Excellence Passes: NOVA Remembers MA Professor Emeritus Frank Ferrara
“Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way.” (Booker T. Washington).
Frank Ferrara was a husband, father, uncle, colleague and friend who bravely fought cancer for seven years joining experimental trials that extended his life. For his want to advance science, he met sons-in-law and grandchildren. He watched as his wife became a City of Manassas Police Office after becoming a US citizen. As Professor Emeritus of Business at the Manassas Campus, he approached every task, event or situation with dedication and grace.
Frank started at NVCC as a career professional in fall 2008 teaching marketing classes at the Annandale Campus. For three years, he taught each semester, including summers. And in Fall 2011, he joined the ranks of full-time teaching faculty as assistant professor of business management on the Woodbridge Campus. He taught over 16 semesters (including summers always) and then transitioned to the Manassas Campus to help meet a growing demand for business coursework.
His academic career encompassed teaching business management and administration courses in the classroom as well as online. In fact, he was one of the original online course designers for some of the business discipline’s earliest offerings. His students raved about his challenging assignments as “real world,” “important” and “engaging.” His industry experience informed his teaching and he even brought the world to the classroom with invitations to Ambassadors from the Philippines, Serbia and the republics of Georgia and Hungary.
Not just an industry professional and faculty, but also an active colleague, Frank served on Campus Forum and College Senate and will be missed by students, faculty and staff. In fact, Prof. Maryellen Ryan, assistant professor of economics said, “One of the hallmarks of Frank’s success in the classroom was the positive impression left with students that propelled them to continue to connect long after his class was over.”
His colleagues spoke of his unwavering dedication to learning and how his own real-world business experiences helped students understand. His own struggles with cancer did not dampen his spirit for teaching.
Frank constantly sought ways to bring his industry successes into the classroom and onto the Manassas Campus. As an academic, he understood the importance of challenging students to see beyond the boundaries of their personal experiences and into a vast world of opportunities that extend beyond our borders. Frank leveraged his professional experience to remain connected to various Washington think tanks and research institutes that he used to connect students with internship opportunities and campus visits. “Without Frank’s inspiration, NOVA students would not have enjoyed access to a truly world-class educational experience,” said Prof. Aldous McCrory, professor of business.
Our colleague is survived by his wife of seven years Miljana Mitrovic and his two brothers, two daughters, sons-in-law, nieces, nephews and grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to the American Cancer Society.
Submitted by:
Cathleen Codgill, Manassas-Business Professor, CCodgill@nvcc.edu