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Culture Lifestyle Local News Politics

County of Mercer to devote $3M in ARPA funds to assist local municipalities

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes and County Commissioner Chair Nina D. Melker together announced Tuesday that Mercer County will set aside $3 million from its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocation to assist Mercer municipalities.

Courtesy photo: Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes and County Commissioner Chair Nina D. Melker present a ceremonial check for $3 million to Mercer County mayors. Front, from left: Hopewell Borough Mayor Paul Anzano, Commissioner Lucylle Walter, Hopewell Township Mayor Courtney Peters-Manning, East Windsor Mayor Janice Mironov, Ewing Mayor Bert Steinmann, Commissioner Melker and County Executive Hughes. Rear, Hamilton Mayor Jeff Martin, Commissioner Samuel Frisby and Lawrence Mayor John Ryan.

 

The funds will support county programs and services aimed at older adults, veterans and people with disabilities.

 

“Commissioner Melker and I are pleased to further support our 12 towns, and these funds for the municipalities will go a long way toward supporting our residents in need,” Mr. Hughes said at a news conference at Mercer County’s Hopewell Valley Golf Club.

 

“This set-aside grant program to provide additional funds directly to our local municipalities is a win for all of our residents and taxpayers here in Mercer County,” Chair Melker added.

 

Specifically, the funds set-aside must be used to support, create or augment municipal programs and services in the areas of health, social services and transportation.

 

The program will be administered by GrantWorks, the firm managing the county ARPA allocation, which provides ARPA program compliance, documentation management and reporting.

Under the federal ARPA, Mercer County received $71.25 million in fiscal recovery funds intended to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

“As decided through a collaborative process, Mercer County plans to distribute our allocation in such a way to ensure we touch as many of our residents as possible, especially those most disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic,” the County Exec. added.

 

Among the county programs under development are a new grant assistance program for small businesses; more transportation opportunities to job sites; and expungement services to give those who are eligible a fresh start. The county is also creating a more robust health department in response to numerous public health challenges.

 

“Commissioner Melker and I recognize that meaningful and effective change can only occur when we work together, and we are excited to hear from the mayors about projects, programs and solutions that will strengthen our communities,” Mr. Hughes said.

 

“The collaboration between the County Administration, the Commissioner Board and our local elected leaders is a perfect example how together we can work diligently in the best interests of our residents,” Chair Melker added.

 

In attendance were Mayors Janice Mironov, East Windsor; Bert Steinmann, Ewing; Jeff Martin, Hamilton; Paul Anzano, Hopewell Borough; John Ryan, Lawrence; and Courtney Peters-Manning, Hopewell Township. County Commissioners attending were Lucylle Walter, Terrance Stokes and Samuel Frisby.

 

Also in attendance were individuals representing the disability and disability rights community including Steve Cook, Executive Director, of The Arc Mercer, along with staff and clients; from the veterans’ community, Larry Rosenthal, New Jersey State Commander of the Jewish War Veterans, and Luddie Austin, State Commander of the New Jersey VFW; and members of the aging community.

 

In addition to the Mercer County ARPA allocation, municipalities received the following in ARPA funds:

East Windsor: $2,680,560
Ewing: $6,070,873
Hamilton: $16,894,038
Hightstown, $521,023
Hopewell Borough: $187,230
Hopewell Township: $1,741,165
Lawrence: $3,186,161
Pennington: $253,046
Princeton: $6,057,088
Robbinsville: $1,428,591
Trenton: $73,786,424
West Windsor: $2,740,187

Categories
Local News Politics

Registration open for upcoming 2022 General Election

TRENTON, N.J. — The voter registration deadline for the upcoming General Election is Oct. 18, 2022.

 

Voters must pre-register to vote in the upcoming General Election set for Nov. 8, 2022. To register to vote, fill out your application online here, or request a paper application here.

 

There are a few changes to the election this year based on new laws. For example, ballots are printed by election district, so that means that when we tally the results, we will have more accurate reporting on the district level (not simply by town, but down to the district level). The sample ballots are now published on the Mercer County Clerk’s website here: https://www.mercercounty.org/government/county-clerk/election-sample-ballots.

 

Also, there are no Statewide or County questions this year. However, there are local questions in Robbinsville and the City of Trenton. They will be on the reverse side of the ballot, as will Trenton City races and School Board races. You can view them on the sample ballot pages link above.

