Q&A: A Time to Reflect
HONOR ROLL OF DONORS Mr. Adam Berberich Drs. Pamela & Henry Bischoff Bissell Ms. Anne Boland & Mr. John Tomasicchio Mr. Harold V. Bolton Mr. Nigel Boney Ms. Nancy L. Boone 2007 Mr. & Mrs. Jose Brienco Ms. Victoria Buffa Ms. Felica Burgay Ms. Johnie M. Burton Mr. & Mrs. Oscar Cabrera Ms. Miki L. Cammarata Ms. Nancy R. Carr Mr. & Mrs. Charles Castronovo Dr. Pat Chang & Mrs. Anne Chang Mr. & Mrs. Craig Cinelli Ms. Brenda Lipari Cirillo Mr. & Mrs. Ron Comes Mr. James E. Crawley Mr. & Mrs. William Dagiantis Mr. August J. Daquila Ms. Cathleen Davey & Mr. Raymond Corbett, Jr. Mr. Fernando Diaz Mr. & Mrs. John Dreyer Mr. & Mrs. Michael Dudas Dr. Dorothy Echols-Tobe & Mr. Walter Tobe Mr. & Mrs. Derek Eisenberg Mr. Leigh M. Ettinger 1978 Dr. Timothy J. Eustace Fiesta Florist Mr. Michael Fluhr Mr. & Mrs. Peter Gaudet Mr. & Mrs. Kyle Gehan Mr. & Mrs. Michael Gervino Ms. Susan C. Gluchanicz Mr. & Mrs. Harry Gold Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Grinko Mr. & Mrs. Steben Halpern Mr. & Mrs. James F. Hilbert Ms. Mary A. Hilbert Ms. Maria Krupin
Ms. Judith Mobilio Mr. Matthew J. Palmer Mr. & Mrs. Adam Panagia Ms. Laura Plessner Ms. Lisa S. Ponti Mr. & Mrs. Christopher Quinn Mr. Kevin M. Reiner Dr. Michael A. Riff Mr. & Mrs. Ceasar Rivera Mr. Stephen J. Roma Ms. Pamela Phillips Rossi Ms. Vernis Lenore Schad Ms. Melissa Shsemanski Ms. Jacquelyn M. Skrzynski Mr. Darren C. Sloan Ms. Amy Sole Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Stathis Ms. Jackie Stathis Mr. & Mrs. Mathew Stathis 1991 1991 Ms. Wanda Stathis 1982 Mr. George P. Tabback Mr. & Mrs. James Tunnicliffe Ms. Margaret Valentin Ms. Filloreta M. Vedra Ms. Barbara Wexler Mr. & Mrs. Gary Wilhelm
Daniel J. Cronin Memorial Endowment
Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation Ms. Cynthia A. Cappell, Esq Mr. & Mrs. Jerome Cronin Mr. Sergio Sedita
1983
Lori Ann Oldenhage Memorial Scholarship Endowment
Ms. Karen L. Norton Dr. Alexander M. Olbrecht Mr. Timothy Robinson Dr. & Mrs. Edward Saiff Dr. Frances Shapiro-Skrobe & Mr. John Skrobe Ms. Rita J. Shea-Van Fossen Mr. & Mrs. Phillip Werber Mr. James A. Woodley Dr. Xiaoyu Wu Ms. Xiurong Zhang
Herman D. Mytelka Memorial Scholarship Fund
Rachel Bukstein Endowment Mr. Gregory Z. Bukstein*
Ms. Jennifer Barry Mr. Christian C. Beltran Mr. John D. Benfield Mr. Laurence R. Berg Drs. Pamela & Henry Bischoff Mr. Steven M. Bloom Mr. Craig M. Brady Ms. Jill C. Brown Ms. Megan P. Callahan Ms. Nancy R. Carr Dr. Pat Chang & Mrs. Anne Chang Mr. Stephen T. Cucchiara Ms. Katherine Denova Mr. & Mrs. Robert Dente Ms. Jill L. Freudenfels Mr. Daniel Furphy Mr. & Mrs. Joseph J. Giardino Ms. Jennifer L. Houle Mr. & Mrs. Curtis A. Hutchins Ms. Rachel Jaffe & Mr. Richard John Marko, Jr. 2002 Mr. Christopher A. Jeune Mr. Ivan L. Kaufman Ms. Meredith Kawer Ms. Ramona L. Kopacz Ms. Helen C. Koronides Mr. Daniel S. Kotkin Ms. Laura J. Lindson Ms. Nancy Mackin & Mr. Timothy Robinson Ms. Katherine G. McGee Mr. & Mrs. Christian Mekarzel Ms. Alison J. Miller Ms. Melissa Muha Mr. Edward Muniz Mr. Brian O’Connell Ms. Katherine Polatsek Eggleston & Mr. Tryon Eggleston 2005 Ms. Jennifer M. Popolillo Dr. Eileen A. Quaglino Ms. Lara Rodriguez Ms. Kimberly Rude Ms. Christine L. Rusin Mr. Adam J. Sabath Ms. Gina M. Sallustio Dr. Frances Shapiro-Skrobe & Mr. John Skrobe Ms. Patricia Lee Snyder Mr. & Mrs. Bryan Steros Mr. George P. Tabback Mr. Joseph C. Tropia Mr. & Mrs. Peter F. VanAulen 1986
Jack Richardson Memorial Award
Ramapo College EMS Endowed Scholarship
Topken Undergraduate Nursing Scholarship
Ross Family Survivor to Survivor Scholarship Endowment
Warren Endowment
Mr. & Mrs. Robert T. Caruso In memory of Ms. Alice R. Lightner
Mackin-Robinson Endowment
Ms. Nancy Mackin & Mr. Timothy Robinson
Maddi Endowment
C.R. Bard Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Donald Maddi
Drs. Ellen & Jeffrey Kaiden Urban Educator Scholarship Endowment
