U.S. Senator Robert Menendez and Jazz Pianist Billy Taylor to Receive Honorary Degrees

U.S. Senator Robert Menendez and the legendary jazz performer Billy Taylor will receive honorary degrees during William Paterson University’s 185th commencement ceremonies on Tuesday, May 20, 2008. Joyce Powell, president of the New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), a 1980 graduate of William Paterson with a master’s degree in urban education and community affairs, will receive the President’s Medal.

Separate ceremonies will be held for undergraduate and graduate students. The commencement ceremony for undergraduate students will begin at 10:30 a.m., and will be held on Wightman Field; the rain date is May 21. The graduate ceremony will begin at 5:00 p.m. in the Recreation Center, and will take place rain or shine.



Chinese Musicians From Prestigious Nanjing Arts Institute Perform at William Paterson

Student musicians from China

As part of a cultural exchange between William Paterson University and Nanjing Arts Institute, musicians from Nanjing, one of China’s most prestigious arts schools, recently presented a special evening of traditional Chinese music. The performers included faculty and students at the Institute.

The concert featured performances on a wide variety of traditional Chinese instruments, including the pi-pa, a plucked stringed instrument; the zheng, a Chinese zither with 25 strings; the bamboo flute; the suo-na, a Chinese oboe; the sheng, a Chinese mouth-blown free reed instrument; the erhu, a Chinese violin; as well as drums and piano.

William Paterson University’s Center for Closely Held Business Presents Breakfast Program
—Judy Balint, President and COO of MOLI.com, to Speak

Updating a Web presence when expanding, planning or launching a closely held or family business, is the topic of a lecture to be held at William Paterson University on Thursday, June 26. The event is conducted by the University’s Center for Closely Held Business.

Pioneer Golf Classic to be Held June 3

The 11th annual William Paterson Pioneer Golf Classic will be held Tuesday, June 3, at Black Bear Golf Course in Franklin, N.J. Registration will begin at noon, followed by a shotgun start at 1:00 p.m.

Cost for individual golfers is $175; the rate for foursomes is $700. Hole sponsorships are available for $100.

Golf fees include greens fees, cart, use of locker and showers, cocktail hour and an elegant buffet dinner. An on-site raffle will be held for Pioneer athletic gear and other valuable prizes. The event will benefit Pioneer Athletics.

News Notes

Jennifer Bauer, a sophomore majoring in political science, and Mahmoud Mahmoud, a junior majoring in sociology, were among 700 students chosen to attend the inaugural meeting of Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) University, held March 14 to 16 at Tulane University. 

The youth-focused meeting brought together students, academics, and social, political, and cultural leaders to discuss pressing issues and ways to bring about global action to solve them. Each participant makes a commitment in order to be chosen to attend the global conference and Bauer’s commitment to action, which focuses on transportation, was one of 33 chosen to be featured at the conference. More Information

Pioneer Bowling Team Wins Honors

Five Pioneer bowlers ended the season with honors for their skill and sportsmanship. Matt O’Grady, was named first-team All-American; four others, Gregory Hatzisavvas, Charles Hicks, Michael Grillo, and Michael McDonald, were named Academic All-Americans. Their coach, Dave Nagelhout, was named 2007-2008 Kerm Helmer Coach of the Year by the National Collegiate Bowling Coaches Association. The team finished with a third place ranking nationally in the final 2007-2008 Coaches Poll.

Students Attend Prestigious Sociology Conference

Four University sociology majors—Edgar Ruiz and Jessie DeJesus of Paterson, Paulaska Ramirez of Passaic, and Mishelle LaRaia of Brick—were among 160 undergraduates exhibiting their research in poster sessions at the annual four-day meeting of the Eastern Sociological Society (ESS) in New York City from February 21-24.  Ruiz won one of three awards for best poster, sharing honors with students from Harvard and Drew universities.  Ruiz’s poster, on pre-K autistic children in Paterson, was honored for its research content and visual presentation.

Music Professor Honored as Part of University’s 18th Annual Legacy Awards

David Demsey (center), professor of music and coordinator of the Jazz Studies Program, received the Faculty Service Award during the University’s Legacy Award Gala. With him are Arnold Speert (right), University president, and Sandra Deller, vice president for institutional advancement and president of the William Paterson Foundation

The William Paterson University Foundation netted $130,000 at the Foundation’s 18th annual Legacy Award Gala and Silent Auction held on April 5 at The Villa at Mountain Lakes.  The annual event raises funds to support the University’s mission of promoting student success and academic excellence.