 

The Mercer County Board of Elections will be able to start counting vote-by-mail ballots five days prior to Election Day this year, which should allow for faster results on Election Night. We will have a majority of the vote-by-mail ballots counted and posted by 8 p.m. on Election Night. There will, of course, be some that are outstanding, as many ballots come in on Election Day and for 48 hours after by mail.

 

Election workers play a critical role in ensuring that New Jersey residents can exercise their right to vote. Earlier this year, Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law a bill that increases the compensation of election workers from $200 per day to $300 per day. In July, the governor signed legislation amending existing law to allow minors between the ages of 16 and 18 to work a full day at the polls on Election Day.

 

Once again, there will be three ways to vote in the upcoming election. You can vote by mail, vote at your polling place on Election Day, or vote on a machine during the Early Voting period. As a reminder,Early Voting begins Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022, and runs through Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022.Hours for Early Voting are as follows:Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.,and Sunday,10 a.m. to 6 p.m.No matter where you live in Mercer County, you can vote your specific ballot at any of Mercer County’s designated in-person Early Voting locations. There are seven Early Voting sites located throughout the County.

 

The locations are as follows:

East Windsor – Mercer County Hickory Corner Library, 138 Hickory Corner Road

Ewing – Mercer County Office Park, 1440 Parkside Ave.

Hamilton – Colonial Fire Company, 801 Kuser Road, Hamilton

Lawrence – Mercer County Lawrence Library, 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrence

Pennington – Pennington Fire Company, 120 Bromel Place, Pennington

Princeton – Princeton Shopping Center Unit 260, 301 N. Harrison St.

Trenton – Trenton Fire Department, 244 Perry St., Trenton

 

Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello said that she and the other County election officials urge you to plan your vote so that you can participate in this important democratic process.

——-

POLLING LOCATIONS & SECURED DROP BOX LOCATIONS can be found here.

Please Note: For questions about voter registration, please contact the Superintendent of Elections Office at 609-989-6750.

 

To apply to be a poll worker, please contact the Mercer County Board of Elections at 609-989-6522 or by email at BoardofElections@mercercounty.org. Applications can be found at https://www.mercercounty.org/boards-commissions/board-of-electionsunder “Board Worker Application.”

 

For any questions regarding the upcoming 2022 General Election, please call the County Clerk’s Election office at 609-989-6075 or 609-989-6495. You can also call the Superintendent of Elections Office at 609-989-6750 or the Board of Elections at 609-989-6522. For more information, visit the Mercer County Clerk online at https://www.mercercounty.org/government/county-clerk or call 609-989-6465.

Categories
Culture Lifestyle Local News

Annual NJ Senior Citizen Art Show now open

The public is invited to enjoy the 56th annual New Jersey Senior Citizen Art Show now on display in the hall galleries of the main building at Meadow Lakes Senior Living, 300 Meadow Lakes, East Windsor.

 

The exhibit, featuring more than 270 works of art created by New Jersey artists over the age of 60, will remain on display through Thursday, Oct. 27. Artists from 18 of New Jersey’s 21 counties have work on display in this year’s exhibit, the first in-person show since 2019.

 

The exhibit, with artwork by both professional and non-professional artists in 11 categories (acrylic, craft, digital imagery, mixed media, oil, pastels, photography, print, sculpture, watercolor, and works on paper), was juried by a three-person judges panel of professional artists who selected first-, second- and third-place winners and honorable mentions in each category. This year, exhibiting artists range in age from 60 to 101.

 

This year, Lisa Hendrickson’s (Burlington County) mixed media, Wary: Living with Scarcity, was named Best in Show/Professional, and Susan Lauricella’s (Middlesex County) watercolor, She is Fragile and Beautiful, was selected as Best in Show/ Non-Professional.

 

The annual exhibit, a co-sponsored project of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and Mercer County’s Division of Culture & Heritage, caps a year of county-based Senior Citizen Art Shows throughout the state.

 

All work on display represents first-place winners from the county shows. Work may also be viewed on the New Jersey Senior Citizen Art Show website at www.njseniorarts.com

 

The show is open to the public Mondays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Groups of six or more are asked to contact Meadow Lakes in advance by calling 609-448-4100. For more information, contact Mercer County Division of Culture & Heritage, 609-278-2712 or tfagan@mercercounty.org

 

The New Jersey Senior Citizen Art Show is a project of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and the Mercer County Division of Culture and Heritage. It receives additional support from the County of Mercer, Meadow Lakes (a Springpoint Senior Living Community) and the New Jersey Association of Area Agencies on Aging.

