By Robert Breckinridge, LC’88

I went to Livingston College (LC) between 1984 and 1988. I came from Illinois and my first day on campus was freshman orientation. When I applied to Rutgers University, I chose LC primarily because LC did not require a foreign language class to attend. I had no real idea of what LC was all about or its history but after I arrived, I figured it out quickly and was even happier I chose LC to attend.

College to me was more than “book learning,” it was the social aspect. Where I grew up, I had little contact with other cultures and other sexual preferences. At LC, I learned tolerance and I learned to respect other races, cultures, and sexual orientations that I would not have otherwise learned about until much later. While at LC, I was a sports editor for a year or so for the Medium. I was on the LCGA as a junior and then the University Senate as a senior and was able to interact on a positive level with Dean W. Robert Jenkins, Dean of Students George Jones, and others in the LC administration.

I worked as a referee at the Livingston Gym, reporting most of the time to Sue Beaudrow though I did briefly report to two other women who proceeded her in that position. I met some amazing people and living in the basement floor of House 17 for all but a brief time. I got to meet several of the basketball team including Mark Peterson, who always had a smile and always was very friendly and gracious.

My years at LC were some of the happiest of my life and I look back on those years with precious memories and cherished the mission of LC to find and educate “diamonds in the rough,” as it were. As I was wrapping up my time there with the School of Business starting to take off, I was concerned that LC would eventually lose its identity and with the combining of all of the schools, it probably has. That’s a shame. LC allowed me to enjoy all of the advantages of going to a large university (most of my classes were on College Avenue) while being able to take advantage of what being a part of a “small school” had to offer.

Robert Breckinridge is a 1988 graduate of Livingston College at Rutgers University.
(Contact Robert via email.)

(Spam-resistant email link provided by WillMaster; email address image provided by Nexodyne.)

[Also see Alumni Memories; Deans’ Reflections; Documentation of Livingston College History.] 

Livingston College opened its doors in 1969. No yearbooks were produced for the graduating classes of 1970, 1971 and 1972, which included transfer students from other colleges.

Livingston in the Retrospect, 1969-1973, was published as a memento for the first full four-year graduating class in 1973. It included photos of students and organizations, plus letters from officials, though not photos of the graduating seniors.

The first traditional Livingston College yearbook was published in 1974.

In 2006, Livingston College admitted its final four-year cohort, the Class of 2010. The final Livingston College yearbook was published in 2007.

Several Livingston College yearbooks, as well as older yearbooks from other Rutgers colleges and schools [* see note near bottom of page], are online and fully searchable through the Rutgers University Libraries (RUL) site.

Five Livingston College yearbooks are available through RUL:

• 1974, We the People
• 1977, The Rock, Volume II (includes photos of 1976 graduates)
• 1978, The Rock, Volume III 
• 1980, The Rock, Volume IV (includes photos of 1979 graduates) 
• 1981, The Last

All of those yearbooks, plus many additional yearbooks, are available online through the Internet Archive as listed below. This project is made possible through financial support received from the Rutgers University Alumni Association.

There are no extra yearbooks available for purchase through Livingston Alumni Association or Rutgers University. 

The following Livingston College yearbooks are available as listed below. The volume numbers are as listed in each publication, even though the volume numbers are inconsistent (with some numbers skipped, repeated, or going backward). Note that the yearbook title was not always printed on the cover. This page will be updated as information is received.

Quick table of available yearbooks (more detail below images):

Year (link to info)	1973	1974	1977	1978
Image (link to full text via Internet Archive)

Year (link to info)	1980	1981	1982	1983
Image (link to full text via Internet Archive)

Year (link to info)	1984	1985	1986	1987
Image (link to full text via Internet Archive)

Year (link to info)	1988	1991	1992	1993
Image (link to full text via Internet Archive)

Year (link to info)	1994	1995	1996	1997
Image (link to full text via Internet Archive)

Year (link to info)	1998	1999	2000	2001
Image (link to full text via Internet Archive)

Year (link to info)	2002	2003	2004	2005
Image (link to full text via Internet Archive)

