College and School Happenings January 2025

Maxwell Becton College of Arts and Sciences

Black History Month

Black History Month graphic with flowers banner style

The Maxwell Becton College of Arts and Sciences, in partnership with the FDU libraries, are cosponsoring a variety of free events in honor of Black History Month.

Michael Cotto, humanities (Metro), will be moderating the following virtual and in-person events. Registration is necessary to receive the Zoom links.

  • Documentary and Discussion, “African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross — Rise!”
    Tuesday, February 4
    Hassan Orangerie, Monninger Center for Learning and Research, and via     Zoom; 3–4:45 p.m.
    The documentary examines the long road to civil rights, when the deep contradictions in American society finally became unsustainable. In 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a city bus in Montgomery, Ala., heralding the dawn of a resistance movement, with Martin Luther King, Jr. as its public face. Before long, masses of African Americans practiced a nonviolent approach to integrate public schools, lunch counters and more. Nonviolence, however, was often met with violence. In 1968, Dr. King was assassinated, unleashing a new call for “Black Power” across the country.

  • Film Screening and Discussion, “Judas and the Black Messiah,”
    Wednesday, February 12
    Via Zoom; 7–9 p.m.
    The film is about the betrayal of Fred Hampton (played by Oscar winner Daniel Kaluuya), chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party in late-1960s Chicago, by William O’Neal (played by LaKeith Stanfield), an FBI informant. Registration is necessary.

  • A Conversation with Fairleigh Dickinson Students
    Tuesday, February 18
    Hassan Orangerie, Monninger Center for Learning and Research, and via     Zoom; 3–5 p.m.
    Students from AFAM1100/HUMN1201 Introduction to African American Studies will discuss Black resilience and resistance in terms of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements. They examine the issues/problems that the movements attempted to address racial segregation, voter suppression, police brutality, state violence, economic inequality and more.

  • An Interview with Author Junius Williams
    Thursday, February 25
    Hassan Orangerie, Monninger Center for Learning and Research, and via Zoom; 3–5 p.m.
    Junius Williams is a nationally recognized attorney, musician, educator and independent thinker who has been at the forefront of the Civil Rights and Human Rights movements in this country for decades. The interview centers on his published memoir Unfinished Agenda: Urban Politics in the Era of Black Power, which chronicles his life in the movements in the South and the North. This event is open to the public.

For information email Michael Cotto, literature (Metro), at michaelcotto@fdu.edu.

In addition, the libraries in collaboration with student life and housing and residence life are holding “Blind Date with a Book” on Monday, February 17, at ther Florham Campus. Members of the Florham Campus community will choose covered books written by Black authors to check out from library based on short blurbs about them. It will be held from noon to 1 p.m. in the Atrium (outside library doors) of the Monninger Center for Learning and Research. For information email Rhia Kumar, assistant director of marketing, housing/residence life (Flor), at r.kumar@fdu.edu.

A book display on “Civil Rights —The Black Power Movement” will be held in the Reference Room of the Monninger Center at the Florham Campus from Saturday, February 1, through Friday, February 28. Exhibit hours are Monday–Thursday, 8 a.m.–11 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; and Sunday, 2–10 p.m. For information email Eleanor Friedl, research and instruction librarian, Monninger Center (Flor), at friedl@fdu.edu.

For a complete list of Black History Month events go to FDU Black History Month 2025. 

Spring On Stage

This spring, the School of the Arts will be staging the comedy “Stop Kiss” and the musical “Cinderella” at the Florham Campus.

“Stop Kiss” will run from Thursday, February 27, through Monday, March 3, at the Barn Theater. Performance times are 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Monday; 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. (special late-night performance) on Saturday; and 2:30 p.m. on Sunday.

The play has been described by Variety magazine as “a poignant and funny play about the ways, both sudden and slow, that lives can change irrevocably.” It explores the domino effect of societal expectations, prejudice, homophobia, and, above all, love. “Stop Kiss” is an all-student production with Griffyn Maddock, director; Atlas-Finch Kluegel, set designer; Arilla Servo, lighting designer; and Abby Hunt, sound designer.

“Cinderella,” a Broadway adaptation of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, will be staged at the Dreyfuss Theater, Dreyfuss Building, from Friday, April 4, to Sunday, April 6; and from Friday, April 11, to Sunday, April 13. It will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays; 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Saturdays; and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays.

Patrick Polsin, theater, will direct the production, with choreography by Cynthia Thole Loewus, musical theater/dance; and musical direction by Allen Cohen, music (all Flor).

Ticket prices are $15 for the general public, $10 senior citizens 65+ and $5 FDU community and students. It is highly recommended that tickets be purchased online in advance because performances sell out quickly. When available, a limited number of tickets may be sold at the door. For information go to FDU Theater Season.

Biology Seminars

The department of biological sciences will be hosting free seminars on select Thursdays, from from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., in Room 1144, Dickinson Hall, Metropolitan Campus.