Categories
Environment Local News Science

Meadow Management: A growing concern at Mercer County Park

 

Mike Long, Director of Stewardship 

 

Park goers recently voiced their concerns over the mowing of common milkweed and other wildflowers in meadows at Mercer County Park.

The Park Commission responded to those concerned individuals but wanted to share more information about meadow management for those interested in the habitat enhancement for pollinators. The mowing was not a mistake, but a key step in establishing new meadow habitat.

Populations of pollinators such as bees and butterflies have dramatically decreased due to habitat loss/fragmentation, diseases, and pesticide use. The Park Commission has made pollinator habitat creation and enhancement a focus to help combat the decline.

 

In 2021 the Stewardship Department partnered with the Natural Resource Conservation Service and the Xerces Society to implement over 30 acres of lawn to meadow conversion at Mercer County Park. Xerces is an international nonprofit organization considered by many to be the foremost authority on pollinator conservation. The Stewardship Department followed the steps outlined by Xerces to create the meadows at Mercer County Park. These steps are described further below.

The first stage of lawn to meadow conversion requires preparing the site for planting. Many turf grasses found in lawns are capable of outcompeting native grasses and wildflowers. To establish a native plant community quickly, these grasses must be removed or killed by solarizing the soil or using herbicide. Once free of living turf grass, the area can be seeded with desired pollinator species, native grasses and a nurse crop like common oat or cereal rye.

Even under perfect conditions, many native wildflowers can take several years to appear. The nurse crop, also called a cover crop, is typically an annual species that establishes quickly and acts as a placeholder until wildflowers and desired grasses germinate. Despite successful cover crop germination, some undesirable annual species often find their way into the project area. Mowing is performed during the summer, as needed, in the first 1-2 years to prevent these undesirable species from going to seed. Desirable perennial species return and produce seed while the presence of undesirable annuals decreases. After year 2, invasive plants may be selectively spot treated with herbicide to reduce their presence and maintain the native plant community.

Once wildflowers and native grasses are well-established, these areas will be strategically mowed or burned in late winter or early spring to provide nectar and cover in line with the life cycle of pollinating insects. Mowing portions of the meadow, known as strip mowing, is a strategy sometimes used to provide cover and area to forage for overwintering birds.

 

To summarize the steps of meadow creation:

  • Prep site and remove existing vegetation
  • Seed with desired wildflowers and native grasses
  • Perform mowing during growing season as needed in first 1-2 years
  • After year 2 spot treat invasive species
  • Mow in late winter to reduce presence of woody species

The Stewardship Department appreciates concerns shared about the mowing of new meadows, but it is an important step in successful habitat creation. Keep an eye on the meadows in the coming years and enjoy the colorful display of native wildflowers. Take pictures, but please don’t pick them!

Categories
Art & Life Culture Lifestyle

Union County HEART Grant recipient makes presentation on local history

Nancy J. Ori of Berkeley Heights, well-known photographer, author, and educator received a 2022 HEART GRANT from the Union County Board of County Commissioners to do photography at approximately 35 local historical sites and to create a digital presentation.

 

She has spent months researching and photographing the numerous exteriors and interiors. Her artistic selection of subject matter was determined by the best summary of images to depict the lifestyle of the people who lived throughout the County during the different time periods in our history from the early farms, through the Revolutionary War, and to the present.

 

This new project (History, Education and Arts, Reaching Thousands) will be presented online through a Zoom lecture on Oct. 13th at 7-8:30pm.

It will be an introduction to the Four Centuries in a Weekend events taking place from Oct. 15-16 2022, and will include images to highlight the important story of Union County in chronological order. This online lecture will be live and offer the viewers an opportunity to ask questions about the sites and details about the photography. Contact the Plainfield Library or Nancy Ori to get the Zoom link. The online presentation is free and open to the public.

 

In 2000, Ori received a similar grant to create an exhibition of photography from the Four Centuries locations. Those images will be featured at the Plainfield Library gallery from Oct. 15, 2022 – March 11, 2023. The 2022 grant is an update to this previous project and includes new locations that have been added to the list of Four Centuries in a Weekend sites since 2000.

