Commencement 2020

University Virtual

Commencement 2020

On Sunday, May31st, RutgersUniversitydid something unprecedented in its

A Virtual Celebration

The President, Governors, Trustees, Chancellors, Faculties, Staff, and Graduating Classes of RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY request the pleasure of your company at the 254TH ANNIVERSARY COMMENCEMENT: A VIRTUAL CELEBRATION Sunday, May 31, 2020 2:00 p.m. View the celebration at commencement.rutgers.edu

illustrious254yearhistory. Thelargestinstitution ofhighereducation in New Jerseyheld itsfirst(and, hopefully, only)virtual commencement, celebrating the Classof2020remotelyduring aglobal pandemic. NJ GovernorPhil Murphy, RU PresidentRobertBarchi, RU ChancellorChristopherMolloy, and othersinspired graduatesto usetheknowledgeand experiencegained atRutgerstogoforth and rebuild theUSeconomyand work towardsabetterworld. Respected NBCNightlyNewsanchor, LesterHolt (pictured left), delivered thecommencementremarksand encouraged graduates, “You can bedefined bythetimesoryou can bedefined byhow you lived thetimes.” Thiscertainlywasnotthegraduation celebration any ofushad imagined justafewshortmonthsago, butitwasalovelytribute totheuniqueRutgersUniversityClassof2020. Toread moreaboutthe RU-NewBrunswickCommencement2020, ortowatch thevideo, please visithere.

RutgersUniversity-Newarkisalsoproud tohonorand recognizeall 2020graduates! Thevideorecognition includesvideomessagesfrom RutgersUniversity–NewarkChancellorNancyCantor, Commencement SpeakerAngieMartinez(pictured right), undergraduatestudentspeaker EsderChong ’20, and guestpublicofficialsin addition toindividual, personalized recognition ofgraduating studentsand aclosing photo montagefeaturing imagessubmitted bymembersoftheClassof2020. Thetraditional Commencementceremonyisscheduled tobeheld ata laterdate.

(Picture source: Billboard.com)

RBS Undergraduate and Graduate Virtual Celebrations

RutgersBusinessSchool –Newarkand NewBrunswickwould liketocongratulateall thegraduateson theirhard workand accomplishmentsduring theirtimeatRBS. Wesincerelyregretthatweareunablehold an in-person ceremoniesatthistime, butweinviteeveryonetojoin usand recognizethestudents’ amazing achievements. CongratulationsRBSClassof2020!

RBS Undergraduate New Brunswick Convocation Celebration Video. RBS Graduate Programs - Newark and New Brunswick Virtual Graduation Recognition Celebration, June 19th at 6 pm.

Toviewindividual congratulatorymessagesfrom membersoftheRBSfaculty, pleaseclickhere.

Volume 1 | Issue 4 | MAY/JUN 2020 Staff News

Celebrating our Graduates

TheClassof2020wassorelydisappointed thattheirhard workwould notberecognized during traditional graduation ceremonies. Takeawaythecapand gown and what’sleft... talented, dedicated studentswith brightfutures! Join usaswe celebrateall 2020graduates, including thosebelow:

Dominique Brancato, daughterof Donna Brancato, SeniorProgram

Coordinator, UndergraduatePrograms-NB, graduatesCum Laude, with aBachelor’sDegreein FineArtsfrom Mason GrossSchool ofArt.

Rushil Desai, Dean’sOfficeNBStudentEmbassador, graduatesfrom RBSwith adoublemajorin financeand supplychain management. “Thisupcoming summerI will bestarting full-timeatE-Trade, which I am veryexcited about. Despitethecoronaviruscancelling graduation, theonepositivething I’ve learned from thiseventistostayresilientbecausein lifeanything can happen. Welearn somuch from thesehard timesand I thinkeveryone will comeoutasastrongerperson from thisevent.”

