Whitney Breckenridge

Whitney Breckenridge of Fair Haven, NJ has always wanted to become a teacher. The International Studies major, who is minoring in Spanish, is also taking courses toward teacher certification in Social Studies. Volunteering as a tutor for elementary school children and as a camp counselor has allowed her to hone her skills. One of her fondest memories is teaching a second grader to subtract, a concept his teachers had been unable to accomplish. Whitney, who has a grade point average of 3.70, taught him to tap his fingers on the desk to keep track of the numbers. “I had been able to help him understand a concept that he found to be impossible. This is just one of the many reasons why I have chosen to go into the education field.”

Awarded Scholarships

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2010

Annunziato, Melissa Memorial Scholarship

Early in the summer of 2002, Ramapo College junior Melissa Annunziato was tragically killed in a car accident.  Melissa’s mother, her colleagues, friends, and neighbors sought to establish a permanent legacy to Melissa, her spirit, and beliefs. They spearheaded an effort to raise funds to start an endowed scholarship fund at Ramapo and held an event in February 2003 to celebrate Melissa’s life.

At Ramapo, Melissa was a Literature major working toward teacher certification in Elementary Education. She was committed to community service, worked in the teacher education office and was active in the student organization, Future Educators of America. This award recognizes students with a similar commitment and is open to students who participate in service-learning opportunities or alternative spring break programs, particularly those who are interested in working with children.

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2009

Dwyer, Marie and Francis J. Memorial Scholarship

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

Francis J. Dwyer worked at Lever Brothers for 29 years, where he was president of Local 51 of the International Chemical Workers. Mr. Dwyer took courses at Ramapo under the auspices of the “Union Leadership Academy,” which at that time was a two-year sequence that offered courses in labor and the economy, labor law and labor history. Mr. Dwyer’s wife, Marie was aware of his deep feelings for the program and shortly after his death in 1982 established this scholarship fund in his memory. Mrs. Dwyer continued to meet with Dwyer Scholarship recipients and attend Ramapo events until her death in 2003. Because Frank Dwyer was particularly interested in labor relations, the Dwyer scholarships benefit high-achieving upperclassmen who are majoring in social sciences and have an interest “in effecting social change.”