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College News

Graduation Day

Graduation Day
"We are proud of each of you for the strength and excellence you have demonstrated at John Jay College. We know you will use those qualities to enrich, strengthen and improve the system of justice, nationally and internationally," said President Jeremy Travis as he greeted the Class of 2008 and their families. More than 2,600 students participated in the College’s 43rd Commencement exercises on May 29 at the Madison Square Garden Theatre. Honorary degrees were conferred on: Paul Farmer, the renowned physician and medical anthropologist who is the founding director of the international charity Partners in Health that provides direct health care services and advocacy on behalf of the world’s poorest populations; Gary L. Wells, Professor of Psychology and Distinguished Professor of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Iowa State University who is the preeminent scholar on mistaken identification; and Ellen Wolf Schrecker, Professor of History at Yeshiva University, who is a historian of the Cold War era and a major advocate for academic freedom and civil liberties. The class gift was given to the National Center for Victims of Crime, the nation’s leading organization for crime victims and those who serve them. The valedictorian was Sonja DeCou. The salutatorian was Evan Dawson.
For more about them, see Student Highlights.

College Launches Academy for Critical Incident Analysis
A $175,000 grant from the Dart Foundation is being used to launch the Academy for Critical Incident Analysis (ACIA) that will disseminate scholarly research relating to the emergence, management and consequences of critical incidents. "The Dart Foundation supports centers of excellence, applying skilled scientific study to complex societal problems. We are confident that John Jay College is such a center of excellence, and will, with the leadership of President Jeremy Travis, define and advance the emerging interdisciplinary field of critical incident analysis," said James D. Lammers, Vice President of the Dart Foundation. Critical incidents -- such as school shootings, notorious terrorist incidents, or unanticipated disasters -- have the potential to alter existing societal norms. According to Professor Ned Benton, the Interim Executive Director of ACIA, "The point of the research is to understand how some of these relatively brief but traumatic events generate consequences far beyond the time and place of the event." For more information about ACIA,
click here..


John Jay College Connect/Reconnect Open House

Alumni from the Class of 1977 to the Class of 2007 attended a May 15 reception at Casa Italiana Hall that marked the first John Jay College Connect/Reconnect Open House for alumni living and working in the Washington, DC area and alumni visiting the nation’s capital during Police Week. Hosted by President Jeremy Travis (center) and Alumni Association President Michael F. McCann (BS '74, JD) (far left), the event featured remarks by Dr. Ellen Scrivner, Director of the John Jay Leadership Academy (far right). Special guests included Ann Harkins, Vice President and COO of the National Crime Prevention Council (second from right) and R. Gil Kerlikowske, Chief of Police for the Seattle Police Department (second from left).


Policing a Multicultural City

Policing a Multicultural City
The John Jay College/NYC Police Leadership Program awarded certificates of achievement to 181 NYPD John Jay undergraduate and graduate students at a ceremony held at the College in May. The program, "Police Leadership and Supervision in a Multiracial, Multicultural City," is celebrating seven years at the College. The program provides NYPD police officers and supervisors with skills designed to better understand the diverse population in which they serve. Twelve college credits, which can be applied to a degree at the College, are awarded for a package of four undergraduate or graduate courses within the program. Officers and supervisors attend classes on their own time and enjoy the financial benefit of having their tuition, textbooks and student fees paid from a New York City Council budget item allocated to the NYPD and administered by John Jay. During the past seven years, over 4,000 NYPD students have taken courses in the program. For more information, contact Ms. Stamatia Vavasis, Coordinator of Undergraduate Public Service Student Admissions,
at svavasis@jjay.cuny.edu.

In Memoriam
Robert James Hong, 61, an adjunct professor in the Department of Public Management for 20 years who also served as the Director of Educational Technology, died peacefully at his home on May 30 after a long illness. He was an inspiration not only to his loved ones, but also to his students and colleagues….Alumni News would also like to acknowledge the passing on June 14 of Tony Schwartz, the internationally renowned media consultant who played a critical role in saving John Jay College from closing during the city’s fiscal crisis in 1976. Schwartz, who lived across the street from the College’s South Hall, produced a series of commercials pro bono that were instrumental in galvanizing public and political support to keep the College open. Schwartz was 84.


