Class notes
Compiled by Jenifer Petrocca
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50's 60's 70's 80's 90's 00's - Alumni Group News - Engagements - Marriages & Unions - Anniversaries - Births
'50 June Boswell Bell participated for her fifth time in Avon's Walk for Breast Cancer in New York City, a two-day marathon. Bell has the distinction of being the oldest participant in the marathon for the past five years.
'55 Joseph Gondola '58 M.A. retired after 42 years as Clifton's postmaster. During his tenure, the number of Clifton addresses increased from 22,000 to 32,000. Gondola lived in Washington, D.C. from 1982 to 1983 when he served as president of the National Association of Post-masters in the United States.
'61 Bruce Phillips '70 M.A. has performed as a singer/pianist for the past 23 years at local venues and recently entertained guests attending The Cedar Grove Educational Foundation dinner honoring local residents. Phillips is a retired teacher from the Nutley and Newark school systems.
'64 Roy Corso is serving as interim principal for Glen Rock Middle School. Officially retired, Corso has taken various interim positions in Harding Township, Rutherford, New Milford and Morristown. Prior to retirement, He served as principal and superintendent for Bogota High School for 22 years.
Louis Kirschner, after 25 years of teaching in New Jersey public schools, has retired. Kirschner was the medical education director for H.I.P. in New York City, and taught physical education and health courses at Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn. He also served 19 years in the Army Reserve and four years on active duty, including five months in Operation Desert Storm.
Kathleen Schaible Middleton founded the Middleton Early Learning Center seven years ago, and recently celebrated 32 years as an early childhood program director and 37 years as an educator.
Judith Cece Treloar is vice president of training and development for Harcourt Assessment, where she has worked for the past 12 years. Treloar previously maintained a private practice in psychology and was an adjunct faculty member at Ball State University in Indiana. She also worked as a school psychologist for 15 years.
'66 Richard Freid was named state Superior Court judge for Passaic County's family division. Freid, a judge since 2004, also served as a Paterson city prosecutor, counsel to the Paterson Alcoholic Beverage Board and to the city Board of Health. He was also a lawyer for the Italian-American Police Officers Association of NJ, Paterson Hispanic Police Association and other state police organizations.
Ronald Mazurek was selected for the Fulbright Senior Specialist project in Bogota, Columbia by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Mazurek, a leading musician and educator in multimedia and electronic music, is a professor of music at Bergen Community College.
Kathleen Morgan Zippler was named Outstanding Intermediate School Teacher for 2005 by the Optimist Club of Westfield. The award was established in 1998 to recognize the importance of teaching in the intermediate grades. Zippler teaches Spanish at the Edison Intermediate School in Westfield.
'67 Jeanne Marinaro Gradone was named principal of Morris Catholic High School. Gradone has taught high school and college-level mathematics for 40 years. She has also held various positions in high school administration.
Joann Marzocco was promoted to professor, Division of Science and Health at Bergen Community College.
'68 James E. Harris '70 M.A., associate dean of students and University Ombudsman, was named president of The New Jersey State Conference of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). Harris has been the first vice president of the New Jersey NAACP for eight years and a past state education chair. He served as president of the Montclair branch NAACP for 20 years and is the adviser for the Montclair State chapter of the NAACP.
Frances Walsh Marmora is the 2005 winner of the biennial Joan Vagelos Currie Award for Excellence in Teaching in the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Public Schools. Marmora has taught mathematics, basic skills and computer literacy at Park Middle School since 1987.
Janet Flanagan Wurtz retired from South Plainfield High School after 18 years of teaching family and consumer services, and 38 years as an educator. Wurtz was also an educational representative for JC Penney Company, and owned her own marketing and communications consulting business.
'69 James Bender will retire from his position as superintendent of Wyckoff schools in June. He plans to relocate to Florida.
Daniel Illiano M.A., an educator for more than 35 years, is retiring from the position of principal at Kennedy School in Succasunna. Illiano plans to travel and complete a doctorate in American history from New York University.
Glenn J. Koegel '70 M.A. is retiring from his position as assistant principal at Ridgewood High School. Koegel taught math at Ridgewood High School for 15 years before moving into administration.
Geraldine Cirlincione Wadia M.A. is teaching art classes for the Livingston Art Association to 5th, 6th and 7th graders. Wadia has traveled throughout Europe, Mexico, Columbia, Japan and India studying art and architecture. Her medium of choice is watercolor but enjoys working in a variety of arts and crafts with her students.
'70 Michael Walling received the 2005 Samuel Eliot Morison Award for naval literature from the Naval Order of the U.S.
