Fairleigh Dickinson University Seventy-Eighth Commencement MetLife Stadium East Rutherford, New Jersey The Eighteenth and Nineteenth of May, Two Thousand and Twenty-One COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY Seating of Graduates ...................................................................................................................................Grad Greetings Procession of Platform Party ........................................Procession of the Nobles by Rimsky-Korsakov and Bagpipers Ceremony Opening ........................................................................................... Grand Marshal Anthony J. Adrignolo Professor of Global Transportation Studies “The Star-Spangled Banner” ..........................................................................................................Recorded Rendition President’s Welcome and Charge to the Graduates .............................................................. Christopher A. Capuano President Conferring of Honorary Degree ..........................................................................................................President Capuano Doctor of Fine Arts .............................................................................................................Richard Baratta Commencement Address .........................................................................................................................Richard Baratta Recognition of Vancouver Campus Pinnacle Recipient Ces Anthony Torillo Plaras ......................................................................................................Gillian M. Small University Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Presentation of Student Pinnacle Awards .........................................................................................................Provost Small Remarks ...............................................................................................................................Lillian Y. Maltese Metropolitan Campus Pinnacle Recipient Remarks .............................................................................................................Emmaline Pamela Stoddard Florham Campus Pinnacle Recipient Remarks ...............................................................................................................................................Sarah L. Kearsley Graduate Student Speaker Recognition of Doctoral Graduates ...........................................................................................President Capuano Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Psychology, Doctor of Nursing Practice and Doctor of Pharmacy Conferring of Degree s.................................................................................... President Capuano and Provost Small Doctoral Degrees Master’s Degrees Bachelor’s Degrees Associate’s Degrees Individual Recognition of Graduates ...........................................................President Capuano and Patrick J. Zenner Chair, Board of Trustees Closing Remarks ............................................................................................................................President Capuano Recessional .........................................................................................................................................Pomp and Circumstance by Elgar 1 MARSHALS Anthony J. Adrignolo Benjamin Freer Keith O’Connor Grand Marshal Richard Frick Richard Palm Rory Gallagher Iavana Parker Jennifer Casey Lissette Garcia Francisco Parra Kellen Gilbert Kristin Giotta Donald Pavlak Catherine Liggett Cheryl Gonzalez Jamie Quinn Vidal Lopez-Marrero Kristin Granade Bridget Rafter Pamela Messina Matthew Hawzen Hernando Rivera Rashard Mills Sandy Holder Anita Rivers Darshan Shah Maura Johnston Gitanjali Rizk Robin Williamson Samantha L. Knight-Williams Donna Robertson Head Marshals Ivelise (Ivy) Lazzarini Jimmy Robertson Marzi Azar Jason Madsen Mark Robertson Sarah B. Azavedo Evan Mager Andrew Romanella Austin Bock Brian Mauro Todd Rosen Jesse Boyland Stephen McCrossin Marycarol Rossignol Melissa Brooks Sam Michalowski Patrick Scarpello Carol Brown Taylor Lauren Michel Miriam Singer Donald Buzinkai Patti Miller Jeff Slanovec Norman Chester Angelica Montero Paige Soltano Israel Delgado John Murphy Krishna Tobon Stephen Dembowski Sachin Naik Terry VanAuken Deborah Dobson Ratna Joshi Nelson Anthony Van Curen Lauren Elgin Steven Nelson Allen Zabusky Scott Fisher Jennifer Noon Hong Zhao Kathryn Fissel Christopher Nunez DEGREE CANDIDATES Florham Campus degree candidates, see page 9. Metropolitan Campus degree candidates, see page 20. Vancouver Campus degree candidates, see page 35. Note: An undergraduate student whose cumulative grade point ratio (CGPR) for four years is 3.85 will receive his or her degree summa cum laude ; if the CGPR is 3.67, magna cum laude ; if the CGPR is 3.33, cum laude . Only weighted grades will be included in computing honors. Only the credits taken at Fairleigh Dickinson University, a minimum of 54 credits, will be used in this evaluation. Due to time constraints, the honors listed therein were determined as of the end of the fall semester. The final listing for the commencement period will include those honors earned as of the completion of the spring semester, and diplomas will reflect this achievement. This program does not represent an official list of certified graduates. 