(PDF) (DOC) (JPG)April 16, 2003

(Mahwah) – Ramapo College of New Jersey will dedicate its new commons area in honor of Florence Thomases of Englewood and the late Fred Thomases in a ceremony scheduled Thursday, April 24. A reception will follow the dedication ceremony. The Thomases Commons is located in The Village, a just-completed 528-bed, townhouse-style apartment complex. The Thomases Commons houses an office/conference room, a lounge with fireplace, mail room, laundry facilities and a convenience store. It also serves as the residence of The Village area director.

Florence Thomases, a member of the first Ramapo College Board of Trustees, the one that created the college, and her late husband, Fred Thomases, provided leadership, guidance and continued support of the college beginning with its inception in 1969. As a founding member of the board, Florence Thomases was instrumental in choosing a site for the college as well as its first president, Dr. George Potter. She later served as chairperson of the board. The generous contributions of Florence and Fred Thomases have supported countless students and faculty through endowed scholarships and grants for research and teaching excellence.

Students living in The Village must commit themselves to learning how to live in a sustainable manner. Residents agree to consciously experiment with sustainable approaches to improving the efficiency of The Village residences and increase their personal and collective learning about how to live sustainably in the future. Such life skills include gaining knowledge of how to gather and grow food, how to use renewable sources of energy, how to conserve materials and energy, how to live with rather than against nature, how to avoid creating contaminated environments and how to make healthy choices in eating, consuming, building and using shelter. The convenience store, operated by the Wood Company, also emphasizes environmentally friendly products.

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About Ramapo College

Ramapo College of New Jersey is the state’s premier public liberal arts college and is committed to academic excellence through interdisciplinary and experiential learning, and international and intercultural understanding. The comprehensive college is situated among the beautiful Ramapo Mountains, is within commuting distance to New York City, was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful College Campuses in America by CondeNast Traveler, and boasts the best on-campus housing in New Jersey per Niche.com. Established in 1969, Ramapo College offers bachelor’s degrees in the arts, business, data science, humanities, social sciences and the sciences, as well as in professional studies, which include business, education, nursing and social work. In addition, the College offers courses leading to teacher certification at the elementary and secondary levels, and offers graduate programs leading to master’s degrees in Accounting, Applied Mathematics, Business Administration, Contemporary Instructional Design, Computer Science, Creative Music Technology, Data Science, Educational Leadership, Nursing, Social Work and Special Education, as well as a Doctor of Nursing Practice.

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