• Twelve Rider seniors and an administrator were recognized by the New Jersey Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Professional Association during its 36th annual conference in Atlantic City on March 27. Recognized for Outstanding Achievement (exemplifying the spirit and intent of the EOF program) was Gina Streeter, a political science major. Nancy Bodine, an elementary/psychology major; Gabrielle Brown, a marketing major; Betsabe Castro, an accounting major; Christian Duncan, an English major; Rahmael Magny, a fine arts major; Marco Rodriguez, a psychology major; Susan Pierre, an elementary education/communication major; and Dong Wu, an accounting major, were recognized for Outstanding Achievement for maintaining a grade point average of at least a 3.5. Joshua Galbraith, a marketing major; Estefania Juncal, a Spanish major; and Kareem Gilbert, a psychology major, were recognized for Academic Achievement (each earned grade point averages ranging from 3.2 to 3.4). Michael Rutkowski, grants coordinator in the finance division at Rider, was recognized as an Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Champion, along with those from other institutions throughout New Jersey. Rutkowski was cited for playing a large role in coordinating the use of various funding sources, both internal and external, in supporting Rider’s EOP.

• Christopher Antanaitis, a senior American studies major and Undergraduate Research Scholar, received the 2006 Paul A. Stellhorn New Jersey History Award on March 24 at the Trenton War Memorial during the 13th annual History Issues Convention. The award recognizes an outstanding undergraduate course paper which addresses any aspect of New Jersey history. Antanaitis’ paper, “Chambersburg and North Trenton: Variations in the Experience of Italians in Trenton, New Jersey, c1900-1980,” was submitted for consideration by Dr. John Hillje, associate professor of history, at Rider.

• Dr. Linda Materna, chairperson of foreign languages and literatures, has been an invited speaker for a special session, titled The World of Spanish: A Homage to the Real Academia Española, at the annual conference of the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese in Salamanca, Spain in July. The topic of her session will be women of the Real Academia Española in the twentieth century. The session speakers include professors Enrique Ruiz-Fornells, Russell Sebold and John Wilcox, president of the Association; Humberto López Morales, rector of the University of Salamanca,; and Víctor Garcia de la Concha, director of the Royal Academy and president of the Association of Spanish Academies of the World. It will be presided over by His Excellency Prince Felipe de Borbón and the Secretaries of the Departments of Culture and Education of the Spanish government.