Gala to Benefit Student Scholarships and Honor Community Leaders
Caldwell University will host its Presidential Scholarship Gala to benefit students and honor community leaders, Thursday, June 2, 2022 at 6 p.m.
Caldwell Dominican, Sister Gerardine Mueller, O.P. ‘54, Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr., and the Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey will be lauded at the gala at the Pleasantdale Chateau, West Orange, New Jersey.
“These esteemed honorees have created a positive and sustained impact upon Caldwell University, the greater Essex County community, and the State of New Jersey,” said President Matthew Whelan, Ed.D. “We are excited to celebrate their lifelong service to others and the positive impact they have had on so many individuals in these communities at the return of our annual Scholarship Gala. This allows us to strengthen our mission to provide affordable excellence in education for our students so that they may go out into the world and contribute to a just society.”
Sister Gerardine Mueller, O.P. ’54, will be honored for her lifelong work of service and dedication as a Sister of Saint Dominic of Caldwell. At 100 years old, Sister will be celebrated for founding the Caldwell Art Department and being a beloved artist-in-residence for more than 50 years. The work of this deeply gifted artist includes sculpture, stained glass, illumination and calligraphy, wood carvings and printmaking that can be seen on campus, around the state, and in collections around the world. Her perseverance led what was then the Caldwell College for Women to offer the first Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in New Jersey, with the first diploma awarded in 1976.
Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. “Joe D” is being honored for his leadership of the county for nearly 20 years and in the COVID-19 response and recovery plan for Essex County.
DiVincenzo led the county in starting several megacenters and mobile vaccination sites, administering free COVID-19 tests and ensuring that the county held weekly food distribution events. He oversaw the county’s work in providing assistance to help renters and homeowners, partnering with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority to help small businesses affected during the pandemic, and ensuring that grants were made available for small businesses and nonprofits.
Among the many other county initiatives DiVincenzo has spearheaded are: the attainment of an AAA bond rating, the first time in Essex County’s history that the highest rating was achieved, the development of the Essex County South Mountain Recreational Complex, the restoration of the Historic Courthouse, the overhaul of the Government Complex and the improvement of the Essex County Parks System.
The Healthcare Foundation of New Jersey (HFNJ) is being celebrated for its support of Caldwell University’s Art Therapy Center, its School of Nursing and Public Health, and its Counseling Center, and for advancing healthcare and mental health care initiatives in New Jersey. As an advocate for nursing simulation, HFNJ made a leadership gift to purchase an adult simulation mannequin in conjunction with the grand opening of the University’s nursing simulation laboratory in 2011. As a champion for mental health initiatives, HFNJ helped Caldwell students by supporting a pilot program funding an advanced practice nurse position to authorize medication prescription and management on campus at the Wellness Center.
To purchase tickets and find out about sponsorship opportunities go to www.caldwell.edu/gala2022 or Contact Kate Solomon, Director of Alumni Engagement, in the Office of Alumni Affairs at ksolomon@caldwell.edu .
–April 1, 2022