Honors @ Atlantic Cape

News & Events

Honors Students Shine in 1st Annual Symposium

On Friday, May 10th, Honors @ Atlantic Cape held its first annual Honors Symposium in the Student Center Lobby. The symposium opened with a panel of students from Rich Russell's Honors Composition II class presenting their research on AI: Cole Fitzgerald, Gia Sliwinski, Bailey Crowley, Luca Serra, and Roman Segov. Another group presented their game highlighting the medical narratives they explored in Janet Marler's Honors Composition II class: Madison Ventura, Sara One, Michelle Esochagi, Cheyenne Schwenker, Elizabeth Carlin, and Bastion Hess. Charlene Cogollo presented her research on Taino mythology from Stephanie Natale-Boianelli's Honors World Myths. Finally, from Ken Cabarle's Honors General Biology II, Mia Zeringo presented her research on the 52-hertz whale, and Enin Taggart and Len DiDomizio presented their interactive project on biodiversity. The event closed with a presentation on Twine interactive storytelling by honors faculty member Dr. Katie Frew. During the event, the first annual Honors Catalyst Awards were announced, recognizing individuals who went above and beyond to build the “H-factor” for students, and awarded to a cross-campus collaboration that built a next-level research experience for students in Honors Composition II: Rich Russell, Janet Hauge, Leslie Murtha, Mickey DiCamillo, Bob Mast, and Matt Miller. At the conclusion of the symposium, the Honors Symposium Gallery opened, featuring even more work from Atlantic Cape’s outstanding honors students, which remained on display through 5/17.

Atlantic Cape Students Named to 2024 All-State Academic Team

Congratulations to Priya Momi and Enin Taggart who have been named to the 2024 New Jersey All-State Academic Team. This recognition by the New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC) honors the outstanding achievements and service of two Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) honor society members from each county college. During the 2023-4 academic year, Enin served as the Vice-President of Fellowship, and Priya served as the Vice President of Scholarship of Atlantic Cape’s Alpha Delta Mu chapter of PTK. They were honored by the Atlantic Cape Board of Trustees on April 23rd and by the NJCCC during the New Jersey Community College Scholars Celebration on April 25th at the New Jersey State Museum in Trenton.

Honors Composition II: A Look Inside the Classroom

Rich Russell’s Honors Composition II course is exploring artificial intelligence this semester (Spring 2024), and during the week of February 5th, they invited librarians Janet Hauge, Leslie Murtha, Mickey DiCamillo, and Bob Mast to join their class for an “innovation tank.” During these sessions, each student pitched their research focus to the class and librarian panel, and the group workshopped it together, shaping possible paths of inquiry and research methods and resources. The students are exploring a wide variety of aspects of artificial intelligence impacts from the super alignment problem to mental health treatment to creative pursuits like art, music, and storytelling. Janet Hauge said of the event: “It was a pleasure to hear the students 'pitch' their research ideas and to see the wheels churning as they began to refine those ideas. Many of the students came into the library this afternoon to look at resources and to talk to the librarians further.”

This isn’t the end of the collaboration. During the first class session, Bob Mast introduced the students to the LibGuide on artificial intelligence he has created and maintains. He has added a tab to the guide where the class can contribute resources that might be of particular interest to students. The class and library panel plan to continue working together throughout the semester.

Jocelyn Caceres Named 2024 New Century Scholar

Atlantic Cape PTK member Jocelyn Caceres has been selected as a 2024 New Century Workforce Pathway Scholar. The New Century Workforce Pathway Scholarship program is sponsored by the Coca-Cola Foundation with additional support provided by Phi Theta Kappa. More than 2,200 applications were received and evaluated on academic achievement, leadership, service, and significant endeavors. Jocelyn received the highest score in your state. As a New Century Workforce Pathway Scholar, she will receive a $1,500 scholarship and will be recognized during the Association of Community College Trustees’ (ACCT) Leadership Congress in October in Seattle, Washington. Congratulations, Jocelyn!

Honors Women in American History: A Look Inside the Classroom

In Professor Keith Forrest's Honors Women in American History class, the students read two landmark books: The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan and Silent Spring by Rachel Carson. Then they were divided into two groups, where they did a deep dive into each book through a variety of requirements including addressing criticisms of the work, conducting and reflecting on a social media discussion of the work, and interviewing someone connected to the legacy of the work. Among the requirements was also that each group had to dress in a way that represented its book (Rachel Carson group pictured to the left). The projects were outstanding: Members of both groups will receive a special honors award at the 17th annual Communication Awards on Friday, April 26.