What's Going On?
Would you like to share your recent career and/or personal achievements with your fellow alums and the John Jay community? Let us know what you’re doing these days. Your submissions will be considered for inclusion in the alumni class notes section of the upcoming fall edition of the John Jay Magazine.
Just click here and fill in the information.



Events

John Jay Alumni and Family Night
Staten Island Yankees vs. Brooklyn Cyclones
Sunday, August 3, 2008                          6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

President Michael McCann (BS ’74, JD), Staten Island Coordinator James Brito (BS ’05), and the Alumni Association Board will host "Alumni and Family Night" at the baseball game between the Staten Island Yankees and the Brooklyn Cyclones (Mets) at the Richmond County Ballpark. John Jay ticket holders will be treated to a free PlayBall game program, a chance to win autographed memorabilia, a free limited-edition SI Yankees cap, and unlimited hot dogs, hamburgers, grilled chicken, soda and water.

Special ticket prices for John Jay alumni and their guests are $15 per person. (Children under 2, accompanied by an adult, do not require a ticket for admission.)

Tickets are subject to availability and may be purchased by credit card or check by Friday, July 25, 2008. Please include the following information with your order: your name, degree(s) and years(s), email address, street address, city, state, zip code, daytime telephone, the number of tickets being ordered, and the total amount of your purchase. Send your check payable to "Staten Island Yankees" or credit card order (Visa, Master Card, AMEX or Discover) to: Mr. Steve Greenblatt, Staten Island Yankees Baseball, 75 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301. Orders may also be submitted by fax to 718.273.5763 or by phone to 718.313.1316.

For more information, contact Steve Greenblatt at 718.313.1316, or John Jay Alumni Relations at 212.237.8547 or Alumni@jjay.cuny.edu.

Richmond County Ballpark
75 Richmond Terrace
Staten Island, NY 10301


The Office of Continuing and Professional Studies

Notary Public - NYS Test Preparation
Friday, August 29, 2008                         9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

This seminar prepares individuals for the New York State Notary Public Examination and provides a comprehensive view of the notary public office, including the extent of authority the position holds as well as its duties and responsibilities.

The cost is $115. Alumni receive a 10% discount. For more information and to register, click here or call 212.237.8663

John Jay College
BMW Building
555 West 57th Street
New York City

LSAT Preparation Course
Saturdays, August 16, 23, 30, 2008
Saturdays, September 6, 13, 20, 27, 2009

10:00 AM - 1:00 PM
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM

This course of seven sessions uses the Cambridge Education Services method that provides students with complete preparation for the LSAT exam and uses actual past tests and does not rely on made-up questions.

The cost for the course is $685. The cost for materials is $135. Alumni receive a 10% discount. For more information and to register, click here or call 212.237.8663.

John Jay College
BMW Building
555 West 57th Street
New York City

Fall Open Houses
Wednesday, September 3, 2008 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday, September 10, 2008 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday, September 17, 2008 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

The Office of Continuing and Professional Studies would like to introduce you to the wide variety of courses being offered this fall -- courses that are designed to meet both your professional needs and personal development. Come and enjoy some refreshments and meet the faculty who are internationally known experts in their fields. Alumni receive a 10% discount on tuition.

Paralegal Studies Open Houses
Monday, September 8, 2008 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Monday, September 15, 2008 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Monday, September 22, 2008 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

The Paralegal Certificate Program at John Jay is a rigorous educational experience emphasizing the practical skills needed to succeed as a paralegal. Join us for some refreshments and find out more about this program by attending one of our open houses.