'71 Edward Buhrer '83 M.A. had his third book, Adventures in Bad Writing with Dwayne and Jessica, published by PublishAmerica. The book is a humorous collection of 10 well-written bad stories about computer geek Dwayne and athletic Jessica. Buhrer teaches high school and college writing in Virginia.
Jakob R. Drucker passed the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam in Wisconsin and is a registered engineer intern. Drucker is in the water/waste-water treatment field where he has been active for the past 30 years. He's published numerous papers in the field of ion exchange.
Patricia Kostecki Higgins was named to the Delta Air Lines board of directors.
Patricia Miller Kirschling joined NBIS as vice president. Kirschling has worked in the insurance industry for more than 25 years and is an active participant in the Excess/Surplus Lines Claim Association, the Institute for Dispute Resolution, and the AIDA Reinsurance and Insurance Arbitration Society.
William J. Lutz was appointed vice president of information technology for Orchid Cellmark. The Princeton-based company offers identity DNA testing services for the human identity and agriculture markets. Lutz previously held the position of chief information officer for Genencor International.
'72 Cynthia Lepre Barnes will serve as president of the Girl Scout Council of Greater Essex and Hudson Counties.
Robert Butts gave a lecture titled "From Shakespeare to Sunset Boulevard--the Story of the Broadway Musical" at Culturefest 2005 for the Glen Ridge Woman's Club. Butts is the conductor of The Baroque Orchestra of New Jersey, The Little Opera Company, the New Jersey Concert Opera and the Lakeland Youth Symphony Senior Orchestra. He was named the 2004 Arts Professional of the Year by the Arts Council of the Morris area.
Marjorie Coe Mathison retired from the Edmonds School District in Washington after 30 years of teaching science and math. Mathison, the science department chairperson, also served on the curriculum commission and the district science council. She began her career in Ramapo-Indian Hills School District.
Ruth A. Nielsen M.A. received a D.Litt. degree in October from Drew University. Her dissertation topic was "The Volga Germans: A Continuing Saga." Nielsen's research took her to the Volga River region of Russia, and included contacts in South America, the United States, Canada, Kazakhstan and Germany.
Maria Ceres Schmidt '76 M.A. is the human resource specialist for the Westfield Public Schools. Schmidt previously was the supervisor of social studies K-12 in Westfield.
Mariano Vega, Jr. '77 M.A. was elected president of the Jersey City Municipal Council. A former chairman of the Jersey City board of education, Vega has been a councilman since 1977 and the director of the Hudson County department of public resources. Vega also is involved in many youth recreation programs.
'74 Elisabeth Dennis is personnel director for the town of Natick, Mass. Dennis previously worked in the state's department of personnel as the director of the civil service unit and as the administrator manager for the Mass. Municipal Association.
Denise Dargon Kennedy was ordained by the Presbytery of Newark and will serve as the minister of Christian Education at the First Presbyterian Church in Irvington.
Elizabeth Palombella Vallone published her book, Beyond Bagheria. Based on a true story, the book is about a Sicilian orphan caught in a conspiracy in New Orleans. Vallone is a member of the National Association of Women Writers and the Italian-American Writers Association. A teacher and a freelance writer, Vallone is working on a biography and another work of historical fiction.
Linda Walling was inducted into the Matawan Regional High School's Hall of Fame for her contributions as director and producer for the fall dramas and spring musicals.
'75 Stewart Carey M.A. was appointed principal of Roosevelt Intermediate School. He was serving as interim principal. Carey has 36 years of experience in the Westfield Public Schools, including eight years as assistant principal of Edison Intermediate School before moving to Roosevelt.
Kathryn Martone Duva received the Seton Hall Law School's Gerald A. Garafloa Alumni Award for outstanding achievement. Duva formed Main Events, one of three of the largest boxing promotional firms in the world with her husband, Dan. Prior to that she was a reporter and editor for Wayne Today, a sports reporter for the "Jersey Edition" of the New York Daily News and director of college relations for William Paterson University.
Michael Gabriele was appointed editor and associate publisher of the Catholic Advocate. Gabriele's career spans 30 years working for magazines and newspapers.
Richard J. Ryan was honored as top sales associate for Coldwell Banker Heritage Real Estate. His background is in commercial art and corporate advertising. Ryan has owned his own business for 20 years and is a member of the Sussex County Association of Realtors.
'76 Thomas Hedderich illustrated the book, Father Like A Tree, written by Matthew Field. The book reached number four among all books for children ages 4-8 and ranked 135th among all books sold by Amazon.com in the fall.
