In This Issue:
Q & A with Dr. Susan Hangen
page 2
National Collegiate Honors
Council Reflections
page 4
Northeast Regional Honors
Council Reflections
page 7
2015-2016 Course Overviews
page 8
Community Service Initiatives
page 12
Hiden Family Endowment
Fund
page 13
College Honors Symposium
page 14
Ramapo College Honors Program
Established in 2008, the Ramapo College
Honors Program is a community of faculty and students that are dedicated to intellectual, creative, and moral engagement.
The College Honors Program is open to
first year students, transfers, and continuing Ramapo students who wish to challenge themselves and embrace new ideas.
their time in the College Honors Program,
students enroll in four courses that are designed to challenge them and introduce
them to new ideas. Students also complete
a project related to their major and participate in co-curricular civic engagement.
The fundamental belief of the College
Honors Program is that intellectual deHonors students strive for excellence velopment is inseparable form one’s own
through continual guidance and a distinc- growth and development as a whole hutive curriculum that fosters critical think- man being. For graduating honors stuing, intercultural and international under- dents, the end of the program is the beginstanding, experiential learning, service, ning of an enriched and accomplished life.
and interdisciplinary studies. Throughout
Q & A with Dr. Susan Hangen | Donald Irons
In the beginning of the spring semester, to students. It really enhances the whole
Dr. Susan Hangen assumed the position college experience of the honors students
as director of the College Honors Program. while working create a sense of community.
How were you approached to become
the new Honors Program Director?
Professor Campbell heard about my experience as Coordinator of Honor Societies
at Ramapo College, so he called me in for
an interview. I sat in this very room and he
asked me questions related to the position.
A few weeks later, the Provost invited me to
serve as Director of the Honors Program.
How do you like your new position so far and how have you
adjusted to your new duties?
It’s been great, a real learning experience. I
knew about the program from students in
my classes, but actually seeing it from the
inside has allowed me to understand the
honors program in its entirety. I have been
listening very carefully to students about
their experiences in the program and I am
currently working to address their concerns.
What has surprised you most about
the
College
Honors
Program?
There is a wide range of offices we have to
interact with such as Admissions, The Ramapo College Foundation, the Alumni Association, the Center for Student Success,
and the Roukema Center for International
Education as well. The honors program does
a lot more than just provide a few courses
ed the project to their satisfaction. We have
also added a place in the project proposal
form for the students, readers and sponsors
to clearly write out their agreement about
How have your interactions with stu- what the project will entail. We hope that this
dents in the Honors Program been? will make the process clearer for everyone
What have you gotten out of them?
I have learned a lot. I had fantastic time What will you continue to do as
when I traveled to Cambridge, Massachu- the director and what changes will
setts with Chris Brittain, the assistant di- you be making going forward?
rector, and eight students for the Northeast Well, one of the things I am really excited
Regional Honors Council (NRHC). I got about is the Hiden Family Endowment Fund;
to see them present poster and oral pre- we will have an endowment of $250,000 and
sentations, and was really impressed. And will use about $12,000 of that starting next
since we were there for three days, I real- year to support Honors students who are
ly got to know them much better. We had studying abroad. We will allow students to
several lunches and dinners together, and use study abroad courses for honors course
Chris and I arranged to take everyone to a credits as well. I am a big supporter of study
jazz concert at one of my favorite jazz ven- abroad, but I know it is difficult for honors
ues where I used to go while growing up students to complete both their major and
outside of Boston. I was skeptical about the honors program requirements as well
whether the students would be into jazz, as study abroad. Our intention is to incenbut everyone loved it. NRHC always incor- tivize honors students to study abroad by
porates a learning exercise called City as making it a more integral part of the honors
Text into the conferences. So as part of that, program. We hope to see more symposium
we took a tour of the MIT neighborhood. presentations from honors students who
have studied abroad in the coming years.
What are some of the changes you would like to make to I am also working with Chris to make some
the
College
Honors
Program? other tweaks in the program. Next year, you
We have added a step in the senior honors will see more robust community service ofproject forms to end some ambiguity in the ferings, and new training or mentorship opprocess. We are now asking the faculty read- portunities for students presenting at symers and sponsors to confirm whether the posiums and conferences. These things will
student they are working with has complet- crystallize over the course of next year. 
