Rider University Department of Communications Founder Howard Schwartz Remembered for Empathy

Written by Michele Amabile

John Reffue was a high school junior when he first began thinking about where he wanted to study his chosen field of Communications.

He sent a letter to Rider University’s Department of Communications asking for more information, and was surprised to receive a handwritten response from Department founder Howard Schwartz in his mailbox.

“I read it and my parents immediately insisted that we travel five hours by car from my upstate New York hometown to see what Dr. Schwartz’s department had to offer. Surely a man who would take the time to hand write a letter to a prospective student took great pride in teaching and student success,” said Reffue, now a professor of communications in Florida at Hillsborough Community College. “My mother still has that letter.”

It was that kind of personal dedication that endeared the beloved professor to his students.

Schwartz, a professor emeritus who founded the Department of Communication and Journalism at Rider University, passed away on June 28 at age 76 after battling non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

A memorial service was held in his honor at the University’s Bart Luedeke Center Theatre on Thursday.

“He was extremely caring about his colleague’s welfare and success as well as his students,” said Pamela Brown, Professor and Chair of the Department of Communication and Journalism. “I think he was more caring than most people in such a position and I think that his general concern for his colleagues and his students was his prime motivator behind every decision he made and every action that he took.”

Jonathan Millan, Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, Education, and Sciences, said Schwartz instilled a “genuine sense of community for those with whom he worked.”

“In the classroom, he loved his students and he loved teaching, and it was a perfect combination. The students were really touched by his dedication to his craft,” he said. “As an administrator he really humanized the entire endeavor. He always approached his job with a real concern for people and their well being.”

This was most evident in the professor’s most popular speech class, Theories of Persuasion.

“I think that was his favorite class to teach. He thoroughly enjoyed talking about the protest movements and Civil Rights movements. These were all movements that were close to his heart,” she said.

Born in Bridgeport, Conn., Schwartz earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Emerson College before joining the staff at New York University as a debate coach and speech instructor. He completed his doctoral studies at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., in 1965, and began teaching at the University of Maryland.

He joined Rider, where he taught speech for 37 years. His legacy there is far reaching, as he founded and chaired the school’s Department of Communication and Journalism.

In 1969, he created the school’s Equal Opportunity Program. He and his wife, Harriett, mentored low-income students who were afforded the opportunity to attend college when it seemed impossible. His wife was also a professor.

His empathy for his students is what students remember the most. Tom Dematteo Jr., class of 1993, said Schwartz was a key motivator in his success.

“I took some time off after my junior year; I wasn’t a great student and needed time to get myself straight. My first semester back, I had Dr. Schwartz for Theories of Persuasion,” he said. “Midway through the semester, he calls me to his office. I was very nervous going in, but he told me it was obvious that the time away had helped, and keep up the good work. That really gave me confidence that I could succeed.”

“Later, during Senior Seminar, I came to him with an idea to compare 60’s Civil Rights leaders to present-time hip hop artists,” he said. “He said it sounded great, but he had one problem with it - did he actually have to listen to the music?”

Rider University President Mordechai Rozanski said Schwartz will be “greatly missed.”

“Throughout my tenure, I have heard numerous alumni recount stories of how Howard shaped their lives,” Rozanski said. “He had a big heart and was a transformational member of the Rider community.”

Memorial contributions may be made to the Howard Schwartz Scholarship Fund, c/o Rider University, Office of University Advancement.

The attached image of Howard Schwartz was provided.by Rider University.