DR. DEVORAH LIEBERMAN
PROVOST & VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
    I came to know Tom when he first started working as the vice president and chief financial officer at Wagner College. Over the years, Tom and I shared innumerable opportunities to work together as colleagues and friends. As the CFO, Tom needed to pay attention, meticulously, to the college finances. Never once, in his efforts to be attentive to the finances, did he forget that the purpose of the institution is to serve our students. With this shared philosophy, Tom became my partner in everything that I do — that we do — at Wagner College. I cannot anticipate having had a closer professional relationship with another colleague: always respectful, always honest, always trying to make things work, always kind.
    During our years together, we were able to blend the professional and the personal. This began when Tom and I co-hosted a national conference at Wagner College. Preparations for this conference began months and months before the conference began. Tom and I met weekly to coordinate our efforts to deliver this conference. Our meetings continually and consistently included much work, much laughter, and a developing friendship that continued, without interruption, for all the years to follow.
    During our times together, he talked about his commitment to integrity and caring in everything he touched. Inevitably, our conversation would turn to his wife Cheryl and the girls: the three people he cherished more than anyone else in his life. He would talk about the accomplishments of each, athletics, their academic accomplishments, their short-term dreams and their long-term visions. Every time he regaled me with stories of his family, I was struck by how deeply Tom took his responsibilities and his passion for every person in his family and at his place of employment.
    We often referred to Tom as “the Boy Scout.” Why? It was obvious: He approached everything — whether his family relationships and obligations or his employment responsibilities and duties — with integrity, care and a sense of honor.
    I am sure that the messages that arrive describing Tom will have the consistent theme that I have tried to articulate: He was a man of honor, a man of good judgment, a man who loved his family, friends and colleagues, and a man who will be missed every single day.

ALEJANDRO (ALEX) LOJO '05 MBA'07
PROGRAM MANAGER, EXTERNAL & SUMMER PROGRAMS
Tom was my accounting professor here at Wagner when I was pursuing my MBA. Accounting can be a complicated subject if you don't understand it well; Tom just made it so that each and every one of us in class not only completed the assignments but actually understood all the concepts. He made himself available, either before or after work, to go over any material we did not understand. Not only did Tom enjoy teaching, but he made sure his students understood the importance of knowing how to balance their books, both in the workplace and in their personal finances. He became a favorite of everyone, and his students would recommend him to other students, semester after semester. We have lost a talented, bright and caring individual. God bless him!

DONNA CARROLL TOSCANO
FACULTY SECRETARY, SOCIAL SCIENCES
    My two oldest daughters, Danielle and Jaclyn, sponsored a "Pancakes for Parkinson's" event in May 2009 on campus. We asked for volunteers from the administration to help us flip pancakes at the event, and Tom was more than ready to assist. We were having trouble with our grill, and we couldn't seem to get the pancakes off without them sticking; it was a mess. Tom assured us that he knew what he was doing and flipped his tie behind his shoulder, rolled up his sleeves and, to our amazement, proceeded to make the best pancakes ever! After a few batches he revealed his secret: He was a professional! He told us he had worked in a pancake house throughout college. We were thoroughly impressed.
    I also wanted to share that my maiden name is Carroll and have a brother Tom. The very first day that I met him I told him so, and he always went out of his way to say hello. He was truly a good soul, and I will miss seeing him on campus. My thoughts and prayers are with your family. God bless you.

PROF. JENNIFER TOTH
CHAIR, ART DEPARTMENT
Tom was kind enough to help me with the re-working of the Maternity Leave Policy at Wagner College in 2006, when I first got to really spend time with him.  He was warm and kind toward me, and he was one of the friendliest and brightest faces I would see on campus.  I saw him briefly again this spring next to the Union, and he looked as happy and bright and cheerful as ever, and I was looking forward to seeing him this fall.  I will miss his smile and friendliness and kindness.  I send my deep condolences to his family for their significant loss.  Tom will be missed by so many.

TANIA ROSSINI
DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURCES
    Being the Director of Human Resources, I reported to Tom. Through the years, I came to think of him as much more than my supervisor; he was a friend. As a business professional, he was honest and fair; as a person, he was one of the most genuinely kind individuals I have ever known.
    These are some of my personal memories of the Tom I knew:

• Tom singing the song, “Rappers Delight.” He knew all the words! “Rappers Delight” became his personal ringtone on my cell phone.
• Tom beaming when he spoke of his daughters, Becka and Erin. Tom and I met on a weekly basis, and the last five minutes or so were always about our children. His family meant the world to him.
• Tom teaching me the toast, “Arriba, abajo, al centro y a dentro.” He would tell me stories of his youth in Miami, Florida, and his Cuban roommate.
• Tom demonstrating his knowledge of forestry (his undergraduate degree) when I would bring him a leaf from home so he could identify the tree it came from.
• Tom being compassionate, attentive and consoling to me. It did not matter that HE was facing a tough time; he still found the time and energy to be comforting to others.