Andrew Jannetti was awarded the BAXten Arts and Artists in Progress Award in Arts Education for his 30 years as a dance educator and mentor. Jannetti teaches grades 1-12 at the Staten Island Academy College Preparatory School. He previously served as the education director at the Brooklyn Arts Exchange after-school program for 14 years.
Lloyd Labrie was named overall top producer in sales at Weichert Realtors in Byram.
'77 Charles J. Muth was named senior vice president of sales and marketing for the Philadelphia Coca-Cola Bottling Company. Formerly the managing director of Coca-Cola North America, Muth began his career 26 years ago as a truck driver for Coca-Cola.
Frank Telewski had his first book, Logging Railroads of Weyerhaeuser's Vail-McDonald Operation, published by Oso Publishing. Telewski is a professor in the department of plant biology, curator of the W.J. Beal Botanical Garden and interim director of Hidden Lake Gardens at Michigan State University.
'78 Deborah Grasso '98 M.A. was elected to a three-year term on the Board of Trustees for her alma mater, Immaculate Conception High School in Lodi.
Mary Chiariello Halliwell received the YWCA of Central New Jersey's prestigious Tribute to Women in Industry (TWIN) Award. The award recognizes women in business who have made outstanding contributions to their companies, professions and community.
Robert Hicks was selected as a 2005 New Jersey Super Lawyer® in the May issue of New Jersey Monthly. The balloting and selection is conducted by the research department of Law & Politics. Hicks is a certified civil trial attorney in the firm of Javerbaum Wurgaft Hicks & Zarin.
Henry Keizer was named vice chair-audit for KPMG LLP, the audit, tax and advisory firm. Keizer is a member of the firm's board of directors and a designated Securities and Exchange Commission reviewing partner.
John MacIntosh was named head coach of the boys' basketball team at Toms River South High School.
Barbara Breen McNally M.A., a chemistry teacher at Morristown High School, is adviser for the Youth United Program of Morris Habitat for Humanity. The group received the Mobilization of Volunteers award, one of 14 categories of recognition from the governor's office in July 2005.
'79 Michael LaConit, owner of Lyndsey Michaels Photography, Inc. recently took photos of Deborah Grasso '87 '98 M.A. and her students at Mount Hebron Magnet School in Montclair. The photos were used in the 05/06 sales catalog for Hayes Publishing, Inc.
Catherine Rilling LoPresti M.A. joined the consumer products research division as qualitative research consultant at Ipsos Insight.
Joseph Manning will take on the position as Maplewood's township administrator after four years as administrator for Middlesex Township. Manning also served as administrator for Boonton and Long Hill.
Vivian Olshen teaches painting, a museum course and leads a gallery at the Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan New Jersey. She is co-president of the Arts Council of Livingston and her work was exhibited at the council's "Art at the Oval."
Nancy Scharff performs regularly for women's clubs and organizations throughout New Jersey. Scharff has toured eight countries in Europe as a musician and singer.
'80 Dianna L. Fehring is a recreation therapist at McLaughlin Youth Center, Alaska's largest youth correctional facility.
Linda Kimmel Gallagher was conferred the rank of associate fellow of the Society for Technical Communication. The society recognizes deserving senior members for their dedicated work in the technical communication profession. Gallagher is the founder and manager of TechCom Plus, LLC in Colorado.
Kirk L. Nixon M.A. is a trial court administrator in Passaic County. Nixon started his career as a probation officer and went on to serve in a variety of management positions. Prior to that, Nixon served as the assistant trial court administrator at the Essex County Courthouse.
'81 Janice Lynn Nazziola Shuhan '99 M.A., an MSU Alumni Citation Award recipient, was honored with her name included on the "Wall of Tolerance" at a Montgomery, Ala. civil rights memorial center in the fall. Shuhan is a math teacher at Belleville High School and has won numerous awards including the Stevens Institute of Technology Award of Excellence in Teaching and New Jersey's Essex County Teacher of the Year.
Judge Deborah L. Ustas was appointed to the Bergen vicinage Superior Court, Family Division. Ustas was a founding partner of Weinberg & Ustas, PC and served as a public defender, prosecutor and judge in Paramus municipal court.
'82 Sylvan C. Hershey M.A. was named chief school administrator of Hillside School in Closter, where he is principal.
Alexander M. Santora M.A., the campus minister at Kean University, was appointed pastor of Our Lady of Grace Parish and administrator of St. Joseph Parish. Santora has written the "Father Matters" column in the Jersey Journal newspaper since 1998.