 

This large body of work provides a balance of images between the architecture, furniture, costumes, and artifacts of by-gone eras to reflect those who lived, worked, and played in Union County at earlier times. Ori refers to these images as “portraits” of architecture and artifacts. Some images are romantic in style and provide a contrast to the playful depictions of antique dolls and toys, some are bold forms of tools and objects presented almost as sculptures, and some are composed room set ups or still lifes done by Nancy to provide more formal and artistic imagery. There will be a ‘meet-the-artist’ lecture with Nancy on March 4, 2023, at the library, 800 Park Ave in Plainfield, NJ 908-757-1111 (details TBD).

 

“Since 1970, I have traveled throughout the world working on various photographic and video projects which has given me the opportunity to explore many popular and cherished places. It didn’t take long for me to see that right here in my own back yard are wonderful sites to photograph and images to share. I proposed both grant projects in order to best volunteer my skills to benefit my community and have since been inspired by not only the interesting subject matter and history of New Jersey, but also by the many dedicated volunteers I have met while doing my research and photographing the sites over the years.”

 

Popular locations such as Liberty Hall in Union, the Ashbrook Reservation and Nature Trail in Scotch Plains, and the Drake House Museum in Plainfield, as well as the smaller historical sites of the Woodruff House/Eaton Store Museum in Hillside and the Carter House in Summit are only a few of the locations featured in Ori’s exhibit as well as the Zoom presentation.

 

Nancy Ori enjoys teaching photography classes and workshops each year throughout the United States and Europe. In 1995, she founded the New Jersey Photography Forum, a group of professional and very serious amateur photographers who get together monthly to critique each other’s work and exhibit together, both online and at the art center in Summit. Under Nancy’s direction, the NJPF has grown to be the largest group of fine art exhibiting photographers in the Metro Area. (www.njphotoforum.com)

Categories
Business Education Local News

Mercer breakfast seminar to highlight Foreign Trade Zone benefits

TRENTON, N.J. — Mercer County invites businesses that import products from international markets to attend a free, informative seminar, The Mercer County Foreign Trade Zone Breakfast, on Thursday, Oct. 13.

The Trenton Makes Bridge…

 

The seminar, which includes a continental breakfast, will take place from 8 to 10:30 a.m. at the Boathouse at Mercer Lake, 334 South Post Road, Mercer County Park in West Windsor.

The program will feature presentations by Christopher Kemp, a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) Board official at the U.S. Department of Commerce, and Mercer County representatives who will offer insight into the benefits and expectations of the FTZ.

 

In addition, the County recently reduced its FTZ fee schedule, generating further savings for operators and making the FTZ rates the lowest in New Jersey.

 

“The Mercer County FTZ provides a unique opportunity for Mercer County businesses that import products from overseas to reduce costs and increase profit margins,” said County Executive Brian M. Hughes.

 

“Considering our significant reduction in overall fees in 2022, now is the time to reap even greater savings under this program.”

 

Located throughout Mercer County, the Mercer FTZ allows companies to achieve duty deferral, reduction and/or elimination on products that they purchase oversees.

 

For more information or to register, please contact Mercer County Business Advocate Darren Stewart at (609) 989-6912 or darrenstewart@mercercounty.org.

Categories
Culture Local News

Howell Farm’s ‘carousel’ corn maze opens Sept. 17

HOPEWELL TWP., N.J. — Howell Living History Farm continues its 26-year run as New Jersey’s longest-running corn maze with the grand opening of the all-new 2022 “carousel” maze on Saturday, Sept. 17.

Photo: A corn maze pathway.

 

The maze is open Saturdays and Sundays through the end of September, then Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in October.

 

Visitors are invited to “get lost” in a 4-acre cornfield with pathways cut in the shape of an old-fashioned carousel — and find eight “puzzle pieces” located in hidden mailboxes to complete their personal map of the maze. Also hidden in the pathways are answers to trivia and crossword games about the history of carousels and other retro amusement park rides in New Jersey, New York and countries across the world. The maze design is inspired by a circa-1930s traveling carousel that was recently donated to Howell Farm.

 

Friends and families are encouraged to split into groups and compete for the best time from the maze entrance to “Victory Bridge,” which is calculated using “in” and “out” time stamps, with time penalties added for missing puzzle pieces and bonuses awarded for finding crossword answers.

 

The maze courtyard also features a pumpkin patch, hayrides, food tent and kids’ hay-bale maze.

 Photo: An aerial view of the 2022 “Carousel” corn maze.

