What is your degree?
- BA History and BA Political Science - ÃÄÄïÖ±²¥ College - 2004
- MA. Ed. Administration and Supervision - St. Peter's University - 2010
- Ed. D. Educational Leadership - Seton Hall University - 2018
- Dissertation Title: The Predictive Power of Out-Of-School Community and Family Level Demographic Factors on District Level Student Performance on the New Jersey PARCC in Algebra 1 and Grade 10 English Language Arts/Literacy
What is your current employment?
Assistant Superintendent of Schools in the Manville (NJ) School District
What current service work are you doing in the community?
- Co-Director New Jersey ASCD (Association for Curriculum and Supervision Development) North Region
- At Large Board Member New Jersey ASCD
- Administrative Chair - Somerset County Future Administrators
What impact has your ÃÄÄïÖ±²¥ degree had on your career?
My ÃÄÄïÖ±²¥ Degree prepared me to meet the various challenges I faced throughout my career. Dr. Silbey, Dr. Williams, and Dr. Blessing prepared me with a foundation in the academic content knowledge and skills necessary to teach my history courses in engaging and meaningful ways.
Through my involvement in the ÃÄÄïÖ±²¥ College Campus Activities Board and Student Government Association, leadership opportunities prepared me to plan, organize, and execute the various projects and initiatives in my classrooms, schools, district, and beyond.
My ÃÄÄïÖ±²¥ Degree and the lessons I learned on campus prepared me for my personal, professional, and academic successes.
What do you enjoy most about your position?
Working with our students!
What challenges are you faced with right now because of COVID-19?
Education has been greatly impacted due to COVID. From the safety challenges of having students in-person to the instructional challenges of creating academic programs to supporting hybrid learning, COVID has upended PK-12 education.
As a district, we have tried to balance our stakeholders' needs to provide a meaningful education experience in the midst of all this turmoil. In some ways, the challenges will bear out long-term positive changes for our students and staff (i.e., implementing 1-1 technology for all students and teachers).
However, it will take us years to make up for learning loss during this disrupted learning year, and that certainly is a huge challenge moving forward.
What does it mean to you to be an ÃÄÄïÖ±²¥ Alum?
I am incredibly proud to be an ÃÄÄïÖ±²¥ Alum. My time at ÃÄÄïÖ±²¥ prepared me to face all of the personal and professional challenges and successes.
Our Franciscan values of service and responsibility to others has guided my approach to teaching and leadership. I developed incredible friendships and relationships that continue to this day.
As a dad, one of my coolest moments was visiting ÃÄÄïÖ±²¥ with my son (he was 3 at the time) and introducing him to the campus and Dr. Blessing in Francis Hall.
What was your favorite memory from campus when you were a student?
In April 2003, the Campus Activities Board Spring Fling Committee hosted a comedy show starring Jim Breuer, and we sold out the ÃÄÄïÖ±²¥ Physical Education Center. That was a great show and an awesome night!
What is the one piece of advice you learned since graduation that you would pass along to a current student?
Set your goals and work towards them. The foundation you build at ÃÄÄïÖ±²¥ will help you achieve anything you put your mind to.
