Frank J. Esposito
Encyclopedia
Frank John Esposito is an American
historian, educator, and university administrator. He is the Distinguished Service Professor of History at Kean University
in Union
, New Jersey
. In the 2009 New Jersey gubernatorial race
, Esposito was named by independent candidate Christopher Daggett
as his ticket's candidate for Lieutenant Governor
.
. He received B.A.
and M.A.
degrees from Glassboro State College (now Rowan University
). He earned a Ph.D.
in American history from Rutgers University
in 1976.
In 1970, Esposito first joined Kean College (then Newark State Teachers College), when he became an assistant professor of educational arts and systems for the College of Education. After receiving his Ph.D. from Rutgers, he was promoted to assistant dean. He later became acting dean for three years. In 1984, he became vice president for Academic Affairs. After working on a national study to evaluate school choice
systems, Esposito returned to Kean as a full-time history professor in 1990. He became the first dean of the Nathan Weiss Graduate College in 1998.
In March 2002, Esposito was elected to serve as interim university president while a search was conducted for a permanent president. When Dawood Farahi was chosen, Esposito returned to teaching in the Department of History. He was named interim dean of the College of Education in 2006, serving until 2008.
On July 27, 2009, independent gubernatorial candidate Christopher Daggett
named Esposito as his running mate. If elected, Esposito would be the first Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey
. Since Daggett qualified for matching funds, Esposito was eligible to participate in the televised Lieutenant Governor debate with Republican candidate Kim Guadagno
and Democratic candidate Loretta Weinberg
, held on October 8, 2009.
In regards to the accusation that his supporters were wasting their votes, Esposito replied: "[A] vote for our independent ticket is not a wasted vote. In fact, a wasted vote is one for the two major parties knowing that nothing will change in Trenton."
Esposito lives in Ocean Township
with his wife, Sherry. He is registered as an independent.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
historian, educator, and university administrator. He is the Distinguished Service Professor of History at Kean University
Kean University
Kean University is a coeducational, public research university located in Union and Hillside, New Jersey, United States. Kean University serves its students in the liberal arts, the sciences, and the professions with a dedication to intellectual and cultural growth and is best known for its...
in Union
Union Township, Union County, New Jersey
Union is a Township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. In the 18th century, the area that is now Union was then called Connecticut Farms...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. In the 2009 New Jersey gubernatorial race
New Jersey gubernatorial election, 2009
The New Jersey gubernatorial election of 2009 took place on November 3, 2009. Democratic Governor Jon Corzine was running for a second term and was being challenged by Republican Chris Christie, Independent Christopher Daggett and nine others, in addition to several write-in candidates...
, Esposito was named by independent candidate Christopher Daggett
Christopher Daggett
Christopher Jarvis "Chris" Daggett is a former regional administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection...
as his ticket's candidate for Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey
The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is a position that has existed since January 2010, following conjoint election with the Governor of New Jersey. The position was created as the result of a Constitutional amendment to the New Jersey State Constitution passed by the voters on November 8, 2005...
.
Biography
Esposito was born in Ocean City, New JerseyOcean City, New Jersey
Ocean City is a city in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is the principal city of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Cape May County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 11,701...
. He received B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
and M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
degrees from Glassboro State College (now Rowan University
Rowan University
Rowan University is a public university in Glassboro, New Jersey, USA with a satellite campus in Camden, New Jersey. The school was founded in 1923 as Glassboro Normal School on a twenty-five acre tract of land donated by the town...
). He earned a Ph.D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in American history from Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
in 1976.
In 1970, Esposito first joined Kean College (then Newark State Teachers College), when he became an assistant professor of educational arts and systems for the College of Education. After receiving his Ph.D. from Rutgers, he was promoted to assistant dean. He later became acting dean for three years. In 1984, he became vice president for Academic Affairs. After working on a national study to evaluate school choice
School choice
School choice is a term used to describe a wide array of programs aimed at giving families the opportunity to choose the school their children will attend. As a matter of form, school choice does not give preference to one form of schooling or another, rather manifests itself whenever a student...
systems, Esposito returned to Kean as a full-time history professor in 1990. He became the first dean of the Nathan Weiss Graduate College in 1998.
In March 2002, Esposito was elected to serve as interim university president while a search was conducted for a permanent president. When Dawood Farahi was chosen, Esposito returned to teaching in the Department of History. He was named interim dean of the College of Education in 2006, serving until 2008.
On July 27, 2009, independent gubernatorial candidate Christopher Daggett
Christopher Daggett
Christopher Jarvis "Chris" Daggett is a former regional administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency and Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection...
named Esposito as his running mate. If elected, Esposito would be the first Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey
Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey
The Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey is a position that has existed since January 2010, following conjoint election with the Governor of New Jersey. The position was created as the result of a Constitutional amendment to the New Jersey State Constitution passed by the voters on November 8, 2005...
. Since Daggett qualified for matching funds, Esposito was eligible to participate in the televised Lieutenant Governor debate with Republican candidate Kim Guadagno
Kim Guadagno
Kim Guadagno is the first Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey, having won the 2009 election as the running mate of Governor Chris Christie. She is also concurrently the Secretary of State of New Jersey.-Early life:...
and Democratic candidate Loretta Weinberg
Loretta Weinberg
Loretta Weinberg is an American Democratic Party politician, who has served as a member of the New Jersey Senate since 2005, where she represents the 37th Legislative District...
, held on October 8, 2009.
In regards to the accusation that his supporters were wasting their votes, Esposito replied: "[A] vote for our independent ticket is not a wasted vote. In fact, a wasted vote is one for the two major parties knowing that nothing will change in Trenton."
Esposito lives in Ocean Township
Ocean Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey
Ocean Township is a township located in east central Monmouth County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 27,291.Oakhurst and Wanamassa Ocean Township is a township located in east central Monmouth County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census,...
with his wife, Sherry. He is registered as an independent.
Published works
Esposito has published seven books:- Travelling New Jersey (Wise, 1978)
- Madison: An Intimate History of A Community in Transition (Compton, 1985)
- Public School Choice: National Trends and Initiatives (NJ Dept. of Education, 1989)
- Ocean City, NJ, two volumes, co-author, (Arcadia, 1996, 1998)
- Victorian New Jersey (Kean University Press, 2005)
- Manhattan's Musical Heritage, co-author, (Arcadia, 2005)