JUDITH M. RODRIGUEZ AND FRANCIS J. RODRIGUEZ BIOINFORMATICS SCHOLARSHIP
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udith MartinezRodriguez and Frank Rodriguez have been members of the Friends of Ramapo for many years, and have established three scholarships at Ramapo College, for students in International Business and Environmental Science. Mrs. Rodriguez is a registered pharmacist in both New Jersey and New York, who with her husband owned Raysol Pharmacy in New York. Mrs. Rodriguez also served in elected and appointed government and community service positions. Mr. Rodriguez’ career has included management positions with Telecommunications Analysis, RAM Communications, and Western Union. He is currently a senior consultant for RCC Consultants. Mr. Rodriguez has General and Amateur Radio Operators licenses from the FCC. He is active in many civic and community organizations, including the American Pharmaceutical Association, MENSA, and the Radio Club of America. In addition to active community service in their home town of Midland Park, NJ, the Rodriguezes have been involved with a number of national and state-wide organizations including Bergen County’s Northwest Regional Health Commission, the Medical Reserve Corps, and the Pharmaceutical Society, as well as the NJ
Drug Utilization Review Board, the NJ Dept. of Education’s Advisory Committee on Bilingual Education, and the NJ Pharmaceutical Association. The intent of the Judith and Francis Rodriguez Bioinformatics Scholarship is to recognize students pursuing a degree in Bioinformatics in the School of Theoretical and Applied Science. ”Bioinformatics is a job that will become more and more important in the future,” says Mr. Rodriguez. “Because it has as its base, biology, computer knowledge and mathematics, it will prepare a student not only for work in bioinformatics but in a host of other career paths and disciplines.” Ramapo College Foundation Scholarship recipient Emmanuel Takor’s award is named for Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez, in recognition of their generosity in creating the Rodriguez Bioinformatics Scholarship. Emmanuel, of Cameroon, is excited to be at Ramapo College. He is especially excited to be enrolled as a Bioinformatics major, a course of study his country does not offer. In Cameroon, Emmanuel completed a challenging science curriculum in a specialized program. Emmanuel researched colleges on the Internet. He was impressed with the opportunities Ramapo offers, as well as its diversity. Then he learned his brother’s friend, also from Cameroon, graduated from Ramapo. After speaking with the alumna, he decided “Ramapo is the place I want to be.” Emmanuel has a 2.85 grade point average.
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