2023 Phi Theta Kappa Induction Ceremony

Atlantic Cape Community College’s Alpha Delta Mu chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) International Honor Society officially swore in its 2023-24 inductee class during its 45th Annual Induction Ceremony on Tuesday, November 14 in Walter E. Edge Hall Theater on the Mays Landing campus.

Dedicating themselves to the PTK’s platform of scholarship, leadership, fellowship and service, the 23 newly-inducted members were each called to the theater’s stage by Natale-Boianelli where they signed the honor society’s membership book, and were given a symbolic flower and candle. She addressed her students just prior to them taking the stage.

Officers for the 23-24 school year were sworn in by Natale-Boianelli as well and they included: President Harper Showalter, Vice President of Fellowship Enin Taggart, Vice President of Scholarship Priya Momi, Vice President of Service Nicholas Mucciarone, Recording Officer Rae Hoffman and Public Relations Officer Czaria Williams.

Alumna Nicole Schoenstein, who earned an Associate’s degree in Paralegal Studies in 2012 and General Studies in 2012, was honored with the Stole of Gratitude, which is a PTK tradition given by a chapter to an individual who has made an impact on members or has gone above and beyond to support the chapter’s work. For the past seven years, she has been employed as a human factors engineer on NASA’s human factors implementation team at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

See the full press release here.

Chloe Cramutola Awarded 2023 Hites Transfer Scholarship

Atlantic Cape PTK member Chloe Cramutola was selected as one of only 15 students to receive Phi Theta Kappa’s 2023 Hites Transfer Scholarship, the Society’s most prestigious and largest scholarship offering at $10,000. Hites Scholars are selected based on outstanding academic achievement, leadership, and engagement in college and community activities. They were selected by a panel of independent judges from more than 2,700 applicants. Congratulations, Chloe!

Atlantic Cape Students Named to 2023 All-State Academic Team

Congratulations to Alexis Cabrera and Harper Showalter who have been named to the 2023 New Jersey All-State Academic Team. This recognition by the New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC) honors the outstanding achievements and service of two Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) honor society members from each county college. During the 2022-3 academic year, Alexis served as the Vice-President of Fellowship and Harper served as the Public Relations Officer of Atlantic Cape’s Alpha Delta Mu chapter of PTK. They were honored by the Atlantic Cape Board of Trustees on April 25th and by the NJCCC during the New Jersey Community College Scholars Celebration on April 27th at the New Jersey State Museum in Trenton.

Honors Principles of Sociology: A Look Inside the Classroom

Professor Julie Heiland’s Honors Principles of Sociology students shared their honors work through class presentations. The highlight of these were their Family Folklife Interviews, Personal Field Trips, and Research Projects. Here’s what Professor Heiland had to say:

Catherine Yang is from a Korean Roman Catholic background. She was able to locate some very old family pictures, which she shared with us. Most Koreans are not Catholic, so Catholics in Korea were often persecuted, fleeing to the mountains. Catherine also brought in traditional dress and discussed a couple important Korean holidays. Throughout the semester, we also discussed use of the Korean language in public versus private settings.

Emma Robinson talked about her Italian side of the family. A family name of Piscotti somehow became Fisher after Ellis Island. She shared some fun language traditions, a sort of family argot, from her grandfather, who actually wrote them down in an old address book. As we passed the book around the class, she was able to “translate” for us. She also talked about food, like various Italian cookies. Emma works at Manco’s Pizza in Ocean City and shared a lot about their particular argot, which was quite fun and interesting to learn. (Click the expand button to read more!)

Grace Foster is half Greek and talked about some of her family’s Greek traditions, including making baklava. Foster was actually shortened from Fosterius, on the German side. She also talked about her family sayings, like “all you can do is try,” and her experience working in a pulmonary office, where they have their own argot. Grace plans to enter the medical field.

Diandra Torres talked about her Puerto Rican background as well as Puerto Rican history and culture. For her personal field trip, she visited a Puerto Rican restaurant in Hammonton, where she was able to talk to the owners and sample their food. Diandra brought in a delicious flan cake, which she learned to make using her mother’s recipe, just for our little class.

Anthony Roman, who has both Puerto Rican and Guatemalan ancestry, focused on his Guatemalan family background and traditions, including being woken up on birthdays by a mariachi band.

Nadine Hollis-Turner brought in a South African Milk Tart. Nadine also talked about her complex family background and the forced segregation of her family during apartheid in South Africa. On one side of her family, they’re Afrikaans, but on another side they’re Spanish (from Spain) and Asian (they aren’t actually sure from where, possibly China or Japan). This side of the family was considered non-white, which was surprising, since we don’t typically think of South African apartheid in this way. For Nadine’s personal field trip, she visited a Bulgarian cultural school that meets at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in EHT, ao we learned a little about Bulgarian culture, too.