Year (link to info)	2006	2007
Image (link to full text via Internet Archive)

* RUL has also scanned yearbooks from other current and former colleges and schools of the university, specifically (listed from oldest to newest):

According to a December 1973 article in The Journal of Teacher Education, by Hilda Hidalgo, Chairman of the Department of Urban Studies and Community Development at Livingston College:

• “Livingston College … opened its doors in 1969 with a freshman class of about 600 men and women” (Hidalgo, 1973).
• “Dr. Ernest A. Lynton, a physicist, scholar and humanist, has been the College’s main ideological architect; he was appointed dean by former Rutgers University President Mason W. Gross in 1965, when the College was just an idea” (Hidalgo, 1973).
• According the college catalog for 1971-1972, This Is Livingston (quoted in Hidalgo, 1973), Livingston College students had formed “multiple ethnical and special interest groups, including the Black Student Union, the United Puerto Rican Students, The Foreign Students Group, the Third World Coalition, Women’s Liberation Group, and the Commuters’ Association. In addition, students may join the Philosophy Club, Psychology Association, Student Employment Service, Peer Counseling Group, and others. Any group of at least fifteen students may start a club; they may then apply to the Club Finance Board for funding.”
• “Livingston College’s message can best be summarized by quoting excerpts of Dean Ernest Lynton’s commencement address to our first full graduating class of 500 seniors on May 20, 1973” (quoted in Hidalgo, 1973):

We have shown, unmistakably that a College within a university can contribute to the highest levels of scholarship, research, and instruction of a university, while at the same time it can meet the educational needs of a broadly heterogeneous student body — the needs of black and Puerto Rican, the needs of the poor as well as the rich, the needs of the sons and daughters of working-class parents as much as those of the progeny of merchants and bankers — the needs as well of older and of part-time students as much as those of younger, and full-time ones.

There are two common threads running through this multifaceted educational enterprise. One is a universal commitment to quality — and that is something which we have had to learn from each other slowly and sometimes painfully. It is only in a truly multiracial institution like ours that the white liberal can learn, from his black and Puerto Rican colleagues and critics, that the greatest arrogance of whites is their low expectation with regard to the performance of minority students — and gradually the lesson is being learned that high expectations and demanding goals are what each of us owes to every one of our students.

And this common emphasis on quality makes possible the second common thread of our effort — the refusal to accept any track system of education in which students are channelled and boxed in according to their background. The most important feature of Livingston’s fascinating educational mix is that it provides for all students the full range of opportunities — and encourages each to explore the very limits of his or her potential and aspirations, regardless of background and prior training. You who graduate here today have come from many different societal groups, many races and classes, many backgrounds. You go from here into a wide variety of occupations — further graduate and professional education, medical and law schools, jobs in private and public agencies, teaching and — inevitably — some with no jobs at all. A great diversity — but the achievement of the College is that there is no correlation between where you are going and where you came from.

To be many things to many people, to provide a broad spectrum of education and career opportunities, to serve the needs of a heterogeneous student body — such achievements should, indeed must, be the ultimate aims of all colleges and all universities — but as yet Livingston stands nearly alone in this.

TABLE 2: Racial Distribution — Livingston College 1972-73 (“Statistics provided by Livingston College registrar and office of the Dean,” as quoted in Hidalgo, 1973)

* Administrators — Under this category we have included only administrators listed by name and function in the Livingston catalog, representing only key positions with considerable responsibility and authority. Clerical staff has been omitted. 

Hidalgo, H. (1973). No one model American: A collegiate case in point.  The Journal of Teacher Education, 24(4), 294-301.