    I will miss him.

DR. THEODORE R. ‘TED’ RICHARDSON III
PROFESSOR & ASSOCIATE DEAN, EXTENDED STUDIES DIVISION
NATHAN M. BISK COLLEGE OF BUSINESS, FLORIDA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Tom was my friend and colleague as well as my classmate at the University of Pennsylvania. His overall intelligence, coupled with his great sense of humor, made difficult days easier to cope with.
    I will miss his bright light that brightened many peoples lives but will miss most his support and friendship. For me, his loss is tragic, and I will always remember the good days with him as a classmate at Penn.
    My best to him in peace and his family as they move on in this life.

NEW AMERICAN COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES,
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICERS AFFINITY GROUP
Tom Carroll was a beloved member of the CFO Affinity Group of the New American Colleges & Universities. He made us all smile; he stretched us to think in new ways; he encouraged candor and openness by modeling both. He was in the best shape of all of us, and would work out each morning before our meetings, kidding the rest of us about why we weren’t working out with him. He spoke adoringly and proudly of his wife Cheryl and daughters Rebecca and Erin, and especially of the strength he derived from their devotion and courage during his illness. Below are some of the thoughts his CFO friends wanted to share with his family. On behalf of the New American Colleges & Universities, I want to extend our most heartfelt sympathy to both the Carroll family and Tom’s Wagner College family, who all loved him so.

LYNETTE ROBINSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NAC&U

I always admired Tom’s smile and positive outlook on things, even during his cancer battle. He was always good to initiate a laugh. I will really miss him.

BRUCE ARICK, BUTLER UNIVERSITY

I very much appreciated Tom’s humor. He had an uncanny way of telling stories of everyday life experience, and I recall how we all laughed and enjoyed them.

DOUG ANDERSON, HAMLINE UNIVERSITY

Tom was a genuinely good guy — I wish bad things didn’t happen to good people.

MIKE COVENEY, ARCADIA UNIVERSITY

Tom was such a terrific guy and wonderful colleague. He will be sorely missed. My thoughts and prayers are with Tom’s family, friends and colleagues.

PHIL DOOLITTLE, UNIVERSITY OF REDLANDS

My prayers are with Tom’s family and everyone else who loved him. I will always remember Tom as an outstanding professional who cared about everyone. He was very committed to the CFOs in the New American Colleges & Universities consortium, and we were equally committed to him.

CHARLEY GILLISPIE, VALPARAISO UNIVERSITY

We will really miss Tom. Our prayers are with his family, as I am sure he is with God in heaven.

PAUL LOSCHEIDER, NORTH CENTRAL COLLEGE

I was impressed with Tom the moment I met him. He had a great sense of humor and a kind, personal approach that I always admired. I send my sympathy and prayers to his family.

CURTIS RYAN, WESTMINSTER COLLEGE

Tom did an amazing job of organizing the NAC&U meeting at Wagner in 2008. He was so genuine as a host, a leader and a colleague. On a personal note, I really enjoyed sharing issues and working on solutions with him. He was frank in a small group, and he looked forward, not backward. It was clear to me that Tom understood his role at Wagner and truly loved the school. I so wish he could have grown old with his CFO colleagues. I honor Tom’s wisdom, his candor and his thoughtful nature. Please accept my most sincere condolences.

SHERI J. TONN, PACIFIC LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY

I will remember Tom’s focus, intensity and energy when talking about his business and finance issues at Wagner. He wanted to do the best for his institution, and it showed.

GERALD WHITTINGTON, ELON UNIVERSITY

CHRISTINE D’ARBANVILLE
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT TO TOM CARROLL
    At the suggestion of one of Tom’s fellow business professors, I found student evaluations from two of Tom Carroll’s classes.  Below is a quick list.  It is easy to see why he was voted “Professor of the Year.” 
    Strengths:

• Well-prepared.
• Cared about his students.
• Great teacher— clear, understanding, and fair.
• Very clear, helpful, and extremely approachable.
• Made a boring and difficult subject manageable and relatively stress-free.
• Accessible — Professor Carroll made time for me every time I asked. 
• He enjoys the subject and worked hard to demystify it for non-accounting students.
• Patience and sense of concern for his students.
• Very clear in his lectures, went over the material thoroughly, was accessible outside of class.
• His enthusiasm about the subject matter made the class that much more enjoyable. He was always extremely prepared.
• Great knowledge of the subject matter, and ability to convey his message to the students.
• Very enthusiastic and helpful to students.
• Cared for his students.
• Communicated and explained the material in a way that was very easy to understand and grasp.
• Very down to earth.
• Knows his stuff.
• Finally, one student said of Tom: “Awesome guy. Made what I thought was going to be the most boring class of my MBA term into the most enjoyable.”

    There were very few weaknesses students remarked on and, of those few, most were complaints that his tests were too hard.
    My favorite “weakness,” though, as I read through these evaluations?  “Never missed a class.”