Ian Provesano’s presentation was very exciting, too. He discovered several half-siblings he didn’t realize he had via 23 & Me and now has extended his small family circle. He also talked about baseball culture because that is a very large part of his life. Because of the popularity of baseball among Puerto Ricans and other Caribbean cultures, Ian has picked up Spanish, visited Puerto Rico fairly frequently, and has learned many aspects of Puerto Rican culture, which have become part of his own life. Ian isn’t Puerto Rican at all, but is originally from Florida, where he spent considerable time in a tight-knit youth baseball program. Ian will be leaving us for a different college after this semester, where he will play baseball and continue his studies.

Since several students in our class have regular contact with non-English languages, common themes have been the difference between understanding and speaking that language, how that language morphs with English in the United States, the role of that language after immigration and how that has changed over time, how learning English may contribute to the breakup of extended families and communities that were formerly tightly clustered, the role of English-speaking family members as translators, and dialects of the same language.

A benefit of focusing on folklife is that it allows us to learn more about ourselves, our families, and our communities, and in turn share that information with each other.

These examples from Professor Heiland give you just a taste of all the ways these honors students broadened one another’s worldviews!

Atlantic Cape PTK Students Recognized at Regional Convention

Naomi Giammona, PTK Vice President of Scholarship, and Erica Ireland, PTK Co-Recording Officer, attended the 36th PTK Middle States Regional Convention along with PTK Advisor Stephanie Natale-Boianelli in Towson, Maryland on March 10-12th. At the convention, they had the opportunity to attend educational forums, learn more about PTK and celebrate the achievements of members. Members of Atlantic Cape’s chapter, Alpha Delta Mu, were recognized for a number of awards and other honors:

Soleil Yakita, 2021-2022 PTK Recording Officer and 2022 graduate, will have her poem “Sonnet no.1” published in 28th edition of PTK’s Nota Bene, the only national literary journal for community college students.
Nicole Schoenstein, 2010 and 2012 graduate, will be inducted in the PTK Alumni Hall of Honor at the PTK International Convention in April. She is also a candidate for 2023-2024 Middle States Regional Alumni Association Vice President.
Erica Ireland, current Co-Recording Officer, and Harper Showalter, current Public Relations Officer, were named to the Middle States Regional Hero Hall of Fame.
Maya Swift, current President, Naomi Giammona, current Vice President of Scholarship, and Harper Showalter, current Public Relations officer, received Regional Outstanding Leadership Awards.
Caelah Powers, current Vice President of Service, Erica Ireland, current Co-Recording Officer, and Amber Lute, current chapter member, received Regional Outstanding Service Awards.

Finally, Atlantic Cape’s Chapter was named a 2022 Reach Chapter for excelling in membership development!

March 15, 2023

2022 Phi Theta Kappa Induction Ceremony

Atlantic Cape Community College’s Alpha Delta Mu chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) International Honor Society officially swore in its 2022-23 inductee class during its 44th Annual Induction Ceremony on Tuesday, November 15 in Walter E. Edge Hall Theatre on the Mays Landing campus.

Dedicating themselves to the PTK’s platform of scholarship, leadership, fellowship and service, the 21 newly-inducted members were individually called to the theatre’s stage by PTK Advisor Stephanie Natale-Boianelli to sign the honor society’s membership book, and take a symbolic flower and candle.

Officers for the 22-23 school year were sworn in by Natale-Boianelli as well and they included: President Maya Swift, Vice President of Fellowship Alexis Cabrera, Vice President of Scholarship Naomi Giammona, Vice President of Service Caelah Powers, Recording Officers Erica Ireland and Brianna Petrosh, and Public Relations, Harper Showalter.

Guest speakers from Atlantic Cape included President Dr. Barbara Gaba, Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Josette Katz, Dean of Professional and Liberal Studies Dr. Denise Coulter and PTK alumnus and Assistant Professor of English Richard Russell.

See the entire press release here.

December 1, 2022

Honors Crossover Events: A Look Inside the Honors Classroom

Kathryn Frew’s Honors Introduction to Literature and Stephanie Natale-Boianelli’s Honors Composition I are using their shared time slot to host crossover events that give honors students the opportunity to consider new perspectives on their coursework. Both courses have themes about breaking the conventions of literature/composition in order to deepen the students’ understanding of writing. They held the first of these events on Thursday, September 22nd, 2022 when the two classes met to discuss Emily Short’s “First Draft of the Revolution,” an experimental work of fiction told as an interactive epistolary story where readers can choose the revisions and influence the final draft of the characters’ letters. The Honors Introduction to Literature students brought their experience with analyzing non-traditional literary works, and the Honors Composition I students brought their experience with dismantling the traditional structures of composition; in groups mixed with students from both classes, they considered how the limitations of the revisions controlled the reader’s experience, revealed character development in new ways, and built meaning both in the text and in the experience. They unearthed how the structure itself helped Short achieve her goals for the work and will take this knowledge back to their individual course papers. The two classes will meet for their next crossover event to work with Harper’s Index to think about white space in composition, data as evidence, and non-traditional transitions.

