First-Year Studies (FRST) Program

Program Information

• All newly admitted freshmen or transfer students with 15 or fewer credits are required to fulfill the University’s first-year competency requirement. The requirement may be met by demonstrating competency on the placement tests, or by passing, with a grade of C or better, all FRST courses—FRST 1101 – College Writing, 1002 – Critical Thinking and Reading, and 1103 – Quantitative Reasoning into which students have been placed. Students enrolled in FRST 1102 – Mathematical Thinking must receive a grade of C or better, and then enroll in and receive a grade of C or better in FRST 1103 to demonstrate competency. Full-time students must register for all required FRST courses in their first two semesters.
• Except for FRST 1103 when following repeated or deferred attempts at FRST 1102,  all students must satisfy the competency requirement within two terms of matriculation. Part-time students who cannot take all their required FRST courses during the first term may be granted an extension.
• Students who do not meet the competency requirement in FRST 1101, 1002 or 1103 in the first semester of matriculation must take/retake the relevant course(s) in their next registered term in order to satisfy the requirement. Those who do not meet the competency requirement after two attempts are subject to dismissal from the University.
• Students who are dismissed may not apply for readmission to the University for a period of at least one year. These students must demonstrate competency before their readmission application will be considered. Many students who are subject to skills competency dismissal are also subject to general academic dismissal. These students must satisfy both sets of requirements for readmission.
• Students who do not receive a grade of C or better in FRST 1102 must retake the course in the next term and pass it, with a grade of C or better, before proceeding to FRST 1103. Those who do not receive a grade of C or better in FRST 1102 after two attempts are subject to dismissal from the University.
• Note that a grade of W counts as an attempt at any 1000-level FRST course. This policy applies to all students who withdraw from 1000-level FRST courses, including those who withdraw from all of their courses. The only exception is in the event that a student receives a medical course withdrawal. In this case, the withdraw grade does not count as an attempt.

Courses for First-Year Students

Besides courses associated with the first-year competency requirement, the program offers a variety of other FRST-acronym courses in writing and mathematics courses that are designed especially for first-year students. These courses are equivalent to various G-acronym courses and carry credit that may be applied to the University’s general studies requirement. These includes the following courses:

• FRST 2120 – Rhetoric and Composition (counts as a W1 and GEN course)
• FRST 2131 –Argument and Persuasion in the Humanities (counts as a W1 and GAH course)
• FRST 2151 –Argument and Persuasion in the Social Sciences (counts as a W1 and GSS course)
• FRST 2310 –Algebraic Problem Solving (counts as a Q1 and GNM; some sections will carry W2 credit)

 In addition to FRST-acronym courses, the University also offers other courses in program studies and in general studies that are designed especially for first-year students. These courses are labeled with an "F" attribute (appropriate for first-year students) so that students and their preceptors can identify them easily. These include special sectons of the following courses taught by faculty members who have participated in a special, First-year Studies institute: A comprehensive list of F-designated courses is available from the FRST Coordinator, and courses are listed online for each term.  Regularly offered F-designated courses include some sections of courses like the following:

• COMM1201- Introduction to Mass Communication
• ECON 1200 - Introduction to Macroeconomics
• GAH 2116  -  Argument and Persuasion in Arts and Humanities
• GSS 2538  -   Perspectives on Women
• HTMS 2101 - Introduction to HTMS
• PHIL 1200  -  Introduction to Buddhism

Program Faculty

FACULTY

Daniel Al-Daqa (2022)

Teaching Specialist in Writing & First-Year Studies

MFA, West Virginia University

Harman Aryal (2022)

Assistant Professor of Mathematics & First-Year Studies

Ph.D., Ohio University; MS, Syracuse University; Ed.M., Tribhunan University

Robert J. Blaskiewicz (2015)

Associate Professor of Critical Thinking & First-Year Studies

Ph.D., Saint Louis University; MA, Saint Louis University; BA, University of Notre Dame: rhetoric and composition, 20th century American literature, Cold War literature and culture, WWII veterans’ writing, US cultural rhetoric, the rhetoric of extraordinary claims, conspiracy theory, science and critical thinking advocacy.

Joseph Cirio (2018)

Associate Professor of Writing & First-Year Studies

Ph.D., Florida State University; MA, Florida State University

Emari DiGiorgio (2006)

Professor of Writing

MFA, New York University; BA, Stockton University: creative writing (poetry and fiction), contemporary world poetry, why poetry matters, composition, women’s studies, social activism.

Lauren M. Fonseca (2015)

Tutoring Center Specialist/Coordinator of Academic Support

MS, Stockton University; MA, Mercy College; BA, Stockton University: working with students in special populations, first-year writing, fairy tales, hypertext.

Alysia Goyer (2023)

Assistant Professor of Mathematics & First-Year Studies

Ph.D., University of Nevada; Ed.M., University of California, Santa Cruz

Geoffrey W. Gust (2014)

Associate Professor of Critical Thinking & First-Year Studies

Ph.D., University of York; MA, Arizona State University; BA, Drake University: Geoffrey Chaucer and contemporaries, medieval studies, premodern history, literary theory, critical thinking.

Jimmy Hamill (2023)

Assistant Professor of Writing & First-Year Studies

Ph.D., Lehigh University; MA, Lehigh University

Eddie Horan (2017)

Writing Center Coordinator

MA, Stockton University

Aleksondra Hultquist (2017)

Associate Professor of Critical thinking & First-Year Studies

Ph.D. University of Illinois, Urbana -Champaign; MA, San Franciso State University; BFA, Rutgers University: First Year Writing and Reading: Affect Theory and History of Emotion; Restoration and Eighteenth-Century Literature and Culture; Women Writers; Adaptation Theory

Mariam Hussein (2020)

Teaching Specialist in Mathematics & First-Year Studies

MA, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Marcy R. Isabella (2015)

Associate Professor of Writing & First-Year Studies

Ph.D., University of Rhode Island; MA, BA, State University of New York at Albany: critical pedagogy, writing center pedagogy, writing program assessment, zines, comics, anarchist praxis and poetics.

