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WILLIAM PATERSON UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION RAISES $144,000 FOR
SCHOLARSHIP FUND AT ANNUAL LEGACY AWARD DINNER
The William Paterson University Foundation raised more than $144,000
for its scholarship fund during the Foundation’s 12th annual
Legacy Award Dinner and Silent Auction, held Saturday, May 11 at
the Madison Hotel in Morristown. This year’s dinner was the
most successful in the history of the event.
"Funds raised by the Legacy Awards dinner
directly impact the lives of the University's students," says
Rick Reiss, vice president for institutional advancement and executive
director of the William Paterson University Foundation. "Through
the Foundation, the University is able to provide scholarship support
for its most talented students, who will be the business and community
leaders of the future."
The Legacy Award honors individuals and corporations
who, through their acts and deeds, epitomize the spirit of William
Paterson, the University’s namesake and the New Jersey patriot
and statesman whose visionary leadership was critical in the development
of the state and the nation. Recipients of this year’s Legacy
Award were Bill D'Elia, executive producer
and director of the award-winning comedy series, Ally McBeal and
a 1972 graduate of William Paterson with a master’s degree
in communication arts; The John Victor Machuga
Foundation, which supports education, research, and health care;
and Richard Miller, Esq., a senior partner
in the Wayne law firm Williams, Caliri, Miller, Otley & Stern
who has served the banking, business and nonprofit communities for
nearly 40 years.
The event also included the presentation of the
University’s Distinguished Alumni Awards and Faculty Service
Awards. The Distinguished Alumni Award is presented by the William
Paterson Alumni Association to outstanding University alumni in
recognition of significant achievement. Recipients were: Richard
Adubato, head coach of the New York Liberty women’s basketball
team; Raymond Arthur, president, Toysrus.com;
John DeLuca, Ph.D., director of neuroscience
research, Kessler Medical Rehabilitation Research and Education
Corporation, and professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation,
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey; Margaret
Landi, V.M.D., vice president, Global Laboratory Animal Science,
Glaxo SmithKline Pharmaceuticals; and Maria
Nuccetelli, Ed.D., Passaic County Superintendent of Schools.
The Faculty Service Award is given by the University’s
Alumni Association to faculty members nominated by William Paterson
alumni in recognition of demonstrated career achievement and commitment
to the University.
This year's recipients were Judith
Coomes, an associate professor of computer science and former
associate professor of mathematics; and Stephen
Hahn, associate provost and professor of English. John
Rosengren, professor emeritus of biology, was honored posthumously;
his family was present to accept the award.
William Paterson University, one of the nine state colleges and
universities in New Jersey, offers 30 undergraduate and 19 graduate
programs through five colleges: Arts and Communication, the Christos
M. Cotsakos Business, Education, Humanities and Social Sciences,
and Science and Health. Located on 370 hilltop acres in Wayne, the
University enrolls approximately 10,500 students and provides housing
for nearly 2,300 students. The institution’s 363 full-time
faculty are highly distinguished and diverse scholars and teachers,
many of whom are recipients of prestigious awards and grants from
the Fulbright Program (26 scholars), the Guggenheim Foundation,
the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Institutes
of Health, the National Science Foundation and the American Philosophical
Society.
ADDITIONAL BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION ON HONOREES
LEGACY AWARD RECIPIENTS:
BILL D’ELIA
Executive Producer and Director, Ally McBeal
Resident of La Canada, California
Bill D’Elia is executive producer and director of the Emmy
Award-winning comedy series, Ally McBeal. This position is the latest
milestone in a long and celebrated career in television. A graduate
of Ithaca College with a degree in television and film, D’Elia
served a two-year stint in the U.S. Army. When he returned to New
Jersey, he decided to continue his education, obtaining his master’s
degree in communication arts from William Paterson in 1972. He then
formed his own New York production company, earning Addy, Clio and
Telly awards for commercials he produced. D’Elia made his debut
in feature film directing with The Feud, based on a novel by Thomas
Berger. The visibility he gained led to an opportunity to direct
an episode of the television series Doogie Howser, M.D. D’Elia
went on to direct multiple episodes of Northern Exposure, as well
as award-winning seasons of Picket Fences, Law and Order, Chicago
Hope, Lois and Clark, and Beverly Hills 90210. In 1996, D’Elia
was named executive producer of Chicago Hope. In the following three
seasons the show garnered 33 Emmy nominations. As executive producer,
D’Elia received two Golden Globe and two Emmy nominations,
including "Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series."