October 15, 2022

PTK Students Named 2022 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholars

Katherine Jaques and Chloe Cramutola were named 2022 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholars. Katherine and Chloe are members of Atlantic Cape's chapter of Phi Theta Kappa and applied for Leaders of Promise through the PTK scholarship application. They are one of 207 scholars selected out of over 1,300 applications and will receive a $1,000 scholarship.

September 2022

Atlantic Cape Students Named to All-State Academic Team

Congratulations to Atlantic Cape students Madelyn Sacco and Megan Kazier who have been named to the 2022 New Jersey All-State Academic Team. This recognition by the New Jersey Council of County Colleges honors the outstanding achievements and service of selected Phi Theta Kappa honor society members. During the 2021-2022 academic year, Madelyn served as the president and Megan as vice-president of Atlantic Cape’s chapter, and both are honors program students. They were honored during the New Jersey Community College Scholars Celebration on April 28th, 2022 at the New Jersey State Museum in Trenton.

April 2022

Atlantic Cape Students Attend Phi Theta Kappa Middle States Regional Conference

Five Atlantic Cape Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honor Society members attended the PTK Middle States Regional Convention on March 10th-13th, 2022 at the Seaview in Galloway. Madelyn Sacco (President), Megan Kazier (Vice President of Scholarship), Soleil Yakita (Recording Officer), Victoria Axelsson (Treasurer), and Jasmin Caldwell attended the convention with Stephanie Natale-Boianelli, their faculty advisor. The convention included programming on servant leadership and opportunities to explore the current PTK honors in action theme on the connections between play, creativity and learning as well as opportunities to network with other PTK members, advisors, and alumni and representatives from four-year institutions.

March 2022

Honors Student Named Semifinalist for Cooke Scholarship

The Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship is a highly-selective scholarship program for high-achieving community college students. In addition to financial support up to $55,000, the Cooke program provides personalized advising and mentoring as well as opportunities for networking with other scholars, internships, study abroad, and graduate-level study. Atlantic Cape student Madelyn Sacco was recently announced as a 2022 Cooke semifinalist. Madelyn is a NJ Star, an Atlantic Cape honors program student and president of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) Honors Society Club.

March 2022

Honors Composition II: A Look Inside the Classroom

In Professor Katie Frew’s Honors Spring 2022 Composition II class, students are exploring the multi-layered theme of the technologies of protest, which refers to both the activist’s protest toolbox generally and the ways that technology can facilitate, augment, or replace those tools. Recently,the students considered performance as a tool of protest, examining the 1990 U.S. Capitol Crawl in support of the passage of the Americans With Disabilities Act as well as the recent kneeling of athletes during the National Anthem (and the role media played in fueling the debate). Later this semester, the class will analyze and evaluate hashtag activism as a tool of protest. All the while, the course makes connections between the persuasive skills needed for protest and the skills students are developing in academic writing.

February 2022

Sylvia Path Scholar Visits Honors Composition I

On December 7th, Richard Russell’s Honors Composition I class had another special experience, when they were visited by Emily Van Duyne, Assistant Professor of Writing at Stockton University. Van Duyne is a 2021-2022 Fulbright Scholar and a Sylvia Plath scholar, who is currently working on a book about Plath. Honors Composition I’s theme this semester is solitude, and through introducing students to Plath’s life and legacy, Van Duyne provided context for students to consider how solitude played a role in Plath’s creative work after she was abandoned by her husband Ted Hughes.

December 2021

Environmental Science Faculty Member Visits Honors Composition I

On October 19 th, 2021, science faculty member Richard Perello visited Rich Russell’s Honors Composition I course for a cross-disciplinary event. This fall, Honors Composition I is exploring the theme of solitude, what it is and what it teaches us, and Richard Perello visited with the class to provide a naturalist perspective on The Pine Barrens. Rich Russell said of the event, “Richard was so generous with his time and in sharing his knowledge and perspective on the ecology and natural history of the Pine Barrens. The images and expertise he brought to this work, along with his own personal interest in and commitment to our environmental community, beautifully complemented our discussions of John McPhee's book The Pine Barrens and prepared us to "live deliberately" with Thoreau in coming class meetings. We will all be looking for flying squirrels in the parking lot the next time we are leaving campus after dark.

October 2021

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