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National Collegiate Honors Council Conference in Chicago
Students attending the NCHC Conference complete a successful day of presentations. PHOTO/Chris Brittain
Students peer into the Chicago Bean, more formally known
as the Cloud Structure. PHOTO/Chris Brittain
At Giodarno’s, honors students taste authentic Chicago-style deep dish pizza. PHOTO/Chris Brittain
Professor Campbell consults with a public transportation
map. PHOTO/Chris Brittain
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National Collegiate Honors Council Conference in Chicago Reflection | Sujil Mahajran
The four-day conference to the beautiful city
of Chicago was indeed a trip filled with lots of
adventures. Carrying the history from Gothic to modern to post modern era, this city
has served as a perfect representation of all
of them. Today, Chicago stands proud with
its rich architecture. The city encapsulates
not only the historical movements of America, but also the city life style of the mid-west.
This trip was very insightful for me, as I
learned about the architectural importance
in capturing the history and preserving the
city with its continuous efforts make it safe.
The city’s effort to represent its development through architecture taught me about
importance of history through architectural
representation. It is no wonder that Chicago
is considered as one of the most architecturally fascinating places in America. Developed with clever planning, the city captures
the eyes of every visitor with its buildings.
During the boat tour of the city, we had a
chance to admire buildings that are representative of the Spanish Gothic and Italian Gothic era inspired by European culture. Buildings such as Chicago Opera gave
us the feeling of life in the 1800s. Some of
the modern buildings, created from glass
and metal, were constructed with blocks
since it makes it possible for the dwellers to build skyscrapers over 16 floors tall.
These newer, post-modern buildings, however, have not reduced the historic feel of
the city. Accompanying these modern skyscrapers are ones with old architectural
designs such as the United Airlines building. The city, as a whole, teaches about the
possibility of combination of history and
today’s world. It makes us question the
amalgamation possibility of two contradictory things beyond the architecture. We
can build a relationship between the most
difficult ideas if we put enough efforts.
While the city’s architecture demonstrates
how to build this relationship, it also emphasizes the importance of maintaining the
relationship. It is no surprise that the city
portrays the planning structure of New York
City, as it meets the expectation of people to
see an abstract version of the Big Apple. To
me, Chicago seems like a much cleaner and
wider version of New York City. It portrays
the city’s efforts in maintaining the relationship it built with its history through architecture. They have carefully planned the city,
from building the artsy buildings to reversing
the flow of river away from Michigan Lake.
Chicago is really an inspirational metropolis, as it teaches the importance of architecture to capture the history of the whole city
and the importance of maintaining what is
built. The conference was very successful,
featuring diverse and insightful presentations and reflecting the Chicago’s aura. 
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Sujil Mahajran presenting his poster titled
“Young entrepreneurship and growth:
Filling the wallet rather than emptying it,”
at the NCHC Conference. PHOTO/Chris
Brittain
National Collegiate Honors Council Conference in Chicago Reflection | Vivek Pandey
Reality,” based on an academic research I
had conducted during my sophomore year.
Viewers kept me occupied almost the entire time and there were also some peculiar
cases when the audiences were specifically
searching for my poster. Towards the end of
the presentation session, I walked around
observing everyone else’s posters. After
The trip began on Thursday morning and my presentation, I sat in a short meeting
almost ended before breakfast. Despite with a Dutch professor who was also one
all my precautions, I overslept only to find of the judges in the poster session. She was
myself waking up 45 minutes before the looking for some input in strengthening
flight. Ironically, missing the flight turned the cybersecurity policies on a technologout to be a really rewarding experience. Be- ical piece that she is currently working on.
cause of the missed flight, I researched and
learned a lot about flight regulations and Later that day, I explored the city and spent
hidden tips on my way to the airport. The a while around Navy Pier. Our evening plans
information helped me secure the next flight consisted of watching “Spill,” which was a
without incurring extra costs and, hope- play based on the BP oil spill of 2010. The
fully, will come in handy in future again. actors did a fantastic job of depicting reality
while portraying intricate human emotions.
