The College of New Jersey’sCenter for Community Engagement

Semester ReportSPRING 2021

CENTER OVERVIEW

ABOUT

TCNJ’s Center for Community Engagement (CCE) is the administrative home for the College’s community engagement activities that integrate educational experiences with community service, student development, and civic participation. The CCE houses the Community Engaged Learning Institute and the Bonner Institute. Both Institutes educate students while simultaneously addressing community-identified needs through the Community Engaged Learning Programs, Community Engagement Initiatives, Research & Evaluation, and the three Bonner Programs: Scholars, Volunteers and AmeriCorps.

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MISSIONGrounded in TCNJ’s mission to “empower its diverse students, staff, and faculty to sustain and enhance their communities,” as well as TCNJ’s commitment to the public purpose of higher education, TCNJ’s Center for Community Engagement develops lifelong learners who are prepared to lead lives that are critically informed through community and civic engagement.

We do this by delivering educational experiences, service opportunities, and critical reflection that connect TCNJ students and faculty with community members and organizations in reciprocal collaborations.

These collaborations enhance the ability of participants and organizations to understand and address the contexts and causes of social injustices and community-identified concerns.

STRATEGIC PLAN

Throughout the Spring 2020, the Center for Community Engagement created an update strategic plan through collaborative meetings and assignments with feedback from faculty, staff, and community partners. Please find the current strategic plan here.

Community Engaged Learning Institute

"This course was a perfect safe haven in

the midst of stress and tiredness from a tiresome college

semester."

"I plan to continue to be engaged at various

levels of community engagement throughout

my time at TCNJ and after I graduate too. "

First-Year CELFirst-Year Community Engaged Learning (FYCEL) is a graduation requirement that brings the

College’s values to life, and introduces students to the culture of the campus and community. First Year students complete their FYCEL requirement by taking the course

IDS103, which is a two-week course that consists of three in-class sessions and one half day of service that addresses one of the unmet needs of the local or regional community.

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STUDENTS COMPLETED FIRST-YEAR CEL SPRING 2021

95% of FY students agree or strongly agree that they:● understand how systems and structures

affect individual experiences● understand how systems and structures

affect group experiences● value interacting with people from

different backgrounds and/or different ideas than my own

● value overcoming their own biases about people from different backgrounds and/or different ideas than their own

● are aware of multiple social issues and how they are interconnected

CEL INSTITUTE

First Year CEL

CEL INSTITUTE

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CEL & Advanced CEL

quote

Advanced CEL applies discipline-specific concepts and skills to address a community-identified need. These experiences are course-based, community engaged

learning activities that complement the existing learning objectives of the course.

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CEL INSTITUTE

In a TCNJ Collaborating Across Boundaries partnership, students from WGS 350: Gender Equity in the Classroom with Marla Jaksch and ETE 341: Environmental & Biotechnology Systems with Dr. Matt Cathell partnered with students at General Raj School (GRS), an affordable private English Medium school located in Delhi, India and Sprouting STEMS, a tier-one after school program for ages K–5. The collaborators developed a series of STEM based, transnationally informed, and intersectionality-situated design activities that was piloted with the Sprouting STEMS cohort.

ACEL STUDENTS

ACEL COURSES

ACEL PARTNERS

The Center aims to seek out opportunities to support the community through research

and initiatives that build on TCNJ’s student, faculty, and institutional strengths.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

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Reentry Task ForceThe Mercer County Reentry Task Force is a subcommittee of the Human Services Advisory Council. The group began in 2006 as the Mercer Ex-Offender Partnership. It changed its name in 2009 when it was connected to the county’s planning body for human services. Their mission is to build a safer and more just Mercer County through advocacy, awareness building, and collaborative action.

Capital City Youth Violence Coalition (CCYVC)The Center facilitates CCYVC, a data-driven, participant-driven planning board that is comprised of community stakeholders from the greater Trenton area. CCYVC’s mission is to create a city where youth are safe through collaboration, coordination and the sharing of resources. CCYVC developed a Youth Safety Playbook, based on the model from the National Forum for Youth Violence.

CEL INSTITUTE

TCNJ VotesTCNJ Votes! works to inform the campus community on how politics affects them now and in the future, and prepares them to engage politically in different ways. They do this by providing students and campus community members the resources and opportunities necessary to participate effectively, including voting, becoming politically informed, and exploring multiple venues of political engagement.