 

Admission to the maze is $12 for visitors ages 13 and up, $10 for ages 5-12, and free for ages 4 and under. The maze is located at 17 Valley Road, Hopewell Township 08530, and is open on the dates below. For more information and to purchase tickets online, visit www.howellfarm.org/corn-maze.

 

SEPTEMBER
Saturday, Sept. 17 and 24: entry 12 to 4 p.m.; last exit 5 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 18 and 25: entry 12 to 4 p.m.; last exit 5 p.m.

 

OCTOBER
Friday, Oct. 7, 14, 21, 28: entry 5 to 8 p.m.; last exit 9 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: entry 12 to 8 p.m.; last exit 9 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: entry 12 to 4 p.m.; last exit 5 p.m.

 

The Howell Farm Corn Maze is operated by the Friends of Howell Farm, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Proceeds from the maze are used to support restoration projects and public programs at Howell Living History Farm, a facility of the Mercer County Park Commission.

Categories
Healthcare Lifestyle Science

JOGO Health to present positive clinical data for treating non-specific low back pain with digital therapeutics at World Congress on Pain

JOGO digital therapeutics (JOGO-Gx) shows superior results to current treatments in alleviating non-specific low back pain.

 

After a string of failed treatments…the patient was pain-free for the first time in 10 years, returning to a normal lifestyle.

— Sanjai Murali, CEO, JOGO Health

 

BRIDGEWATER, N.J. – JOGO Health Inc., a New Jersey-based, privately held digital therapeutics company focused on the development and commercialization of treatments for chronic pain and neuromuscular (NM) conditions, today announced that it will present positive data on using its signature solution, JOGO-Gx, to treat patients with non-specific low back pain at the 19th World Congress on Pain held at the Metro Toronto Convention Center in Toronto from September 19-25, 2022.

 

Non-specific low back pain is one of the most common reasons Americans miss work or leave jobs entirely. A professional organization estimates 200 million US productivity hours are consequently lost every year and nearly 40 million workers suffer from non-specific low back pain. Addressing a reduced quality of life while lacking an understanding of treatment options, clinicians and patients are often tempted to rely on medication alone.

 

Unlike most chronic pain studies relying on subjective numerical scales, this trial also used quantitative sensory testing (QST) instruments to evaluate physical responses. Conducted during the pandemic, the year-long clinical study assessed patients with non-specific back pain who had received traditional treatments before using JOGO. “Compared to baseline waitlist comparison groups, the JOGO-Gx group demonstrated statistically significant changes in pain intensity, pain interference and low back pain reduction. The most significant improvement was the reduction of pain disability (p<0.001).”, JOGO Health’s Chief Scientific Officer, Gary Krasilovksy, PT. PhD, explains. Reducing back pain disability is critical for helping people suffering from chronic conditions to return to productive lives.

 

With numerous clinics temporarily closed due to the pandemic, study participants mediated pain using JOGO-Gx telehealth.

 

JOGO Health’s CEO, Sanjai Murali, describes one real-world patient’s experience with JOGO-Gx digital therapeutics for non-specific lower back pain: “After a string of failed treatments, including physical therapy, the patient was pain-free for the first time in 10 years, returning to a normal lifestyle.”

 

According to JOGO Health’s President and Co-Founder, Siva Nadarajah, JOGO-Gx could be an alternative to opioids and pain killers: “In previously published clinical studies on chronic lower back pain, opioids such as Tapentadol ER and Oxycodone CR revealed significantly less pain reduction than JOGO-Gx. Although we didn’t conduct a head-to-head study, data show JOGO-Gx could be superior to opioids in treating chronic lower back pain.”

 

About JOGO Health:

JOGO Health is a digital therapeutics company founded after over nine years of thorough research and testing. Built on the pioneering work of late Dr. Joe Brudny, New York University’s Rusk Rehabilitation Center, and Dr. Gordon Silverman, Rockefeller University, JOGO uses wearable sensors and an AI driven app to treat chronic pain, Parkinson’s tremors and other movement disorders associated with neurological conditions via telemedicine.

 

 

Source: JOGO Health

Categories
Business Lifestyle Local News Regulations & Security

Mercer County encourages applicants to complete applications for Entrepreneurship as a Second Chance (ESC) by mid-September

The Entrepreneurship as Second Chance (ESC) initiative offers formerly incarcerated, or court-involved individuals the opportunity to explore re-entry into society through business ownership.