'83 Craig Laughlin of Sawyer, Gale, Laughlin, & Schneider, LLP, was certified by the New Jersey Supreme Court as a matrimonial attorney. The court grants this designation to attorneys who demonstrate sufficient levels of experience, education, knowledge and skill in matrimonial law. Laughlin is the fourth attorney in the state to be certified by the Supreme Court as both a matrimonial and civil trial attorney.
'84 Kathy Baum Liebmann is the director of investor relations and corporate communications for La-Z-Boy, Inc. Before joining La-Z-Boy, Liebmann worked for 15 years with various financial communication firms as a consultant to both U.S. and non-U.S. companies. More recently she worked with the Spear, Leeds & Kellogg division of Goldman Sachs.
Donna Mugavero is on the board of directors for the Interfaith Council for the Homeless, a nonprofit organization providing emergency shelter, housing and support services to women and children of Union county. Mugavero is the owner of VIA Data & Marketing Services, Inc. and Shared Learning, Inc., and is a professor at Rutgers Graduate School of Management and Marketing at Felician College.
'87 April Krase Gonzalez is the English supervisor at South Brunswick High School, where she has taught English since 1990. She also is a mentor to new teachers in the district.
'88 Michael B. de Leeuw was elected partner in the law firm of Fried, Frank Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP.
Theresa Doyle was awarded the 2005 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Doyle founded Phoenix Marketing Solutions three years ago with two friends. Doyle also developed "SMART," a proprietary Web-based tool, which allowed Phoenix to integrate its clients with the company. She also formed a second company, DiMedix.
Brian Sheil, emcee of The Rascals Comedy Club in Montclair, is putting together a movie and XM radio show called "The Rascals New Comedy Hour." Sheil has worked on "Days of Our Lives," and "One Life to Live," and on the production team for "Date My Mom" and "Who Wants to Marry My Dad?"
Mary Carlomagno Scannicchio's first book, Give It Up, is being published by Harper Collins. Scannicchio chronicles her year of learning to live better with less.
'90 Linda Freda '90 was appointed superintendent of North Caldwell schools, leaving her position in the district as principal of Grandview School. Freda earned a doctoral degree in educational leadership from Seton Hall University in 2005 and holds two master's degrees from William Paterson University. She is an adjunct professor and clinic supervisor at Fairleigh Dickinson University.
'91 Vicki Diamond M.A. conducted a workshop called CreativeHeartWorks for children of loss in which they created poetry, sculptures and other forms of art. Diamond works in oils paints, encaustic, wood, cement, words and stone. She recently had her gourd masks on display at Rockaway Township Free Library and her sculptures featured in Weird N.J.
Gillian Murray M.A. performed the role of Anna in the Brundage Park Playhouse production of Harold Pinter's "Old Times." Murray has worked in various community theaters including Westfield Community Players, Dover Little Theater and Nutley Little Theater.
Margaret Myre is the managing editor-supplements for Travel Weekly and will have editorial and production oversight of the special focus issues. Prior to that she was the magazine's destinations editor.
Julie Gedrowicz Otani, the owner of Turning Pointe Dance Center in Springfield, began her 13th season of dance education. Otani is certified by the U.S. Gymnastic Federation and is a member of Associated Dance Teachers of New Jersey.
Charlton Thompson joined Advanced Health Media as senior director of client services. Thompson previously was director of the speakers bureau at Thomson Physicians World.
Della Zarra celebrated 40 years at Penn Federal Bank. She is regional manager at the Caldwell branch.
'92 Wendy Weber-O'Neal '98 M.A. is the new athletic director/supervisor of health and physical education for the Bordentown Regional School district. Weber-O'Neal has coached volleyball, swimming and softball over the past 13 years and is completing a doctorate.
'94 Lisa D'Amico-Cohen M.A. collaborated with photographer Michael Craft to create "Heaven & Hell." The art show is the result of an informal survey of 100 people and their interpretations of an ideal heaven and hell. D'Amico-Cohen also is a certified teacher in New Jersey.
James Marcella M.A. is principal at Fair Lawn High School after serving as principal at Memorial Middle School for three years. Marcella worked for more than 20 years as a middle-school teacher, coach and principal in New Milford and Sparta.
'95 Barbara Berman M.A. is the speech language specialist at Hillside and Riker Hill Schools in Livingston. Berman was the speech language specialist for grades kindergarten through 12 in the Summit school district for nine years.
Kristin V. Coombs recently performed for troops overseas as a member of the USO of Metropolitan New York and assisted directing the Madison Beach Club's Annual Follies show for the second time. Coombs also has worked on TV productions such as "Sex and the City" and "The Guiding Light."
