1974

Jay Zimmer (Human Environment) has been appointed to the board of directors of LeadingAge California as well as secretary of the Carmel Bach Festival. Jay is president and CEO of Carmel Valley Manor, an independent living community in Carmel-by-the Sea.

1985

Helen McNeill (Biology) was elected as a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Section on Biological Sciences in recognition of her outstanding contributions to the field of developmental genetics. Helen is the Larry J. Shapiro and Carol-Ann Uetake-Shapiro Professor in the Department of Development Biology at WashU Medicine in St. Louis, Mo.

1987

Gary Capetta (Finance) joined Lee & Associates Commercial Real Estate Services as a broker and managing partner in the Elmwood Park office. Gary had been a broker and principal at Pantheon Properties.

1992

Don La Greca (Communication Arts) has been named the new play-by-play announcer for MSG Networks' Devils broadcasts. Don also co-hosts a daily radio program on ESPN Radio New York.

1997

Lynn Stamatelatos (Business Administration), director of corporate and community relations at Berkeley College, was among the honorees at the 2025 Enterprising Women in Commerce awards reception this past August. The awards are sponsored by the Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey and recognize outstanding women in business and academia.

2000

Joseph Dawicki (Sociology) was promoted to chief of the Fair Lawn Police Department this past June. He joined the department in 2001 and has held roles across patrol, the detective bureau, community policing and training functions. He earned a master's degree in public safety from the University of Virginia.

2001

Brad Storey (Social Science) is the new president of Irwin Siegel Agency, headquartered in Rock Hill, N.Y. It is an insurance underwriter focused on the social service sector. Brad recently served as its executive vice president; he has been with ISA for over 17 years. He holds an M.S.W. from Rutgers and is a certified praesidium guardian.

2010

Zaneta Rago-Craft (History), founding director of the Intercultural Center at Monmouth University, has joined the board of directors of the YMCA of the Jersey Shore. Previously, Zaneta worked at New York University in its LGBTQ Student Center and its Center for Multicultural Education and Programs.

2014

John Sapida (International Studies and Political Science) was recently selected to participate in the 2025-2026 New Leaders Fellowship Program of the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC).  John is manager of digital initiatives for the Urban Advantage program at the American Museum of Natural History. He earned a master's degree in museum studies from CUNY School of Professional Studies.

2016

Erick Alfonso (MAEL, 2016; MBA, 2023) has been appointed superintendent of the Belleville public schools. Most recently, he served as superintendent of schools in Secaucus. Erick earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from Kean University and a doctorate in educational leadership from Seton Hall University. He returned to RCNJ as a graduate professor in 2020.

2020

Ryan Greff (Business Administration) was named an "Innovator to Watch" at the INNOVATE100 celebration hosted this past May in partnership with the New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA) and Middlesex County. Ryan was recognized for his role as executive director of Fair Lawn Main Street Inc.

2021

Maria A. Montesinos (Political Science) received the N.J. State Governor's Volunteerism Award in the Community Pillar category at a recent ceremony organized by the N.J. Department of State. Maria was honored for her work as the Passaic community organizer for Make the Road New Jersey where she advocates for immigrant and working-class communities.

2022

Zachary Pearlman (American Studies) has been hired as a law clerk by the firm of Boatman Ricci in Naples, Fla. Zachary is a third-year student at Ave Maria School of Law, where he was awarded the Rewarding Excellence Scholarship. He serves as managing editor of the Ave Maria Law Review and received the Spring 2024 CALI Excellence for the Future Award in trial advocacy. He also serves as president of the Saint Thomas More Society and vice president of the Legion of Mary.