2013-2014 Officers

2013-2014 Officers

• Jason Goldstein, President
• Mindy Hoffman, Vice President for Public Relations 
• Debra O’Neal, Vice President for Outreach 
• Eric Schwarz, Vice President for Internal Affairs
• Jeff Isaacs, Treasurer

LAA Executive Council 

• Rosemary Agrista
• Ali Ali
• Jeffrey Armus
• William Bauer*
• Michael Beachem
• Rob Bertrand
• Joseph Capo
• Yash Dalal 
• Martin Dickerson
• Jason Goldstein
• Mindy Hoffman
• Jeff Isaacs 
• Iris Martinez-Campbell
• Mike Middleton
• Debra O’Neal 
• Harold Robinson
• Eric Schwarz
• Marty Siederer
• Stephen Yanick
• Derek Young
    

2013-2014 Standing Committee Chairs

• Budget and Finance – Jeff Isaacs
• Election and Nominations – Jeffrey Armus
• Membership – Vacant
• Programming and Events – Rosemary Agrista
• Public Relations – Mindy Hoffman
• Reunion and Class – William Bauer*, Derek Young
• Young Alumni – Ali Ali

* Deceased; passed away during term.

Board Member Biographies

• Rosemary Agrista, LC ’76, received her degree from Livingston in journalism and urban communications, has worked with Lucent Technologies and currently works in the field of alternative medicine.
• Jeffrey Armus, LC ’77, earned his master’s in business administration from Rutgers University and is currently head of financial planning at Linde, Inc. in Murray Hill, N.J.
• Michael Beachem, LC ’73, earned his master’s and doctorate degrees from the Rutgers Graduate School of Education, and serves on the Rutgers University Senate.
• Rob Bertrand, LC ’01, is chief engineer at CBS Radio.
• Yash Dalal, LC ’92, earned his MBA from Boston College and is Senior Vice President – Wealth Management for The Dalal Group at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney located in Paramus, N.J.
• Martin Dickerson, LC ’79, earned his doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a school administrator for the North Brunswick Township (N.J.) Public Schools.
• Jason Goldstein, LC ’02, RBS ’05, is a performing arts and entertainment entrepreneur and producer.
• Jeffrey Isaacs, LC ’84, is a Registered Financial Consultant and Proprietor of J B Financial Resources, a income tax preparation and financial consulting firm located in Highland Park, N.J.
• Debra O’Neal, LC’87, is the training/education administrator for the State of Delaware Children’s Department.
• Eric Schwarz, LC ’92, SCILS ‘ 92, ’07, earned his Master of Library and Information Science degree from Rutgers, and is an editor and quality analyst for Dow Jones and Co., and a part-time reference librarian.
• Marty Siederer, LC ’77, is the senior director of campaign development for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Leukemia Cup Regatta campaign.

2013-2014 Officers

• Jason Goldstein, President
• Mindy Hoffman, Vice President for Public Relations 
• Debra O’Neal, Vice President for Outreach 
• Eric Schwarz, Vice President for Internal Affairs
• Jeff Isaacs, Treasurer

LAA Executive Council 

• Rosemary Agrista
• Ali Ali
• Jeffrey Armus
• William Bauer*
• Michael Beachem
• Rob Bertrand
• Joseph Capo
• Yash Dalal 
• Martin Dickerson
• Jason Goldstein
• Mindy Hoffman
• Jeff Isaacs 
• Iris Martinez-Campbell
• Mike Middleton
• Debra O’Neal 
• Harold Robinson
• Eric Schwarz
• Marty Siederer
• Stephen Yanick
• Derek Young
    

2013-2014 Standing Committee Chairs

• Budget and Finance – Jeff Isaacs
• Election and Nominations – Jeffrey Armus
• Membership – Vacant
• Programming and Events – Rosemary Agrista
• Public Relations – Mindy Hoffman
• Reunion and Class – William Bauer*, Derek Young
• Young Alumni – Ali Ali

* Deceased; passed away during term.

