Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni Inducts Five New Members

Rutgers University Alumni Association to honor inductees at an awards gala in May

EDITOR’S NOTE: Headshots, full biographies and multimedia of the honorees and the awards gala are available for media use. Details are available at Ralumni.com/alumnigala14. Please contact Katie Reilly from the Rutgers University Alumni Association at 848-932-2294 or by email at klreilly@winants.rutgers.edu to request any materials.

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – On May 3, 2014, the Rutgers University Alumni Association will induct five notable graduates into the Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni and commemorate their accomplishments at the 27th annual awards gala in May.

Created in 1987, the Hall of Distinguished Alumni recognizes individuals who, through their achievement in professional and civic life, have brought honor to themselves and to the university. The new inductees will bring the number of members to 218. The 2014 honorees are:

Joseph G. DiPietro, RC’84 is a two-time Tony award-winning playwright and lyricist. His work has appeared on Broadway and across the world and includes Memphis; Nice Work if You Can Get It; and I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change. His most recent play, Clever Little Lies, debuted this fall at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, NJ.

Sheri McCoy, RBS’88 is chief executive officer and director of Avon Products, Inc. Named one of Fortune magazine’s “50 Most Powerful Women in Business” since 2008, she served a 30-year tenure at Johnson & Johnson and sits on the boards of several nonprofit organizations.

Daniel C. Reda, Ph.D., ENG’65, GSNB’67, ’69  is a mechanical engineer who has made outstanding contributions to reentry physics and aerodynamic measurement methodologies. A recipient of the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, NASA’s highest form of recognition, his work was integral to the success of the Galileo mission to Jupiter.

Harvey M. Schwartz, LC’87 is chief financial officer of Goldman Sachs, a leading global investment banking, securities, and investment management firm. A leader in the finance industry for more than 25 years, he also volunteers for the Rutgers on Wall Street Initiative, which helps connect Rutgers students with alumni executives.

Rosemarie T. Truglio, Ph.D., DC’83 is the senior vice president of curriculum and content at Sesame Workshop and worked extensively on educational research for Sesame Street. She is a leader in the child and developmental psychology field and hosts an externship program to provide mentorship and career opportunities to current Rutgers students.

In honor of these exceptional alumni, the Rutgers University Alumni Association will host the Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni Awards Gala on May 3, 2014 at The Heldrich Hotel in downtown New Brunswick. This celebratory evening will feature live entertainment, dinner, dancing, and multimedia presentations.

Tickets to the gala dinner and awards ceremony are $125 per person. More information about the event and the inductees can be found at Ralumni.com/alumnigala14.

About the Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni
The Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni commemorates the history and tradition of the Rutgers community, and inspires students and alumni, present and future, to strive for excellence. Created in 1987, it recognizes alumni who, through their superlative achievements in professional and civic life, have brought honor to themselves and to the university. Only 213 graduates have been inducted into the Hall of Distinguished Alumni in Rutgers’ history. Notable members include two-time Olympic gold medalist Carli Lloyd, chef and restaurateur Mario Batali, late actor James Gandolfini, author Janet Evanovich, NBC news anchor Natalie Morales, late actor and humanitarian Paul Robeson, Nobel Prize winners Selman Waksman and Milton Friedman, and five former NJ governors. 

About the Rutgers University Alumni Association
In 2008, the Rutgers University Alumni Association was formed to advance the best interests and well-being of Rutgers University by engaging all alumni in the life of the institution. The Hall of Distinguished Alumni is one of many programs the alumni association supports each year.