Paige Johnson, Dean’sOfficeNWKStudent

Assistantand B-StarProgram graduate, says, “The nextphaseofmylifewill bean exciting journeyno matterhowseverelyCOVID-19hasimpacted what thatwill looklikeformein thecoming months. Priortoourcurrentpandemicsituation, I had planned to startmyfull-timeposition atBASFin theCommercial and Sales Professional DevelopmentProgram, whereI would completethree eight-month rotationsatBASFsitesacrossthecountryin placeslike Houston, Texas, Charlotte, North Carolinaand Southfield, Michigan. Now,

myfirsteight-month assignmentatBASF, which I will startin mid-August, will almostcertainlybevirtual. Although disappointed atfirst, I nowseethisasafinancial positiveforme. I will beabletoliveathomewith myfamily, savemyfirstfewmonthsoffull-timepayand then preparetomovetoanewcityoncethisglobal health crisissubsidestosomedegree.” Toread moreaboutPaige’sstory, visitourwebsite.

Kwaku Agyemang, Dean’sOfficeNBStudentEmbassador, says, “I am extremelygrateful tobeapartoftheRBSStudentAmbassadorfamily. Thestaffhasprovided mewith greatsupportand mentorshipthroughoutmy collegeyears. I graduated with adegreein Financewith aconcentration in Entrepreneurship. Aftergraduation, I started myroleasaCustomer Acquisition and Brand AnalystatGoldman Sachsin NewYorkCity. I planned tocontinuetogrowmysustainablefashion startupBrownMill Companyand eventuallygetmyMBA. TheCOVID-19crisishasbeen unfortunateforeveryonebutonething I learned during mytimeatRBS wasperseveranceduring thetough times. Wewill comeoutofthisstronger than ever!”

Ashley Acevedo, Dean’sOfficeNWKStudentAssistantsays, “Thegreatestpiece ofknowledgeI can sayI am walking awayfrom RutgersBusinessSchool with is something thatI will hold ontoforever; thateach and everyoneofour differencesmakesusstronger. Thesepastfouryearshavegiven methe opportunitytostudywith themostdiversegroupofstudents, whereour differencesbring ustogetherand makeusmoreprepared forthefutureto comewherewecan battleissueswith open heartsand abetter understanding ofoneanother. Mygoal hasalwaysbeen tobemyself unapologeticallyand toalwaysfollowmyheart, and Rutgersempowered me todosoeversincethebeginning. I wanttothankeveryoneattheDean’sOffice fortherelationshipsI will hold ontoforeverand morethan anything, for allowing metobeapartofsomething biggerthan myself.”

Jordan Erin-Cherie McCullough, daughterof Tiffany McCullough, AdministrativeAssistant, Finance&Economics, isgraduating from Piscataway High School thisspring. Jordan, a3rd DegreeBlack Beltin TaeKwon Doand an aspiring authorand artist, will beattending collegein thefall, buthas yettocommittoaparticularschool.

Kamry Hines, nieceofBrendaAnderson,

Program Coordinator, Dean’sOffice-Newark, graduatesRahwayHigh School with a4.0gradepointaverage. Kamry planstoattend MontclairStateUniversityin thefall semesterwhereshewill majorin Biology. Shelovesreading, music, working out, and drawing.

The Seeing Eye

TheSchnattersareadog family. Kerstin Schnatter, AssistantDean, Undergraduate-NBand herfamilyhavetheirown 9-year-old rescue mutt, Ruby, and had recentlyrelinquished Rainy, abeautiful Black LabradorRetrieverthatdaughterKrista(SASgraduate2020), as amemberoftheRutgersSeeing EyePuppy-Raising Club, had been raising for15months. Beforethecoronavirus disrupted virtuallyeverything, Rainywasatformal training atTheSeeing Eyein Morristown, well on herway tobecoming full-fledged guidedog fortheblind. But, as COVID-19wreaked havoc, notonlywasRainyreturned tothe Schnatters, butSeeing Eyepup#2 cameintotheirlives: Krista isnowalsoraising aYellowLabnamed Rose(Rosie!). Theynow have3doggiesrunning around theirhomeon afull-timebasis, which makesforsomeinteresting videoconferenceswith RBS coworkers. Krista’stwopuppieswill soon bring alotofjoy, hope, guidance, and independence, topeoplecoping with vision loss.

