Georgian Court Welcomes Sharmay Wood as New Dean of Students

Sharmay Wood - Dean of Students

Georgian Court is well known for its tight-knit community and approachable faculty and staff. The newest member of the leadership team will only enhance this warm atmosphere.

Ms. Sharmay Wood, the incoming Dean of Students, served at Lake Superior State University in Michigan as their Associate Director and then Director of Campus Life from 2009 to 2021, and as the Associate Dean of Student Affairs until 2022. She brings her passion for student engagement and collaborative leadership style with her to Georgian Court. We sat down with Ms. Wood to discuss her new role at Georgian Court and her past work in higher education.

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Sister Michele Aronica and Deacon James J. Knipper to Lead Georgian Court University Trustees

2023 Board of Trustees

With over three decades of experience as a dedicated professor, non-profit executive, and religious leader, Sr. Michele is well suited to lead Georgian Court’s Board of Trustees.

Sr. Michele Aronica served as a Professor of Sociology at St. Joseph’s College from 1978-2005 and 2011-2021. During her tenure at the college, she chaired the Department of Sociology, Criminal Justice, and Social Work; led the Faculty Senate Executive Committee as President and Vice President; and chaired multiple Senate and institutional committees. As Department Chair, she led the development of new academic programs including hybrid programs in criminal justice and social justice, a concentration in social work, and the Bachelor of Social Work degree.

Deacon Knipper is currently in his second tenure as a GCU Board of Trustees member and follows his father, Mr.  Joseph P. Knipper, who served as a Trustee from 2002 to 2008. Deacon Jim has served on several Board committees and was co-chair of the Georgian Court golf outing. He is the former CEO of J. Knipper and Company, Inc.

As a current member of the Board of Trustees for GCU and a member of the Finance Council of the Diocese of Trenton, Jim is poised to play a leading role in Georgian Court’s future. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees for the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

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Georgian Court Named 2023 NJBIZ Empowering Women Honoree

GCU 2023 Empowering Women Honoree by NJBIZ

In recognition of Georgian Court’s commitment to recruiting, hiring, and promoting women, the university has been named a 2023 Empowering Women Honoree by NJBIZ. With 100% female deans, 67% female faculty members, and over 50% female administrators on its President Leadership Council*, Georgian Court University (GCU) is a leader amongst state and national universities in its efforts to provide opportunities at all levels of higher education for women.

NJBIZ announced the recipients of the inaugural Empowering Women recognition program on Wednesday, June 21st. Georgian Court and more than 50 other NJ-affiliated companies and organizations are being recognized for their tangible and innovative efforts to advance women in the workplace and community.

Georgian Court has been a trailblazer of opportunity for women since its founding by the Sisters of Mercy in 1908 as an all-women’s educational institution. The university became co-ed in 2012, but its legacy of women’s leadership laid the strong foundation that makes GCU what it is today.

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Georgian Court’s 112th Annual Commencement

2023 Commencement

Bright sunshine, broad smiles, and endless joy filled the campus on May 17 as Georgian Court University welcomed nearly 3,000 graduates, families, alumni, and special guests to celebrate the 112th Annual Commencement Ceremony.  In total, 504 degrees were conferred.

The day began with an uplifting Baccalaureate Mass at the Wellness Center led by Rev. Greg Boyle, S.J., Msgr. Vince Garland, Msgr. Joseph Rosie and Deacon Jim Knipper ’15, H’17.  Graduating senior Jhelaine Palo served as the Lector and soprano Liana Hollendonner regaled the audience with beautiful hymns under the musical direction of Rob MacReynolds.

The striking melody of the bagpipes marked the traditional procession of graduates around the Apollo Fountain to the outdoor stage cheered on by a field packed with well-wishers on this momentous day.

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Kim Rego `23: It’s Never Going to be Easy, But it is Going to be Worth It

Kim Rego `23

Kimberly Rego of Spotswood, NJ., a sixth-grade Language Arts teacher, had been thinking about going to graduate school, but wasn’t sure where to start. Then, she received an email from her school about GCU graduate classes for educators. “I didn’t know where to go, but when this came up, I said to myself, you know what, I am going to do it!”