Summer Community LeadersThe Summer Community Leaders program is a ten-week summer of service experience and collaborative learning community of 13 excellent TCNJ undergraduates. SCL members serve 35 hours a week building the capacity of local non-profit partner while receiving rigorous academic, professional, and personal support from faculty, staff, and community mentors. The purpose of the Summer Community Leaders program is twofold: 1) To provide mentored internships that develop student skills in leadership and civic engagement, enhance the academic experience, and inform career goals; 2) To build the capacity of non-profit organizations in Trenton and address community-identified needs.

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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

CEL INSTITUTE

Connect TrentonIn partnership with the Princeton Area Community Foundation and the Trenton 9th Grade Academy, Connect Trenton serves as a referral source and connection point for out-of-school youth services for students at Trenton High School - 9th Grade Academy in order to increase student attendance, increase student academic achievement, increase student safety, provide support to school staff and create an access point to community partners.

National Science Foundation Grant Support (NSF)Dr. Monisha Pulimood was awarded NSF funding to investigate the benefits students derive from a new model of multidisciplinary, community-engaged learning. The funding is provided by a competitive grant from the NSF’s Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) Program. The IUSE program is a core NSF undergraduate education program that aims to improve the effectiveness of undergraduate STEM education for both majors and non-majors.

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STORY SPOTLIGHT

Since Spring 2020, the Center for Community Engagement's CEL Institute has supported TCNJ faculty in the Collaborating Across Boundaries (CAB) initiative across campus. Spearheaded by Monisha Pulimood, Diane Bates, and Kim Pearson, CAB seeks to address real-world issues through interdisciplinary course collaborations that integrate Community Engaged Learning. The CAB model develops a more thorough understanding of STEM concepts for undergraduates in STEM and non-STEM majors alike and promotes deeper engagement in learning and problem solving within the community.

This Spring, CAB recruited six faculty pairs that worked with six community partners ranging from local collaborators in Trenton to global partners in India. Spring 2021's CAB collaborations include:

● AAS 321: Race, Gender, and the News with Kim Pearson & ANT 341: Environmental Anthropology with Miriam Shakow collaborating with the FreePress’ News Voices Project.

● LNG 371: World Englishes with Felicia Steele & CSC 315: Database Systems with John De Good collaborating with Trentoniana in Trenton, NJ

● SOC 345: Inequality, Pollution, & Environment with Diane Bates and LIT 499: EcoCriticism with Glenn Steinberg collaborating with the Ewing Green Team

● CSC 415: Software Engineering with Monisha Pulimood & STA 498: Capstone with Michael Ochs collaborating with Capital City Youth Violence Coalition in Trenton, NJ

● WGS 350: Gender Equity in the Classroom with Marla Jaksch & ETE 341: Environmental & Biotechnology Systems with Matt Cathell collaborating with General Raj Schools and Sprouting Stems in Delhi, India

● ELC 251: Electrics I with Anthony Deese & MGT/BUS 375: Innovation with Kevin Michaels collaborating with the City of Trenton

To learn more about CAB classes, please reach directly out to Monisha Pulimood at pulimood@tcnj.edu, Kim Pearson at kpearson@tcnj.edu, or Diane Bates at bates@tcnj.edu.

PHOTO CREDIT: ALYSSA RISDON

Bonner Institute

The people I spent the last 4 years with who would know

me as teacher and friend, who would spend their days

looking forward to seeing me. I knew that there was nothing I wouldn’t do for

[this group]. And as long as there was any injustice in their lives, there was no universe in which I could

rest.

-Megan Scarborogh Class of 2021

SEMESTER STATS

BONNERS

HOURS OF SERVICE

PARTNERS

BONNER VOLUNTEERS

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The TCNJ Bonner Community Scholars program is celebrating 16 years of service, partnerships, engagement and community connections. The TCNJ Bonner Community

Scholars Program creates unique opportunities for students to engage with the community, learn about issues affecting people locally, regionally, nationally and provide support to meet community –identified needs. Bonner Scholars continue to fulfill TCNJ’s

mission of sustaining and enhancing local communities.

