LEadership takes center stage on founders' day

The 11th Annual Founders’ Day Leadership Convocation at The College of New Jersey took place on Friday, February 9, in the Music Building’s Mildred and Ernest E. Mayo Concert Hall. This year, the Alumni Association awarded its highest honors to two outstanding alumni and one professor emerita.

The Leadership Convocation program also recognized the College’s School of Culture and Society for its comprehensive academic program that prepares students for an array of careers and for graduate and professional study, in addition to educating lifelong learners, thoughtful leaders, and compassionate human beings prepared for global citizenship.

Steven Benvenisti, Esq. ’90 was the recipient of the Humanitarian Award for his work as an advocate for brain-injured individuals, as well as his efforts to reduce the number and frequency of drunk driving incidents. 

Benvenisti’s remarkable story sets him apart from your typical humanitarian.  While a college senior on spring break, Benvenisti was struck by a drunk driver and suffered serious, life-threatening injuries. Doctors were pessimistic about a full recovery. After spending 10 days in a coma and six months in the hospital, however, Benvenisti’s health prevailed.  He later graduated from TCNJ with honors and earned a juris doctorate from the University of Bridgeport School of Law in 1993. 

A resident of Upper Saddle River, Benvenisti is licensed to practice law in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the United States Federal Court. His practice is devoted to personal injury, including representation of individuals with traumatic brain injury and victims of DWI.  He also serves as alternate municipal prosecutor in Englewood Cliffs. When he’s not in the courtroom, he’s speaking to high school students about the dangers—and legal ramifications—of driving while intoxicated, and serving on the Board of Trustees of the Brain Injury Association of New Jersey.

A former professor, administrator, coach, and the founder of a number of women’s athletic programs at TCNJ, Dr. Lilyan B. Wright, recipient of the Distinguished Service Award, is a pioneer in the field of women’s intercollegiate sports.

Arriving at the College in 1961, Wright was instrumental in the development of the health and physical education department (now called health and exercise science), which she once chaired.  In addition to teaching and coaching, she served as the women’s athletic director, arranging team schedules, managing intramurals, and promoting leadership and teamwork among women.

Her many accomplishments have earned her a number of accolades, including the 1991 Pathfinder Award from the National Association for Girls’ and Women’s Sports.  She was inducted into the Temple University Hall of Fame in 1977 and is honored in TCNJ’s Athletic Hall of Fame as well.

Currently, the 86-year-old Goshen, NH resident is in her sixth season as a volunteer field hockey coach and has been both a field hockey and lacrosse official for 57 and 47 years, respectively.

Though Gale Wayman, recipient of the Alumni Citation, received her BA in English education from TCNJ in 1970, her professional experiences have taken her far beyond the classroom.

After marrying her late husband, Dr. B. Ralph Wayman Jr., a week after graduation, Wayman became an active volunteer in the medical field.  In 1984, Wayman took over her husband’s business of medical clinics and, after several years, built it into a thriving and lucrative company.

At the same time, Wayman formed a trading company for medical products manufactured in New Jersey.  Targeting developing countries, her primary goal was to get simple, affordable products to economically-disadvantaged people.

In 2003, Wayman received a master’s degree in international politics and security studies from the University of Bradford in England.  A resident of Island Heights, Wayman continues to support and promote a fledgling international peace studies program at TCNJ and recently endowed the Mary Roebling Fund, which provides financial support for TCNJ students who travel abroad to do academic research. Wayman also provides entrepreneurial mentoring to women around the world.