Class Notes, Fall 2024

1971

Dick Vitale was inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame on September 27, 2024, and also received their Humanitarian Award for his philanthropic efforts. The ESPN college basketball analyst is also a member of the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and the National Sportscasters Hall of Fame.

1976

Essex County dedicated a bronze bust of Daniel Salvante in Newark's Branch Brook Park in honor of his status as the longest-serving parks director in county history. Salvante has served as director of Essex County Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs since 1996. He is responsible for overseeing the Essex County Parks System, which was formed in 1895 and is the first county park system created in the United States. Encompassing more than 6,000 acres, it includes 23 parks, five reservations, an environmental center, the Turtle Back Zoo, Treetop Adventure Course, an ice-skating rink, a roller-skating rink, three public golf courses, a golf driving range, two miniature golf courses, six off-leash dog facilities, Kip’s Castle, and the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens. Salvante is a member of the National Recreation and Park Association and the New Jersey Recreation and Park Association, for which he served as president from 1995 to 1996 and which presented him with the Daniel B. Berman Award for Administrative Excellence in 1999. He is a certified New Jersey recreation administrator.

1977

Ted Dudek, CPA, received a 2024 NJBIZ ICON Award to honor his career and contributions to the state's business community as a whole. Dudek is a member of Smolin, Lupin & Co., an advisory and tax accounting firm based in Fairfield.

1978

Class of 1978 nursing alumni Mary Skawinski Furnari, Carol Gordon-Delooper, Nancy Shapiro, Gail Costigan Smith, and Anne St. John, all went on to accomplished nursing careers and have maintained a connection to WP and each other for the past 46 years. Gail Costigan Smith served in the Navy as an enterostomal nurse helping service members and their families cope with cancer. She ultimately retired from the VA as chief of inpatient care. Nancy Shapiro was an assistant health commissioner for the Delaware General Health District in Ohio. Mary Skawinski Furnari worked for Hackensack (Meridian) Healthcare, in infectious disease research and for pharmaceutical companies conducting clinical trials to launch new drugs. Anne St. John worked as a gerontological nurse educator, a clinical nurse specialist, and an administrator until she changed her careers and became a high school art teacher. Carol Gordon Delooper worked as a home infusion and hospice nurse before becoming a family nurse practitioner. Gail married Gene Smith ‘78 and Mary married the late Dan Furnari ‘77, WP alumni who they met as students on campus.

The nurses took a “girls” trip to Arizona in September 2024 for a “WP nursing convention/college reunion.” Traveling from Ohio, New Jersey, Virginia, and Pennsylvania to Arizona (where Gail lives), they met in Flagstaff, Arizona. They hiked in national parks, including the Grand Canyon, and stopped at Winslow, Arizona, famed location of the Eagles band song "Take It Easy." The song and location were appropriate for these aging rockers. To commemorate their years at WP, Gail decided to “put it in stone” by purchasing a WP brick, now displayed in front of the Machuga Student Center. Memories of WP are kept alive from pictures of their nursing "pinning” ceremony, an event held before the official college graduation, complete with nursing caps!

Reflecting on their careers, their advanced degrees and the paths they took after college, Anne summed it up best: “I think we did alright,” she says. This was their second "girls trip;” the first was two years ago to Colorado. They are planning their next “convention” in two years, maybe to Key West, Florida? Stay tuned!

1979

Gregory Argentieri, MA ‘87, recently retired after 33 years at Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. in East Hanover. Argentieri, who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology, says, “I wish to thank my professors for taking me under their wing and having confidence in my abilities when I did not. Special thanks go to Drs. Robert Callahan, Sharon Hanks, Robert Rosengren, and Jean Werth. I’m also grateful and honored to have had the opportunity to assist in teaching the graduate and undergraduate scanning and transmission electron microscopy laboratories as an adjunct professor at William Paterson.” In 1979, Argentieri became certified as an electron microscopy technologist by the Electron Microscopy Society of America. With additional coursework he acquired extensive experience in light and electron microscopy, image analysis, and other related techniques in the medical, biological, and material sciences. His career evolved to a senior electron microscopy and digital imaging laboratory manager supporting pharmaceutical research and development in the medical and industrial field at Sandoz and then Novartis. He was a contributor to the New York Microscopy Society newsletter from 2016-18,  as well as illustrations editor for several books, including The Illustrated Dictionary of Toxicologic Pathology and Safety Science (2019); Current Topics in Nonclinical Drug Development, Volumes I and 2 (2021, 2024) with volume 3 on the horizon (target publication 2025); Toxicologic Pathology: A Primer (2024); and Toxicologic Pathology: An Atlas (target publication in 2024). “Without the inspiration and guidance from my WP professors, none of this would have been possible. I am grateful to William Paterson and all my professors for helping me find my passion in life. A heartfelt thank you!”

