Women’s History Month 2025: Our John Jay Heroines
In honor of Women’s History Month, our faculty, staff, students, and alumni recognized some very special John Jay Heroines. These talented women inspire us through their innovative thinking, strength, resilience, determination, and empathy. Below are the nominators’ tributes.
John Jay Heroine: In-Deria Barrows ’26, Student Council Treasurer
Nominator: Yarik Munoz ’26, Student Council President
I chose In-Deria—a Cell and Molecular Biology major with a minor in Psychology—as my John Jay Heroine because of her exceptional dedication to the Student Council. She diligently oversees our budget and protects it from unauthorized requests. Additionally, she stepped up as Acting Secretary which ensured that our yearbook could be completed on time. What makes her accomplishments even more impressive is that she balances these responsibilities alongside her rigorous academic obligations, which include numerous lab hours and working on the weekends. In-Deria’s commitment, work ethic, and ability to excel across multiple domains inspire me.
John Jay Heroine: Patricia Samperi, PRISM (Program for Research Initiatives in Science and Math) Grants Management Specialist
Nominator: Edgardo Sanabria-Valentin, Ph.D., PRISM Associate Program Director
Patricia has been instrumental in the development of VisionLearning (an online learning space), assisting PRISM students that present their research at national conferences, and supporting our faculty mentors by helping to secure supplies, reagents, and cutting-edge equipment. Patricia always puts the mission and vision of PRISM first and continually contributes activity ideas that enrich our students’ lives.
John Jay Heroine: Rosemary Cruzatte, Project Manager in the Office of Space Planning and Capital Projects
Nominator: Debra Hairston-Parker, Director of Academic Space Management
Rosemary knows every corner of John Jay College, as she services every building. Whether you’re a new or long-standing member of our community, anytime you’ve had to move offices, Rosemary was there to ensure the space was accommodating. She facilitates moves and requests furnishing on behalf of all faculty and staff. Most importantly she manages these responsibilities seamlessly and professionally with a smile on her face and words of encouragement from her heart. If you’ve ever moved homes, you know how stressful the process is. That is what makes Rosemary stand out as a heroine; she’s gracious under pressure.
John Jay Heroine: Lucia Paredes ’27, Assessment & Evaluation Team Member
Nominators: Sara Martucci, Ph.D. and Marisa Tramontano, Ph.D., Doctoral Lecturers
Lucia Paredes ’27, a Law & Society major, has been an instrumental member of the Assessment & Evaluation Team. During committee meetings, she skillfully conducts complex scoring and discussion sessions. But beyond her invaluable perspective when scoring, what makes Lucia our heroine is how impressively she holds her own, arguing for her position in conversation with faculty and deans. Her commitment to justice outside of John Jay is also remarkable, as she works for City Council member Sandra Ung to improve the lives of New Yorkers.
John Jay Heroine: Rachel Perlman, Ph.D., PRISM Senior Grant Program Manager
Nominator: Anthony Carpi, Ph.D., Vice Provost and Dean of Research
Rachel has done an incredible job of managing several large, grant-funded projects in the Department of Sciences to the benefit of our students. She is always looking for ways to improve the student experience and expand resources to help them. Despite managing a heavy load, she is innovative in bringing new ideas to the table, incredibly organized in making those ideas a reality, and interacts with colleagues at the College and other CUNYs with ease. She has been a student success superstar.
John Jay Heroine: Rosemary Barberet, Ph.D., Sociology Professor
Nominator: Cristina Lozano Argüelles, Ph.D., Modern Languages and Literatures Assistant Professor Rosemary is a true advocate for her students, empowering them through research and ensuring they recognize the full value of their skills—including their bilingualism. As the best second-language learner of Spanish I have ever met, she models the dedication and persistence she hopes to instill in her students. Beyond her work with students, Rosemary has also been a mentor to me, and our collaboration has been an ongoing source of learning. But what truly sets Rosemary apart is the joy she brings to her work. Rosemary embodies the spirit of a John Jay Heroine, and I’m grateful to work alongside her.
John Jay Heroine: Shanelle Shillingford ’16, Ph.D., Analytical Chemist
Nominator: Gloria Proni, Ph.D., Associate Professor Science
Dr. Shanelle Shillingford, a Forensic Toxicology major, received her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Yale University. I’ve admired her and believed in her from when she was a John Jay student and research fellow. Shanelle is curious, independent, motivated, superbly capable, and an especially lovely person to work alongside. In the last decade, women have achieved the largest increase in STEM employment, but the percentage remains remarkably low compared to the proportion of women in the population. That’s why it was brave for Shanelle to choose this career. I cannot imagine how many times she had to prove herself over and over again. For this reason, I’m proud to call Shanelle my colleague, friend, and hero.
John Jay Heroine: Jennifer Lorenzo ’07, ’12, External Affairs Associate Events Program Manager
Nominator: Mindy Bockstein, Executive Director for External Affairs
Jennifer is a master multi-tasker, executing well-organized in-person, hybrid, and virtual events that enrich our campus community. She liaisons with vendors, colleagues, and external partners in an efficient and highly professional manner. Jennifer thoughtfully contributes to commencement, the honorary degree luncheon, and many other signature events for the College. What is so admirable about Jennifer is her confident, calm, and welcoming demeanor, even when faced with challenging circumstances. I applaud Jennifer for her can-do work ethic, team spirit, and continued dedication to John Jay.
John Jay Heroine: Wynne Ferdinand, Ph.D., Assistant Dean of Academic Programs
Nominator: Andrew Sidman, Ph.D., Interim Dean of Academic Programs
Wynne is one of the strongest supporters of faculty development and student learning at the College. She’s worked on developing general education curriculum, assessing and developing pedagogy around writing and quantitative reasoning skills, and creating and maintaining partnerships to grow our transfer student population. Wynne has secured funding to develop curriculum around justice, support career readiness, and enhance access through open educational resources. She does all of this through careful and extensive work with the faculty who most directly work with our students.
