PROFessionals of the Month

The focus of the PROFessionals of the Month program is to recognize, on a monthly basis, exemplary Rowan employees as nominated by fellow members of the University community.

The program is for faculty, staff, or employee groups at any level across all University campuses. The monthly recipient(s), chosen by the PROF of the Month Committee, will receive a special visit by the committee, a group of professionals dedicated to recognizing—and celebrating—outstanding work by Rowan employees.

Nominations can be submitted for individual employees, work groups or project teams. The ideal candidate will have played a major role in a recent, exceptional accomplishment, preferably in the month they have been nominated for (Examples: Completion of a high impact task or project, successful organization of an event, receipt of an award for an outstanding accomplishment, etc.).  

To nominate faculty, staff, or a team of professionals for the PROFessional(s) of the Month, fill out the PROF of the Month Nomination Form by the end of the calendar month to explain why your nominee(s) should be recognized. Feel free to resubmit nominations that were previously submitted!

Which Rowan professional or team of professionals has gone above and beyond the call of duty in serving the University community? Who in the past month exhibited terrific student engagement, customer service, and teamwork, exemplifying all that is terrific about Rowan professionals?  

In short, who should be Rowan’s PROFessional(s) of the Month?

 

  

October 2025

Marium Waqar - Division of University Advancement

 

Congratulations to Marium Waqar for being selected as the October PROFessional of the Month!

Marium is the Assistant Director of Annual Giving in the Division of University Advancement. In this role, Marium is responsible for leading the student engagement program where she hires and manages a team of students while they call, email and text Rowan alumni and donor communities. Marium teaches the basics of fundraising, phone etiquette and how to deal with complicated conversations. 

In September, the Division of University Advancement launched their “Forging Forward” campaign. There was a large amount of work associated with launching this campaign and it was truly a team effort. Marium stood out as going above and beyond in helping to prepare for this. One example of this was that Marium planned an interactive trail at the campaign launch event. The purpose of the trail was to have attendees learn about Henry Rowan and his story, reflect on their “why” for giving back and explore various ways that we can all show gratitude. 

Here’s what one of Marium’s colleagues had to say about Marium’s dedication and commitment to serving in her role as the Assistant Director of Annual Giving:

“Marium is an amazing colleague and truly puts so much time and effort into everything she does. She goes the extra mile to think of unique ideas that will add something extra to an event or to anything she is working on. She’s a pleasure to work with and be around.” 

For her dedication and commitment to going above and beyond in her role, we celebrate Marium Waqar as the October PROFessional of the Month!

September 2025

Brett Sheplock - Residential Learning and University Housing

 

Congratulations to Brett Sheplock for being selected as the September PROFessional of the Month!

Brett Sheplock is the coordinator of Housing Systems and Logistics at Rowan University. In this role, Brett is responsible for supervising student staff and a graduate student, as well as investigating, troubleshooting and resolving campus maintenance issues throughout campus housing spaces. 

The Housing Systems & Logistics team is a small group of professionals who are responsible for the oversight of all maintenance and custodial needs of on-campus housing. Brett not only empowered the team’s 16 student employees, he created a competent, reliable and focused staff who could operate autonomously. Brett would also lend a hand in helping work alongside the staff in unairconditioned buildings. Brett is always willing to step up and help out. 

Here’s what one of Brett’s colleagues had to say about the impact Brett has had on the Rowan University community:

• “Brett supervises 16 student staff members in the summer, and we typically have 6-9 of those employees continue in this role throughout the academic year. Supervision, motivation of others, and allowing student staff to discover their strengths are Brett's superpowers. Brett set the tone for our team from the very first day, creating a culture of inclusion, empowerment, support, and celebration. He approaches everything as a learning opportunity, allowing our staff members to try, fail, and try again without fear. He shows them that celebrating the small wins can make the hardest days worthwhile and meaningful. This not only makes our student staff want to work harder for our campus and our students, it makes them better people. Due to his leadership, Brett was able to create one of the most successful summers our team has had in terms of completion of responsibilities, but also in the team relationships he helped establish. The amount of times student staff members said "this is the best job I've ever had" while wiping sweat from their brows describes the type of experience Brett was able to give them while working for our institution.”