On February 13, Vi Tang, research fellow, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass., will speak about “Modulation of Circulating Lipoprotein Levels by the Secretory Pathway.”

On April 10, Shaimaa Hussein, adjunct faculty member, Union College of Union County, N.J., in Cranford, will discuss “Hormone Positive Breast Cancer, the Challenges and the Opportunities.”

For information call 201-692-2391.

Exploring Home

“Home,” an exhibit that explores the idea of home through art and text, will be on display through Wednesday, April 30, at the Hispanic Center, Fourth Floor, Robison Hall, Metropolitan Campus. Exhibit hours are Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The exhibit is a collaboration among the Hispanic Center, the Center for First-Generation Scholars, the Programs in English for Academic and Professional Success and the School of the Arts.

Among the students whose works are on display include Sophia Almonte, Terrence Brown, Jayda Castro, Scott Cedillo, Madison Dollard, Litzy Duran, Johnathan Gomez, Emily Hernandez, Denzel Jeter, Samantha Lago, Danna Prado, Liz Rodriguez, Homero Rojas, Jara Stapleton, Ayane Ushimaru, Erick Vialet, Brianna Wang and Madelyn Webb. The exhibit was also made possible with the assistance of Yelena Aronson, computer graphics (Metro), who photographed, printed and mounted the students’ artwork. 

For information email Irene Oujo, executive director, Hispanic Center (Metro), at oujo@fdu.edu.

Silberman College of Business

Best Online MBA Program

FDU is among nine New Jersey colleges that have been included on U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 list of the nation’s Best Online MBA Programs.

The schools were evaluated based on a variety of factors such as student engagement, faculty credentials and services and technologies. These highly ranked programs excelled at educating distance learners, had strong traditional academic foundations based on student-instructor access, graduation rates and robust career and financial support.

For more information go to About the Best Online Programs Rankings.

Tampa Service-learning Trip

Fourteen students from the Florham and Metropolitan campuses traveled to Tampa, Fla., for a service-learning trip from January 5 to 8. This is the college’s second service-learning trip in collaboration with Hilton Hotel and Resorts. They were accompanied by Paige Soltano, director of placement/outreach, Silberman College, and Maureen Kieff, quantitative analysis (both Metro).

Left photo has two people in a thrift store. Right photo has a group of people in a warehouse.

Left photo: Maureen Kieff, left, quantitative analysis, and Paige Soltano, director of placement/outreach, Silberman College (both Metro), at the Metropolitan Ministries Campus where they sorted donations and priced items for the thrift store. Right photo: The FDU group at the Feeding Tampa Bay food warehouse.

The group did a variety of service activities at different locations. At the Metropolitan Ministries Campus, the group was divided to handle three separate tasks: thrift shop and thrift-shop sorting of donated items, kitchen duty and trash cleanup around the facility. They picked up trash at the Gandy Mangroves Beach as part of the Keep Pinellas Beautiful initiative and sorted food at Feeding Tampa Bay. The group also attended a presentation about career opportunities at the Hilton.

To read more go to “Service Learning Trip — Tampa, FL.”

International School of Hospitality, Sports, and Tourism Management

Sport Management and Hospitality Event

A VIP Sports and Hospitality Recruitment and Networking Event will be held on Monday, March 24, from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., in the Commuter Lounge at the Fitness Center, Metropolitan Campus. It is being hosted by the Career Development Center in collaboration with the International School of Hospitality, Sports, and Tourism Management.

The event will give sport management and hospitality students the opportunity to connect with recruiters to learn more about internship and job opportunities in their fields. Registration is necessary by March 1. For information contact Theresa O’Neill, assistant director of career development (Metro), at tmoneill@fdu.edu.

Save the Date

The Third Annual Hospitality Alumni Reception and Celebration, “Launching the Future … Remembering the Past,” will be held at 6 p.m., on Thursday, April 24, at the Park Avenue Club, 184 Park Avenue, Florham Park, N.J. The event, which is hosted by the FDU Hospitality and Tourism Alumni Chapter, will celebrate the class of 2025, recognize distinguished alumni and provide attendees the opportunity to network with former classmates.

The cost to attend is $125 per person. Sponsorship opportunities are also available, with proceeds supporting scholarships for students of the International School of Hospitality, Sports, and Tourism Management.

Registration is necessary by Monday, April 18, or until the event is sold out. For information contact Kane Pappas, hospitality/tourism management (Metro), at 201-692-7276 or kpappas@fdu.edu or go to Hospitality Alumni Reception and Celebration.

Henry P. Becton School of Nursing and Allied Health

Continuing Education Programs

For the second straight year, the School of Nursing and Allied Health (SNAH) is offering its Continuing Education Programs.

