About FDU Forward
FDU Forward celebrates our alumni and storied past, with a commitment to our future, all in an effort to provide students with the financial resources to transform their lives. As we come together for a special evening to raise vital scholarship funds to support the future of our students, we honor the alumni who remind us that the possibilities of what you can achieve are limitless and we look to the future to transform the lives of our students and our university.
Lifetime Achievement Award
The Honorable Richard Codey, BA'81, H'05
53rd Governor of New Jersey
The Honorable Richard Codey is a former governor and Senate president who began his career in state government in 1973 when he was elected to the Assembly at age 26, becoming, at the time, the youngest person ever elected to the State Legislature.
He served four Assembly terms before being elected to the State Senate in 1981. He was re-elected 11 times and recently completed his final term as State Senator in January capping an incredible political career that saw him become the longest-serving state legislator in New Jersey history.
Honor our Past
The PINNACLE Society
Recipients of The PINNACLE award are chosen by past award inductees, based on the following criteria: success or distinction in one’s chosen field of endeavor, significant contributions to society and humanity through public or humanitarian service and outstanding service to the University or reflection of the unique character of FDU in one’s life.
James D. Brown, BS'79
CEO, Founder and Managing Partner, James D. Brown, CPA
Lori Lee Dickson, BA'82
Senior Counsel, McCarthy Fingar LLP
General Counsel, Westchester Joint Water Works
Transform our Future
FDU Forward Transformational Honoree
Robert "Bobby" Stern, BS'08
President, Riviera Hospitality Group
Bobby Stern, BS’08 continues to set the bar for young FDU Alumni.
Already the youngest Silberman College Hall of Fame honoree, Stern was inducted into The PINNACLE Society last year, and in 2024 becomes the first FDU Forward Transformational Honoree, not surprising given his incredible business accomplishments in his first 15 years after graduating FDU, but also his deep passion for supporting FDU’s future students and goals.
Meeting Students Where they Are
FDU and Bell Works
FDU’s legacy has been to meet students where they are, and we have been renewing this theme by developing partnerships that will bring our programs to where students are and provide them the flexibility and the convenience to seize the benefits of an FDU education. We are excited to announce a partnership with Bell Works that promises to be a model for this type of educational offering, and we are proud to launch our MBA program at Bell Works in Fall 2024, and hopefully soon after, expand to other degree and certificate programs.
Bell Works is not only located in an important region in Central New Jersey, but it has been renovated to be a state of the art, live/work retail space with a full-service suite of event space, including a 300-seat theatre, ballroom and rooftop event space. Bell Works is in fact a self-contained "metroburb" that offers everything the modern working student would need under one roof.
A Special Thank You
Thanks to all of the alumni and friends providing leadership support for FDU Forward 2024.
STUDENTS FIRST SPONSOR
COCKTAIL RECEPTION SPONSOR
TRANSFORM OUR FUTURE SPONSOR
HONOR OUR LEGACY SPONSOR
ENTERTAINMENT SPONSOR
PINNACLE SOCIETY SPONSOR
- Mary Kay Stratis, BA'69, MA'71
