Students will be able log on and hear about offerings, including online programs, that fit the needs of adults. They will be able to have their questions answered and learn about enrolling for the college’s fall semester.

RSVP for this event now!

For more information contact 973-618-3500 or admissions@caldwell.edu.

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On Saturday April 20, 2013 the Department of Nursing held its first annual Induction Ceremony founding the Nursing Honor Society.  On a beautiful spring day, 1 alumnus, 11 senior students and 8 faculty were inducted in the society.  Connie Sobon-Sensor, Secretary of Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honor Society, gave the keynote address and Teresa Torsney, the Region 14 Coordinator of Sigma Theta Tau International gave the welcome and greetings.  The Inductees were informed about the process of developing the Nursing Honor Society and applying to become a Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International.  Appointments were made by the Steering Committee to the Board of Directors and they will conduct the first business meeting in July.

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A mission trip to Belize in May was a life-changing event for 11 Caldwell College students. Led by college president Dr. Nancy Blattner, her husband Tim and staff member Meghan Moran, the group spent eight days in Punta Gorda, Belize, serving families and children.

When members of the group arrived at their destination May 13, they were greeted by Father Lou McCabe, an American Jesuit, who assigned them to assist local carpenters in building a church in the village of Corazon Creek. The foundation had already been poured and eight pillars had been set. Their job was to help pour the remaining pillars, frame the structure, and construct the roof. That last task included putting up 11 handmade triangular support beams and applying zinc sheeting. They were on a very tight deadline. “Mass was to be celebrated in this church on Sunday, May 19, since that was Pentecost, and we didn’t want to disappoint the eight families of the village who would come or those who would arrive from much farther away either by walking or by bus,” Dr. Blattner said. So they immediately began the heavy lifting.

Each morning they awoke at about 5:30 to the sound of roosters crowing and the bells ringing at the church immediately across the gravel street from where they were staying. “After a simple breakfast of pop tarts or toast, some of us went across the street to morning Mass at 6:30. It was beautiful to worship with the local people, who greeted us warmly during the sign of peace,” said Dr. Blattner. Then they took off to the work site 32 miles from where they were staying. They arrived by 9:15 a.m.

Their days consisted of tearing down framing, putting up two by fours, and building ceiling trusses in the blazing sun, all with limited tools. “We only had two hammers,” said Julia Scarola, a senior art and psychology major. Since materials were scarce, Scarola and a friend looked for previously used wood and pulled nails out of that supply so they could reuse the materials. In between building, the Caldwell students took turns playing with the local children. They colored and drew with books and crayons they had purchased at a gas station. Other students took turns holding babies—“One of my favorite things,” said Selenia Vega, a senior and education major. Others took up a collection to purchase a soccer ball, toy cars, dolls and whistles for the children.

It was a thrill to see the joy the village children got from learning about cameras and iPhones that their new American friends shared with them. “Seeing that just a little thing made the kids smile and happy” made Vega realize “that life is so short and time here is not guaranteed.” There was such “simplicity of life,” said Scarola, who was struck most by “the love in that kind of culture” and how it is “completely different, very pure, so prominent” in their lives, especially since they do not have many people in their midst beyond their families and the other villagers.

By Friday evening, the members of the Caldwell group had met their goal. They had built the church. What a joy it was to attend Mass there on Pentecost Sunday with the local residents! “Everybody in the village was there,” Scarola said. It was wonderful to be able to see Mass celebrated “in the church we built and to know that we had given the people a place to worship God,” Vega said.

But the group accomplished something bigger than erecting the church, said Moran, assistant director of student activities and volunteer outreach. “Building the church was important, but even if we were not there, the locals would have built that church. The bigger achievement was the connections we made. Nothing compared to the joy and love our students received and nothing compared to the love and joy they gave in return.” She said the challenge for the students will be bringing what they saw and learned to their everyday lives.

One evening three college students planned a devotional to share their experiences. “They spoke of answering God’s call, discerning their vocation for service beyond their graduation, and their hope that they would never forget the impact of this experience,” Dr. Blattner said. They reflected on the Scripture verses they had heard in Mass, “We are the hands and feet of Christ” and “In your weakness, I am made strong.” “How powerful it was to see these scriptural passages coming to life each day in Belize,” Dr. Blattner said.

