Executive Dean Laura Lawson addresses the attendees of the 2024 Retired Faculty and Staff Luncheon in December.
In what is one of our favorite Cook campus traditions, retired faculty and staff from the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences (SEBS) and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) convened in Neilson Dining Hall for the annual Retired Faculty and Staff Luncheon on December 5, 2024. Executive Dean Laura Lawson was on hand to host the affair.
The Rectangle Room at Neilson was resplendent with a colorful array of red, white, pink, and orange poinsettias from our Floriculture Greenhouse, infusing the room with holiday cheer. Red and white tablecloths and napkins added a Rutgers flair to the spirit of the season.
Retirees enjoyed catching up with former colleagues and friends, including current faculty and staff, over a delicious buffet lunch, including potato crusted cod velouté and grilled lemon pepper chicken. The meal was accompanied by some light background music, provided by a pianist from the Mason Gross School of the Arts. The names of those most recently retired scrolled through monitors in the front of the room.
During coffee and dessert, retirees from around the room shared some of their favorite memories from their time at SEBS and NJAES, which decorated the room with laughter and smiles.
As always, guests were invited to bring a poinsettia home to remember the joy of the occasion during the holiday season. See photo gallery below.
Attendees and Guests (including current faculty and staff)
Julianne Altavilla
Nick Bello
Michelle Brill
Arthur Brown
Susan Caruso
Camille Cennamo
Theodore Chase
Serena Claiborne
Bruce Clarke
Joan DeBoer and Tess Schneider
Annette Devitt
Debbie Drugos
David and MaryLou Earl
Lauren Errickson
Geetha and Raj Ghai
Ramu Govindasamy
Peter Guarnaccia
David Hancock
Carol Harvey
Zane Helsel
James and Dee Johnson
Esther Kacso
Robert and Carol Koch
Ralph and Diane Lindauer
Roger Locandro and Bonnie McCay Merritt
Rick Ludescher
Rachael Lyons
Kathleen Maguire
Ian Maw and Michele Petrullo-Maw
Daryl Minch
Kathleen Morgan and Patricia Kearns
Esther Neals
Diana Orban-Brown and Michael Brown
Nick Polanin
James Quinn
Lisa Reed
Nathan and Rose Reiss
Ann Rhinesmith
Troy Roepke
Daniel and Alyce Rossi
Thomas Rudel
John Sacalis
Lee Schneider
Don Schaffner
Dawn Skouboe
Joanne Stevely
Joan Suber
Michael and Suzanne Sukhdeo
William Tietjen
Sherman Tomasino
Vibu Udayaraj
John and Constance Webster
John and Harriet Worobey
Maria Zamora