1980

Joseph Velli has been re-elected to the board of directors for Paychex. Velli has served on the board since 2007.

1981

Jeffrey Burdick received a 2024 NJBIZ ICON Award to honor his career and contributions to the state's business community as a whole. Burdick is senior vice president at Imperial Dade, the leading independently owned and operated distributor of foodservice packaging, commercial cleaning supplies, janitorial equipment, and industrial packaging in North America.

1982

Diane Amoscato was named a Rock Star Agent of the Month for August by RE/MAX Neighborhood Properties.

1983

Peter Dolack’s second book, What Do We Need Bosses For?: Toward Economic Democracy, has been published by Autonomedia. The book analyzes past and present efforts to establish systems of economic democracy on a national or society-wide basis.

1989

Ron Colangelo was named senior vice president of communications and broadcasting for Ilitch Sports + Entertainment. Colangelo will lead all business and team communications functions across Ilitch Sports + Entertainment companies and properties, in addition to managing all local, national, and league rightsholder relationships. Colangelo previously held the title of vice president of communications with the Detroit Tigers.

1992

Jason Marucci is regional sales manager for TRAC Intermodal, which was named the Best Overall Chassis Provider in the Port of New York and New Jersey by the Association of Bi-State Motor Carriers. Marucci attended the ceremony to receive the award…Thomas Sarlo was sworn in as Bergen County's newest Superior Court judge.

1993

Corey Vigdor, MA, was named one of six inaugural Innovation Fellows in a new program from iDesign, a leader in instructional design and online learning. Innovation Fellows will collaborate directly with other leaders focused on scaling quality digital instruction at their institutions and across higher education. Vigdor is assistant vice president for online education at Augusta University. He has 30 years of experience in higher education, including 20 spent directly focused on online learning.

1995

Patricia Sullivan earned a doctor of education degree in organizational leadership from St. Elizabeth University. Her published research, Factors that Prevented or Contributed to Women's Career Advancement in Fortune 500 Companies, provides insight for aspiring female leaders. Sullivan is lead for financial planning and analysis at Verizon.

2000

Lauren Kazmark, MED ’05, is the new assistant superintendent for the Wayne Public School District. She previously served for nearly a decade as the director of curriculum and grants for the Hackensack Public Schools…Maria Rodriguez, MA ’02, was named as Top Licensed Professional Counselor of the Year in Mental Health 2024 by the International Association of Top Professionals. She will be honored at the organization’s gala in December 2024. She is the CEO and president of Care Counseling Center of Bridgewater.

2004

Musician Tyshawn Sorey has been awarded a Pew Fellowship in the Arts by the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage in Philadelphia. Sorey is a Presidential Assistant Professor of Music at University of Pennsylvania. His compositions, performances, and recordings range from solo percussion and jazz ensembles to pieces for chamber music and opera settings. He describes his style as a “world aesthetic,” bridging a multitude of cultural and musical traditions found in contemporary classical music, Black American music, and African and European forms of improvised music. His honors include a 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Music and a 2017 MacArthur Fellowship.

2005

Rachel Molina was named by Women We Admire as a Rising Star Woman in Marketing for 2024. Molina is marketing director, government and Taft-Hartley markets, for Empower. In her role, she is responsible for developing and implementing B2B marketing programs and end-to-end strategies that share the Empower value proposition, brand story, and product offering in the Government and Taft-Hartley markets. She has 19 years of experience in the financial services industry…Catherine Purvines was recently promoted to deputy director of public policy and partnerships at the Alliance for Decision Education.

2006

Lauren Agnew was named the communications director for the Montclair Public Schools. Agnew is the co-owner of TAPinto East Orange/Orange, a local news website, with her husband Brian Agnew. Agnew said she will keep her position at the news website while serving the Montclair schools.

