Caitlin Vogel

“Caitlin Vogel is endlessly curious, hardworking, and a good representative for the literature program, both in the Center for Reading and Writing, and while presenting at conferences,” says a Literature faculty member. She is a senior majoring in Literature with a Psychology minor. Caitlin is enrolled in the Ramapo College Honors Program. She is active in Sigma Tau Delta, National Society of Collegiate Scholars and the Golden Key International Honor Society. Caitlin was inducted into Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. She is a consultant for the College’s Center for Reading and Writing. “I am very grateful for receiving a scholarship because it will help alleviate student loan debt and allow me to pursue a graduate degree in English,” says Caitlin. She maintains a 3.95 grade point average and is from Wantage, NJ.

Awarded Scholarships

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2013

North Jersey Media Group Foundation / The Record Scholarship

For 25 years North Jersey Media Group staff worked closely with Ramapo College faculty member Helen Burchell to implement The Record Debate Classic. Each year debate team members from high schools throughout Bergen County competed in this prestigious event to hone their debating skills and build awareness of a timely public policy issue. Life-long learning, increasing the quality of public education and the ability to convey oneself effectively in the spoken and written word were very important to Helen Burchell. She was a member of Ramapo College’s founding faculty in teacher education and also served as director of academic outreach and grants advisor. In addition to coordinating The Record Debate Classic, Dr. Burchell served on the Donald and Flora Borg Merit Scholarship Award Committee, named for leaders of The Record. At Dr. Burchell’s death in 2005 the North Jersey Media Group Foundation made a generous commitment to the College in Helen’s memory, to be used for a scholarship for students in literature or journalism.

Garber, Jackie and Paul Scholarship

Jackie Fain Garber graduated from Ramapo College in 1975 and became a kindergarten and Montessori teacher. In 2001 she and her husband Paul decided to start an annual scholarship to recognize good students with financial need who may need a little help in paying their college costs. “I’ve gotten so much from my Ramapo education,” Jackie said at the time, “I would like to give back.” Students who receive the Garber Scholarships can be studying any discipline, but must demonstrate financial need and be in good academic standing.  Sadly, Mr. Garber died in March, 2014.

Guiliana Family Scholarship

John Guiliana is a podiatrist and managing partner at Foot Care Associates in Hackettstown, NJ. Dr. Guiliana has given lectures across the country on podiatry and the management of a medical practice. Dr. Guiliana and his wife, Stephanie, are the parents of two Ramapo College alumni: Justin ’12 a Biology major, and Stephen ’09, also a Biology major. Dr. and Mrs. Guiliana became members of the Ramapo College Parents’ Council in 2007, and after attending an event with President Mercer and other parents, created this scholarship endowment. The intent of the Guiliana Family Scholarship is to recognize Ramapo College undergraduates who intend to continue their education in graduate school.

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2012

Cronin, Daniel J. Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship will be awarded in Spring 2024. Please check often for application opening dates. 

“He led a life of service to others,” says Bea Cronin, Dan Cronin’s widow. While serving in the Navy in 1966, Dan suffered a severe injury that left him paralyzed from the waist down. “Dan lived a good portion of his life in a wheelchair,” says his good friend Mary Alice Rocks Ruggiero, “But I never ceased to be amazed by how well he got around — in snow, in every kind of weather and in every sort of neighborhood — nothing held him back.” In 1980 Dan enrolled at Ramapo College, received a degree in 1984 and continued his education at Seton Hall University where he earned a degree in law.

Dan then began a selfless career in poverty and family law serving as an attorney for Bergen County Legal Services. Among the many honors he received were the New Jersey Certificate of Appreciation for Meritorious Public Service for his work as a member of the Supreme Court’s District Ethics Committee, a Certificate of Appreciation from Shelter Our Sisters, a home for victims of domestic violence and the Outstanding Attorney of the Year award from Legal Services of New Jersey. “It was impossible to venture anywhere within a 15-mile radius of Hackensack with Dan and not run into someone he knew,” says Ms. Ruggiero. “Someone he had helped along the way would spot him and make a point of coming up to us for an exchange.”

Upon Dan’s death in December 2004, Bea Cronin, together with friends and family, created this scholarship fund to honor his life and recognize the next generation of young people devoted to the service of others. The Cronins met at Ramapo College, where Dan was an active member of the Alumni Association Board and Bea served as director of Human Resources until her retirement in 2010.

This scholarship helps advance many of Dan’s ideals, epitomized through his last words to his niece Barbara Ann Wendt: “It is what you do that makes you special.” Continues Robin Reilly of the F.A.I.T.H. Foundation, “Knowing Dan was always there for me in my work with the homeless was a great comfort. He never let me down, not once. I don’t know what we’ll do without him.”

François, Martha E. Memorial Scholarship

Martha E. François, Ph.D. was vice president for academic affairs and professor of history at Ramapo from 1981 to 1983. Along with Pam Bischoff and Nancy Mackin, she was one of the first group of women to hold a chief administrative post at the College.

A magna cum laude graduate of Wells College, she held a master’s degree in history from Mount Holyoke College and a Ph.D. in history from Harvard University. Before coming to Ramapo, Dr. François was a professor of history and dean of the School of Liberal Arts at Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis. Earlier she was a professor of history and a member of the graduate faculty at Northeastern University, dean of freshmen and sophomores at Wellesley College and an instructor in history at Hollins College.

She lectured and published extensively both in this country and abroad on women’s studies, medieval history and higher education. She was active in numerous professional associations including the American Association for Higher Education, the American Association of University Women, the Indiana Academy of Social Sciences and the American History Association.

During her tenure at Ramapo, Dr. François initiated the College Honors Program, the annual convocation for outstanding students and several new academic programs including the Computer Science major. At the time of her death she was working to establish the Law and Society major and Ramapo’s first master’s program, the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies.

“Loyalty to family, friends, colleagues, integrity, a dedication to scholarship and a love of learning and friendship — these were singular — never compromised,” said her friend Dr. Irene Nichols of Northeastern University at Dr. François’ memorial service. The Martha E. François Memorial Scholarship recognizes a Ramapo student of high academic achievement.

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2011

Berntsen, Audrey Crook Scholarship

This scholarship will be awarded in Spring 2024. Please check often for application opening dates. 

At his mother’s death, Ramapo College alumnus David Berntsen ’85 created this endowed scholarship in her memory.  Since Audrey Crook Berntsen was a teacher, the scholarship benefits outstanding Ramapo students enrolled in the Teacher Education Program. To honor David’s success in business, outstanding students enrolled in any business major are also eligible for the Audrey Crook Berntsen Scholarship.