Although a few hours late, I did finally
make it to our hotel room in Chicago. The The day before our departure was special in
banquet was scheduled to begin within two its own way. We went over a few presentahours of my arrival, so there wasn’t much tions in the morning and continued explorto do before that. However, after the ban- ing the city further. We also had a chance
quet, the group took a short walk around to taste authentic Chicago-style pizza at
the city, which constantly reminded me Giodarno’s, which definitely helped me gain
of the scenes in The Batman trilogy. I lat- some extra pounds. After eating the pizza,
er found out that it was filmed in Chicago. we went on an hour-long boat tour around
Chicago during which we learned a lot about
We all presented our posters the following the windy city, its history and renowned
morning. I presented a poster on “Achiev- architecture. The closing ceremony of the
ing Low Simulation Sickness on Virtual conference, held later in the evening, was
Let’s begin with the numbers here. It was my
first time visiting Chicago, missing a flight,
and watching an improv comedy show. It
was my second time attending an NCHC
Conference, watching a play, and trying
Thai food. And most importantly, it was my
fourth time attending an honors conference.
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one of the best I have attended at an honors conference. Dinner was delicious and
the comedy by the improv group hilarious.
Filled with mega structures such as the ones
in New York, but also serene and sparsely populated like Denver, Chicago is the
best of both worlds. I admire the choice
of venue for the NCHC conference and
look forward to attending future ones. 
Vivek Pandey presenting his poster titled
“Achieving low stimulation sickness in
virtual reality,” at the NCHC Conference.
PHOTO/Chris Brittain
Northeast Regional Honors Conference in Cambridge
While in Cambridge, Dr. Hangen and Assistant Director
Chris Brittain arranged to take students to a jazz show at
Regattabar. PHOTO/Susan Hangen
Students pose with a sculpture in Cambridge. PHOTO/Sujil
Mahajran
Sujil Mahajran presents at the regional conference. PHOTO
CREDIT/Sujil Mahajran
Alexis Tine, Mindy Gorin, & Rachel Lubitz, and SaraCatherine Lichon in Cambridge. PHOTO/Alexis Tine
6
The Northeast Regional Honors Conference
in Cambridge, Mass. was my first conference
and I did not know what to expect. The weekend, however, exceeded my expectations.
Northeast Regional Honors Conference Reflection | Rachel Lubitz
Arriving a day earlier allowed us to walk
around the beautiful and historic city of
Cambridge. This part of the conference was
particularly memorable for me because I
had never visited this area. It was exciting
to be in a city that is incredible and exhilarating both during the day and night. We
also had the chance to visit many of the
colleges and universities in the area, such
as Harvard University, Boston University
and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
With college bars, libraries and bookstores
scattered across the area, the cities of Boston and Cambridge embodied both the city
aesthetic as well as the college atmosphere.
The conference itself was also fascinating
and interesting. The first day comprised solely of the poster session, which I particularly
enjoyed because it gave me a chance to see
what research other college students, from
all different majors, have done. The majority
of research topics applied to the migrations
theme, even though the students’ academic
disciplines were completely different. Majors such as biology, architecture, history and
finance were all able to complete research
and stick to the migrations theme by taking
the term and applying their own interpre-
Students walk around the neighborhood, passing popular spots for college students
such as the Harvard Book Store. PHOTO/Rachel Lubitz
tation of it and using that in their research.
Round tables and paper presentations
were also intriguing since they stirred debates and intellectual arguments that were
relevant and thought provoking. The varied and diverse subjects of these presentations allowed for a wider range of topics to
be covered and also emphasized the interdisciplinary aspect of the honors program.
7
I truly enjoyed being in a conference with
hundreds of other college students who
are just as academically driven and are
passionate about the Honors Program as
Ramapo students are. Over the course
of the weekend, I met many wonderful
and intelligent college students who are
passionate about research and current
events and all have a love for learning. 
2015-2016 Honors Courses’ Overviews
HNRS 101-01: Literature of the Atlantic | Meg Baldwin
Structured as a seminar to encourage students to participate and voice their won
opinions, Professor Edward Shannon’s
Literature of the Atlantic course covered a
multitude of material that helped the students prepare for their college careers.