Marie & Francis J. Dwyer Memorial Scholarship Endowment
Dugan Community Scholars Endowment
Marion Pawlick Busch Endowed Scholarship
Drs. Ellen & Jeffrey Kaiden
Mr. & Mrs. John P. Dugan
1980
EOF Endowment
Mr. Jeffrey K. Camerato 1993 Dr. Dorothy Echols-Tobe & Mr. Walter Tobe Dr. Cherrie L. Kassem Ms. Edna Iris Negron Ms. Stephanie Y. Samuels 2006 Ms. Anita L. Stellenwerf 2002 Mr. Jose L. Vallejo
Fran Hackett Service to America Scholarship Endowment
Mr. & Mrs. Martin Blauer
Mr. David R. & Mrs. Frances K. Hackett 1980 Mr. Allan J. McDonald Prudential Foundation Ms. Kathleen Sheedy Ms. Catherine A. Smith
David R. Hackett Scholarship Endowment
Frances K. Hackett AIS Scholarship Endowment
David Blauer Memorial Scholarship
Mr. David R. & Mrs. Frances K. Hackett 1980
Dr. Gary Kettlitz Memorial Scholarship Endowment Dr. Rikki Abzug
Mr. David R. & Mrs. Frances K. Hackett 1980 Prudential Foundation Ms. Catherine A. Smith
Guiliana Family Scholarship Endowment Dr. & Mrs. John V. Guiliana
Mr. Arnold K. Mytelka Dr. Ellen Ross
Mr. & Mrs. Paul Garber
Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Lipari Ms. Bonnie Lipnick Mr. Joseph Lunsford Ms. Nancy Mackin & Mr. Timothy Robinson Dr. Jennefer V. Mazza Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth McDevitt Ms. Kim E. McDonough Mr. & Mrs. Alastair McIndoe Ms. Christine Mcindoe Dr. Peter Mercer & Ms. Jacqueline Ehlert-Mercer Ms. Robin L. Mertz
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2000 1996
Ramapo magazine
Dr. Gordon Bear Drs. Pamela & Henry Bischoff Dr. Charles Carreras Ms. Constance Crawford Mr. & Mrs. Thomas W. Dunn Mr. William J. Feuss Dr. Monika F. Giacoppe Dr. Marshall Harth Dr. Eric Haye Dr. Teresa D. Hutchins Dr. & Mrs. Ronald J. Kase Mr. Stephen I. Klein Dr. William Makofske
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Joseph & Jennie Sall Memorial Scholarship Endowment
1975
Mr. & Mrs. Theodore Sall In honor of Dr. George Potter’s* birthday and In memory of Mr. Irving Zucker
Joseph M. Leone Family Scholarship Endowment Mr. & Mrs. Joseph M. Leone
Jeannette Krieger Mytelka Scholarship Mr. Arnold K. Mytelka
Mr. & Mrs. David W. Busch Ms. Helene Nasuti Mr. & Mrs. Robert Witheridge
Mary K. & Salvatore J. Fanale Scholarship Endowment Mr. Matthew B. Fanale Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Licker
Kathy Azzara Scholarship Endowment Mr. & Mrs. Michael W. Azzara Hudson City Savings Bank
Police Officer Michael John Buczek Memorial Scholarship Endowment Mr. Ted Buczek
Nursing Scholarship
Edward & Stella Van Houten Trust
Professor Robert J. Christopher Memorial Scholarship Ms. Sandra Burton Dr. Frima Christopher Dr. Nina J. Christopher Ms. Rosalie Jane Lurie Mr. Braden Phillips
David & Eleanore Rukin Philanthropic Foundation
North Jersey Media Group
Jackie & Paul Garber Scholarship Fund
Ms. Christina Dwyer *
R & N Family Scholarship Endowment
Helen Burchell Endowment
(L-R): Sean Wilmut, Beth Potter, President Peter P. Mercer, Ralph Potter and Kathy Schultz catch up at the Founders' Day Celebration in November 2009
Student Affairs Scholarship
Ms. Marion Busch* Mr. Anthony E. Gray
Ms. Carol Horn In honor of Roz Ross’s birthday Ms. Carol Horn Ms. Doris Horn Mrs. Joan F. Parness Ms. Judith Lee Rotz
2007 2002 2007 1992 2008 2008 2003 2008 2004 1992 2006 1992 1985 1993 1990 2003 2008 1990 1997 1995 2002 2006 2006 1986 2005 2005 1989 2004 2003 2005 2002 1984 1993 2007
1998 1982 2005 1987
A Time to Reflect with Florence Thomases
Florence Thomases, a member of the first Ramapo College Board of Trustees, and her late husband, Fred Thomases, have provided leadership and support to the College since its 1969 inception. Florence Thomases was instrumental in choosing a site for the College, determining its academic philosophy and naming its first president, Dr. George Potter. The Thomases Commons, located in The Village residence hall, containing office, conference and other facilities, was dedicated in 2003. The generous contributions of Florence and Fred Thomases have supported countless students and faculty through endowed scholarships and grants for research and teaching excellence. Here, Mrs. Thomases reflects on her association with the College.