For his commitment to stepping up and creating a positive work environment, we celebrate Brett Sheplock as the September PROFessional of the Month!

August 2025

Laura LaPalomento- University Communications

 

Congratulations to Laura LaPalomento for being selected as the August PROFessional of the Month!

Laura LaPalomento is the managing administrative assistant to Joe Cardona, Vice President for University Communication.

In recent months, Laura played a critical role in assisting with a major reorganization effort, helping to merge two separate divisions into one cohesive team. She went above and beyond by making the transition smoother for everyone involved—answering questions, streamlining processes, and providing hands-on support with finances, equipment needs, and day-to-day logistics. Through it all, her attitude remained consistently positive and energetic. Even under pressure, Laura never showed a hint of frustration—just steady, upbeat support that helped others stay grounded and focused.

Specifically for the Office of University Communication in June, July and August, Laura coordinated our move to a new location within Bole Hall. This included moving six personnel and herself from the first floor of Bole Hall to the second and two additional colleagues from Carriage House to Bole Hall, second floor. Laura managed requests and scheduling for moving boxes, office keys, IRT support and furniture installation. She ensured that the team had what they needed in a timely fashion. And, without complaint, Laura packed and unpacked community items like the storage closet and kitchen supplies. Laura is the ultimate team player.

Here’s what one of Laura’s colleagues had to say about the impact Laura has had on the Rowan University community:

• “Laura is the kind of person who makes things happen behind the scenes, but her work is essential to our success. Her organizational skills, responsiveness, and collaborative spirit—paired with her upbeat and unfailingly positive attitude—make her an invaluable team member. This month in particular, her ability to handle complex challenges with such grace and good energy truly deserves recognition.”

For her caring nature and upbeat and positive attitude, we celebrate Laura LaPalomento as the August PROFessional of the Month!

July 2025

Mercedes Byrd, Education & Information Services and Dr. James Martin, Medical Education & Scholarship

 

Congratulations to Dr. James Martin and Mercedes Byrd for being selected as the July PROFessionals of the Month!

Dr. James Martin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Medical Education & Scholarship at the School of Osteopathic Medicine and Mercedes Byrd is the Problem-Based Learning Librarian in the Health Sciences Library for the School of Osteopathic Medicine.

In their work, Dr. Martin and Mercedes are both highly collaborative and very helpful. They always seek to provide actionable, effective, and helpful information to faculty, staff, and students.

Here’s what a colleague of Dr. Martin and Mercedes had to say about the impact they have had on the Rowan University community:

• “Dr. Martin and Mercedes have been instrumental in bringing helpful uses of artificial intelligence to our faculty and student population. They have developed library-based workshops, a LibGuide (https://rowanmed.libguides.com/AI), and sessions for our pre-matriculation program. They have both actively participated in Rowan-Virtua SOM's AI and Medical Education Bi-Monthly Discussion Group (Dr. Martin is a Co-Coordinator with me). Both have also participated in multiple meetings as we integrate AI into our curriculum and faculty development activities.”

For their collaborative spirit and dedication to helping others, we celebrate Dr. James Martin and Mercedes Byrd as the July PROFessionals of the Month!

June 2025

Robert DiMenna, Project Management Office

 

Congratulations to Robert DiMenna for being selected as the June PROFessional of the Month!

Robert DiMenna is a Program Manager in the Division of Information Resources and Technology (IRT). 

In this role, Robert is responsible for managing the IT infrastructure builds of all new construction for the university. 

Robert's role is pivotal to the successful expansion and modernization of Rowan University's infrastructure. He collaborates with a diverse array of stakeholders, including architects, general contractors, vendors, facilities management, and IT network engineers. Robert’s proactive approach to planning, executing, and monitoring risks ensures that complex technology projects remain on schedule, within budget, and aligned with scope, significantly contributing to the university's strategic goals.

