RIP Frank Epifanio
Back in 2002, when I was finishing up grad school, I interviewed at Bridgeton Public Schools for a school psychologist position. They offered me the job, which I appreciated, because I had achieved the natural milestone that follows formal schooling: employment in your related field. The caveat was that Bridgeton wasn’t exactly a great school district. Impoverished, racked with violence and itinerant population, the district wasn’t exactly a destination for graduate students. Nevertheless, it was a job.
But then I heard about a position opening up down by the Jersey Shore in Margate, and decided to apply for the job; I had yet to sign a contract with Bridgeton, so I was free to do as I pleased. I interviewed there but did not get the job; one of my fellow grad students, Pete, however, did. He called me shortly after my second job interview in Margate and said that he was pretty sure he was going to get the job. (Seemed presumptuous to me at the time, but he was apparently connected to the superintendent in some personal capacity.)
The purpose of his call was not to rub it in; he advised me not to sign the contract at Bridgeton (if it wasn’t too late), because the position for which he’d been hired in Williamstown would open up if he took the Margate job. Furthermore, the director there, Frank Epifanio, expressed some interest in hiring me if Pete left Williamstown.
So there I had an (enviable) problem: More than one job to pick from.
I interviewed in Williamstown after receiving a call from Frank, and by the time Bridgeton got around to calling me to come in and sign the contract, I had accepted the job in Williamstown, working for Frank. I’m still here.
Sadly, Frank passed away on Sunday, November 30th; I learned of his passing at work early Monday morning. He was teaching at Rowan as a professor of psychology in the special education department; he was not yet 60 years old.
R.I.P. Frank
But then I heard about a position opening up down by the Jersey Shore in Margate, and decided to apply for the job; I had yet to sign a contract with Bridgeton, so I was free to do as I pleased. I interviewed there but did not get the job; one of my fellow grad students, Pete, however, did. He called me shortly after my second job interview in Margate and said that he was pretty sure he was going to get the job. (Seemed presumptuous to me at the time, but he was apparently connected to the superintendent in some personal capacity.)
The purpose of his call was not to rub it in; he advised me not to sign the contract at Bridgeton (if it wasn’t too late), because the position for which he’d been hired in Williamstown would open up if he took the Margate job. Furthermore, the director there, Frank Epifanio, expressed some interest in hiring me if Pete left Williamstown.
So there I had an (enviable) problem: More than one job to pick from.
I interviewed in Williamstown after receiving a call from Frank, and by the time Bridgeton got around to calling me to come in and sign the contract, I had accepted the job in Williamstown, working for Frank. I’m still here.
Sadly, Frank passed away on Sunday, November 30th; I learned of his passing at work early Monday morning. He was teaching at Rowan as a professor of psychology in the special education department; he was not yet 60 years old.
R.I.P. Frank