CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AT R U T G E R S U N I V E R S I T Y – C A M D E N
EDUCATING MINDS ENGAGING COMMUNITIES ENACTING CHANGE
A N ATI O N AL L EADER IN CIV IC E NGAGEMENT “Our multifaceted program of civic engagement supports our communities and serves as an opportunity for our students to learn. Educating minds, empowering communities, and enacting change is a motto we live every day.” – Nyeema Watson, Rutgers–Camden associate chancellor for civic engagement
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Rutgers University–Camden ranks among the nation’s leading institutions dedicated to civic engagement. Our focus on this unique form of experiential learning and service has earned significant recognition.
Carnegie Foundation Classification for Community Engagement President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll Bonner Leader Enrichment Grant The Washington Center and New York Life Foundation Higher Education Civic Engagement Award
engagement is a life-changing “ Civic experience. It will change your studies. It will change your career choice. It will change who you are—and all for the better.” – Colin Sheehan, a Civic Scholars
program participant who earned an undergraduate degree in political science and is working toward a law degree
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$
MILLION awarded to Rutgers–Camden from the New Jersey Department of Education to support partnerships with schools in North and East Camden
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Rutgers University–Camden is a prominent anchor institution in southern New Jersey. Our dedication to advancing our host city and the region through civic engagement continues to expand as an integral component of our mission to serve individuals, families, and communities while educating the next generation of leaders.
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What makes me proud to call myself a Rutgers–Camden alumna is that the university remains community conscious and the faculty, alumni, and student body continue to be impactful throughout Camden by embracing their role as a community partner. This has an immeasurable effect on the community, leaving a rich legacy and inspiring future Rutgers–Camden students to engage with Camden residents for years to come.” – Dana Redd, 1996 Rutgers School of
Business–Camden graduate, CEO of the Rowan University/Rutgers University– Camden Board of Governors, and former mayor of Camden.
Our students, faculty, and staff work alongside community stakeholders who share our philosophy that we can teach bright students and promote cutting-edge research while collaborating with partners to elevate communities and individuals. Our comprehensive catalogue of interdisciplinary academic programs, institutes, and centers uniquely situates Rutgers–Camden to help solve regional problems and enact change. Many of our students stay involved with civic engagement work after graduation. With more than 50,000 alumni, many of whom live in South Jersey and across the Delaware Valley, Rutgers–Camden empowers our graduates to make a difference.
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AN A NCHOR INSTITUTI O N
372,000 HOURS
of community service were completed by Rutgers–Camden students, faculty, and staff during the 2017-18 academic year
“There are so many people who came out of the doors of Rutgers–Camden who are here in the city and Camden County who continue to serve the community.” – Patricia DeShields, CEO of Project H.O.P.E., graduate of both the Rutgers–Camden undergraduate and graduate social work programs
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E D U C AT I NG MINDS: ENGA GE D CIVIC LE ARNING
“I’ve learned so much while working to help hungry and homeless residents. Our many partnerships with nonprofits in the community enable students like me to earn a dynamic education through working on projects that benefit people in Camden.” – Nitan Shanas, pictured right, a Civic Scholar majoring in psychology 4
Engaged civic learning is a teaching strategy that enhances courses across a wide range of disciplines both in and out of the classroom. Rutgers–Camden faculty members in diverse fields such as biology, business, English, history, law, nursing, and sociology have created innovative partnerships with community organizations that deepen students’ understanding of course content through active engagement.
+ 4,400 STUDENTS earned credits in 179 engaged civic learning courses in 2017-18
The Civic Scholars program “ has been a transformative experience for me.” – Saidie Lopez, a recent graduate of the Rutgers–Camden art program
Civic Scholars A select group of 50 ambitious students make a substantial commitment to civic engagement in our host city and region each year through the Civic Scholars program. Each student performs 300 hours of work in the community annually. These students build strong partnerships between Rutgers and the community by participating in special learning opportunities. They participate in service, advocacy, and other forms of involvement that connect course material to the community.