Here’s what some of Robert’s colleagues had to say about the impact Robert has had on the Rowan University community:

• “Robert cares a great deal about the quality of his work and strives to provide his stakeholders with excellent customer service going above and beyond by over communicating to his project teams when there are issues and risks at stake.”
• “Robert is a collaborative team player who willingly shares his knowledge to support the growth and development of his fellow colleagues. His unique insights have been instrumental in informing key decisions related to building and infrastructure initiatives.”
• “Robert is a true team player, always willing to help others with empathy and grace.  His commitment to Rowan, the PMO and IRT should be commended.” 

For his commitment to Rowan and his dedication to teamwork, we celebrate Robert DiMenna as the June PROFessional of the Month!

May 2025

Denise Oncay, Campus Recreation

 

Congratulations to Denise Oncay for being selected as the May PROFessional of the Month!

Denise Oncay is an Administrative Assistant on the Campus Recreation team at Rowan University. 

Denise is extremely organized and keeps all of the Campus Recreation professional staff, graduate coordinators, and our 200+ student employees in line. She coordinates all of the onboarding & hiring of our student employees, coordinating their paperwork, ensuring that they are entered into the payroll system, and tracking start dates & hourly wages to award raises based on promotions & longevity in their individual roles. 

Denise is the rock of the Campus Recreation community. No matter what task she is currently working on, Denise always immediately drops what she is doing to help both our student staff and professional staff. Denise brings energy, positivity, and so much effort into our University community.

Here’s what some of Denise’s colleagues had to say about the impact Denise has had on the Rowan University community:

• “Denise is retiring this summer after 16+ years of serving Campus Recreation. While her hard work and productivity will be missed, the true void will be missing her smile, care, and energy she brings to our department every day. It's hard to picture our team without her. We will miss her dearly.”
• “Denise has always gone above and beyond what is required of her by her job description and will happily help anyone who needs it. She will be impossible to replicate after her retirement and is most deserving of a Prof of the Month Award.”
• “Denise has impacted the lives of thousands of student employees, student participants, employee members, and community members. She is also a shining light for our prospective students, parents, and guests and always makes herself available to support departmental and divisional initiatives.”  

For the lasting impact she has made on the Rowan University community, we celebrate Denise Oncay as the May PROFessional of the Month!

April 2025

Kristen Hicks, College of Science & Mathematics

 

Congratulations to Kristen Hicks for being selected as the April PROFessional of the Month!

Kristen Hicks is the Assistant Director of Budget and Finance in the College of Science and Mathematics at Rowan University. 

Kristen goes above and beyond to support the functionality of the College of Science and Mathematics. Upon the retirement of one of her colleagues, Kristen stepped up to oversee and fulfill all of their duties in addition to performing her day-to-day responsibilities. In addition to this, Kristen supports the intake of complicated deliveries of chemicals and other substances that enable the departments of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Chemistry & Biochemistry, and Physics & Astronomy to continue to function.

According to her colleagues, Kristen has “consistently demonstrated teamwork and a positive attitude,” while serving as an “outstanding and caring colleague.”

“Despite an overwhelming workload, Kristen persists as the ultimate professional, meeting deadlines, supporting her team, and having a positive impact on not just our office but of the entire college.”

For her determination and exceptional level of caring for her colleagues, we celebrate Kristen Hicks as the April PROFessional of the Month!

March 2025

Dr. Kelley Bethoney, Biological Sciences

 

Congratulations to Kelley Bethoney for being selected as the March PROFessional of the Month!

Kelley is a Teaching Assistant Professor, in the Department of Biological Sciences.

This is how Kelley’s nominator said she got creative with student engagement & customer service:

Kelley offered extended office hours and hosted "Coffee with Kelley" every Friday morning for students who wanted to ask questions and discuss A&P related topics in a warm, friendly atmosphere. 

She fosters a sense of belonging by continuing the “Coffee with Kelley” sessions upon request and reports that "Content makes them come, but belonging makes them stay."

Kelley has so much energy and enthusiasm for her work - she is an inspiration.

We are amazed at her keen awareness and dedication to the students with specific situations, as well as her obvious sense of responsibility toward empowering all students enrolled in A&P courses each semester.  

Kelley deserves to be recognized for her student-centeredness and commitment to Rowan University.