Robert Famularo was named principal of Calvin Coolidge Elementary School in Wyckoff. He had been the assistant principal at Eisenhower Middle School.
Alexander Leonard organized the Waterbug Music and Arts Festival held in Jersey City for the past three years. Leonard's goal is to celebrate diversity and invigorate the local cultural arts scene.
Frank Masella is the recreation director in Mountainside.
Kimberly Shukailo Woodhull recently earned a doctoral degree in organizational psychology from Capella University. Woodhull is an executive director with a local housing authority.
'96 Thomas Antonucci was named borough administrator of Keyport. Antonucci previously was an assistant vice president of Lehman Brothers.
Christopher Manak M.A. was named superintendent of the Madison-Chatman Joint Meeting treatment plant. Manak has worked in the water pollution control field for the past 12 years.
'97 Alfred (Richard) Broan, an English teacher at Parsippany High School, was one of 15 teachers from across the country selected to participate in a six-week seminar sponsored by the National Endowment for the Humanities titled "Chaucer's Canterbury Comedies." The seminar, which took place this past summer, was held in Canterbury England.
Lee Holtzman formed a new law firm, Schneck Holtzman, specializing in tax appeals and real estate law.
Tom Malloy is playing one of the lead roles in his own screenplay called "The Attic." The shooting of this film was done in Madison, N.J. Directed by Mary Lambert (Pet Sematary I and II), there is already a buzz that this may be the next "Halloween."
'98 Antonio Nogueira had a solo exhibition of his paintings on view at the Makeready Press Gallery. A two-time Olympic wheelchair racer, he competes year round and has participated in the Boston and New York marathons. He also mentors young wheelchair athletes and is an advocate for the sport.
Stephen Snyder is vice president and general counsel for Medical Transcription Billing Corp.
'99 Letizia Pantoliano M.A. was named the new assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction for Livingston Public Schools. Pantoliano recently completed her doctorate in educational leadership at Teacher's College, Columbia University.
Eveleen Solomon '05 teaches a children's music class in Verona and works for the Verona Cedar Grove Executive Kids Group with pre-school children.
Maria Stiuso teaches world language at the middle school in the New Providence school district.
Cheryll Clark Willis '01 M.A. '05 M.A. was named one of the recipients of the North Jersey Unit of the National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Club's 2005 Professional Woman of the Year. Willis is a guidance counselor at East Brunswick High School and is an adjunct faculty member in Montclair State's Psychology Department. She also serves as a member of the board of trustees for the YWCA of Essex and West Hudson.
'00 Stacey Balkan '03 M.A. was appointed instructor of English composition and literature at Bergen Community College.
Michael Ciecierski is the intermissions program director at Renaissance Gardens at the Seabrook campus in Tinton Falls. Ciecierski is a board-certified music therapist. He previously worked at Bronx Lebanon Special Care Unit as a music and activities therapist. Ciecierski, who recently earned a master's degree, was a fellow of Robert F. Unlafer Academy for Neurologic Music Therapy at Colorado State.
Rose Mandala exhibited her photography and watercolor paintings at the Roxbury Library.
'01 Christine Cannistraro M.A. is the girls' soccer coach and an English teacher at Fair Lawn High School.
Mark J. Kmiec M.A. is the assistant principal at Crossroads North in South Brunswick. Kmiec has filled various positions at the school, including physical education teacher, crisis response team leader, and coach for both cross country and varsity ice hockey.
Lynn A. Mitchell M.A. has become a shareholder of the forensic accounting firm, Campos and Stratis. Mitchell was a staff accountant with the firm for 10 years.
Father Jerzy Zaslona is youth minister and parochial vicar at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Bayonne.
'02 Billy Pena joined the marketing team of Century 21 Semiao and Associates.
Leah Soltis joined Charleston Day School as registrar and assistant to the head master. Soltis previously was a product support leader at Blackbaud, Inc.
'03 Katherine Bolcar '05 M.A. made her soprano operatic debut singing Josephine in the New Jersey Concert Opera's production of "HMS Pinafore" in Westfield.
Michael E. Craver M.A. is the curriculum coordinator and assistant principal at the Mountainside Beechwood School. Prior to that Craver was a fifth-grade teacher at Jefferson Elementary School in Westfield.
Marisol Landin had the first showing of her photographs at the Waterbug Art Festival in Jersey City.
Jennie Smith celebrated her 51st year of teaching dance. Smith is the owner of the Joann Robyn Dance studio in Roselle.