Faculty and Graduate Fellows Through the Faculty Fellows program, professors in all disciplines enhance their courses through the integration of engaged civic learning with support of the Office of Civic Engagement. More than 100 members of Rutgers–Camden faculty have participated in the program. Graduate students also have the opportunity to connect with emerging scholars and participate in civic learning professional development in the Graduate Fellows program. 5
Since our founding, Rutgers University–Camden has been a place where first-generation students access their futures through a Rutgers degree. Today, that tradition is more vibrant than ever. We build upon our record of diversity and access for many first-generation college families seeking a Rutgers degree in southern New Jersey by fostering our supportive and personalized culture of collegiality and by working to generate the student-centered financial and academic support systems required for success.
Future Scholars The Rutgers Future Scholars program each year helps to connect low-income, academically promising students from Camden City schools to the promise and opportunities of a college education. Future Scholars receive ongoing academic support, enrichment, personal guidance, and mentoring from the summer preceding eighth grade through high school. Rutgers guarantees free tuition and fees to those who successfully complete the program and meet admission requirements.
Bridging the Gap Bridging the Gap is an innovative program that helps New Jersey residents reduce the cost of tuition up to 100 percent. In 2017-18, more than 500 students benefited from the program that closes the gap between federal and state sources of financial support and the balance of tuition and the general campus fee.
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It was such a huge relief to my parents for me to be enrolled in the Bridging the Gap program.” – Sierra Neal, psychology major
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EDUCAT ING MINDS : A SCHOOL OF ACCE SS
250
PROMISING STUDENTS from Camden in grades 8–12 participate in the Rutgers Future Scholars program each year
“The Rutgers Future Scholars program allowed me to take root and become a successful student. It enabled me to realize my potential.” – Marcellus Hill, pictured center, a Rutgers–Camden Future Scholar who earned a degree in health sciences 7
E MP O W E RING COMMUNITIE S: HEA LTH & WE LL-BEIN G
“I want to bring people and resources together to improve health.” 8
– Kathleen Jackson, pictured left, a nurse practitioner and clinical assistant professor who helped start the faculty practice nursing clinic
Enhancing the health and well-being of New Jersey families and individuals is central to the mission of several academic units at Rutgers University–Camden. The Rutgers School of Nursing–Camden and the Rutgers School of Social Work both sponsor numerous civic engagement and community service programs geared to help enhance the lives of residents.
Faculty Practice Nursing Clinic Homeless residents have access to free care from nurse practitioners through a Rutgers–Camden partnership with Cathedral Kitchen, a mission that serves meals to the homeless and uses food to change lives, and Project H.O.P.E., a provider of primary health and behavioral health-care services to the homeless. The faculty practice clinic sees patients regardless of their ability to pay at the Cathedral Kitchen location in Camden.
Camden Health Element The Camden Health Element—an initiative of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC)—works with the Rutgers School of Nursing–Camden to develop effective outreach opportunities to better understand the vision and goals that people living in Camden have for their community.
300 +
NURSING STUDENTS have participated in health fairs
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There are communities today facing many health challenges. I hope to help promote health awareness and care for the people in such communities.”
– Elizabeth Okwamba, a School of Nursing–Camden graduate who returned to Rutgers–Camden to study for a doctor of nursing practice degree
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By collaborating with schools in Camden and the region, Rutgers University–Camden is working to achieve better outcomes for youth and families through enriching and rigorous programming.
Camden Ignite is a collaborative education program focused on increasing student achievement in East Camden and North Camden. Through after-school and extracurricular learning, the partnerships serve 200 students in grades 4–8 and their families by promoting academic success, positive social and emotional development, and family engagement. The Hill Family Center for College Access prepares Camden
students and families for success in college through workshops, support, and mentoring. A generous gift from Washington and George Hill, brothers who grew up in Camden and graduated from Rutgers–Camden in 1961, helped to establish the Hill Center.
LEAP (Leadership, Education, and Partnership) Academy University Charter School works with Rutgers–Camden
to make a profound impact on the children of our host city. LEAP Academy serves families from infants to 12th grade. Rutgers–Camden provides a host of critical services for this national model charter school, including information technology infrastructure and dual college enrollment courses to support LEAP students as they prepare for success in college.