BONNER INSTITUTE

3,500 lbs. of food and water donated to the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen via Food Recovery Network

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Bonner ScholarsTCNJ Bonner Scholars are a diverse group of 80+ students who complete 300 hours of service and training, and receive a need-based tuition scholarship. TCNJ Bonner Scholars complete capacity-building service at over 20 local organizations. They engage in workshops to develop leadership and civic engagement skills, and travel around the country and globally to broaden their horizons.

AmeriCorps MembersThe College of New Jersey in collaboration with the Corella and Bertram F. Bonner Foundation oversees both the National and New Jersey Bonner AmeriCorps program. The Bonner AmeriCorps programs mobilize the talents and interests of college students and community members, the resources of institutions of higher education, and the expertise of community-based organizations to address issues related to college access, food security, job skills development, and youth literacy. TCNJ manages New Jersey Bonner AmeriCorps members both at TCNJ and local nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher learning. Bonner Community Scholars are among the over 40 AmeriCorps and Education Works members who commit a minimum of 300 hours of service to the community each year.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

BONNER INSTITUTE

The Center aims to seek out opportunities to support the community through research

and initiatives that build on TCNJ’s student, faculty, and institutional strengths.

Summer Community LeadersThe Summer Community Leaders program is a ten-week summer of service experience and collaborative learning community of 13 excellent TCNJ undergraduates. SCL members serve 35 hours a week building the capacity of local non-profit partner while receiving rigorous academic, professional, and personal support from faculty, staff, and community mentors. The purpose of the Summer Community Leaders program is twofold: 1) To provide mentored internships that develop student skills in leadership and civic engagement, enhance the academic experience, and inform career goals; 2) To build the capacity of non-profit organizations in Trenton and address community-identified needs.

FHI 360 Pathways to SuccessPathway to Success is a Johnson & Johnson initiative, managed by FHI 360, that builds college readiness

and career opportunities for Bridge to Employment (BTE) students and alumni. BTE works with

14-to-18-year-old students in disadvantaged communities in the United States and across the globe to

mentor them about health careers and educational opportunities beyond secondary school. FHI 360

designed the program model for Pathway to Success to support young people as they transition from high

school to college, and later, from college to career.

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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

BONNER INSTITUTE

Trenton Central HS - Janssen PharmaceuticalBTE-Trenton is a partnership with Trenton Central High School, TCNJ Bonner Institute and Janssen

Pharmaceuticals. Bridge to Employment is a Johnson & Johnson youth global initiative program that focuses

on increasing the number of students from economically disadvantaged communities who enroll in higher

education, while simultaneously increasing the number of students interested in pursuing (STEM2D)

careers. In 2020, 33 graduated from this 3-year program where students participated in weekly workshops

to build skills, attend cultural trips and engaged in mentorship relationships with TCNJ Bonner and Janssen

Career Coaches.

Through a grant partnership with Bridge to Employment (BTE), The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) Bonner Institute is excited to launch BTE-Ewing in the Fall of 2021! BTE is a Johnson & Johnson youth global initiative program with two main goals: (1) to increase the number of students from economically disadvantaged communities who enroll in higher education and (2) to increase the number of students interested in pursuing STEM2D careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Manufacturing, Design or healthcare sectors). The BTE Ewing Program Model will assist Ewing High School students and their families with all aspects of post-secondary planning and exploration.

Approximately fifty current ninth grade students were selected to participate in the structured three year program beginning this fall. The overall program design and student selection process is based on a data driven twenty-five year model that requires all BTE programs to include collaboration from four key partners. The BTE-Ewing partners include Johnson & Johnson Consumer, in Skillman, NJ as the local operating partner, Ewing High School as the secondary school partner and TCNJ serving two roles. The college serves both as the institution of higher education, and also houses the community-based organization, TCNJ Bonner Institute. In support of local programming Johnson & Johnson partners with FHI 360’s National Institute for Work and Learning (NIWL) to manage the BTE initiative, including the design, launch, and implementation of all programs.

All of us at TCNJ Bonner Institute are excited about Bridge to Employment’s expansion into Ewing. The BTE-Ewing partnership further supports President Foster’s initiatives of enhancing local communities. This partnership also will strengthen the local pipeline of students gaining deeper exposure to higher education and specifically The College of New Jersey.

