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Public health undergraduate program in New Jersey
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Recent News
Ceu Cirne-Neves, MPA, FACHE Receives Lifetime Achievement Award
The Bloustein School is proud to share that colleague Céu Cirne-Neves, MPA, FACHE has been honored with the inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award from the American College of Healthcare Executives New Jersey Chapter (ACHE-NJ). The award was presented at the chapter’s Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony on December 4, 2025, at the Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick.
NJSPL: The Healthcare Affordability Crisis in NJ and Nationally
Nationally, and in New Jersey, healthcare spending accounts for 1 in 5 dollars of gross domestic product, with hospital care representing the largest category of healthcare spending. In order to address this ongoing affordability crisis, researchers recommend that the incoming gubernatorial administration continue to build on the work of the New Jersey Health Care Afforability, Responsibility, and Transparency (HART) Program.
Wolff and Lewis Pen Chapter on PSD and Trauma-Informed Care
This chapter provides a blueprint that recognizes the reluctance of the correctional system to address trauma, the lack of funding and staffing expertise to support and sustain a therapeutically sensible response to trauma, and the superseding public health imperative to treat and rehabilitate trauma in cost-effective ways.
EJB Talks: Alumnus Helps Rethink Jersey City’s Public Spaces
Dean Stuart Shapiro talks to alumnus Barkha Patel, MCRP ’15 this week on EJB Talks. She reflects on how the planning school fundamentals and communication skills she learned still form the basis for her work, and concludes with encouraging emerging planners to adopt an action-oriented mindset by becoming a person who figures things out and gets things done, even when they feel out of their depth.
NJSPL Report: Equity Initiatives in the United States
In New Jersey, the state government proactively advances equity through the Office of Equity within the Office of the Governor, as well as through various programs and budget initiatives intended to support New Jerseyans. To enhance these efforts, researchers recommend incorporating equity measures into department/agency performance assessments to ensure equity is engrained within the ongoing routines of the government.
Adrian Ponichtera is recipient of Ververides Scholarship
Adrian Ponichtera (MCRP ’26) is the recipient of the New Jersey County Planners Association’s George Ververides Honorary Scholarship. The scholarship is open to New Jersey residents entering their third or fourth year of undergraduate study or advanced degrees at a New Jersey institution of higher learning, with a major in City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning, or a planning-related field with a plan to pursue professional planning as a career.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Initiatives
The school is home to individuals from many cultures, races, nationalities, genders, identities, and life experiences and with different beliefs and values. The Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy values diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) and aims to improve and grow these efforts strategically by managing and assessing performance.
Undergraduate Pre-major Advising Sessions
Pre-major advising sessions give interested undergraduates an opportunity to learn about our undergraduate program offerings. Our advisers will provide an overview of each major, minor, and certificate program, as well as the admissions criteria and application processes for current and prospective Rutgers students. Students are encouraged to bring questions Upcoming dates are Thursday, December 11 (10am) and Wednesday, January 7, 2026 (3:00 pm). Learn more and RSVP.
Student Spotlight: Charisha Gao, Urban Planning & Design, Class of 2025
“My experiences using public transit in NJ and NY made me curious about how towns and cities were designed and why certain places are more car-dependent than others. After taking Methods of Planning and Analysis, I began discussing ideas and existing research on basic needs insecurity with Professor Bernadette Baird-Zars. Joining her research team and studying integration and affordable housing helped shape my interest in pursuing a career that works with underserved communities to create change at the local scale.”