Board Member Biographies

• Rosemary Agrista, LC ’76, received her degree from Livingston in journalism and urban communications, has worked with Lucent Technologies and currently works in the field of alternative medicine.
• Jeffrey Armus, LC ’77, earned his master’s in business administration from Rutgers University and is currently head of financial planning at Linde, Inc. in Murray Hill, N.J.
• Michael Beachem, LC ’73, earned his master’s and doctorate degrees from the Rutgers Graduate School of Education, and serves on the Rutgers University Senate.
• Rob Bertrand, LC ’01, is chief engineer at CBS Radio.
• Yash Dalal, LC ’92, earned his MBA from Boston College and is Senior Vice President – Wealth Management for The Dalal Group at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney located in Paramus, N.J.
• Martin Dickerson, LC ’79, earned his doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a school administrator for the North Brunswick Township (N.J.) Public Schools.
• Jason Goldstein, LC ’02, RBS ’05, is a performing arts and entertainment entrepreneur and producer.
• Jeffrey Isaacs, LC ’84, is a Registered Financial Consultant and Proprietor of J B Financial Resources, a income tax preparation and financial consulting firm located in Highland Park, N.J.
• Debra O’Neal, LC’87, is the training/education administrator for the State of Delaware Children’s Department.
• Eric Schwarz, LC ’92, SCILS ‘ 92, ’07, earned his Master of Library and Information Science degree from Rutgers, and is an editor and quality analyst for Dow Jones and Co., and a part-time reference librarian.
• Marty Siederer, LC ’77, is the senior director of campaign development for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Leukemia Cup Regatta campaign.

Photo album: Bill Bauer, 1964-2013

William S. (“Bill”) Bauer Jr., a former president of the Livingston Alumni Association, passed away Tuesday, November 26, 2013. He was 49. Born in Camden, New Jersey, he had been a resident of Levittown, Pennsylvania. Bill was a 1986 graduate of Rutgers University’s Livingston College and a 1989 graduate of Rutgers’ Graduate School-New Brunswick.

Bill served for many years as an executive council (board) member of LAA, including several terms as president or first vice president of the organization.

He was preceded in death by his daughter Susanne Luise Bauer. Surviving Bill are his wife Karin A. (nee Sagendorph) Bauer; his parents William S. and Darla J. Bauer Sr. of Pennsauken, NJ, and his siblings Valerie M. Bauer of Merchantville, NJ, and Robert C. E. Bauer of Pennsauken, NJ.

Bill and Karin enjoyed annual trips to Europe, most frequently to Germany. Other recent trips included visits to Paris, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. They were also frequent visitors to Rutgers for homecoming football games, reunions and other events. 

Several of Bill’s friends, in an online memorial guest book or speaking at his funeral, noted that Bill was always ready to lend a hand to solve technical problems — both professionally within the Office of School Facilities of New Jersey’s Department of Education, and personally, helping friends set up their home computers.

Current and former colleagues on the LAA board and former Livingston College deans remembered Bill as a friend and as a leader.

Michele Ostrowski, who served as LAA’s treasurer while Bill was president of the organization, recalled that Bill was an early adopter of the Internet, “a great guy, funny and smart.”

Mark Weller (Livingston College ’85), also a former LAA board member, became good friends with Bill and the Bauer family, spending holidays with them in Pennsylvania.

Eric Schwarz (Livingston College ’92), currently an LAA vice president, appreciated Bill’s dedication and generosity to the college and university he loved, as well as Bill’s joy for life, family and adventure.

George Jones, former dean of students of Livingston College, remembered Bill as fun-loving and as an alumnus who cared deeply for “his beloved Livingston.” (In 2007, Livingston College was subsumed into the Rutgers-New Brunswick School of Arts and Sciences.)

Before Bill even entered college in 1982, he showed that he would be a leader.

Paul Herman, a former assistant dean of Livingston College, remembered: “Prior to Bill’s freshman year I ran an experimental summer orientation program and he was the first student to register for it, and as I recall, he was the first person to show up for the program. As I came to learn, that was typical Bill, always there, always ready to do whatever it takes to make something work, and always a loyal Livingston and Rutgers man. He will always be missed.”

Livingston College honored Bill with a special service award upon his graduation in 1986, in recognition of his “outstanding contributions and service” to the college.

Bill was laid to rest at Bristol Cemetery in Croydon, Pennsylvania on December 3, 2013, following a funeral service. Friends and family may view and sign an online memorial guest book. A copy of the guest book includes remembrances posted through December 10, 2013.

