Dorothy Altman, Ph.D., Kevin Sullivan and Jeanie Payne, Ph.D.
PARAMUS, N.J. – Three retired Bergen Community College faculty members have earned the rank of professor emeritus – an honor reserved for the institution’s most influential and impactful educators. Recognized during a May 5 luncheon, Dorothy Altman, Ph.D., Jeanie Payne, Ph.D., and Kevin Sullivan join 45 peers who have received the rank since its 1988 inception. A six-member committee of current faculty selects inductees based on recommendations from academic divisions.
Altman, of Upper Saddle River, began at Bergen as adjunct in 1973, teaching composition and literature courses until her 2015 retirement. During her career at the College, Altman led the School of Honors and also served as co-adviser of the “Labyrinth” literary magazine. She earned the 2009 NIOSD Award for Teaching Excellence.
Payne, of Brooklyn, New York, taught biology at Bergen, authoring the “Microbiological Applications” lab book among her citations. In addition to her work in the classroom, Payne also represented an ardent supporter of the biology club and the African-American student advisory committee.
Sullivan, of Pearl River, New York, served the institution for more than 40 years. During his tenure teaching history and sociology courses, Sullivan earned a Fulbright Fellowship and even served as a consultant for a television documentary on the Vietnam War.
Based in Paramus, Bergen Community College (www.bergen.edu), a public two-year coeducational college, enrolls 15,000 students at locations in Paramus, the Philip Ciarco Jr. Learning Center in Hackensack and Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands in Lyndhurst. The College offers associate degree, certificate and continuing education programs in a variety of fields. More students graduate from Bergen than any other community college in the state.
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