The Caldwell students formed bonds with those they served and among each other. At the beginning of the trip, some of the students hardly knew each other, but by the end they were good friends. Eleven special students had spent eight special days together and had learned many life lessons. “We all shared the same idea and concept—that we are here to change the world one step at a time,” Vega said. “You are put here to do things and called by God to do a lot of things. I am so grateful and thankful for everything I have.”

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The national radio program “Let’s Consider The Source” hosted by Professor Bob Mann recently received a Garden State Journalists award. Mann and the production team were honored at the Garden State Journalists dinner in May. Left to right: Caldwell Studio Manager and co-producer Nick Amabile, Associate Producer and Communication Arts Professor John Yurko, Co-Producer Mary Rizzo of the NJ Council of Humanities and Host, Producer, Creator of the program Professor Mann.

The national radio show “Let’s Consider the Source” hosted by Professor Bob Mann was honored with a Garden State Journalists Memorial Award in May. Professor Mann and the production team recently received the award at a dinner at the Chart House in Weehawken.  “Let’s Consider the Source” is a talk show focusing on media issues.

The episode for which they received the award was co-produced by Mary Rizzo of the New Jersey Council for the Humanities.  The guest was author and journalist Mark Di Ionno who discussed his book “The Last Newspaper Man”.   The award was in the radio talk category.

Professor Mann, chair of the Communication Arts Department, is host and producer of the program. The department’s studio manager, Nick Amabile is co-producer. He handles all technical and production duties for the program.  Professor John Yurko of the Communication Arts Department is associate producer.  He contributes to episodes focusing on the film industry.

“Let’s Consider the Source” is heard Sundays at 7:30 p.m. eastern time on Sirius XM Public Radio (XM Channel 121, Sirius Ch 205). 

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On April 25, the Department of Modern Languages hosted a dinner with young Modern Language alumni, students, and faculty.  14 alumni, who have graduated since 2007, attended the event, which was sponsored by the Caldwell College Alumni Association.

According to Dr. Isabelle Genest, it is important to the department that current students have opportunities to interact with Caldwell graduates so they can see the type of jobs and success available to them as Modern Language majors.

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Student award recipients at “The Gathering”

The English Department and Caldwell College Alumni Association hosted “The Gathering” on May 1, celebrating student accomplishments in English.  Among the awards presented included the Excellence in Writing Awards, named after former English department faculty and chairs. These awards are made possible by the generosity of Caldwell College alumni.  Dr. Patricia Verrone, Caldwell College professor of English and event organizer, notes, “Engaging alumni with these awards keeps them aware of what is happening in our department and is a way for them to give back.  We hear from so many alumni who ask ‘What can we do for the English dept?’ As you can tell, we stay very connected to a number of alumni.”

Event goers were also treated to a poetry reading by Sister Elizabeth Michael Boyle, O.P. and the Tower Poets.

Matt Regan ‘06

In addition to the awards ceremony, the event featured alumnus speaker, Matt Regan ’06.  Regan spoke eloquently about how majoring in English at Caldwell has helped him not only in his career but also in life, noting that those who will be educating future generations about the written word outside of the constraints of social media (beyond 140 characters in twitter, for example) will be English majors.   

Additional photos from the event can be viewed here.

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The Class of 2013 presented President Blattner with their class tree at the Con-GRAD-ulations Cocktail Party on May 8. (L to R: Tim Nellegar ’00, president, Caldwell College Alumni Association; Ashleigh Grenci, 2013 Class Representative, Dr. Nancy Blattner, president, Caldwell College; Amanda Perez, 2013 Class Representative)

On May 8, new graduates gathered with members of the Caldwell College Alumni Association to celebrate their accomplishments at the Con-GRAD-ulations Cocktail Party.  Over 80 graduating students joined the festivities, which included the presentation of the 2013 class tree to be planted at Lady Lane.  The tradition of presenting a class tree to the college dates back to the first graduating class in 1943.  The tradition, according to an issue of The Kettle from 1944, “was inaugurated for the purpose of cementing the relationship between the alumn[i] and the College itself. In this way, former students will leave a memorial which will, as it were, unite them tangibly to the institution.”

View photos of the Con-GRAD-ulations Cocktail Party.

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This educational program is open to children ages 8 through 14 in grades 3 through 8.  Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of music through choral study and performance.

Audition dates for the fall are: Thursday, June 27, 2013, Thursday, August 8, 2013 and Thursday, September 5, 2013 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.   Children should come prepared to sing one verse of either “America” (My Country ‘tis of Thee), “America the Beautiful” or “Happy Birthday.