In addition to his work on Chicago Hope, Mr. D’Elia co-created
the hit show Judging Amy, and later directed The West Wing during
the show’s Emmy-winning premiere season. He joined Ally McBeal
in April 2000 as executive producer and director, receiving an Emmy
nomination for the first show he directed. In February 2001, he
was nominated for the prestigious Director’s Guild Award for
Ally McBeal.
THE JOHN VICTOR MACHUGA
FOUNDATION
John Victor Machuga was an entrepreneur and investor who grew up
in Paterson during the Depression. Through adversity, he developed
a self-reliance and thirst for knowledge which he sustained throughout
his life. He worked hard, studied diligently, and eventually earned
a B.S. in engineering from the Newark College of Engineering, and
an M.S. in economics from Rutgers University, all while working
full-time. From his life experiences, Machuga developed an entrepreneurial
spirit of extraordinary dimensions. He studied the stock market
avidly and became a highly skilled investor, amassing a considerable
fortune.
In his will, Machuga directed that his assets be used to create
a foundation to provide support for education, research, the arts,
and health care. The John Victor Machuga Foundation was established
in 1995, with Machuga’s five closest friends as trustees. During
its first year of operation, the Foundation awarded limited grants
totaling nearly $100,000 in support of education and research in
medicine, religion, and training facilities for the handicapped.
In 1999, the John Victor Machuga Foundation announced the donation
of $1 million to the William Paterson University Foundation. Distributed
over seven years, the gift includes $350,000 in scholarships for
financially needy students, $350,000 to endow the John Victor Machuga
Scholarship Fund for high-achieving students, and $300,000 to fund
new initiatives in student programming at the Student Center. In
recognition of the gift, the campus student center has been renamed
the John Victor Machuga Student Center. The 1999 gift is in addition
to $76,000 in scholarship support awarded earlier by the Foundation
to several William Paterson University students from Rosa Parks
High School in Paterson.
Trustees of the John Victor Machuga Foundation are Bruce Waldman,
Albert Dahab, John Tarrant and Joseph Makoujy.
RICHARD MILLER, ESQ.
Senior Partner, Williams, Caliri, Miller, Otley & Stern, P.C.
Resident of Wayne
Dick Miller is a senior member of the law firm Williams, Caliri,
Miller, Otley and Stern, P.C., located in Wayne. Professionally,
Mr. Miller concentrates on business law with a specialty in banking,
and has been involved in the charter and start up of eight commercial
banks in New Jersey. A graduate of Paterson’s Eastside High
School, Miller went on to receive his undergraduate and law degrees
from Rutgers University, serving as editor-in-chief of the Rutgers
Law Review. He also clerked for Justice Haydn Proctor of the New
Jersey Supreme Court. In 1959, Miller joined his current law firm,
then known as Gardner & Williams. He left the firm briefly to
serve a three-year stint as a captain in the Judge Advocate Corps.
of the U.S. Air Force, and returned to the firm in 1963. Miller
is former chairman of the Banking Law Section of the New Jersey
Bar Association; former member of the board of trustees and chairman
of the New Jersey Lawyers Fund for Client Protection; and former
chairman of the Finance Committee of the New Jersey Supreme Court
Ethics Committee. He is currently vice chairman of the New Jersey
Lawyers Assistance Program board of trustees, and a member of the
Bank Lawyers Council of the New Jersey Bankers Association. He is
also vice president and member of the North Jersey YM-YWHA board
of directors, and a member of the Valley National Bancorp. and St.
Joseph’s Hospital Foundation boards of director. Counsel and
advisor to the Wayne Police Athletic League (PAL) for almost 40
years, Miller considers the legal work and financing of the Wayne
PAL Center to be one of his proudest accomplishments.
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARDS:
RICHARD ADUBATO
Head Coach, New York Liberty
Resident of Heathrow, Florida
One of only two coaches in the United States to have coached on
every level from high school to the pros, Richard Adubato currently
serves as head coach of the New York Liberty women’s basketball
team. Since joining the team in 1998, he has led the Liberty to
a string of victories, including their 2001 advancement to the Women’s
National Basketball Association (WNBA) Championship for the second
consecutive year. Prior to joining the Liberty, Adubato spent 19
years in the NBA, serving as head coach of the Detroit Pistons from
1979-80, the Dallas Mavericks from 1989-93, and the Orlando Magic
from 1996-97, and leading his teams to the NBA playoffs twice. He
was a special consultant for the Boston Celtics during the 1997-98
season. He also served as assistant coach for the New York Knicks
from 1982-86, and has enjoyed stints as assistant coach with Detroit,
Dallas, Cleveland and Orlando. Prior to entering the NBA, he spent
18 years as a high school and college coach in New Jersey. A graduate
of William Paterson with a bachelor’s degree in education in
1960 and a master’s degree in social science in 1970, Adubato
was captain of both the basketball and baseball teams. A standout
first baseman, he was a member of the 1959 William Paterson team
that won the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics World
Series. In 1991, Adubato was inducted into the institution’s
Athletic Hall of Fame for basketball and baseball.