Stephen Ullrich M.A. joined Retail Solutions, Inc., a leading provider of demand data management services and solutions as an account executive, sales. He held several management positions at AC Nielsen prior to joining Retail Solutions.
'04 Matthew Block M.A. is assistant principal of Edison Intermediate School. Before that, Block taught eighth-grade social studies at Roosevelt Intermediate School for five years.
Ariana Diaz joined Sixth Star Entertainment and Marketing, a Fort Lauderdale-based company providing cost-efficient entertainment services for the cruise and resort industries. Diaz previously worked in the life settlement industry and coordinated events such as the Ford PGA Championship at Doral.
Janine Jakutas graduated from the Passaic County Police Academy and serves on Montclair State University's Police Department.
Sheria McKoy is a navy seaman on the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk deployed to Yokosuka, Japan.
James Montesano M.A. is assistant principal at Hackensack High School.
Terese Opiela is artistic director of Central School Dance in Glenrock and choreographer for Smiling Rhino Theater. Opiela has been nominated for a Perry Award for Outstanding Choreography by the N.J. ACT organization.
Ryan L. Steier is an officer with the Somerset County Police Department after completing his training at the Police Academy.
Catherine Warbrick was promoted to staff II accountant at the regional accounting and consulting firm of WithumSmith+Brown.
Gary Webb, Jr. joined the Morris Township Police Department as a patrolman. Webb previously worked for the Harrington Park Police Department.
'05 Charles Eric Dimeck M.A. is a social studies teacher at Glen Ridge High School.
Melissa Eisen M.A. teaches mathematics at Livingston High School. She taught the second grade in California for two years.
Lisa Fidanza teaches yoga at the Westfield Young Artists' Cooperative Theater. She also is an aerobics instructor and fitness trainer.
Matthew Goode is pastor of Verona Methodist Church and attends seminary at Drew University.
Michael Koch is a traffic coordinator for Adient, a CommonHealth professional advertising and promotion agency.
Alan Restaino is manager of the Totowa branch of the Greater Community Bancorp.
Melissa Rutigliano was selected as one of the 15 rookies to make the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleading 2005-06 squad.
Alumni GROUP News
Christina Marra McElroy '04, producer of TLC's "A Baby Story," worked with Geoff DeVoe '92 and his pregnant wife Helen to bring the episode "Baby Devyn DeVoe" to life in September. DeVoe is an editor for WNBC in New York.
George DiBouno '63 and Rose Anne "Rick" Lasher '72 were both presented the Distinguished Achievement Award for their leadership and dedication to the visual art profession by the Art Educator of New Jersey. Both also are distinguished fellows and past presidents of the state association, which is an affiliate of the National Art Education Association and New Jersey Education Association.
Engagements
Sarah Ann Liloia '99 to John Consenza; a November 4, 2006 wedding is planned.
Cynthia Loffa '00 to Randy P. Einhorn; a May 19, 2006 wedding is planned.
Tracy Nakienly '01 to Robert A. Ellmyer; a March 25, 2006 wedding is planned.
Jennifer A. Brennan '02 to David Facendo; an April 21, 2006 wedding is planned.
Ellen Sarae DePalma '03 M.A. to Timothy John Haggerty; a July 2006 wedding is planned.
Kate Adelman Gordon '05 M.A. to Michael Harold Gordon; an August 2006 wedding is planned.
Marriages & Unions
Jennifer Ann Wenzel '88 to Paul Bailin on July 17, 2005
Mary Carlomagno '89 to Frank Scannicchio on April 30, 2005
Daniele Durieux Sorhagen '89 M.A. to Phillip LeBel on August 27, 2005
Phawn Meredith Stallone '98 to Earl James Letourneau III on June 26, 2005
Christopher Lundy '99 to Donna Losey on August 6, 2005
John "Jack" McKiernan '00 M.A. to Brianna Manning on July 22, 2005
Thomas Worsley '01 to Colleen Mongiello on June 19, 2005
Yiwen Gu '01 to Christopher John Conroy on October 22, 2005
Alyson Hoving Thelin '02 '04 M.A. and James Joseph Davison '03. |
Alyson Hoving Thelin '02, '04 M.A. to James Joseph Davison '03 on August 6, 2005
Sabrina L. Seger '03 to Daniel Lombardi '00 on July 22, 2005
David Strunk '04 to Shannon Doyle on November 2, 2005
Anniversaries
Camilla Hofstetter Melchior '55 and Daniel Melchior celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
Alumni can send information about engagements, weddings, anniversaries and births to Alumni Relations, 1 Normal Avenue, Montclair, NJ 07043; e-mail alumni@mail.montclair.edu; or fax 973-655-5843. All information must be submitted within six months of the event and include expected date of marriage for "Engagements," the wedding date for "Marriages" and the date of birth for "Births." Anniversaires in five-year increments from the 25th anniversary on will be published. All submissions must include a name and telephone number for verification. Photos are welcome, but cannot be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Photos are published on a space-available basis.