Pleaseconsidersupporting TheSeeing Eye, with your2020charitablecontributions.

New RBS Family Members

Congratulationsto Jenean Wicker, AdministrativeAssistant, MBAPrograms, on thebirth ofhergrandson Kaden Bell, whoturned two monthsold on June1st.

Doublecongratulationsto Geno Gentile, Directorof

UndergraduateCareerManagement, on thebirth ofhis

Grand-twins, Zac and Beau. Thetwinsturned three monthsold on June10th.

Isla Emma Daniels, granddaughterof Cheryl Daniels,

Finance&Economics-NB, turnsfourmonthsold on June18th.

Santino Rafael Anderson, nephewof Brenda

Anderson, Program Coordinator, RBSDean’sOffice, turnsonemonth old on June21st.

Clockwisefrom thetop: Kaden Bell, Zach and Beau, Santino Rafael, and IslaEmma.

My COVID-19 Takeaway

ByDanaGreen Harris

I neverhad acough. Itstarted with cold handsand cold feet. Then mybackbegan tohurtand, beforeI knewit, I had ahigh feverand COVID-induced double-pneumonia. COVID-19silentlyinvaded ourhome atthebeginning ofMarch, and itwasashorribleasreported. However, even in themidstofourpain and suffering, I could nothelpbuttothinkabouthow blessed I was--blessed tobein agreathospital with devoted and caring healthcareproviders, blessed that, even though I wasgasping forair, I wasnever puton aventilator, blessed tobeabletoseethesun and moon from myisolation room and blessed tohavesupportivefamily, friendsand total strangersrallyaround usduring themostunpredictableand frightening monthsofourlives.

ThisCOVID-19journeyhasbeen difficult, butithasfurtherstrengthened mybeliefthatthegood in theworld outweighsthebad byleapsand boundsand thateach ofushasalightinsidethatwantsthebest, notonly forourselves, butforothers. Continuetoletyourlightshine!

Mask Makers

In thetimesofCOVID-19, being athomehasgiven someofourtalented staffmembers thechancetocreatefun facecoverings. “Afirstbirthdayand aten yearanniversary celebrated whilesewing masksfordonation makesbeing quarantined much more manageable,” says Jenny Roberts, ManagerofMBAPrograms. Herson Ollie turned onein earlyMay.

“Getting theopportunitytowork behind mysewing machineagain and producing with myhands hasbeen therapeuticduring thiscrazytime,” says Jenn Diaz, FacilitiesCoordinator, Dean’sOffice-Newark. Anyonewhohasthemeans can contributetowww. njmasks.com. Labor, fabricorelasticis alwayswelcomed.

Left: Jenny Roberts, her son Ollie, and masks. Right: Jenn Diaz, and image of reversible face masks.

Foster Families

Ben Lohmann, AssistantDean, RBSUndergraduate Programs-Newark, and hiswife, Maura, adopted a newmembertotheirfamilyatthebeginning of quarantine. Itissafetosaythat Farrah hasbeen areal blessing thatresulted from thisdifficult time–even ifshedoesnotlike wearing t-shirtsand posing for pictures. Hannah Murphy, AssistantDirector, Communications&Marketing, and familytookin afosterdog in March tohelpfreeupsomeoftheshelterspacesfor dogsbeing abandoned during COVID-19. “Wefell in lovewith her and decided tokeepher.”

Working from Home

During thesechallenging and uncertain times, mostRBSstaffand theirfamiliesare, notonlyworking from home, butspending morequalitytimetogether. Send yourWorkFrom Homephotostothe NewsletterCommitteetobefeatured in ournextissue!

Amy Castillo, AssistantDean forUndergraduate Programs-Newark, hasbeen working from home with herhusband, Tony; twochildren, Andrew(soonto-befreshman atRutgersin Fall 2020)and Abby; and theircat, FreddyFiggler.

Kathleen Price, StudentCounselor, MBA Programs, isenjoying her timewith dog, Luna.

Working from Home (Continued)

Robert Kurland, SeniorAssociateDean of UndergraduatePrograms-Newark, hasbeen enjoying timewith his“quaranteam:” hiswife Shelley, twodaughters, Jillian and Amber, dog (Luna), and cat(Kali).