With a positive learning environment and
an open forum to express themselves, students had an opportunity to grow into
intelligent, open-minded young adults.
ics previously explored in high school. For
example, by reading first-hand accounts
of the battles between Native Americans
and European settlers in Fadia Faqir’s Pillars of Salt, students were exposed to new
ideas. Shannon’s class broadened the students’ perspectives of American history.
Films such as Twelve Years a Slave reinforced the subjects discussed in class, affecting all students on an emotional level.
perclassmen helped students adjust to the
college environment. There was half an
hour of each class devoted to ice breakers and other fun activities that fostered
a supportive atmosphere and a bonding
experience for students enrolled in the
course. In its entirety, the course required
us to tackle difficult material and develop our own individual interpretations. 
Readings such as Genesis, Candide and The concept of peer facilitation became
Abina gave students a new insight into top- an important aspect to this class, as up-
HNRS 101-02: Fairy Tales | Scott Yunker
The stimulating and endlessly interesting
examination of traditional storytelling and
folklore of Professor Yvette Kisor’s Fairy
Tales first-year seminar course, provoked
meaningful discussion from the students
enrolled in the course. Over the course of the
semester, students read and analyzed several different iterations of popular fairy tales,
as well as several less well-known folktales.
The class was defined by its round table-style
of debate, as students discussed the meaning behind certain stories and shared their
interpretations with their peers. This backand-forth dialogue encouraged critical
thinking, and by the end of the semester,
the class’s ability to argue for or against opposing interpretations of a story improved.
Of all the fairy tales discussed in the course,
the story of “Little Red Riding Hood” was
one of the most interesting. Students read
many different versions of the classic story, beginning with the oldest known telling, “The Story of Grandmother,” an archaic and brutal tale in which Red Riding
Hood barely escapes with her life. Students compared and contrasted these older versions of the tale with newer ones.
Fairy tales in newer forms of media, including film and video games, were also featured
throughout the course. As part of a class
project, one group delivered a presentation on the popular video game “The Wolf
Among Us,” which imagines classic fairy
tale characters in a neo-noir setting. An-
8
other group discussed the representation of
Sleeping Beauty in major motion pictures.
Students spent the final half of the semester writing a research paper on the fairy
tale of their choice, and concluded the
course by presenting their findings to their
peers. Topics ranged from feminism in
modern narrations of “Little Red Riding
Hood,” to Beauty’s changing role in different versions of “Beauty and the Beast.”
This first year seminar was an exciting foray into a fascinating genre of literature, and served as the perfect introduction to the Honors Program. 
2015-2016 Honors Courses’ Overviews
HNRS 220-01: Greater China | Meghann Herman
Business in Greater China is a popular favorite among honors students, focusing primarily on the culture and business practices of the region. Class discussions revolved
around the Chinese marketplace and the
legal, technological, and political factors
that shape the business environment. The
conversations also shifted toward universal
subjects such as democracy, industry development, human rights, environmental concerns, health care and education. This broad
scope of discussion allowed the class to
choose the direction of the course depending on what they were most interested in.
Coursework for the Greater China course remained consistent throughout the semester
with a news summary due every week. There
were also two larger projects presented in
class toward the latter half of the semester. The analysis of a Chinese company that
has expanded westward demonstrated the
process of conducting business in a foreign
country. The final project required students
to evaluate an industry as a whole based
on the economic theory of Michael Porter.
While these projects have a definite focus on the more modern developments in
China, the course ensures that they are
studied in the light of China’s social history, specifically that of its transition to
communism. Students watched, To Live, a
Chinese film that follows a family through
generations as they deal with the political
unrest that came along with communism.
The course, instructed by Professor Huiping Li, allows China’s more recent history
to be studied from the perspective of the
Chinese rather than that of Americans.
The course offers a unique perspective on
a nation that is economically similar to the
United States, yet culturally distinctive. 