KELLY MAURO
SENIOR ACCOUNTANT
    I started working at Wagner in May 2008. Within in my first month here, I received a phone call from Tom. I was so nervous to answer the phone because Tom Carroll, Vice President, was calling me. I had no idea what to expect. He asked me to meet with him, now I was even more nervous. So, two days later we met. Within five minutes of our conversation he had me laughing and feeling as if I was talking to a close friend or family member. He made me feel so comfortable and so welcomed. I went home that day and knew I made a great choice in coming to Wagner.
    Over the last 2 years, Tom and I became close. We shared so many funny stories. We even shared a common interest: ice cream! My family came from the same town he did, so we would always talk about all the great places to visit and all the great places to eat. One of our favorites was of course, the Cone Zone!
    Tom was such a wonderful man, boss and, most of all, friend. I will miss him.

PROF. JOHN ESSER
SOCIOLOGY & ANTHROPOLOGY
    I think of Tom every day when I drive into the safer, cleaner, more beautiful campus environment he crafted.

LINDA COSENTINO
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR HUMAN RESOURCES
    What can I say about Tom Carroll that we don't already know? He was a remarkable man and wonderful to work for. [Human Resources was one of the departments for Tom had supervisory responsibility.]
    I first met him when he became the vice president for finance and had to come to the Human Resources Office to fill out his paperwork. When he finished I said, “Thank you, Mr. Carroll.” He started looking behind him, and then to the left and right of himself, and then he looked at me and said, “I thought my father was here — you said Mr. Carroll. Please call me Tom!” From then on, I knew he was a great guy with a real sense of humor.
    He worked on the second floor of Cunard Hall, and the HR Office was on the third floor. At 4:30, when I would be leaving work, sometimes I would see him on the steps and he would look at his watch and say, “What do you have, bankers’ hours?”
    I would tell him, “I think your watch is slow.”
    He would laugh.
    The next day at 4:30, I see him again. He looks at his watch and says, “You still leaving early?”
    I said, “You still have that broken watch?”
    He had the best sense of humor.
    Working with him these past 6 years have been great. He was a good boss and was always fair. He was a good man and always talked about his family and how proud he was of them. Most of all, he was a good friend who always listened to what you had to say. Tom Carroll was my boss and my friend, and I had the utmost respect for him. He will be truly missed.

PROF. LAUREN O’HARE
EVELYN L. SPIRO SCHOOL OF NURSING
    I felt compelled to write today because I wanted to make sure that everyone remembered Tom as I did.
    He was a caring, intelligent and focused individual. We had many a chat about attaining our doctoral degrees while raising a family and working full-time. I know he was very proud to have completed his degree with his family around him — and, of course, all accomplished with a touch of class, as only he would have it.

PROF. RITA REYNOLDS
HISTORY DEPARTMENT
    I had the good fortune to meet Tom Carroll at a dinner I attended when I first started teaching at Wagner 2 years ago. I was seated next to him for the evening, and he made me feel welcome. During dinner, his conversation was witty, thoughtful, funny, intellectual and, most of all, sincere. It was clear to me that he considered me a new member of the Wagner College family. I will never forget his kindness.
    I recall that when Tom first introduced himself, he didn’t throw around his title.  In fact, I had no idea he was the VP of Finance. He was just “Tom from New Jersey,” the guy with all the great stories. I later found out his title, and I was amazed.  After that, whenever I saw him around campus, it was clear that he never forgot our first encounter. He always greeted me with a warm hello. Even while fighting his cancer, Tom found a minute to reply to an e-mail I sent him about his health. In it, he was upbeat and hopeful. He promised to return to campus.
    What a nice person Tom was! I will certainly miss him.
    To his family, I send my most sincere condolences, and I pray for them during this difficult time.
    Tom was a lovely person and coworker. His presence will be missed on campus.

PROF. ANNE SCHOTTER
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
I remember Tom Carroll especially from conversations at campus visit days for prospective students. I enjoyed his wry sense of humor and appreciated his commitment to the academic dimension of the college. I will miss him greatly.

PROF. LAURA MOROWITZ
ART DEPARTMENT
    I have two memories of Tom to share:
    When I was chair of the Art Department, we had a problem with our budget. I wrote a long e-mail to Tom. Rather than respond by e-mail, he called and invited me to his office. He was so patient, honest and respectful, and we wound up talking about so many things, that I forgot why I had come to visit him in the first place!
    I followed Tom's surgery and recovery by e-mail on the caring bridge. I never ceased to be amazed at how brave and funny Tom was through it all, and I was struck by the dozens of friends and family members who rallied around him.
    My second memory is of just chatting with Tom at graduation, during the luncheon. He was clearly in pain, but his intelligence and fighting spirit shone through. I was so looking forward to seeing him back on campus in the fall.
    My sincerest condolences to Tom's wife and daughters, and to the many, many other people in his life.