How did you become involved with the early days of Ramapo College?
I, and many others helped to build the College. When Ralph Dungan, New Jersey’s first Chancellor of Higher Education, asked me to serve on Ramapo’s board, I resisted. I was about to embark on a project for Third World children. Chancellor Dungan told me there were many poor young people in New Jersey that needed my attention, and that the new State College of North Jersey, which became Ramapo College, would be an exciting and challenging project. He was correct because in the early days there were so many issues we had to contend with.
What are your most vivid recollections of Ramapo?
The actual building of the College…to acquire the land, design the facility and to welcome the first students. We wanted to make sure that the buildings were barrier-free. I believe we were the first college to do that. The College had temporary offices and class-
rooms on Route 17 in Saddle River in an old red brick building. It was fun to visit with the original staff who shared the first floor, which was one big room with desks everywhere.
Ramapo College has changed physically and academically. How do you feel about these changes?
The programs have been enriched since the College was founded. With all of the changes, it will be bigger and better known. However, I hope it keeps the spirit of a small college, which was what we had in mind. I graduated from Hunter College in New York when it was a women’s college. It felt like a small college because everyone knew each other. I enjoyed that.
When you describe Ramapo to friends and family, how do you characterize the College? I like to tell them about the opportunities available to low-income students. From the beginning, I was an advocate for prospective students who had little opportunity to enter higher education. Some
Founding Board Member, Florence Thomases
of the original trustees wanted to place the College in Hackensack, an urban area, because they felt if Ramapo was located in the country it would be difficult to get to without a car. But then the Birch estate became available and all of us were impressed by its beauty. We realized that it was a perfect place for a college campus.
What value do you think Ramapo College presents to the citizens of New Jersey?
The College presents educational opportunities that did not exist before the College was built. As a liberal arts graduate, I have great affection for that kind of education. From the beginning, I tried to make sure that Ramapo College would be a liberal arts college. The founding faculty agreed with this mission as well. Many of the original members of the faculty had only recently finished graduate school. Ramapo offered them their first teaching position, and they loved the opportunity to help form a new liberal arts college.
P S Yoder-Wise In honor of Dr. Kathleen Burke
Mr. & Mrs. Jeffrey A Warren
1973
Willie Rubel Memorial Scholarship Endowment AT&T Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Jason Simon
Sabrin Center for Business Excellence Endowment
Dr. Murray & Mrs. Florence M. Sabrin Mr. Paul Stehle
Sebastian J. Raciti Scholarship Endowment Ms. Kathleen S. Collins Ms. Elizabeth Hill Dr. & Mrs. Ronald J. Kase Mr. Paul Stehle Ms. Angelina Raciti Sutera
(L-R): Seated: Laurie Potter and Florence Thomases; (L-R): Standing: Ramapo's first president, Dr. George Potter and President Peter P. Mercer at a Founder's Day Celebration.
(L-R): Former Ramapo President Rodney D. Smith, Founding Board Member Florence Thomases and Former Board Chair Gail P. Brady at the dedication of The Thomases Commons in 2003.
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