HNRS 220-02: International Issues | Andrew Herrera
Taught by Dr. Tae Yang Kwak, this class was
an open discussion of American and East
Asian interactions in the modern era, beginning in the middle of the nineteenth century. Students were assigned weekly readings
that explored various major events that
stemmed from the interference of the Western powers in East Asian affairs. While the
course readings informed the subject matter
of the class, actual teaching sessions had a
much more relaxed atmosphere. Dr. Kwak
encouraged student participation in every
classroom so as to hold discussions rather
than lectures. This free-form nature encouraged conversations on a variety of topics that
Professor Kwak incorporated into the lessons. Occasionally, he discussed how histor-
ical events from centuries ago shaped modern trends and ideas. Comparisons often
came up between the foreign policy of the
United States in the late 1800s and during
the Cold War, and the current actions the
United States has taken in foreign affairs.
While lectures varied in topic, the readings were not from textbooks, but academic
non-fiction books. This distinction is important. The class read extensive works of
journalism, rather than an encyclopedic account of particular happenings. The nature
of the writing is reflected in how thorough
the authors were in their work, and in the
passion visible in their language. For example, Marilyn Young chronicles every ques-
9
tionable assumption, aggressive interference, and corrupt dealing of the Vietnam
War in her book, The Vietnam Wars. But Dr.
Kwak also used these books because some
of them covered issues rarely explained in
the average textbook. John W. Dower’s Embracing Defeat looks at how the Japanese
people reacted to defeat in World War II and
subsequent occupation by the Americans.
Students also had an opportunity to develop their own thesis and explain it via presentation or traditional lecture. By having
to assess the readings to answer the questions, these presentations prepared students for the two research essays they had
to complete in the course of the class. 
2015-2016 Honors Courses’ Overviews
HNRS 320-01: Ethics and Performance | Cassandra Fenton
Professor Peter Campbell’s Ethics and Performance course introduced students to
various performance pieces ranging from
ancient Greece to modern day flash mobs.
Campbell crafted together a syllabus that
allowed the students to judge the ethical
implications of each of these performances by the actors, space, audience and text.
Class sessions consisted of conversations
and debates on issues such as race, gender, sexuality, violence, representations of
history, relationships, and climate change.
Regardless of the wide range of topics,
the discussions always culminated in how
these themes are imitated in performance
and what the ethical implications are of
this. With each play and movie discussed
in class, students had an opportunity to reflect on these ethical questions and connect
them to the performance they watch in their
own lives such as television shows and films.
mance ethics in the context of a play that
is conscious of its own ethical implications.
Presenting their own plays about climate
change allowed the students to reflect on
ethics in relation to how political issues are
depicted in performance. Cara Francis, a
performance artist, came to the class and
guided the students in exercises that allowed
them to experience many of the ethical isMaterial learned and discussed in the class- sues they has discussed throughout the seroom was enhanced through multiple ex- mester. Students completed the course with
periences. Students went to see a devised a deeper understanding of the ethical issues
theater piece, Match Play, at New York Live associated with all types of performances
Arts that allowed them to discuss perfor- and how this impacts their everyday lives. 
HNRS 320-02: Ethics in a Global Age | Lindsey Gray
Designed to introduce and engage students in
controversial subjects of the modern world,
Ethics in a Global Age concentrated on a wide
array of ethical issues and subjects. Assigned
readings supplemented class discussions,
emphasizing how all decisions are reached
through a process of ethical reasoning.
Instructed by Professor Mihaela Serban, this
course is structured like an ongoing debate.
Class sessions were filled with discussions
that enhanced the students’ understanding
of the distinction between emotion and morality. Complex subjects such as globalization and utilitarianism were simplified by
applying ethical principles to real life scenarios such as war. For example, the class
hosted a debate about the use of drones in
modern war that not only focused on the
logical reasoning behind decisions, but also
the emotional parallel. Toward the end of
the semester, the course material shifted to
the subject of human rights. Students participated in a mock United Nations, where
they each chose a country and worked together to combat the global warming crisis.
This course left students with a new perspective on the world around them. By discussing the ethical reasoning behind decisions
relating to war or global warming, students
recognized the complexity of simple decisions. Although the primary focus of the
course was ethical reasoning in the modern
10
world, students were able to enhance their
communication skills by listening to their
peers. This course reminded students that
while we may not be in agreement with each
other, we should strive to work together as
a community to reach levels of success. 