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Built upon a deep understanding of the needs of our community,
Rutgers’ after-school enrichment and college access programs give our students additional resources to achieve.” – Katrina T. McCombs, acting
superintendent, Camden City School District
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EMP O WE RING COMMUN ITIE S: E NRICHING THE Y OU T H
“It’s very important for me to connect my scholarship to the local community.” – Silvia Perez-Cortes, pictured left, an assistant professor of Spanish who leads a dual-language preschool program in Camden
1,500 +
STUDENTS have received assistance from the Hill Center
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E N A C T I N G CHANGE: PARTNERSHIP S & P ROGRAMS
“It is important for us to give back to a city that has given so much.” – Oscar Holmes IV, pictured right, an assistant professor of management whose classes have partnered with local nonprofits to help them raise more than $35,000 for their programs 12
Rutgers University–Camden works collaboratively with numerous community organizations and also hosts myriad programs designed to serve our city, state, and nation.
Rutgers–Camden serves the citizens of New Jersey: Legal aid programs at Rutgers Law School provide pro
bono legal assistance to citizens in many areas, including immigration and child and family advocacy.
The Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs leverages campus assets on behalf of South Jersey citizens by engaging faculty and students with public administrators, elected officials, nonprofit organizations, and community leaders.
The Office of Military and Veterans Affairs serves more than 400 student-veterans and has earned many state and national honors. The Community Leadership Center has a powerful record of success in helping to revitalize urban communities.
The Center for Urban Research and Education (CURE)
promotes national research on urban issues while training the next generation of urban scholars.
The Rutgers Cooperative Extension program provides critical information on urban nutrition as part of the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station statewide network.
The Small Business Development Center at Rutgers–Camden
+ 22,700 HOURS of free legal services to the public were provided in 2017-18 by students at Rutgers Law School in Camden
helps new and established business owners in Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Salem counties through business training and technical assistance services.
students “ Rutgers–Camden have been a tremendous
blessing to the Kroc Center from the moment we opened our doors, providing more than 1,000 hours of service and expertise.” – Major Terry L. Wood, Kroc Center administrator
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Rutgers University–Camden is a hot spot for arts, culture, and athletic events and activities in South Jersey. The university’s impact on the region is powerful due to a wide range of arts, cultural, and athletics programs:
The Rutgers–Camden Center for the Arts (RCCA) offers
numerous performances, exhibitions, education programs, and community projects.
The Stedman Gallery is a free, public art gallery that has a deep collection of art including works by Salvador Dali, George Segal, and Grandma Moses. Music offerings at Rutgers–Camden include hosting
Symphony in C, a nationally recognized professional training orchestra; the Mallery Concert Series, a free weekly classical chamber music performance by talented, professional area performers; and Electric Café, a series that bring together electronic music, interactivity, and performance art.
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YEARS
that Rutgers–Camden Center for the Arts has led education programs for New Jersey schools
The Writers House provides a space to celebrate writing across diverse disciplines, communities, and media. Programs are open to the general public, including the Cooper Street Workshops, which welcome writers at any level of experience. A public library, the Camden County Library Nilsa CruzPerez Downtown Branch, is hosted on the Rutgers–Camden campus and serves city and county residents. Athletics activities on campus make the university a prominent presence in the South Jersey sporting and recreation arena. Seventeen NCAA Division III men’s and women’s teams are hosted on the campus. Rutgers–Camden Community Park includes six tennis courts, an artificial turf field for soccer, lacrosse, and softball near the Ben Franklin Bridge that provide playing space for individuals and community leagues. The North Camden Little League, for example, calls Rutgers–Camden fields home.
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More than 300 Camden K–12 students from six schools collaborated with RCCA to create vivid, colorful visions of the city to make up the 685-foot-long mural attached to construction fencing on the Camden waterfront (pictured right).
ENACT ING CHA NGE: A RTS & ATHLE TI C S
“We are committed to bringing the arts to the residents of Camden through programs that enrich the cultural life of the community.” – Carmen Pendleton, community and artists programs manager at RCCA 15
C O N N E C T WIT H RUT GER S UNIV ERSITY –CAMDE N
Office of Civic Engagement
About Rutgers University–Camden
The Office of Civic Engagement connects Rutgers University– Camden to communities beyond the campus. Working with community partners, we support efforts to meet the challenges facing our host city and the South Jersey region through engaged civic learning, volunteerism and service, community-based research, and integrated efforts and partnerships.
