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Cicitta, Louise and Luciano Teaching Scholarship
Virtual Tour
Louise and Luciano Cicitta are the parents of Mary Cicitta ’07, ’16, and the grandparents of Matthew Cicitta ’16 and Kelly Blake ’16.
“My parents were born in the United States in 1911 and 1914,” says Mary Cicitta, “But they didn’t receive that much of a formal education. Like other children at that time, they went right to work. My mother was a seamstress and my father worked all kinds of jobs, the longest as a winemaker.”
Mary is the youngest of Louise and Luciano’s four children. “My parents encouraged all of us to continue our education,” continues Ms. Cicitta, “and as a result, we all went on to earn undergraduate and post-graduate degrees.” Ms. Cicitta passed that love of learning on to her own children, both of whom are Ramapo College graduates. Her daughter Kelly received a bachelor’s degree in theater/acting, and her son Matthew earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics.
It was Matthew’s experience in the teacher education program that motivated Ms. Cicitta to start this scholarship. The Louise and Luciano Cicitta award recognizes a student with a passion for teaching others and a commitment to working with K-12 students.
- For students enrolled in the Teacher Certification Program
- Student must be student teaching during the application year
- Financial need as determined by the Foundation policy
- GPA 3.25+
2020 Recipient
Erin Gaffney
Erin Gaffney of Roxbury, N.J. is an Elementary Education major. She has a 3.96 GPA and is a member of numerous honor societies. At the County College of Morris, Erin was the Secretary of their Phi Theta Kappa chapter. Currently, she’s on the E-Board of Tau Sigma, the transfer student honor society.
Erin plays the piccolo in the Ramapo Concert Band. “Music has always been an important part of my life,” says Erin. She was heavily involved in her instrumental and vocal departments in high school. Off-campus, along with working at Allstate Insurance, Erin is a babysitter and substitute teacher.
She is currently completing her clinical practice in a nearby elementary school. After graduating from Ramapo College, Erin is excited to begin her career as an elementary teacher, and one day, she hopes to receive her Masters in Educational Administration.
2019 Recipient
Erin Gaffney
Erin Gaffney of Roxbury, N.J. is an Elementary Education major with a 4.0 GPA. She is a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society and Phi Theta Kappa, where she previously served as the Secretary for the County College of Morris’ chapter.
In addition to her education, music has always been an important part of her life. She was heavily involved in her high school’s music department, and currently she is a piccolo player in the Ramapo Concert Band.
Off-campus, Erin has worked as a babysitter, a substitute teacher, and at Allstate Insurance. “After graduating, I am excited to begin my career as an elementary teacher. I hope to one day receive my Master’s in Educational Administration.”
2018 Recipient
Tiffanie Coleman
“Growing up in foster care, my teachers were always there for me. If I can make a difference in just one student’s life, then I will feel like all my hard work paid off,” says returning adult student Tiffanie Coleman. Tiffanie is an American Studies major with a concentration in Elementary Education. She has a 3.3 GPA.
At Ramapo, Tiffanie has been active in several organizations including Weekend Events Committee, Future Teachers of America and NJEA. She also volunteers with special needs adults, and has been a caretaker for special needs children. She hopes to find a teaching position in a local urban area and also plans to coach volleyball.
Tiffanie is from Ridgewood, N.J.
2017 Recipient
Michael Verdon
Michael Verdon of Hawthorne, NJ is a History major who is pursuing a certification in Social Studies education. He has a 3.98 GPA and is a member of Phi Alpha Theta, the National History Honor Society.
Michael has been involved in teaching students in many different capacities. In addition to substitute teaching and serving as a catechist in his local community for many years, he also tutors underprivileged learners, teaching them to read and write.
All of these experiences have cultivated a deep love of education and a passion to impact the lives of students for the better. After completing his studies at Ramapo, Michael intends to teach social studies at the secondary level.
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