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STORY SPOTLIGHT

Faculty

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FACULTY

Faculty Highlight: Kim PearsonKim Pearson is an Associate Professor of Journalism and Interactive Multimedia. She holds an AB in Politics from Princeton University and an MA in Journalism from New York University. Her research on computing diversity and civic engagement has garnered support from Microsoft and the National Science Foundation. Pearson teaches various courses on writing for interactive multimedia, news games, interactive storytelling and race, gender and the news.

Kim Pearson worked with Miriam Shakow to create a Collaborating Across Boundaries (CAB) experience. Their classes AAS 321: Race, Gender, and the News & ANT 341: Environmental Anthropology worked with the FreePress’ News Voices Project Spring 2021.

The Collaborating Across Boundaries project builds upon prior pedagogical

research that my colleagues and I have conducted over the last 15 years.

Each project has been progressively more ambitious in its incorporation of

community engaged learning into the research and instructional design.

Our CCE colleagues are an integral partner in this work. We have

brainstormed together, presented workshops together, and we are in

continual dialogue about what we are learning and how those insights can

improve our work together. CCE's infrastructure, professional staff

expertise, and deep community relationships are essential to campus-wide

efforts to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and to deepen students'

understanding of the real-world impacts of their academic studies.

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TCNJ’s Center for Community Engagement staff sit on the steering committee for

the Capital City Youth Violence Coalition (CCYVC), along with Isles, Inc., Mercer

County Human Services Department, the Trenton Police Department, and Millhill

Child & Family Development Center. Like many other entities, CCYVC transitioned to

a virtual model in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout this virtual time,

we hosted robust presentations from Mercer Street Friends, East Trenton

Collaborative, the Trenton Anti-Violence Coalition, and the Tre’ Devon Lane

Foundation.

Recently, CCYVC began collaborating with the Trenton Anti-Violence Coalition

(TAVC), an organization that supports the families of victims of gun violence in

Trenton. Through this partnership, CCYVC members are able to provide TAVC with

resources such as counseling services and funeral cost assistance. One such

resource is Capital Health’s new Violence Intervention for the Community Through

Outreach Recovery (VICTORY) program, in partnership with Catholic Charities

Diocese of Trenton and Millhill Child & Family Development. The VICTORY program

has been a successful resource in this new collaboration so far, supporting one of

the families who lost a life to gun violence this past year, and is expected to assist

many more. Through this collaboration between CCYVC and TAVC, we are able to

connect resources directly to Trenton community members.

CCYVC also assisted with a fishbone activity around gun violence in Trenton that was

organized by Gene Bouie, board member on the Board of Education. Through a

series of virtual meetings with guided facilitation, the group identified root causes

of gun violence in the City of Trenton. The findings from these exercises can be

instrumental in developing programs for organizations and identifying needs in the

community.

To learn more about CCYVC, please visit https://ccyvc.pages.tcnj.edu.

STORY SPOTLIGHT

We are grateful for the generous contributions from the individuals and organizations

who have supported CCE programming and activities, including the TCNJ Bonner

Community Scholars program, Community Engaged Learning, Research and Initiatives,

and staff support for these program.

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OUR SUPPORTERS

If you are interested in donating to the Center, please visit TCNJ's donation page and choose “Bonner

Community Partner Fund” as the designation.

CCE STAFF

Brittany AydelotteCEL Institute Directoraydelot2@tcnj.edu

Megan TeitelbaumCEL Program Managermegan.teitelbaum@tcnj.edu

Raj ManimaranCEL Coordinatorraj.manimaran@tcnj.edu

Amy SchratzCEL Coordinatorschratz2@tcnj.edu

Luke ThompsonConnect Trenton Coordinatorluke.thompson@tcnj.edu

Amy LoprinziFinance Services Coordinatorloprinzi@tcnj.edu

Lori JohanssonResearch and Operations Coordinatorjohanssl@tcnj.edu

Althia MuseBonner Institute Directormusea@tcnj.edu

Katherine KahnBonner Scholars Program Managerkahnk1@tcnj.edu

Destiny De La RosaBonner Scholars Coordinatordelarod1@tcnj.edu

Samuel KanigCCE Coordinatorkanigs@tcnj.edu

Victor DeihlProfessional Services Specialistvictor.deihl@tcnj.edu

Kristi CordierNew Jersey Bonner AmeriCorps Program Directorkcordier@bonner.org

Spring 2021

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