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Nominations for the annual Seton Hall University Woman of the Year award are open on the University’s website until Jan. 29.
Joan Guetti, senior associate provost, said faculty, staff, and administrators that have worked within the University for 10 or more years are eligible for the award.
The main goal of the award is to observe and award the work of a successful woman at Seton Hall.
The award correlates with the University tradition of honoring women. “Seton Hall University has a history of celebrating women— our patroness, Elizabeth Ann Seton, is the first American-born canonized saint,” Guetti said in an email interview.
“The selection committee, comprised of former Woman of the Year award recipients, considers a nominee’s general service to professional or student organizations, involvement in community activities and support for the University’s mission,” Guetti said.
The selection committee has had to choose between approximately eight and 10 nominees in previous years, Guetti said. Nominated women can be honored for their outstanding work in service, mentorship, or leadership activities.
Jo-Renee Formicola, political science professor, was winner of the Woman of the Year award in 2015.
“It was really a tremendous honor because it came from my peers,” Formicola said. “When you win an award for something, you wonder, why me? Because I was just doing what I normally do.”
Formicola said she did not realize that talking to women, working with them, and helping them through the tenure process was anything different than anyone else would do. Since winning the award, Formicola has continued to work in the Department of Political Science and Public Affairs at Seton Hall.
“I’m also the chair of rank and tenure which means that I’m the person who puts together the evaluations of the junior people,” Formicola said. “We go into the class, watch, teach, give feedback and bring together the department to discuss whether or not an individual should pass for tenure.”
Hannah Kellermeyer, a freshman elementary special education major, said she did not know about Formicola’s mentorship until she heard about her winning the Woman of the Year award in 2015.
“Maybe other tenured professors will hear about her mentorship and want to help expand what she’s doing,” Kellermeyer said.
Alexandra Gale can be reached at alexandra.gale@student.shu.edu.
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