Armanda Cerqueira, AcademicAdvisor, UndergraduatePrograms- Newark, hasbeen passing thetimeathomewith herfiancé, Evan, and theirtwodogsJoelyand Lambriar’sDuneBuddhaBoddhisatva (Bodhi forshort). Theywerealsokind enough toinviteLeonardo, from theTeenageMutantNinjaTurtles, awayfrom thesewersand into theirhome, aswell.

COVID-19 Innovation Challenge

The May/June 2020 RBS Innovation Challenge is: Adapting to Teaching or Serving Students Remotely. Pleasesend in yourbestpracticesand ideasnolaterthan June30th sowecan all learn from yourinnovationsthatcan improvethesatisfaction and learning experienceofourstudents.

Process: 1. TheRBSInnovation Challengesareopen toall RBSfacultyand staff. 2. Simplysummarizeyourinnovativeideain 1-2 paragraphsin an email. Referencematerialsmaybe attached; however, thebodyoftheemail should beself-sufficienttoconveytheidea. Oneideaper email, please. 3. Send youremail toinnovate@business.rutgers.edu 4. Pleaserespecttheinnovation spirit, process, and ourinboxes. Ideasbroadcasted viamassemail will notbeeligibleforrecognition.

We Are All in This Together

Theworld isdifferenttodaythan itwasjustafewmonthsago. COVID-19hassweptacrossourworld, ournation, and ourRBScampuses. Uncertaintyisatan all-timehigh, asweexperiencedisruptionsto ourwork, ourschool, and ourhomelives. Justbecausewearesocial distancing, itdoesnotmean that anyonehastogothrough thischallenging timealone. Pleasecheckoutthelinksbelowtohelpmaintain both yourphysical mental health.

Care For Your Coronavirus Anxiety: https://www.virusanxiety.com/?utm_source=Shine&utm_ medium=ShineWeekly

Taking Care of Your Mental Health in the Face of Uncertainty: https://afsp.org/taking-careof-your-mental-health-in-the-face-of-uncertainty/

AresourcebyRussHarris, whoisoneofthemain AcceptanceCommitmentTherapy(ACT) teachersand researchersatRU, hasdeveloped somepractical stepsforresponding tocoronavirus. Forthefile, clickhere.

Rutgers Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology (GSAPP)hasextended theirvolunteernetworkofmental health supportforourcommunitycoping with COVID-19. Thisnetworkwill offerphoneand telepsychologyservicestosupportthemembersofthe Rutgerscommunity. Formoreinformation, pleasevisithere.

OtherResources: https://www.tenpercent.com/coronavirussanityguide

Rutgers Family Support Line. In responsetotheunprecedented challengesofCOVID-19, RutgersUniversityBehavioral Health Care(UBHC)launched aconfidential staff, faculty, and familysupportline: Rutgers4U (1-855-652-6819).

Thisphonelineoffersemotional and therapeuticsupportduring (and following)theCOVID-19 pandemicand isavailablefreeofchargetoall Rutgersstaff, facultymembers, and theirfamilies. TheRutgers4U supportlineisoperational Mondaythrough Fridayfrom 8:00AM to8:00PM, seven daysaweek, asstaffing permits. During theoff-hoursavoicemail boxenablescallersto leavetheircontactinformation forafollowupthenextmorning. Formoreinformation, visitthe UBHCwebsite.

Virtual Workshops by CAPS (Counseling, Alcohol and OtherDrug AssistanceProgram & PsychiatricServices). Noregistration isnecessary. Thesevirtual workshopsareNOTtherapyor psychological treatment. Theworkshopsareheld viaWebExand led byCAPSstaff. Forvirtual resourcesand afull listofourworkshops, visithere.

Rutgers Business School Word Search

Bycultivating businessknowledge, ethical judgment, and global perspectivesin ourstudents, promoting innovativeresearch and teaching, and establishing robustbusinesspartnerships, RBS servesNewJersey, thecommunitiesweresideand workin, and theworld.

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