2007

Alan Hicks’ documentary Quincy is among the top 10 music documentaries on Netflix, according to website Mashable. Hicks co-directed the 2018 film about the life of music icon Quincy Jones with Rashida Jones. The film won the Grammy Award for “Best Music Film” at the 2019 Grammy Awards.

2008

Tracy Juanita Williams was elected the first new councilwoman in Belleville’s First Ward in two decades. She has worked in the field of education for the past 15 years, serving as a special education teacher and, in her most recent role, as an intervention specialist.

2009

Guitarist and composer Ryan Liatsis released his latest album, Arrival, the first musical statement from his new jazz-rock fusion power trio featuring drummer Mike Yaw and bassist Anthony Bianco. The record, which marks the culmination of years of collaboration, musical exploration, and a return to live, improvisational recording, is available for purchase on his website and BandCamp, with streaming services to follow…Melissa Harris has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. She is the director of accounting at Bombas…Tatev Yeghiazaryan released a new single and video/article about her career, with a heavy focus on her Armenian roots. In October she debuted the video for her new song, Transhumanoids, a bilingual song in English and Armenian; the video is available on YouTube.

2010

Charshee Campbell produced Tatev Yeghiazaryan’s new music (under the name Campblicated).          

2011

Janelle Hall was profiled in the latest issue of Fairleigh Dickinson University's magazine. She earned an MPA from FDU in 2013 and recently joined their Alumni Association Board of Governors.

2012

Stephanie Hernandez Rivera was the inaugural recipient of the Dr. Jo Watts Williams Emerging Professorship at Elon University. She is an assistant professor of education at Elon.

2013

Eric Koch recently defended his dissertation and earned a doctorate in English from the University at Albany, SUNY. In (virtual) attendance for the defense were William Paterson Professor Emerita Phoebe Jackson and William Paterson Professor Rosa Soto.

2015

Brian Capriola was named the new offensive coordinator for the WP football team. He was previously an assistant coach at WP in 2018… Persephone Vargas, DNP, was named interim assistant dean for advanced nursing practice at Rutgers University…Jazz vocalist April May Webb was named one of five finalists in the 13th Annual Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition. She was selected from among more than 200 entrants from 21 countries. Webb is a musician, composer, educator, and co-founder of the jazz ensemble Sounds of A&R. A 2023 Chamber Music America Grant recipient and 2023 Jazz Road Artist, Webb has toured with jazz legends such as Thelonious Sphere Monk III and was selected by NEA Jazz Master Dee Dee Bridgewater as a Woodshed Network recipient.

2017

New Jersey singer-songwriter Rhonette Smith released "Exhale,” her first digital single in five years, in honor of World Mental Health Day on October 10, 2024. Smith is a strong supporter of normalizing conversations around mental health. In this track, she explores the physical sensations that come when experiencing anxiety and relief.

2019

The University of Pikeville has appointed Andrew Dekowski as the new head coach for its men's bowling team. Dekowski has been with the program since 2020, serving as a graduate assistant and assistant coach for both the men's and women's teams. He has received recognition as the Mid-South Conference assistant bowling coach of the year three times.

2020

Meagan Trozzo was named by the Recycled Materials Association and Recycling Today as a 30 Under 30 in the recycled materials industry. She is the inside sales manager, precious metal chemicals and refining for BASF Environmental Catalyst and Metal Solutions.

2022

Joseph Gruttadauria has joined the Zachary Sebek Group as a realtor-associate…Eric Lougheed was sworn in as a police officer in Wayne. He also received the police training commission's Merit Award upon completing the Passaic County Police Academy.

2023

Vont Leak joined the Dave Ryan Show on Minneapolis's 101.3 KDWB after having great success growing the station's night show since last summer. The Dave Ryan Show is the radio station's flagship morning show…Cody Ripato was named a graduate assistant coach for men's basketball at LeTourneau University.

2024

Shanna Echeverry was named the first-ever Presser Undergraduate Scholar at William Paterson University for the past school year…Tonia Harris has been recognized as a Fall 2024 VIP by P.O.W.E.R., the Professional Organization of Women of Excellence Recognized.

 

11/18/24