RAYMOND ARTHUR
President and CEO, Toysrus.com
Resident of Franklin Lakes
Ray Arthur was appointed president of Toysrus.com in January 2002.
Arthur, who joined the company in 1999, was instrumental in helping
to coordinate the company’s groundbreaking alliance with Amazon.com.
He now oversees the Toysrus.com and Amazon.com co-branded site,
and is currently driving toysrus.com’s diversification and
expansion plans, including a recently launched e-commerce venture
in Japan. Prior to joining Toyrus.com, Arthur was vice president
and controller of General Signal Corporation. He also held financially
oriented posts at KPMG Peat Marwick, American Cyanamid and its Lederle
Laboratories division, and American Home Products. He is a 1982
graduate of William Paterson with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.
JOHN DELUCA, Ph.D.
Director of Neuroscience Research for the Kessler Medical Rehabilitation
Research and Education Corporation
Resident of Rockaway
John DeLuca is Director of Neuroscience Research for the Kessler
Medical Rehabilitation Research and Education Corporation in West
Orange. In this role, he oversees a team of scientists and researchers
who study disorders of memory and information processing. One of
the main goals of his work is to use the principles of cognitive
neuroscience and psychology to rehabilitate brain-injured individuals.
DeLuca , who joined Kessler in 1989 as a clinical and research neuropsychologist,
previously served as a staff neuropsychologist at John F. Kennedy
Medical Center in Edison, NJ. He also is a professor of physical
medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Medicine and Dentistry
of New Jersey, where he directs the post-doctoral fellowship program
in neuropsychology. A former member of the board of trustees for
the New Jersey Neuropsychological Society and New Jersey Academy
of Psychology, DeLuca is currently on the advisory board to William
Paterson University’s College of Science and Health. Widely
published in his field, he has received research awards from the
American Psychological Association and the National Academy of Neuropsychology.
A 1979 graduate of William Paterson with a bachelor’s degree
in psychology, DeLuca also completed the University’s rigorous
Biopsychology Honors Program . He holds master’s and doctoral
degrees in psychology from the State University of New York (SUNY)
in Binghamton. He is a licensed psychologist in New Jersey and New
York.
MARGARET LANDI, V.M.D.
Vice President of Global Laboratory Animal Science (LAS), Glaxo
SmithKline Pharmaceuticals
Resident of Radnor, Pennsylvania
Margaret Landi is vice president of Global Laboratory Animal Science
(LAS) for Glaxo SmithKline Pharmaceuticals. In this capacity she
is responsible for promoting animal welfare and providing a high
standard of technical and professional assistance to the company’s
research and development community. Landi, who joined SmithKline
in 1979, served in a variety of positions in laboratory animal science
research and development before assuming her current role. She is
currently an adjunct professor at Thomas Jefferson University and
Hahnemann University. Widely published in her field, Landi is the
editor-in-chief of the Institute for Laboratory Animal Research
Journal. Internationally recognized as an expert in laboratory animal
medicine, she has been invited to speak at numerous conferences
across the United States, as well as in England, China, Canada,
and the Netherlands. Landi is a member of the advisory committee
at William Paterson’s College of Science and Health and the
board of directors of the Pennsylvania Society of Biomedical Research.
Her other professional memberships include the American Veterinary
Medical Association, the American Public Health Association and
the American Society of Laboratory Animal Practitioners. A 1974
graduate of William Paterson with a bachelor’s degree in biology,
Landi earned her master’s degree in laboratory animal science
from Penn State and her V.M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania.
MARIA NUCCETELLI,
Ed.D.
