Shalom, William Paterson professor emeritus of political science, he created the University’s award-winning Model United Nations Program, through which students gather and represent nations and diplomats to debate real-life world issues at conferences on college campuses. In addition, he served as an adjunct professor of politics in the Graduate Program in Latin American Studies at New York University for some 20 years. The recipient of two Fulbright Awards—the first to conduct his dissertation research in Uruguay, and the second to teach at universities in Argentina and Uruguay—he has delivered invited lectures at Columbia University, New York University, the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, and Boston University. Weinstein testified as an expert witness before the House International Relations Committee in Washington, DC, worked on human rights campaigns in Latin America with Amnesty International, and served on the board of directors of Reaching U – A Foundation for Uruguay. More recently, he has offered courses on Latin America, including a course on Pope Francis, as part of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Berkshire Community College in Massachusetts.
Carol Frierson-Campbell is a professor of music at William Paterson University. She joined the faculty in 2000 and currently coordinates the music education program and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in instrumental music education and research as well as French horn. A graduate of Tennessee Technical University, she earned a master of music degree from Ithaca College and a PhD in music education from the Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester. Frierson-Campbell’s scholarly and service interests include music education in marginalized communities, instrumental music education, and research pedagogy. She is the author of numerous journal articles and presentations and is co-author, with Hildegard Froehich, of the textbook Inquiry in Music Education: Concepts and Methods for the Beginning Researcher and the lead editor and chapter author for the collection Sociological Thinking in Music Education. She served as lead editor of the two-volume Teaching Music in the Urban Classroom, which is credited with bringing renewed attention to music education in urban schools. As a Fulbright Scholar to Jordan in spring 2024, she served as principal horn for the Jordanian National Music Conservatory, with whom she had the honor of performing for the 25th Jubilee celebration for King Abdullah II. She has traveled with WP colleagues and former students for multiple residencies at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music in Palestine, most recently in 2022. Frierson-Campbell also directs the WP Music Mentors project, providing music enrichment for children from Title 1 schools in northern New Jersey. She is an active member of the New Jersey Music Educators Association, the National Association for Music Education, and the International Society for Music Education.
Risepoint is an education technology company partnering with universities to identify, launch, and grow their high-quality, affordable, workforce-relevant online programs so that more students can access education, advance their careers, and meet employer and community needs. The company works with more than 100 universities and colleges worldwide, primarily with regional universities like William Paterson University. In 2019, William Paterson partnered with Risepoint to develop WP Online, the University’s fully online degree platform, which launched in July 2020. To date, more than 13,000 students have enrolled in the 73 WP Online programs supported by Risepoint. Risepoint provides the resources and expertise necessary to ensure that, in an increasingly competitive marketplace, WP’s online programs are widely known by and available to students locally, regionally, and across the country. Risepoint and William Paterson also share a commitment to affordability for students and career advancement. WP graduates of Risepoint-supported programs see an average salary gain of 29 percent just one year after graduation, which allows alumni to recoup the cost of their degree in a little over a year post-graduation. Together, Risepoint and WP are building one of the fastest-growing online degree portfolios nationally. Through its continuing partnership with William Paterson University, Risepoint strategically identifies, invests in, and helps grow high-quality and accessible programs in critical areas such as healthcare, education, and business. With their support, the University is better able to expand access to high-need, workforce-focused programs at the graduate and undergraduate levels.
Tickets for the gala begin at $425; tables of 10 can be purchased for $5,000 and $10,000. Congratulatory ads are also available for purchase beginning at $250.
For ticket reservations, contact the office for special events at 973-720-2478 or visit wpunj.edu/legacy. Discounted tickets for current William Paterson faculty and staff members are available by selecting the faculty and staff ticket option.
