Newsmakers

2005 Dean Herman Schneider Award
by Peggy Harrier

This award was instituted in 1965. The Cooperative Education and Internship Association makes this award to an outstanding educator from faculty or administration.

This award is named for Herman Schneider who was Dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Cincinnati (1906-28) and President of the University (l929-32). Schneider made a unique contribution to higher education, when in 1906, he founded the first program of cooperative education in the United States. Over his years, Schneider addressed many industry groups about his plan, arbitrated disputes, and published widely. He also designed co-op programs for other schools, including the New York Public School System.

We were extremely fortunate this year that Al Foderaro, Director of the Career Services Office at County College of Morris was honored as a recipient of the 2005 Dean Herman Schneider Award.

For the past 28 years, Al Foderaro has worked at County College of Morris, in New Jersey, where he is currently the Director of Career Services and Cooperative Education. County College of Morris is recognized as a leading institution in our field and has provided significant leadership in the development of new cooperative education programs across the country.

Al has distinguished himself within state, regional and national professional organizations. He served on the CEIA Board for seven years as Regional VP, VP Marketing, and CEIA President in 2000 where he initiated a financial management system to preserve the integrity of our organization. In addition, he developed the first CEA Program Network for community and two-year colleges while publishing the Community College Resource Guide.

The Middle Atlantic Career Counseling Association selected Al to serve as their Treasurer and President where he was given a Lifetime Membership Award for dedicated service in the career development field.

Al Foderaro also served as the President of the New Jersey Cooperative Education & Internship Association and was selected as the Outstanding Educator of the Year by the Mid-Atlantic Cooperative Education & Internship Association.

Throughout his career, Al has presented more than 100 workshops on topics related to career services, cooperative education, tech prep, outcomes assessment, and school-to-work including CEIA, the National Commission, and the US Dept of Labor and Education while serving as a consultant and evaluator. He has also addressed political lobbyists in support of Title VIII and School-To-Work Initiatives.

Al’s professional and personal philosophies are defined not so much by what can be, as by what could be. He wisely partners his idealism with whatever pragmatism is required by a situation. Al is a dreamer and a creator, turning possibilities into realities. Thriving on challenge, he leads by his example and encourages others with his energy and enthusiasm.

As colleagues quoted in support of his nomination, ”Al is someone who we can always count on to pitch in and share responsibility to insure the success of any program or conference….his leadership and friendship have motivated, inspired and supported many of us over the years.”

Mentor, role model, consultant, colleague, coach, leader, friend. There is no doubt that our profession is better for Al’s contributions and that we, as professionals, are better for his care and concern.

On December 3, Sondra Riley and I had the pleasure of delivering the bounty of toys that you all so graciously donated to the St. Clare’s Home for Children in Jersey City. We were greeted by Carol Jackson, the Coordinator of St. Clare’s Support and Childcare Program who was most grateful for NJCEIA’s donation.

Carol was very excited to see several board games which she said are always a big hit with the children. We spent some time with Carol who shared heartwarming stories about the children and their families who have benefited from the wonderful programs that are offered at the center.

Under the auspices of The Aids Resource Foundation for Children, St. Clare’s provides transitional care to medically fragile babies and children who would otherwise be in hospitals or living at risk in the community.

If you would like to learn more about the organization, you can visit their web site at www.aidsresource.org.

Thank you for your generosity. It will surely help brighten the lives of children during this holiday season. Best wishes to you and your family for a healthy and happy holiday!

Welcome Andrea Garrido and Elisa Wilk to The Career Center at Seton Hall University

Welcome Bryan Murdock to Montclair State University's Center for Community-Based Learning

Bryan Murdock has joined Montclair State University as the Associate Director of the Center for Community-Based Learning. Bryan's responsibilities will initially focus on the Service Learning Program with some supervisory and budgetary oversight of the Cooperative Education Program.

Bryan has ten years experience directing and administering federal, state and local education programs. Over the past five years he has worked at the Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin, where he directed the AmeriCorps for Community Engagement and Education. Prior to that, he worked for the Texas Education Agency's Office for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth. He earned his MPA at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin.

Cook College is the land-grant college of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. It was created in 1973 and named in honor of George Hammell Cook (1818-1889), a renowned geologist and teacher at what was then called the Rutgers Scientific School. Cook College expanded the focus of its predecessors, including the College of Agriculture and then the College of Agriculture and Environmental Science. Faculty, staff, and students are the core of Cook College's community. There are about 220 on-campus faculty appointments and about 3,253 undergraduate students. In addition, 120 faculty are associated with Rutgers Cooperative Extension and funded through federal, state, and county contributions.

NJCEIA was well represented at a March 12th “Assessment in Experiential Education” conference, co-sponsored by Pace University and CUNY’s Borough of Manhattan Community College. In attendance were more than forty professionals representing two and four-year New York and New Jersey institutions. Peter Gotlieb (Saint Peter’s College), Al Foderaro and Denise Schmidt (County College of Morris) joined Pace’s Associate Director of Assessment, Barbara Pennipede, in making formal presentations on outcomes assessment and facilitating small and large group discussion on the topic.

This year's toy donation went to DYFS Newark, where Muriel Brantley, Administrator, Essex County Operations, and Willye Calhoun, Executive Assistant, Metropolitan Region received our donation with appreciation. Click here for full letter in PDF