(left to right) Dr. Phyllis Frakt, Dr. Jonathan Husch, Karen Bitner, Bill Roell, and President Mordechai Rozanski

President Emeritus Elliott joined President Mordechai Rozanski and Provost Phyllis Frakt in presenting the citation and plaque to each of this year's recipients. The award, endowed by the Board of Trustees, honors Elliott, who was the fourth president of Rider. He retired in 1990. In addition to a plaque, each recipient received a $500 award.

Karen Bitner

Karen Bitner joined the Rider community in 1993, serving her first few years in the financial aid and admissions areas. In 1997, she became secretary to then new associate dean of education, Dr. Carol Brown. Early on, she distinguished herself as someone with "unfailing common sense, intelligence and good humor."

Over the years, Bitner's attributes have earned her special responsibilities. She has used her exceptional organizational skills and eye for detail to coordinate the School of Education's extensive reporting responsibilities to professional, accrediting, state and federal agencies. She has become an indispensable and valued expert in ferreting out accurate information and in juggling deadlines to ensure that reporting is done in a timely manner.

Of all her attributes, the one that that has earned her most praise is her positive attitude. Colleagues describe Bitner as "welcoming" and "gracious." Her professionalism and upbeat attitude are great assets for the School of Education. Likewise, students and parents have been strongly affected by her highly personable manner.

Often the initial contact for both students and family members, Bitner has forged lasting relationships. Many students call her "Mom." Several of her "kids," who are now alumni, have invited her to their bridal showers and weddings. Many have sent her pictures of their babies.

Dr. Jonathan Husch

Dr. Jonathan Husch cares deeply about education at all levels. He has served in an advisory role with the Lawrence Township Public Schools, the West Windsor-Plainsboro School District middle school and as a trustee of the Lawrence Township Education Foundation. He has participated in Rider's BRIDGE (Bridging Research, Instruction, and Discipline-Grounded Epistemologies) faculty development program and as a manuscript and program reviewer for a number of other professional journals.

Husch received his Bachelor degree in geology from Colgate University graduating magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He earned his Master degree and Ph.D. from Princeton University. He conducted his field work with the U.S. Geological Survey and as a visiting graduate fellow with the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, TX. He joined Rider's in 1980, rising through the ranks to become professor in 1990. In addition to his many fellowships and research awards, Husch has published extensively in his field and has written for Rider magazine.

Husch loves athletics and has served as Rider's Faculty Athletics Representative for nearly nine years. In this capacity, he has been the faculty support person for Rider's 340 Division I student-athletes. Working to ensuring academic integrity and high performance for Rider's student-athletes, Husch attends all athletic department meetings and has served on numerous coaching search committees He recently played an important part as a member of the NCAA Certification Self-Study Team, leading the governance and rules compliance subcommittee.

Husch has also offered wise counsel to a number of committees at Rider, including the Strategic Planning Facilities Task Force, the Freshman Convocation Planning Committee, and the Athletics Hall of Fame.

Bill Roell

As both a Rider alumnus and administrator, Bill Roell's contributions to Rider have been generous and meaningful. His good-natured approach to the campus community has been an asset to both the Lawrenceville and Westminster campuses.

As a 1994 graduate of Rider's accounting program, Roell began his career with KPMG, a major accounting firm. His clients included not-for-profit organizations and universities, one of which was Rider. Upon hearing about an opening at Rider, Roell applied and landed a position, joining Rider in 1999. He has been vice president for finance and controller for the past five years.

Roell enjoys working with students. He serves as a freshman seminar leader and the volleyball team mentor. He is also an all-around Broncs sports fan. His service to the University has included serving as chair of the fiscal integrity sub-committee for the NCAA Self-Study certification process, a member of the Resources Task Force of the Strategic Planning process, vice chair of the faculty-staff annual fund drive and chair of the United Way campaign. In addition, he is an active member of the Alumni Association Board.

Colleagues praise Roell for his "can-do attitude." With the recent facilities re-organization, a classic example is the way he has immersed himself in overseeing facilities projects on both campuses, learning a whole new language. The Roell family is just as loyal to Rider. Roell met his wife, Kerry, while they were students. They and their children, Paige, Jenna, and Austin frequently attend Rider basketball games and alumni events and have often delivered holiday treats on campus.