Georgian Court University Magazine

Leigh-Michil George ’03, daughter of
Linda Jones-George, director of GCU’s
TRIO programs, has secured admission
and fellowship support for a Ph.D.
program in English at UCLA. She was
also awarded a Eugene V. Cota-Robles
Fellowship for the program.
Michelle DePolo ’03 recently became the
eighth head coach in Army softball history.
DePolo spent two seasons as an assistant
coach at West Point, and assumed her new
role on July 1. She will be the program's
first female head coach since moving to
Division I in 1991. Michelle oversees the
Black Knights' pitching staff and serves as
the program's recruiting coordinator. In her
first season, she mentored Veronica Barth,
a first-team All-Patriot League selection as
a utility player, and was instrumental in
recruiting last season's rookie class, which
boasts three of Army's top-four hitters
and the team's leaders in home runs, RBI,
slugging percentage, on-base percentage,
and stolen bases. Michelle previously
served as the head softball coach at the
U.S. Military Academy Prep School in
2004. She led the squad to its best record
in program history, including a pair of
shutout victories over the defending junior
college national champion. She has also
worked on the coaching staffs at Georgian
Court, Smith College, and Amherst College.
In addition to her bachelor’s degree in
English from Georgian Court, Michelle
holds a master's degree in exercise and
sport studies from Smith College.
Kimberly O’Connor ’03 has been
accepted to St. George’s University’s School
of Medicine four-year M.D. program.
Kristen Stashek ’04 graduated from
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in
May of 2008 with an M.D. and is now
doing her residency in pathology at the
University of Virginia.
Maria Garcia Colón ’05 and husband,
Rod Colón ’95, celebrated their 25 th
wedding anniversary in June.
Dave M. Ytreboe ’05, husband of
Kristin Brum Ytreboe ’99 and son-in-law
of Kathleen Brum ’02, secretary to the
Office of Campus Ministry, was named
the 2007 Asbury Park Press Girls Cross
Country Coach of the Year.
Phyllis Remig Thomson ’06 is a Point
Pleasant Borough High School teacher
and is also working one-on-one with the
students in her classroom to ensure they
take away important lessons that will last
a lifetime. As one of the creators of the
high school’s new Life Skills program,
Phyllis works with special education
students to teach them efficient and
safe ways to complete tasks that most
teenagers take for granted, such as cooking
a meal or making their beds. Phyllis
also sits on the Point Pleasant Beach
Board of Education.
Vanessa Johnson ’06 is currently
working at the Newark Community
Health Center as a case manager for
the Women Prevention program.
Nancy DeBartolis Marrow ’08 (left) and
Gerri Sallemi Clays ’08 (right) enjoyed an
evening with jazz trumpeter Chris Botti
(center) at the Blue Note Jazz Club in
New York City in December. Their tickets
included VIP seating and a meet-andgreet
with Chris following the show.
Kristine Annunziata’s ’09 senior art
exhibit was displayed this past May in
the M. Christina Geis Art Gallery.
Kim Galvin ’09 has been honored as the
2008–2009 Central Atlantic Collegiate
Conference (CACC) Woman of the Year.
Kim, who competed in cross country for
the Lions, is now eligible for the NCAA
Woman of the Year award. The award
honors senior student-athletes who have
distinguished themselves throughout their
collegiate careers in the areas of academic
achievement, athletics excellence, service,
and leadership. (Read more about Kim
on page 36 of this magazine.)
SEND YOUR ALUMNI NEWS TO
the Office of Alumni Relations,
900 Lakewood Avenue,
Lakewood, NJ 08701-2697
or alumni@georgian.edu.
Jennifer Herbst ’03 is currently working
for Starlite Productions in Cherry Hill,
New Jersey, as a lighting sales associate.
Starlite Productions is an audio, video,
lighting, and special effects company.
Jennifer Caga ’06 received an M.A. in Psychological Counseling from Monmouth
University in May 2009. She was also inducted into Chi Sigma Iota, the International
Counseling Honor Society. She is shown here with her fiancé, Christopher Collett.
GEORGIAN COURT UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE | 47