For more information, call 212.237.8663 or email cep@jjay.cuny.edu

John Jay College
BMW Building
555 West 57th Street, Room 613BMW
New York City


Interrogation and Torture Controversy: Crisis in Psychology
Friday, September 12, 2008                     9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

This all-day conference is being sponsored by the John Jay Center on Terrorism, the Division of Social Issues of the New York State Psychologist Association, and York College. The conference will focus on the historical and ethical dimensions of this crisis, and especially the participation of psychologists in detainee interrogations and intelligence gathering. Representing a range of views, a distinguished group of experts will confer with participants on questions rarely addressed in public forums. Presenters will include Alfred McCoy, Mark Denbeaux, Steven Reisner, Tony Lagouranis, Allan Keller, Ghislaine Boulanger, Katherine Eban, David DeBatto, Frank Summers, Jameel Jaffer, and Lesley Gill.

This conference is free and open to the public. (Check-in begins at 8:30 AM.)

John Jay College
Gerald W. Lynch Theater
899 Tenth Avenue
New York City


Occasional Series on Reentry Research
Women, Reentry and Everyday Life: Time to Work?
Friday, September 12, 2008                     8:30 AM - 10:00 AM

The Prisoner Reentry Institute is pleased to invite you to this presentation by Venezia Michalsen, Director of Analysis and Client Information Systems at the Women’s Prison Association. Her study examines how multiple time demands influence women’s ability to reintegrate successfully. The research investigates the impact that women’s involvement in multiple government and social service systems has on finding employment.

RSVP to Amelia Thompson at 212.237.1399 or
amthompson@jjay.cuny.edu.

John Jay College
899 Tenth Avenue, Room 630T
New York City


Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure
Sunday, September 14, 2008                    9:00 AM

Join us in the fight against breast cancer by participating in the 2008 Komen Race for the Cure. The JOHN JAY JAYWALKERS are once again registered as a team. Alumni, faculty, staff and students have participated in this worthwhile event for the past 15 years and for the last two years we have had the largest team in the College/University category. We can make a difference.


Click here to sign up. For more information, contact the JAYWALKERS Team Captain, Irene O'Donnell, at iodonnell@jjay.cuny.edu or 212-237-8540.

Central Park West
New York City


Alumni Spotlights
Richard Nedlin (BA '99, JD)

Richard Nedlin (BA '99, JD)
Richard Nedlin, who majored in criminal justice, was recently named as the new deputy district attorney for Pitkin County, Colorado located in the heart of ski country. The native New Yorker, who spent summers in the Aspen area, is passionate about the outdoors especially when it’s covered with snow. After high school, he worked as a ski and snowboarding instructor in the Snowmass Ski Area. With a penchant for things that go fast, he even spent some time as a race-car driver in North Carolina before attending John Jay. After graduating magna cum laude, he went on to get his law degree from New York Law School. Nedlin moved to Aspen in 2004 and did pro bono legal work at Alpine Legal Service. In the position of deputy district attorney, he will prosecute misdemeanor criminal cases such as drunk driving and third-degree assaults. Nedlin told The Aspen Times that the job will give him the opportunity to work with all kinds of people. "You work with defendants. You listen to them" he told the newspaper. For Nedlin, it is important to look at the "totality of circumstances" not just a "snapshot" of an incident.


Student Highlights

At the Top of Their Class

At the Top of Their Class
Sonja DeCou (left) has a deep social concern for the mentally ill. So much so that she left a career in graphic design to purse a bachelor degree in forensic psychology at John Jay. With a perfect grade point average of 4.0, DeCou was the valedictorian for the Class of 2008. In May 2007, she won the Herbert Robbins Scholarship Award presented by the New York State Psychological Association for excellence in undergraduate psychology. This fall, DeCou will enter CW Post’s doctoral program. Also, graduating with a degree in forensic psychology was the salutatorian, Evan Dawson (right). A member of Psi Chi, the National Honor Society for Psychology, Dawson works with the Community for Education Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides services for at-risk youth. She graduated with a grade point average of 3.986 and will be applying to CUNY’s doctoral program in experimental forensic psychology at John Jay. .

Office of Alumni Affairs, 555 West 57th Street, Room 608, NY, NY 10019 - Phone 212.237.8547, Email: alumni@jjay.cuny.edu, http://www.jjay.cuny.edu/alumninews