2015-2016 Honors Courses’ Overviews
HNRS 420-01: Senior Capstone | Lauren Schmidt
This course, taught by Professor Scott Frees,
focused on how computers have, and continue to transform society. The course began
with a historical background of computers
and an introduction to software. It then
shifted its focus to the major innovations
of computing that have advanced society
and how these have impacted economics,
ethics, and law. Some major topics covered include hacking and identity/financial fraud, crypto currencies such as Bitcoin, data mining and privacy issues, and
the effects of automation and computerization on economic and social imbalances.
The course was mostly revolved around
group presentations and class participation.
Classes were discussion-based and facilitated by thought-provoking questions. There
were three group presentations throughout
the semester on the following subjects: security disasters, disruption, and emerging technologies. Additionally, the class was divided
into pairs and two pairs had to facilitate a debate-like discussion for a whole class period. During the debates, the pairs were not only
to debate each other, but to become “subject
matter” experts and help frame the class’s
discussion. The groups were graded on how
well the problem/topic was understood,
how persuasive were the arguments, and
how well the group engaged the rest of class.
The final aspect of the class was learning
the very basics of coding. The class was required to complete a beginner’s tutorial in
Python programming. Python is a very beginner-friendly language, but is used extensively in both small and huge programming projects alike. Although it was just
a beginner’s introduction, it was important for the class to understand technology
from the perspective of a programmer. 
College Honors Program Special Events
The College Honors Program invited
students’ families to learn about what the
program offers and entails . PHOTO/
Uma Mahalingam
Andrew Herrera, David Cifelli, & Donald
Irons at the annual Toys for Tots dance,
themed a night under the stars. PHOTO/
David Cifelli
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Students celebrated the end of the semester
at the first ever Luau featuring Hawaiian
leis, volleyball, and delicious food. PHOTO/Uma Mahalingam
For years, the College Honors Program has
focused on creating well-rounded individuals through a variety of interdisciplinary
programs and lessons, both inside and outside the classroom. Not only does the program aim to foster a community between
its members, but also the staff of the program encourages the connections between
local communities, both on and off campus. One of the easiest and most enriching ways
to build these connections with both other
on-campus groups, as well as off-campus organizations, is through community service
trips. These trips promote volunteering and
making an impact on people who are in need
of help or inspiration. This past academic
year, the staff and executive board of the
program have only begun to grow the community service aspects of the curriculum.
Community Service Initiatives in the College Honors Program | Amy Aroune
Aside from the lists, the program has been
working diligently with Karen Booth and
Brandon Martin of CCEC in an attempt to
engage honors students to become more
active leaders in other areas on campus.
Through participating in service trips and
other events sponsored and developed by
the CCEC office, students grow as individuals, network with staff and students,
and learn amongst diverse atmospheres.
fall semester, and are seeking ways to integrate volunteering opportunities into
Honors Development Group meetings.
Volunteering is a crucial aspect of a student’s
college career. Not only does it provide so
much help to those you are aiding, but it
truly can change your perspective on life.
We, honors students, can make a difference
not just on campus through all of our extracurriculars and academics, but also off campus through our devotion to volunteering. 
In order to volunteer, students must sign up
through OrgSync. This easily navigable site
allows the CCEC office to get a head-count
and be prepared for means of transportation
for each trip. All of the service opportunities can be found under the CCEC group.