AUDITION APPOINTMENTS ARE REQUIRED and can be scheduled by contacting Dr. Nan Childress-Orchard at 973-618-3587 or e-mail NChildress@caldwell.edu.   For further information please visit www.caldwell.edu/academics/music and click on the on the Children’s Choir brochure link. 

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Left to right back row: Patty Blum Lisante and Jeannie Blum-Harper
Front row: Frank Lisante, Shane Harper , Vincent Christopher and Dr. Sharon Reeve

Caldwell, N.J.—May 23, 2013—Fifth-grader Shane Harper and his uncle, Frank Lisante, recently held a “Walk in the Park” with friends and family to benefit the Caldwell College Center for Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis and collected more than $3,000 to be donated to the facility. 

“Me and Uncle Frank were partners in fundraising,” Shane said. 

Shane’s family participated in the Caldwell College 5 K RUN WALK for Autism in previous years, and since the event was not held this year, they decided to hold their own. Twenty-five of their family members and friends, ages 3 to 75, came out to support the cause. 

Shane, who attends Cedar Hill School in Montville, is president of the student council. He is passionate about helping the Caldwell Center for Autism and ABA. Shane and his uncle said it didn’t matter how much money they raised, but that they raised awareness. 

One of the big contributors to the walk was the group Vero Amici for Charity, a nonprofit that supports those in need in the local community. “One hundred percent raised is given back to community,” said Vincent Christopher , one of the founders of the charity. He came with Shane and his family to present the check to Dr. Sharon Reeve, Ph.D., BCBA-D, executive director of the Center for Autism and Applied Behavior Analysis. Christopher founded Vero Amici with Dom Aiello and Joe Garamella both of West Caldwell. Garamella is the current president of the organization. 

Shane’s entire family has a passion for helping children on the autism spectrum. His mother, Jeannie Blum-Harper, a Mount St. Dominic Academy alumna, has been a school nurse for special needs children. His aunt, Patty Blum Lisante, also a Mount alumna, has worked with special needs children. She first met Dr. Reeve when she was enrolled in the post-baccalaureate teacher certification program at Caldwell. 

It is clear that young Shane Harper already has his focus in life and his heart in the right place. “People say ‘why,’ and we say ‘why not’?” he said.

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Master’s student blogs on how becoming a behavior analyst is her passion 

By: Carolina Lenis, master’s student in ABA

My name is Carolina Lenis, and I’m currently pursuing my master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis at Caldwell College. I am originally from Colombia, South America, and I have been in the United States for about 7 years now.  When I completed my bachelor’s degree in psychology at a college in Colombia, I decided to come to this country to learn English; my plan was to stay one year. I came as an au pair with an exchange program, and a trip that was supposed to last a year turned into the journey of my life.  I was intrigued when I received an offer to be an au pair for a family in the States who had a teenager diagnosed with autism.- I had always been interested in learning more about individuals with disabilities. Before I arrived in New Jersey, Matthew’s mother described him to me as a very caring, smart and fun young boy who attended an amazing school based on a scientifically-validated intervention called applied behavior analysis (ABA).

During the first months, I had the opportunity to observe Matthew at school and learn how to teach him in different settings. At first, I started to go a couple of days a week and ended up volunteering at that school for almost a year. After the first month, I was amazed with the teaching methods at the school, how every learner had their own curriculum and behavior plan in place, and how well the teachers arranged everything to maximize every learner’s potential. I remember calling my family in Colombia and telling them, “I have found what I want to do in my life. I want to learn more about autism and ABA, and acquire the necessary experience to help individuals diagnosed with autism.” 

After about three years, I started my master’s degree in ABA at Caldwell College. It has been a great professional and personal experience learning the science of behavior analysis, and I’m able to apply it during my practicum experience at the Center for Autism and ABA at Caldwell College. As a student of behavior analysis, I am able to help individuals diagnosed with autism to have a better quality of life by teaching social, leisure, communication, academic, and vocational skills. Every day is full of challenges, but it is a very rewarding career that I enjoy and I would not change for anything. Each child at the Center is unique, and we focus on their strengths and abilities to help them reach the highest level for individual growth, achievement, and independence through teaching based on ABA. Being a behavior analyst is my passion – Every day I look forward to teaching new things to learners and learning from them as well.

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