Scholars, Sullivan honored as Part of Founder’s Day Celebration

By Paul Mullin

Students from each of the five colleges and both campuses were honored as Andrew J. Rider Scholars, and Dr. Jack Sullivan was presented with the Dominick A. Iorio Research Award, during the Founder’s Day activities on Saturday, Nov. 5.

Fifty-three students were recognized as Scholars this year, representing the College of Business Administration, the School of Education, the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the College of Continuing Studies, and Westminster Choir College (WCC). The award honors the top 1 percent of seniors, juniors and sophomores from each school, based on collective grade point averages.

Sullivan, a professor of English and the director of American Studies, has been a faculty member at Rider for 22 years. He received the award, named for the former dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, on the grounds of “distinguished scholarship and research.”

“Each year in selecting the winner, the faculty representatives on the University Honors Council look for a career-long history of scholarly achievements and significant recent achievements,” said President Mordechai Rozanski.

“For me, scholarship is a benign obsession,” Sullivan said. “It’s almost as natural as breathing.”

Having published five books thus far in his career, and with a sixth one due in the spring of next year, Sullivan has established a name for himself as a researcher and literary critic. He offered the recipients of the Andrew J. Rider Scholar honor advice and guidance in his acceptance speech, especially concerning mentors.

“Look for more than one if you can,” Sullivan said. “Connecting with a mentor is essential for an intellectual life.”

The scholars, generally the top four seniors, three juniors and three sophomores from each academic school, were presented to the audience by their respective deans.

“Rider University faculty do a great job of educating not only to get a good job, but also to get more young people thinking more critically than they normally would,” said Dr. James Castagnera, associate provost of the University and the presiding officer for the occasion. “Every student is equipped to live in a global environment.”

Mark Sandberg of the business school; David Oliver of the School of Education; Richard Alexander of Liberal Arts and Sciences; Karen Crowell of Continuing Studies; and Robert L. Annis of WCC, presented their students by grade and Rozanski awarded the students their certificates of recognition.

“Academic achievement is the essential element of any university,” Rozanski said. “Designation as an Andrew J. Rider Scholar is an outstanding achievement, worthy of recognition and celebration.”

Each year, students honored as scholars are encouraged to invite their mentors to the ceremony, and this year they were also asked to name a high school teacher to be invited, one who affected their decision to apply to the University.

“In honoring high school teachers in addition to Rider faculty, the importance of continuation of education at all levels of a student’s life is stressed,” said Rozanski.
Castagnera agreed that the inclusion of high school teachers was important, and stressed that the University hopes “to incorporate them more fully in the future.”