Passion for Painting and Pooches Pays Off
When Kathryn Eddy '93 combined a passion for painting with her love of dogs she discovered a successful career. Her paintings are tugging at the heartstrings of dog lovers and now she's trying to keep up with commissions to bring lovable canines to canvas.
Kathryn's approach to painting dogs involves capturing each pet's unique personality by studying a composite of photographs. Shying away from the idea of replicating a photo, Kathryn uses the negative space to enhance the painting with vibrant hues. "It is my responsibility As an artist to bring more to the canvas than merely a copy of the photograph," said Kathryn. "That's what separates true art from mere technical skill." Kathryn also incorporates her clients' preferences in the portraits by asking them what color they are partial to, and where the painting will hang. "My clients often comment that the paintings capture the ‘essence of their dog,' " she said. "I'm a perfectionist in that I never want to send anything out of my studio that I don't consider my best work. But I've been an artist long enough to know that some of my most interesting work has emerged from mistakes."
A dog lover herself, the idea for Kathryn's DOG Portraits first bloomed at a Jacklyn Kling Gallery in Montclair where three of her 41 paintings exhibited for "Crossing America" were dog portraits. The portraits were a hit with the viewers and she began to contemplate the notion. To further assure Kathryn that she was on the right track, she purchased her own tail-wagging companion. "Vivi, my Yorkshire Terrier, reminds me of the incredible bond between dogs and the humans who love them," she said. "It was a natural progression between my existing body of work and the decision to paint dogs."
While remaining strong in her commissions from her DOG portraits, Kathryn also is recognized for her fashionable paintings of still life, people and animals such as rabbits, sheep and alpacas. Kathryn's eye for detail stems from years of observing and painting animals, and she uses those skills to produce portraits that are intricate and stylish. Her paintings display her distinctive image and vision, which she has been honing since she first started to paint professionally in 1988. Her work can be found in collections throughout the United States, as well as in Europe, and one of her paintings will be on loan to Montclair State's permanent collection.
Kathryn, who sits on the Board of Directors of both the School of the Arts and the University Galleries, describes her time earning a B.A. in fine art with a concentration in painting as an indispensable steppingstone. "Montclair State was a warm and wonderful place to grow as an artist," she said. "I learned at MSU to never stop learning. Education is a lifelong pursuit."
–By Jeffrey R. Barilli '04 |
Bringing Joy to Children is No ‘Monkey Business'
Reaching the minds of young children can sometimes be a difficult task, but for singer songwriter Yosi Levin '92 M.A., it's his passion and career. Yosi found that he could reach young minds by creating whimsical and humorous tunes for tots. But his career was heading in a different direction before Yosi changed his tune.
While working at a group home for emotionally disturbed adolescents, Yosi enrolled at Montclair State to become a licensed family therapist. During that time he discovered why the children there were rebelling against family and authority. "They were attempting to define themselves as individuals and find a way to be more authentic," said Yosi, who earned a master's degree in counseling. "Their methods were often destructive, but their ideals were on target. The trick was to get them to see that they had potential, direction and abilities that could help them live genuinely." Yosi would use his experience in the group home as a conduit for the message behind his music.
"I quickly learned that kids love to engage in music with their whole bodies," said Yosi.
Watching the joy and laughter he brought to his audience made Yosi realize that this was his true calling. "If I was to counsel others on being authentic to their needs I needed to do the same," he said. "So I feel fortunate to be able to nurture and create music in my life. A mother once told me that her autistic son never wants to leave the house unless he's going to my show. That was so touching I thought I'd cry."
Yosi, who lives in Island Heights with his wife and four children, writes and performs music that incorporates a wide range of genres including pop melodies, punk rock and ska. Parents, teachers, administrators and bookstores in need of lively entertainment for energetic children seek out his eclectic songs for kids. He booked 450 shows this year and released three CDs for children: "Little Kitty," "Monkey Business" and "Under a Big Bright Yellow Umbrella."