In 2021, she enrolled in the Reading/Literacy Specialization master’s degree program at GCU. As a Special Ed teacher, Rego was perplexed by how many students she was seeing that still didn’t know how to read by the time they got to her classroom. “I wanted to help them, but I didn’t know how. I had to help myself first so I could help them, so, I went back to school to learn more about the reading process,” said Rego.

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Jay Abraham `23: Growth in a Journey

Jay Abraham `23

Soccer (or “football” in Scotland) was the vehicle Jay Abraham used to arrive at Georgian Court University, but academic principles are the fuel that powered him through the journey. “The Five Mercy Core Values are guides for how best conduct yourself not only at school but in life,” said Abraham who hails from the town of Dumfries in Scotland.

Driven at a young age to become an accountant, Abraham sought an education program that provided the option for two majors: Accounting and Finance. His home country of Scotland did not offer this academic track in higher education, so he looked toward the United States.

“The morals and values of Georgian Court University resonated with me, especially service. Community service holds a special place in my heart and I thrive off of giving back to others and making them happy,” said Abraham. “This is a feeling like no other, helping people in a less fortunate situation, it is something everybody should do and the world would be a better place if this happened.”

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Josselin Ruiz ’23: First-Generation Student Recognized for Outstanding Academic Performance

Josselin Ruiz '23

Josselin Ruiz of Lakewood, N.J., is a stellar example of following your dreams and never giving up. As a first-generation college student, Ruiz faced some struggles since no one in her family was able to offer advice or help her anticipate what college was going to be like. It was a challenge at first, but that didn’t stop her from showing up and exceeding the expectations of her professors at GCU.

As an Early Childhood Education and Spanish Major, Ruiz loves working with young children and has experience working in schools and childcare centers. “I chose to major in Spanish because I wanted to improve my native language to better assist my community and the students that I will be teaching,” said Ruiz.

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GCU’s 27th Annual Scholarship & Golf Classic

Kelsey Grammar Beer Tasting

Georgian Court University hosted its 27th Annual Scholarship and Golf Classic on Monday, May 8, 2023, at Battleground Country Club in Manalapan, NJ. The Scholarship and Golf Classic is unequivocally the most important fundraising event of the year, with proceeds funding scholarships that make the dream of an education possible for hundreds of students. We can’t thank our sponsors and donors enough for their continued support of this event.

This year, GCU had a very special guest – award-winning actor, Kelsey Grammer, known for many iconic roles including NBC’s sitcom Cheers and its spin-off Frasier. Mr. Grammer golfed throughout the day, engaged with attendees, and hosted a beer tasting – sharing his line of Faith American beer during the evening reception.

Information will be posted on our website soon regarding next year’s event, but in the meantime, you can view photos from this year’s event here!

Georgian Court Alum Brittany Scardigno Receives a Fulbright in South Korea for 2023

On Monday, January 9th, Georgian Court alum Brittany Scardigno headed to Seoul, South Korea for her 2023 Fulbright Program. As the recipient of an English Teaching Assistantship (ETA), Brittany will be teaching students in underserved communities and immersing herself in South Korean culture.

Click here to read the full interview and to learn more about what she’ll be teaching and how her experience at Georgian Court helped to prepare her for the year abroad.

Georgian Court Wins NCAA Community Service Award

Georgian Court has received the NCAA Team Works Community Service Competition award, which recognizes student-athletes’ service to their respective communities through divisional competitions.

NCAA Team Works, which coordinates community service efforts at NCAA championships, and Helper Helper, a volunteer management and tracking platform, launched the community service competition to recognize student-athletes and schools who give back to their communities. This year’s challenge marked its seventh competition, which ran from Sept. 1-Dec. 15 and is based on the number of service hours completed and the number of participating student-athletes. Helper Helper tracks the school participation data throughout the competition.

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