The Basic Health Assessment (RN Refresher) Course is an online, four-week course that helps participants — including registered nurses (RNs) — develop basic health-assessment skills prior to starting an advanced health-assessment course or transitioning to a career where these skills are required. Participants will develop competencies in identifying, describing and recording normal physical-examination findings. Winter session started on January 2 and will run until Thursday, January 31, and its summer session will be held from June 1 to 30.

The Phlebotomy Technician Certificate Program includes lectures involving 40–50 hours of didactic material delivered in an asynchronous learning mode, with some additional synchronous class meetings via Zoom. The student labs will be on Saturdays only and in-person at FDU’s Metropolitan Campus. Winter session started on January 25 and summer session will start on June 7.

The total cost is $785, which includes a materials fee of $210, for the RN Refresher Course; and $2,500 for the Phlebotomist Technician Certificate Program. Online registration is open. For more information go to SNAH Continuing Education Programs.

Virtual Information Sessions 

Information sessions on a variety of nursing and allied health programs will be held via Zoom on select days from February through April.

For inquiries email SNAH@fdu.edu.

School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Spring Open House 

The School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences will host an open house on Saturday, February 8, from 9:15 to 11 a.m., at 230 Park Avenue, Florham Park, N.J.

The open house will provide prospective students with information about the school’s pharmacy, occupational therapy and physician assistant studies programs. Attendees will have the opportunity to attend Q&A panels and tour the school’s state-of-the-art facilities.

Registration is necessary. For information contact Tracy Templin, executive director for admissions/enrollment operations, pharmacy/health sciences (Flor), at tracyt@fdu.edu.

Graduate Open Houses, Information Sessions

Virtual open houses for the Master of Public Health (MPH) program and information sessions for the Master of Social Work (MSW) program will be held this spring.

  • MPH Open Houses will be held at 7 p.m. EST on the following Mondays: February 3, March 3 and on April 7. Registration is necessary. For information email Andrea Brace, public health and director, MPH program (Flor), at a.brace@fdu.edu.
  • MSW Information Sessions are scheduled for Saturday, February 8, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. EST, and on Wednesday, March 19, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. EST. They will include a program overview and a Q&A session with the MSW program director and faculty. Registration is necessary. For information email Zakia Clay, social work and director, MSW program (Flor), at zakiaclay@fdu.edu.

School of Public and Global Affairs

Faculty Colloquia

This spring, the school’s Faculty Colloquia Series, will be held on select Wednesdays, at 1 p.m. EST, via Zoom.

Presenters at this spring’s Faculty Colloquium are Vancouver Campus faculty members, from left, Abiola Adeniyi, health/human services; Hossein Hakimpour, administrative science; and Reza Khoee, administrative science.

Upcoming presentations led by Vancouver Campus faculty members are “Can Women’s Groups Transform Maternal Health?” with Abiola Adeniyi, health/human services, on February 12; “How Large-Scale Social Events Change Employees’ Attitudes and Behaviors,” with Reza Khoee, administrative science, on March 12; and “The Use of AI in Strategic Human Resources,” with Hossein Hakimpour, administrative science, on April 9.

The colloquium is free and open to the public. For information contact Peter Woolley, political science (Flor); founding director, public/global affairs; and interim director, International School of Hospitality, Sports, and Tourism Management, at woolley@fdu.edu.

MHA and MPA Open Houses

The school will be holding open houses for the Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA) degree, Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree with specialization in healthcare management and the Certificate in Health Care Management. They will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the following dates and locations:

  • Tuesday, February 11, Cafeteria, Clara Maass Medical Center, One Clara Maass Drive, Belleville, N.J.;
  • Thursday, February 13, Cafeteria, The Valley Hospital, 4 Valley Health Plaza, Paramus, N.J.; and
  • Tuesday, December 25, Outside the Cafeteria, The Valley Hospital Dorothy B. Kraft Center, 15 Essex Road, Paramus, N.J.

Christina Costa, MHA program manager (Metro), will be at the open houses to answer questions and assist prospective students with their applications.

Wroxton College

The Wroxton College Summer Getaway for FDU alumni and friends will be held from Thursday, July 24, to Thursday, July 31. To reserve a spot on the trip, a $350 deposit (per person) is due upon registration. Registration is open until June 1 or until the trip is full Final payment (trip balance) is due by June 2.

Four photos: Wroxton Abbey, Shakespeare monument, London street and Royal Shakespeare Company

Guests will visit iconic sites, cultural and intellectual centers, explore the Abbey and the grounds of Wroxton College, attend lectures by Wroxton faculty and relax in the college’s Buttery pub.

The cost of $1,550 per person includes the room, some meals as well as transportation and tickets to attractions in the itinerary. Airfare is not included.

Register online at Wroxton Getaway 2025. For information call the Office of Alumni Relations at 201-692-7017 or email Jennifer Szeinberg, associate director of alumni relations (Metro), at jtroxell@fdu.edu.  

 

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