 

In addition, intensive entrepreneurial training, two years of one-on-one mentoring, and business plan development, ESC will provide participants with the necessary tools for success.

ESC is a pathway to self-sustainability through entrepreneurship. Developed by UCEDC, the program enables citizens reentering society to forge an alternate path toward employment free of the typical societal prejudices and obstacles they traditionally face.

 

ESC provides the education, mentoring, and support needed. A well-prepared entrepreneur with a solid business plan will have a much greater chance for success.

The ESC program starts with a 7-week course, which includes classroom training and one-on-one counseling each week.

To learn more and apply visit:

https://ucedc.com/entrepreneurship-as-a-

second-nan

Participants will create a viable business plan

and will have two years of additional

mentoring

while they start their

new

businesses. ESC will provide the tools each

business needs to be successful, including

computers,

business

software,

and the

potential for start-up financing.

Our next ESC Program session runs from

Wednesday,

Oct. 5 — Wednesday,

Nov. 16, 2022

Categories
Culture Education Local News

MCCC recently names Dr. Preston 7th prez of the college

Recently the board had the great pleasure of sitting down with newly named President of Mercer County Community College, Dr. Deborah Preston.  Preston is the 7th president in the school’s history.

 

When did you know you wanted to be a professor and an administrator? 

I knew I wanted to be a professor when I taught my first college class at age 21. I was working on a master’s degree in English while I tried to decide whether to continue my studies in theater, which was my bachelor’s degree.  After about two weeks of teaching a freshman writing course, I realized that I loved working with students and was drawn to academic life.

 

My interest in being an administrator really solidified when my mentor, my Ph.D. advisor, pointed out to me that “there is more than one way to change the world.”  As much as I enjoyed teaching, I became convinced that I could have a greater positive impact as an academic leader.

 

As you leave Raritan Valley Community College what are some accomplishments are you most proud of?

My work with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion was very important to me at RVCC and will continue to be at MCCC. I launched an initiative called Access2Success, which aimed to remove barriers and close the equity gap for students of color, low-income students, and first-generation students through support services, inclusive teaching, strategic faculty hiring, and professional development for everyone on campus. While at RVCC I began a three-year term as an appointee to the American Association of Community College’s Commission on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

 

I am also proud of a partnership we developed with LabCorp, whereby they provided the start-up funds for RVCC to begin a Medical Lab Technician program to fulfill a growing need in the industry.

 

What about MCCC drew you to this position?

When I did my research, I heard over and over that the MCCC community was filled with smart, caring people who put the needs of students first. I also learned that the external community is deeply invested in the success of the College and that there is a tremendous opportunity for growth and partnerships at both campuses, especially at the James Kerney Campus

 

What’s your philosophy for leading a college?

The only good reason to lead a college, in my opinion, is to try to make the world a better place.  To me, this means putting the needs of the students and the community first and empowering faculty, staff, and administrators to do their best work.

 

A college president should be a servant leader who leads from a place of compassion and optimism.  I also believe that planning and change management is key to the strategic implementation of any initiative.

 

What are your goals during your first year at MCCC?

I look forward to guiding the College through a successful reaccreditation visit in April 2023. With the help of the leadership team and colleagues across the College, I will be exploring short-term and long-term solutions to the national enrollment decline that is affecting MCCC as well as many other community colleges. I am also excited about opportunities to bolster programming at the James Kerney Campus, and I am eager to collaborate with the College community to ensure that Mercer is a place where people love to study and work.

 

What specific vision do you have for the Trenton Campus?

The James Kerney Campus should be a hub for Trenton, providing education, training, community services, economic development, and more. I have already begun meeting with the community, business, and elected leaders to understand the wants and needs of the students and residents so that we can find ways to fulfill those needs through grants, partnerships, and innovation.

 

What advice do you have for graduates entering the job market?

Make sure that you have some training and/or education before you begin a career in earnest; that credential could be anything from a certificate that takes six weeks to a degree that takes four years to complete.  Don’t be surprised if you need to come back to school to learn new skills, because changes in technology make this a reality for almost every kind of job. Finally, keep in mind your long-term goals even as you start your career.

 

What objects will you bring into your new office?

Pictures of my family. Two worn Shakespeare movie posters that I have been moving from office to office since I was a junior faculty member.  Books. A tapestry I bought in India while I was riding an elephant.