These are the reasons why Kelley was chosen by the Committee as PROFessional of the Month for March!

February 2025

Dr. Archana Kumari, Cell Biology & Neuroscience

 

Congratulations to Dr. Archana Kumari for being selected as the February PROFessional of the Month!

Dr. Archana Kumari is an assistant professor at Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine. In addition to leading the Kumari Lab, she works as a Problem-based Learning (PBL) facilitator at the Stratford Campus.

Dr. Kumari's academic training and research experiences are extensive in the biological sciences, covering various aspects of reproductive toxicology, epigenetics, developmental biology, and oral cancer. 

Dr. Kumari exhibits terrific work and engagement by always being accessible, helpful, and kind to coworkers and students. As noted by a current Rowan-Virtua SOM student, “Dr. Kumari's accomplishments speak for themselves, but in addition to her success, she is the reason I feel safe and supported enough to continue with research on my hardest days. She is always there to offer advice, perspective, and words of encouragement. If anyone is deserving of this recognition, it is Dr. Kumari!”

With her continued dedication to furthering chemoreception research, Dr. Kumari is an undeniable asset to this University and the surrounding community. This past month, Dr. Kumari received an award from New Jersey Health Foundation for Annual Grants Program for a proposal titled “Inhibiting Hedgehog Signaling in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A New Therapeutic Avenue.” She has also had abstracts accepted for poster presentations at both the 47th Association for Chemoreception Sciences meeting and the Biologists @ 100 conference. Additionally, she will be participating in the Association for Chemoreception Sciences "Hill Day", where she will meet with lawmakers to gain support for chemosensory research. 

For her ability to be kind and helpful to others in addition to her dedication to furthering impactful research, we celebrate Dr. Archana Kumari as the February PROFessional of the Month!

January 2025

Carol Primas-Young, Rowan Online

 

Congratulations to Carol Primas-Young for being selected as the January PROFessional of the Month!

Carol Primas-Young is a Project Manager on the Rowan Online team. In this role, Carol manages multiple, large-scale projects simultaneously. This requires planning, executing and monitoring each project to ensure they are in alignment with the university’s strategic goals committed to fostering a positive, inclusive learning environment focused on the success and achievement for all Rowan University students.

Carol consistently goes above and beyond, managing complex projects with professionalism, precision, and fostering an honest, welcoming and collaborative environment amongst team members. Her ability to lead with clarity, empathy and appreciation has been instrumental in creating a positive and productive work environment where team members feel trusted and empowered to voice, develop and implement the best possible solution for our organization.  Carol is frequently enlisted to manage transformative, University-level projects outside of her departmental responsibilities. These have included:

• The University’s first online catalog serving the many diverse needs of current and prospective students, faculty and staff
• The automated curriculum workflow system for creating, reviewing and approving the process making it streamlined and more efficient
• High school dual credit programs allowing students to accumulate Rowan college credits at little or no cost
• 3+1 agreements with community colleges to ease the transition for transfer students
• Formalized partnerships with corporate neighbors allowing their employees achieve personal and professional goals, while our partners see increased productivity and retention
• Implementing new systems such as the Slate CRM which optimizes the student application experience throughout its lifecycle.

When not managing projects, Carol actively demonstrates her dedication to the university community as a volunteer for countless events - “Philabundance Fresh for All Distribution,” Rowan commencement ceremonies, coordinating donations for Thanksgiving baskets, providing donations to The SHOP, planting on the West Campus Farm, Chairing and participating in numerous search committees, mentoring numerous student employees and this year serving as a judge for the “FIRST® LEGO League Challenge” and running the “Run for Rowan 5k 2024.”

For her exceptional work ethic and passion for positive change, we celebrate Carol Primas-Young as the January PROFessional of the Month!

December 2024

Taylor Feldschneider, Mitch Muhlbaier, Madison Neumann-Wilmer, and Danny Ryan

Congratulations to Madison Neumann-Wilmer, Social Media Content Creator, Taylor Feldschneider, Assistant Director of Social Media, Mitch Muhlbaier, Social Media Content Creator, and Danny Ryan, Multimedia Specialist, for being selected as the December PROFessionals of the Month!

