Listen to the latest episode of the Heldrich Center’s Work Trends RU podcast, featuring featuring Aaron Fichtner, Ph.D., President of the New Jersey Council of County Colleges. Dr. Fichtner discusses the role New Jersey’s 18 community colleges play in expanding access to higher education, developing a skilled workforce, and meeting the evolving needs of students, employers, and local communities.
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News
Dr. O’Brien-Richardson Wins Cultural Impact and Empowerment Award
The Trauma Recovery and Prevention Alliance held their 1st Annual “Unmask the Silence” Fundraising Masquerade Gala at the end of October to pay tribute to those who turn pain into purpose and advocacy into action. This year’s award recipients included Dr. Patti O’Brien-Richardson, selected for her passionate advocacy in health equity, women’s empowerment, and cultural wellness, inspiring others to live with intention and purpose.
EJB Talks: Uncovering Inequality Through Design
Assistant Professor Carmelo Ignaccolo explains how, in both his research and teaching, he has focused on how design has had the power to shape inequality over time, showing how decisions such as highway placement or waterfront redevelopment leave long-lasting impacts on communities.
Report: New Jersey’s Rising Seas and Changing Coastal Storms
The STAP was charged with identifying, evaluating, and summarizing the most current science on sea-level change (i.e., historic sea-level rise and projections of future sea-level rise) and changing coastal storms. The 17 expert members of the STAP convened between November 2024 and September 2025 to draft this report and revise it in response to independent review by four peer experts and feedback on its usability from a panel of practitioners.
Ralph: Public Support for Automated Speed Enforcement
A survey experiment reveals that a brief safety message increases support among those who initially underestimated the dangers of speed. Scholars should employ relative scales and practitioners should emphasize the risks of speed.
Bhuyan: Congress must extend the ACA subsidies or expect a crisis in N.J.
“New Jersey has spent years building a promise: all its residents should have access to affordable healthcare, regardless of income or zip code. That promise depends on Congress extending the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced subsidies.”
Bloustein School Joins National Service to Service Initiative
The Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers University–New Brunswick is pleased to announce its participation in Service to Service, a national initiative led by the Volcker Alliance and We the Veterans and Military Families. The program connects veterans and military families with public service education pathways, helping them transition into impactful careers in public leadership.
NJSPL Report: Health Insurance Literacy Initiatives
Researchers with Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, in collaboration with the New Jersey State Policy Lab, have developed a report which is intended to serve as the first comprehensive state-by-state guide of health insurance literacy educational resources and/or interventions available across the U.S.
Deonarine (PH/MPH ’26) & Hemphill (MHA ’22, DHA ’27) Win ACHE-NJ Awards
The American College of Healthcare Executives recognizes outstanding healthcare leaders who have made a significant impact on our community. This year, two of our students received the ACHE-NJ Early Careerist Award – Justin Deonarine (PH/MPH ’26) and Jack Hemphill (MHA ’22, DHA ’27).
Andrews: NJ race could shift climate, clean energy plans
“My sense of RGGI is that it is something that Republicans like to cut and Democrats like to keep. So, if she follows the historical pattern, then she would keep it,” Andrews said.