Event listings as well as background information on CCEC’s partners are available
on OrgSync. This semester, there were service trips in partnership with Girl Scouts in
In the beginning of the spring semester, hon- Passaic, N.J.; House on the Hill in Goshen,
ors students were encouraged to engage in N.Y.; Teaneck Tutoring in Teaneck, N.J.;
service learning trips. Emails were regularly CUMAC Food Pantry in Paterson, N.J.;
sent out, including the week’s opportunities Morris Habitat Restore in Randolph, N.J.;
from the Civic and Community Engagement Dellridge Health & Rehabilitation Center
Center (CCEC) to volunteer. There was also in Paramus, N.J.; Strengthen Our Sisters
a section of the whiteboard in the Honors in Wanaque, N.J. and West Milford, N.J.; White board of the Honors Lounge dedicated to
Lounge was devoted to the list of the week’s and MEVO Farm Clean Up in Mahwah, N.J. updating students about the latest events, including community service opportunities throughout
service trips available to all students. Updated at the start of each week, this list acted The College Honors Program hopes to the week. PHOTO/Mehnaz Ladha
as a constant reminder for all those studying see much more student involvement in
or just relaxing in the lounge of the oppor- service trips. We are working on develtunities available to serve the community. oping honors-only service trips for the
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Hiden-Family Endowment Funding Study Abroad | Cassandra Fenton
Advisory Board:
Jacqueline Braun
School of Social Science
& Human Services
Jason Hecht
Anisfield School of Business
Tae Kwak
Salameno School of Humanities
& Global Studies
Edna Negron
School of Contemporary Arts
Thomas Owen
School of Theoretical
& Applied Sciences
Cristina Perez
School of Theoretical
& Applied Science
Bernard Roy
Salameno School of Humanities
& Global Studies
Executive Board:
Amy Aroune
Kelsey Brentnall
David Cifelli
Keith Ellebracht
John Fritsch
Rachel Lubitz
Uma Mahalingam
Ariana Rivera
Lauren Schmidt
Funding is crucial to any type of organization, including the College Honors Program
that serves more than 150 students. The
Hiden family generously donated an endowment worth $250,000 to the College Foundation. This money will be set aside to help
honors students fund their study abroad
programs. The annual scholarship will begin
in spring 2017, when the program will distribute about $12,000 to up to four students.
dents will have a chance to enroll in an honors-level course. Students not interested in
spending a whole semester abroad have the
option of attending shorter programs held
during winter, spring, and summer breaks.
Staff members of the Roukema Center are
available throughout the year to assist students in choosing a program with classes
that are transferable, finding scholarships,
applying to programs, and preparing for the
For honors students, participation in study experience abroad. Honors students beginabroad programs is often deterred by lack ning the application process should be sure to
of time and insufficient funds. However, indicate that they are in the program so that
the Hiden endowment is part of an initia- they can automatically be considered for the
tive to encourage more students to study scholarship. This generous endowment will
abroad and reap the benefits of global cul- serve students for years to come, making it
tural exposure. Students studying abroad possible for each of them to study abroad. 
for four or more weeks are eligible for the
scholarship and their program will count
toward one of the mandatory honors electives. Research conducted during a student’s time abroad can also be used as
data for his or her senior thesis project.
During a mandatory study abroad information session, Kate Godfrey of the Roukema
Center highlighted some of the best programs for honors students to consider applying to. While there are a handful of programs
across six continents affiliated with Ramapo
College, Godfrey emphasized John Cabot
University, Hebrew University, and the
School for Field Studies where honors stu-
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Current director Dr. Susan Hangen and
former director Dr. Marta Vides present
Bob and Anne Hiden with a certificate,
thanking them for their donation to the
College Foundation. PHOTO/Carolyn
Herring
Annual College Honors Symposium
David G. Ermann shares his research with attendees at the symposium. PHOTO/Carolyn Herring
Lauren Schmidt presents her senior
project at the annual symposium.
PHOTO/Carolyn Herring
College Honors Program graduating
class of 2016 received their chords
and certificates at the end of the
symposium. PHOTO/Carolyn Herring
14
Graduating Seniors:
Nicole Baratta
Mark Boulanger
Steve Bunin
Alicia Cahill
Alyssa Dumatol
David Ermann
Paul Grunert
Jessica Ihle
Chelsea Lynn Johnson
Andrew Krygoski
Cynthia Loud
Theresa Marciano
Melissa Mayberry
Amanda Ml
Kevin Ng
Nechama Ross
Michelle Santucci
Lauren Schmidt
Amber Smith
James Ticchio
Angie Turro
Vidhi Vakharia
Colin Verhoff
Nicole Williams
Taylormarie Zembrickie
Student Aides:
Amy Aroune
Pam Bletsova
Cassandra Fenton
Peer Facilitators:
Alexis Tine
David Cifelli