.

The LAA presents the following awards (the linked pages include lists of the honored individuals):

• Riki Jacobs Livingston Pride Award (to a graduating undergraduate student at Rutgers-New Brunswick)
• Livingston Distinguished Alumni Award (and previously the Seth Dvorin Distinguished Young Alumni Award)
• Livingston Legacy Award (to faculty and staff)

From 1981 to 1999, LAA named 26 Honorary Members.

Also see a list of awards presented by other Rutgers alumni organizations to the Livingston Alumni Association and to individual alumni.

Do you have a memory of your time at Livingston: a favorite professor, dorm, event, club/organization? Email us at info AT  to share your memories!

[Also see Deans’ Reflections.]

• A 1974 Graduate’s Memories of a Groundbreaking College on a Diverse Campus, by Marian Murray, LC’74
• An Appreciation of Gardening and an Inspiration to Study Anatomy: Livingston College in the Early 1970s, by Lisa Matusow-Futterman, LC’73
• ‘Education Is the Main Topic of Discussion’ in 1973; Graduates Have ‘Set the Pace’ for Classes to Come, by Noah Hart, Jr., LC’73
• Joyful Memories of Livingston College from a 1972 Alumna, by Patricia Graham, LC’72
• Livingston College, 1971: An ‘Incredibly Radical Outlook on City Living’, by William Ciaburri, LC’76
• Livingston College of the 1980s: Social Awareness in a ‘Small School’ Setting, by Robert Breckinridge, LC’88

• Livingston College in the Early 1970s: A Great Social Experiment, by Richard D. Apgar, LC’75
• Livingston College’s Challenges at Age 21, by Eric Schwarz, LC’92, SCILS’92,’07
• Livingston College’s First Alumni Association President Reveals His Inspirations — and the Holy Grail of LC Alumni History, by Leonard M. Klepner, LC’72
• Long Live Livingston, by Rob Snyder, LC’77
• Memories of the Barracks: A Refuge for Rutgers Journalists on Livingston Campus, by Glen Weisman, LC’86
• Music, Risk, Three-Eyed Frogs and Other Experiments: Life in Livingston College’s House 15, Circa 1972-1975, by Joe Birish, LC’75
• Towering Memories: Livingston College Students Move In to Dorms on North Side of Campus, by Steven T. Walker, LC‘86
• Yours in Blackness: Livingston College’s Weusi Kuumba Dancers and Drummers, by William Bellinger, LC‘73

Top photo: The New Academic Building (later named Lucy Stone Hall) on Rutgers’ Kilmer campus (later named Livingston campus), circa 1973.

2012-2013 Officers

• Jason Goldstein, President
• Debra O’Neal, 1st Vice President
• Mindy Hoffman, 2nd Vice President
• Jeff Isaacs, Treasurer
• Eric Schwarz, Secretary

LAA Executive Council

2012-2013 Officers

• Jason Goldstein, President
• Debra O’Neal, 1st Vice President
• Mindy Hoffman, 2nd Vice President
• Jeff Isaacs, Treasurer
• Eric Schwarz, Secretary

LAA Executive Council

• Rosemary Agrista
• Jeffrey Armus
• William Bauer
• Michael Beachem
• Rob Bertrand
• Joseph Capo
• Yash Dalal
• Martin Dickerson
• Jason Goldstein
• Mindy Hoffman
• Jeff Isaacs 
• Jon LaCarrubba 
• Iris Martinez-Campbell
• Mike Middleton
• Debra O’Neal 
• Michele Ostrowski
• Eric Schwarz
• Marty Siederer
• Stephen Yanick
• Derek Young
    

2012-2013 Standing Committee Chairs

• Budget and Finance – Jeff Isaacs
• Election and Nominations – Mike Middleton
• Membership – Joseph Capo  
• Programming and Events – Rosemary Agrista
• Public Relations – Mindy Hoffman
• Reunion and Class – Derek Young
• Young Alumni – Vacant