Yosi's work on "Under a Big Bright Yellow Umbrella" received rave reviews and was honored with six national awards: Dr. Toy Smart Play Award, 2004 NAPPA Honors Award, 2004 Children's Music Web Award for Best Song of the Year (ages 5-8)--"Stinky Blues," 2004 National Parenting Seal of Approval, 2004 iParenting Media Award and 2004 Adding Wisdom Award. He is working in the studio on his next CD, titled "What's Eatin' Yosi?"
"When you have a great thing happening in your life you want to repeat it as often as possible," said Yosi. "The Counseling program at MSU helped me to be a better entertainer, because I learned how to be with people, how to draw them out, and to combine humor with a few psychological methods to motivate an audience."
–By Jeffrey R. Barilli '04 |
Teacher In a Class of Her Own Keeps Ties with Former Students
When Corinne Mazzocchi Rinaldi '55 stumbled upon a class picture from 1955, she felt compelled to reach out to the students from her first year as an elementary school teacher who had given her so many fond memories. Eager to embrace the past, which at one time was her bright future, she developed a Web site, missmazzocchi.com, to assist Corinne in her search, and in November she invited her former students to a special reunion dinner to celebrate her golden anniversary of teaching.
"I always knew I wanted to teach," said Corinne, who began her teaching career in the Ridgefield Public School District. "If there's one constant love in my life it's teaching."
The students whose lives Corinne touched testify to the significant impact her teaching had on each of them. Former students who reflect on their grammar school days recall the charisma, discipline and intelligence Corinne brought into her classroom, and they talk about her with sincere fondness.
"She gave us a tremendous appreciation of respect," said Lobbyist Alan Marcus. "She went to you individually and she adapted to your unique personality and interests. She was a star and you knew she really cared about you."
Corinne stressed the importance of "teaching the whole child." Her methods involved discipline and respect, and she concentrated on nurturing her students' reading skills. "You have to have discipline, and you earn respect by first respecting each student as a special individual," she said.
Jeffrey Hamburger, an executive in the financial industry, vividly recalled Corinne clutching the pointer with her hands on her hips. "The reunion was so warm and heartfelt, nobody wanted to leave," he said.
Dale Fritze, who drove from Connecticut for the reunion, said, "She put so much love into the preparation for this dinner, and she had pictures made in a folder for each of us. It's so impressive that we are still so important to her."
Corinne is certified by the State of New Jersey for high school, elementary school, primary school, remedial reading and speech, and she holds a B.A. in high school studies and elementary education from Montclair State Teacher's College. A resident of Ramsey, Corinne earned a master's degree in speech pathology from Kean University, is a speech language specialist with her own practice in Cliffside Park, and she teaches American English pronunciation to Asian and foreign-born students at Bergen Community College.
Her accomplishments include serving as an officer on the Westwood and Ridgefield Teachers Education associations, as president of the Wall Township and Ridgefield School districts' Parent Teacher associations, and as president of Wall Township's Teachers' Association. She has participated in various social and fund-raising committees for Westwood and Wall Township regional school districts, and she is a lifetime member of the National Education, New Jersey State Education and Bergen County Education associations.
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As a member of the Board of Trustees for the Visiting Homemaker Health Aid Service of Bergen County, Corinne was influential in executing an English-as-a-Second-Language Program for home health aides. Her establishment of a memorial fund, "Corinne's Circle of Friends," in honor of her mother, has enabled seniors who require formal financial support to receive home care assistance. Corinne also received a Distinguished Citizen Award from the Greater Hackensack Chamber of Commerce in 2005 for her work as a trustee of the 200 Club of Bergen County. "Their mission is to support the men and women of fire, police and emergency personnel who protect us and risk their lives for us," said Corinne.
Day by day more of Corinne's former students are reaching out to reconnect with the teacher whose memory is etched in their thoughts. "It's been an amazing adventure," she said. "I'm basking in the glow of my former students' success in their careers."
–By Jeffrey R. Barilli '04 |
Births
To Linda A. Tarpley '98 and Robert D. Tarpley, a daughter Grace Rosalie on August 21, 2005
To Kim-Le Downes Arvary '02 and Drew Arvary, a son Dreux Vance on August 1, 2005
To Maria Serluco '90 and Tom Serluco, a son Andrew Michael on October 12, 2005
To Lynn Lerner '98 and Jeffrey Lerner '97, twins Sophia Rose and Robert Joseph on July 3, 2004, and son Matthew Vincent on June 29, 2005
To Jolene Nantista-Dombrosky '00 M.A. and Mark Dombrosky, a son Aidan Joseph on May 25, 2005
To Dianne Allan Provini '92 and James R. Provini, a son Andrew James on July 20, 2004
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