Alums Cotsakos, Corrente, Mendillo. and Sari Bring Networking to Life

Four prominent alumni participated (from left) Michael A. Mendillo ’88, president and CEO, The Wentworth Group; Christos M. Cotsakos ’73, Ph.D., founder, chairman, CEO, and president, Mainstream Holdings, Inc.; and Scott Sari ’92, principal owner, Garden State Securities. William Corrente ’91 (far right), founder and partner, Pet Power, LLC, served as moderator.

Christos M. Cotsakos ’73, Ph.D., founder, chairman, CEO, and president, Mainstream Holdings, Inc.; William Corrente ’91, founder and partner, Pet Power, LLC, Michael A. Mendillo ’88, president and CEO, The Wentworth Group; and Scott Sari ’92, principal owner, Garden State Securities shared anecdotes about their undergraduate experiences at William Paterson and how those experiences helped shape their careers and personal lives as part of a  recent panel discussion sponsored by the University’s Office of Alumni Relations.

All successful businessmen, they stressed the importance of networking as a path to success. The evening also included a talk by Sam Basu, dean of the Cotsakos College of Business, about the major developments of the College. At a reception following the event, there was a demonstration of MOLI.com. MOLI is the flagship subsidiary of Mainstream Holdings, Inc., and is a next generation social networking site where members can manage multiple profiles in one account.

University’s Global Financial Services Institute Hosts Prominent Financial Experts

Paul Bennett (second from left), chief economist of the New York Stock Exchange, and Stephen Collesano ’74 (fourth from left), vice president of research and development, American International Group (AIG), spoke at the conference. Also present were (from left) Sam Basu, dean, Cotsakos College of Business; Haiyang Chen, director, Global Financial Services Institute; Martin Gritsch, associate professor, economics, finance, and global business; and Cho-Kin Leung, professor, economics, finance, and global business. The event was sponsored by the Global Financial Services Institute and the Department of Economics, Finance, and Global Business in the University’s Cotsakos College of Business.

Experts from the world of finance including the chief economist from the New York Stock Exchange, and a vice president of a multinational corporation presented a wide-ranging discussion on numerous issues including how companies can manage financial risks and how global economies can weather the current economic crisis during the The Fourth Annual Conference on Global Issues held recently on campus. Topics under discussion also included the housing crisis, unemployment, and monetary issues.

Campus Radio Station Relaunches

WP88.7 FM radio station student disc jockys

The station launched a new format as WPSC Radio 88.7 FM morphed into the new WP 88.7 FM, Brave New Radio, on April 21.



Members of the Music Group The Hooters Perform and Speak to Music Management Students

Eric Bazilian (far left) and Rob Hyman (far right) of the Hooters with Steve Marcone (second from left), interim dean of the College of Arts and Communication, and Steve Leeds, vice president of talent at Sirius Satellite Radio.

Discussing their longevity as songwriters in the fickle music industry, Rob Hyman and Eric Bazilian of the Hooters, the band that burst onto the Philadelphia music scene in 1980, spoke to a music management class recently. They talked about their quick, huge success all along the East Coast with their unique blend of ska, reggae and rock and roll, to music students in the Martini Broadcast Center in Hobart Hall.  The pair, known for such Top 40 hits as “And We Danced” and Cindi Lauper's “Time After Time,” co-written by Hyman and Lauper, answered questions about what they have learned in their diverse and successful careers in the music business. The class, Music Management Seminar, is taught by Steve Leeds, vice president of talent at SIRIUS Satellite Radio. William Paterson University is the only college in New Jersey – and one of about 100 in the U.S.—that offers a bachelor of music degree in music management.

Dunn, Stevens Selected to Participate in NCAA National Development Conference

William Paterson University student-athletes Bobby Dunn and Joi Stevens have been selected to participate in the 2008 NCAA National Student-Athlete Development Conference at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.



Softball Posts 11th-Straight Winning Season, Competes in NJAC Tournament

The William Paterson softball team (22-20, 8-10 NJAC), led by 14th-year head coach Hallie Cohen, posted its 11th-straight winning season and advanced to its fourth consecutive New Jersey Athletic Conference Tournament (NJAC) this spring.

Dan Limone

The William Paterson baseball team, under the direction of first-year head coach Mike Lauterhahn, posted a 23-19 overall record while earning its first postseason victory since 2004, competing in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Tournament. 

Guadango Repeats as First-Team All-NJAC Selection

Dan Limone Becomes Pioneers’ Season, Career Stolen Bases Leader

Trio Earn Softball All-NJAC Awards