Lauren Mamolite (2023, 2025)

Teaching Specialist in Writing & First-Year Studies

Ph.D., University of Miami; MA, Rutgers University

Heather McGovern (2002)

Professor of Writing

Ph.D., Texas Tech University; MA, Clemson University; BA, College of Idaho: technical and professional writing, assessment of student learning, environmental rhetoric, composition theory, online writing, document design, rhetoric, rhetoric of science.

Betsy McShea (2001)

Associate Professor of Mathematics & First-Year Studies

Ph.D., American University; BS, University of Hartford: algebraic problem solving, quantitative reasoning, methods of teaching elementary mathematics, elementary school math, numbers and patterns, sports and math, politics and math.

Willmaria Miranda (2023)

Tutoring Center Specialist

Ph.D., George Mason University (in progress); MA, Kean University

Francis Nzuki (2008)

Associate Professor of Mathematics & First-Year Studies

Ph.D., MS, Syracuse University; MS, BS, Nairobi University: algebraic problem solving, quantitative reasoning, elementary school math, college algebra.

John O’Hara (2013)

Professor of Critical Thinking & First-Year Studies 

Ph.D., University of Miami; MA, University of Miami; BA., Kent State University; American literature, American studies, gender studies, writing, critical and interpretive theory.

Luis E. Peña (2004)

Math Center Coordinator

MS, University of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign; BS, Stockton University: mathematics, quantitative reasoning, tutor training, aerospace engineering, space science, history and policy.

Nancy Reddy (2015)

Associate Professor of Writing & First-Year Studies

Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison; MFA, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Ed.M., University of Houston; BA, University of Pittsburgh: writing pedagogy, extracurricular literacies and writing groups, archival research, creative writing (poetry and nonfiction).

Margarita Rivera-Santiago (2022)

Teaching Specialist in Critical Thinking & First-Year Studies

Ph.D., Penssylvania State University; MA, University of Puerto Rico

Emily Ryan (2018)

Chair of First-Year Studies, and Tenured Instructor of Mathematics & First-Year Studies 

Ed.M., Rutgers University

Christopher Roman (2025)

Assistant Professor of Mathematics & First-Year Studies

Ph.D., Portland State University; MS, Emporia State University; Ed.M. Rutgers University 

Thierry Saintine (2018)

Associate Professor of Mathematics & First-Year Studies

Ph.D., Temple University; MFA, City College of NY (CUNY); MA, City College of NY (CUNY)

Siobahn Suppa (2018)

Associate Professor of Mathematics & First-Year Studies

Ph.D., University of Delaware; MS, University of Delaware

Emily Van Duyne (2014)

Associate Professor of Writing & First-Year Studies

MFA, Pine Manor College; BFA, Emerson College: composition, first-year studies, critical race and feminist theory, poetry and poetics, rhetoric of social media.

Lisa Youngblood (2018)

Assistant Professor Writing & First-Year Studies

J.D., Widener University School of Law

ASSOCIATED FACULTY

Pamela G. Kennedy Cross (1986)

(Retired) Writing Center Coordinator/Developmental Education Specialist

MA, Georgetown University; BA, Stockton University: tutor training, teaching first-year students, working with at-risk students, developing students’ information literacy skills, writing for the workplace, understanding learning differences.

Anne F. Pomeroy (1999)

Professor Emerita of Philosophy - In Memoriam

Ph.D., Fordham University; M.A., Columbia University; B.A., Connecticut College: social and political philosophy, Marxism, existentialism, process philosophy.

John M. Quinn (1990)

Associate Professor of Education

Ed.D., Pepperdine University; M.A., Rowan University; B.S., Stockton University: mathematics, curriculum development, mathematics education, technology in education.

PROFESSORS EMERITI

Frank A. Cerreto (1976)

Professor Emeritus of Mathematics 

Ed.D., Rutgers, The State University; MS, Stevens Institute of Technology; BS, MA, City College, The City University of New York: general education mathematics, mathematics education, curriculum development, first-year studies, technology in education, visual literacy.

Young Doo (Peter) Cho (2013)

Associate Professor Emeritus of Mathematics & First-Year Studies

Ph.D., MA, State University of New York at Buffalo; MS, Molloy College; BE, Korea University: mathematics education, function’s domain, range and slope.

Jack Connor (1984)

Professor Emeritus of Writing

Ph.D., University of Florida; M.A., Seton Hall University; B.A., Franklin and Marshall College: composition, writing about nature, natural history, ornithology, the Pine Barrens.

Judith Copeland (2005)

Associate Professor Emerita of Writing

J.D., University of Oregon; MFA, University of Iowa; BA, Duke University: creative nonfiction, memoir, travel writing, humor writing, spiritual writing, freshman seminars.

Penelope A. Dugan (1976)

Professor Emerita of Writing

D.A., State University of New York at Albany; M.A., State University of New York at Binghamton; B.A., LeMoyne College: personal essay, memoir, African-American literature, autobiography, composition theory, history of rhetoric.

Carra Leah Hood (2005)

Associate Professor Emerita of Writing

Ph.D., MA, Yale University; BA, Hunter College, The City University of New York: expository writing and research, digital composing, visual rhetoric, new and traditional media.

G. T. Lenard (1984)

Emerita Professor of Writing

Ph.D., Temple University; MA, BA, Rutgers, The State University: American studies, 18th century literature, composition, popular culture.