2 Richard Baratta STUDENT PINNACLE AWARDS Doctor of Fine Arts The Student Pinnacle Award is bestowed upon an out- Whether you are a passionate cinephile or casual movie- standing student member of the graduating class. The goer, chances are good that your heart has been touched, student should meet the following criteria: your perspective broadened or your spirits buoyed by • Reflection of the unique character of FDU in his/her life; Richard Baratta. • Significant contributions and outstanding service Since landing his first film job in 1984 in Desperately to the University; Seeking Susan, Baratta has worked on more than 50 • Significant contributions to society and humanity movies. Starting as a location manager and unit produc- through public or humanitarian service; tion manager, he ultimately progressed to the roles of coproducer and executive producer. • Cumulative grade point ratio of 3.00 or higher; Despite his three decades as a respected Hollywood exec- • Success or distinction in his/her chosen field of study; utive, Baratta’s first love — music — remained central in and his life. Born in 1950 into a family of music lovers in • Must be graduating in May 2021. Poughkeepsie, N.Y., he flirted briefly with the saxophone and flute before deciding drums were the perfect instru- Lillian Y. Maltese ment for him. As a teenager, it was jazz, not rock and Student Pinnacle Award roll, that ultimately defined his musical style. Metropolitan Campus After college, Baratta studied with some of the most Lillian Y. Maltese, of Lodi, N.J., will graduate summa influential jazz drummers of the time, including Jack cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in finance and a DeJohnette, Bob Moses and Steve Haas. He also played minor in financial planning and wealth management. gigs in the Catskills — all to prepare for a professional She was an orientation leader and served in various drumming career. leadership roles in the Student Union Building. Lillian And he succeeded. From 1975 to the early 1980s, Barat- cofounded the Women in Business Club and served ta established himself as a gifted studio and band musi- as its president during the 2019–2020 academic year, cian in New York City. But the demanding lifestyle and where she was awarded Outstanding President of the erratic income of a musician wasn’t conducive to raising Year. Her other leadership roles at FDU include presi- a family, so he made the difficult decision to change dent of the Investment Club, vice president of the career paths — and the rest is Hollywood history. Commuter Council, professional development chair of Baratta’s filmography encompasses virtually every cine- the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and secretary matic genre — superhero flicks like Dr. Strange and the and member of the board of directors of Rotaract. Lil- blockbuster Spider-Man franchise … romantic comedies lian is also a member of the Global Scholars Program like Working Girl and Big … action thrillers and crime and Sands of Time. She studied abroad through two dramas like The Taking of Pelham 123 and Donnie Bras- summer programs — one in Wroxton College in Eng- co … and even a musical, Across the Universe. Many of land and the other at the IÉSEG School of Manage- his films were both financial and critical successes: both ment in Paris, France. Lillian is a member of the Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman and Todd Phillips’ Joker National Society of Collegiate Scholars, the Beta were nominated for multiple Academy Awards. Gamma Sigma Honor Society and Phi Zeta Kappa Honor Society. Following graduation, she will be Aaron Sorkin’s Baratta also served as an adviser for returning to FDU to continue her studies through the . The award-winning film The Trial of the Chicago 7 4+1 Combined Degree program and will earn her movie was partially filmed at FDU. M.B.A. in management in spring 2022. In 2016, Baratta had the opportunity to return to play- ing drums professionally and never looked back. A resi- Ces Anthony Torillo Plaras dent of Tenafly, N.J., he regularly performs in clubs Student Pinnacle Award locally, in New York City and in Washington, D.C. Vancouver Campus In 2019,