Taylor, Mitch, Madison and Danny work together as members of the Rowan University Social Media Team under the leadership of Dana Traynor, Associate Director of Social Media. 

The Social Media Team consistently goes above and beyond in serving the Rowan University community by elevating how we connect with our audiences. The team has demonstrated outstanding employee and student engagement, customer service, and teamwork this year through exceptional community management. They’ve maintained an unwavering commitment to building authentic connections with students, alumni, and prospective Profs by engaging thoughtfully and promptly with comments, messages, and questions across all platforms.

Below are just a few of the team’s accomplishments through 2023 and 2024:

• The Social Media Team launched the highly successful Ed & Em Eats series, which became a campus favorite and led to Ed and Em being recognized by fans on and off campus.
• The Social Media Team began developing a student-focused podcast (Club Chat) to highlight the diverse voices and experiences of Rowan University students.
• Additionally, the team had a recent video go viral, with over 40M views and gaining 50,000 YouTube subscribers—a remarkable achievement that amplified Rowan University's online presence and showcased the creativity and expertise of the team. As a result, the team handled a surge of inquiries following a viral video, ensuring every question and comment was met with genuine care and attention. 

Through these efforts, alongside their consistent delivery of high-quality, engaging content, the team continues to inspire pride in the Rowan community while fostering meaningful connections with students, alumni, and prospective Profs.

For their creativity and strong teamwork and collaboration, we celebrate Taylor Feldschneider, Mitch Muhlbaier, Madison Neumann-Wilmer and Danny Ryan as the December PROFessionals of the Month!

November 2024

Joe Lizza, Andrea Leach, Nikki Colasanti, and Melissa Hawlik

 

Congratulations to Joe Lizza (Student Center & Campus Activities), Andrea Leach (Wellness Center), Nikki Colasanti (Corporate Learning), and Melissa Hawlik (IRT) for being selected as the November PROFessionals of the Month!

Joe Lizza is the Director of the Chamberlain Student Center & Campus Activities, Andrea Leach is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at the Wellness Center, Nikki Colasanti is a Contract and Billing Specialist on the Corporate Learning team and Melissa Hawlik is a Manager of Training Services on the Information Resources & Technology (IRT) team. Joe, Andrea, Nikki and Melissa are volunteers for “Flying First,” the First Generation Task Force at Rowan University.

Rowan University’s First-Generation Task Force program initiative, Flying First, was developed to enhance academic success for our first-generation students while focusing on an increased sense of belonging within our campus community.

Flying First was developed to enhance academic success for our first-generation students while focusing on an increased sense of belonging within our campus community. The Task Force strives to cultivate a sense of belonging for all first-generation students and to create campus awareness to encourage staff and faculty connections campus wide and online. This year, Rowan welcomed the largest class of first-year students. Of the first-time undergraduate students that started in the fall - 33% were first-generation students! The First Generation Task Force knew they had to up their game and accepted the challenge to connect more students with the Flying First program. 

Joe, Andrea, Nikki and Melissa came together for a common goal and volunteered their time to design and execute the fall semester’s programming and help connect even more first-generation students with the Flying First community. These four individuals have a passion for helping first-generation students thrive at Rowan and put in countless hours behind the scenes helping the Flying First program flourish each year. 

Most recently Joe, Andrea, Nikki, and Melissa worked together to plan and execute First Gen Week programming for the week of November 4-8, with the week culminating on Friday, National First-Gen Day. A total of 357 students attended Student Center events throughout the week, scored lots of swag and participated in a variety of activities. It was important to Joe, Andrea, Nikki and Melissa to expand programming to include graduate first-gen students, provide first-gen stats to the entire community and to provide professional development or academic success events. This year’s First Gen Week included a graduate student social, virtual career preparedness webinar, a fun interactive fact or fiction activity, and a leaves on trees activity where students expressed goals and dreams, all in the heart of the Chamberlain Student Center. 

For their dedication to supporting our First-Generation students, we honor Joe Lizza, Andrea Leach, Nikki Colasanti and Melissa Hawlik as the November PROFessionals of the Month!