As one of America’s most prestigious public research universities, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, has earned prominence and recognition for its academic tradition, rigorous standards for faculty excellence, and respected undergraduate and graduate programs. Rutgers University–Camden, with more than 7,300 students, offers 38 undergraduate and 28 graduate and professional programs in the humanities, arts, and social, natural, and physical sciences, as well as business, nursing, and law. Students receive excellent preparation for their futures, with opportunities to work closely with faculty on meaningful research and learning experiences.
We are the starting point for Rutgers–Camden students, faculty, and staff who want to connect with our community partners and help to meet their needs. We also are ready to help organizations, government agencies, schools, and others who believe working in partnership with Rutgers–Camden will assist in achieving goals. Please don’t hesitate to contact us!
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Directions and Parking
For more information, including a complete list of staff members with contact information, visit camden.rutgers.edu/civicengagement or call 856-225-6576.
Rutgers University–Camden is located just across the Delaware River from Center City Philadelphia and a short walk from the Camden Waterfront. You can visit us by taking the PATCO Speedline or the NJ TRANSIT River Line to campus. For directions, map, and parking information: camden.rutgers.edu/visit.
Office of Civic Engagement Rutgers University–Camden 303 Cooper Street Camden, NJ 08102
camden.rutgers.edu
Additional Contact Information Academic Units: College of Arts and Sciences: fas.camden.rutgers.edu | 856-225-6097 School of Business: business.camden.rutgers.edu | 856-225-6800 Law School: law.rutgers.edu | 856-225-6191 School of Nursing: nursing.camden.rutgers.edu | 856-225-6226 School of Social Work: socialwork.rutgers.edu/admissions/camden-campus 856-225-6346 Admissions: admissions.camden.rutgers.edu | 856-225-6104 Athletics and Recreation: scarletraptors.com | 856-225-6197 Bookstore: universitydistrict.bncollege.com | 856-968-1200 Camden Ignite: camden.rutgers.edu/civic-engagement/camden-ignite 856-225-6576 Campus Center IMPACT Booth (Information, Multimedia, Programming, Activities, Cultural events, and Tickets): campuscenter.camden.rutgers.edu/impact-booth | 856-225-6211 Center for Urban Research and Education (CURE): cure.camden.rutgers.edu | 856-225-6797 Community Leadership Center: clc.camden.rutgers.edu | 856-225-6348 Events Office: events.camden.rutgers.edu | 856-225-6162 Family Practice Nursing Clinic: cathedralkitchen.org/health-support 856-968-2320 Hill Family Center for College Access: camden.rutgers.edu/civic-engagement/hill-family-center-college-access 856-225-2885 Jumpstart: clc.camden.rutgers.edu/experiential-academic-learning/jumpstart 856-225-6906 LEAP Academy University Charter School: leapacademycharter.org 856-614-2092 Law Clinics/Legal Aid Programs: law.rutgers.edu/legal-assistance 856-225-2570 Libraries: Nilsa I. Cruz-Perez Downtown Branch of the Camden County Library System: camdencountylibrary.org/nilsa-i-cruz-perez-downtown-branch 856-225-6807 Rutgers University–Camden Paul Robeson Library: libraries.rutgers.edu/robeson | 856-225-6034
Rutgers–Camden Community Park Organizations and individuals are encouraged to utilize these athletic facilities by visiting events.camden.rutgers.edu/ athletics-facilities to submit your request. For questions, contact the Rutgers–Camden Events Office at 856-225-6162 or reserve@camden.rutgers.edu. Same-day access to the Rutgers–Camden Community Park may be requested by calling 856-225-2740 or by visiting the Athletic and Fitness Center at 301 Linden Street.
Rutgers Law Library: library.law.rutgers.edu/public-services | 856-225-6172 Military and Veterans Affairs: veterans.camden.rutgers.edu | 856-225-2791 Rutgers–Camden Center for the Arts (RCCA): cca.camden.rutgers.edu | 856-225-6306 Rutgers Cooperative Extension: camden.njaes.rutgers.edu | 856-225-6169 Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs: rand.camden.rutgers.edu | 856-225-6566 Small Business Development Center: rsbdc.org | 856-225-6221 Writers House: writershouse.camden.rutgers.edu | 856-668-4980
Rutgers University–Camden 303 Cooper Street Camden, NJ 08102-1400
camden.rutgers.edu/civic-engagement