Passaic County Superintendent of Schools
Resident of Wayne
A graduate of William Paterson’s programs
in education, Maria Nuccetelli is the Passaic County Superintendent
of Schools, responsible for supervising the county office and administering
school and district educational systems within Passaic County. She
is currently an adjunct faculty member at William Paterson University
and Seton Hall University. During her nearly 40-year career in education,
Nuccetelli has held a variety of key roles. She was recently the
Acting Assistant Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Education,
and previously served as the Coordinating County Superintendent
of Schools, Northern Region. Over the years, she held teaching positions
in the Wayne, Oakland, Clifton and Elmwood Park public schools.
Nuccetelli has received numerous awards for her work in education,
including the Lenni-Lenape Girl Scout Woman of Distinction, the
New Jersey Department of Education’s "Pride in Who We
Are" Award, and the Boy Scout Distinguished Service Award.
She is a member of the New Jersey and American Associations of School
Administrators, the New Jersey Schoolmasters Board of Governors,
the New Jersey Council of Education and the DARE New Jersey Board
of Directors. Nuccetelli received her bachelor’s degree in
science education in 1963 and her master’s degree in student
personnel services in 1977, both from William Paterson, and her
Ed.D. in educational administration from Seton Hall University.
FACULTY SERVICE AWARDS:
JUDITH COOMES
Associate professor of computer science
Resident of Hamburg
A member of the William Paterson University faculty since 1966,
Coomes has served William Paterson’s students and the University
community as a faculty member in the mathematics and computer science
departments. An associate professor of computer science since 2000,
Ms. Coomes spent the prior 34 years teaching mathematics at William
Paterson and the former Paterson State College. During her tenure,
Coomes has played an active role in the Math Department as an advisor,
course coordinator and member of the Math Department Curriculum
Committee and Math Department Council. She also served on the Faculty
Senate for three consecutive terms from 1993 to 1999. Coomes has
conducted a number of independent studies and teacher workshops,
and has sponsored and planned statewide teaching conferences. She
is co-author of Basic Concepts in Mathematics (with Professor Mahendra
Jani, Prentice Hall, 1998), and has contributed to calculus instruction
and solutions manuals. A graduate of Montclair State College with
a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, Coomes earned her master’s
in mathematics from the University of Toledo and a master’s
in computer science from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
STEPHEN HAHN
Associate Provost and Professor of English
Resident of Waldwick
Stephen Hahn joined the faculty in the Department of English at
William Paterson in 1984. In addition to his role as professor of
English, he is currently Associate Provost at the University, a
position he has held since 1997. Hahn is the author of books on
Henry David Thoreau and Jacques Derrida, and co-editor of two books
on teaching the works of William Faulkner, as well as numerous essays
and reviews. Over the years he has conducted various English and
writing workshops at colleges and high schools, and has chaired
and coordinated a wide range of conferences on topics in English.
A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Amherst College, Hahn earned his master’s
and doctoral degrees in English at Rutgers University. He has been
a fellow at Princeton University and the Graduate School of Education,
Harvard University. A past-president of the New Jersey College English
Association, Hahn was the first recipient of the association’s
Steven J. Rosen Mentor Award in 1997.
THE FAMILY OF
JOHN ROSENGREN
John Rosengren, professor emeritus of biology who died in 1999,
was a member of the William Paterson faculty for 37 years. Throughout
his tenure on campus, he was dedicated to his department, his students,
and the University. Highly regarded as an exceptional colleague,
teacher and mentor, Rosengren made numerous contributions to the
University, including beginning and leading William Paterson’s
advisory program for pre-professional students in the sciences.
Over the years, he offered guidance, direction and wisdom to countless
students pursuing careers as physicians, dentists, or veterinarians.
Rosengren also spent 13 years volunteering for Habitat for Humanity,
an international organization that builds homes for families who
otherwise could not afford them. As a volunteer, he helped construct
more than 90 homes in Paterson. A member of the Paterson Habitat’s
board of advisors, Mr. Rosengren was named "Volunteer of the
Year" by the organization in 1990. Upon his retirement from
William Paterson in 1996, in lieu of the traditional party Mr. Rosengren
invited family, friends, and colleagues to spend a day working for
the Paterson Habitat for Humanity. Since that time, a day in May
each year has been designated John Rosengren Day at the Paterson
Habitat in appreciation of his efforts. Rosengren received his bachelor’s
degree from Wooster College in Ohio, and his master’s and doctoral
degrees from Teachers College at Columbia University. A long-time
resident of Ridgewood, Mr. Rosengren is survived by his wife, Beverly,
three sons, Paul, Eric and Karl, and seven grandchildren.
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- 5/20/02
For Further Information, contact:
- Mary Beth
Zeman, Director, Public Relations 973-720-2966
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