Patrick Donohue, Director

Patrick received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Rutgers University, where he was the student Vice-Chair of the U.S. Public Interest Research group while an undergraduate.  Before joining the staff at TCNJ, Patrick was a political science professor at Middlesex County College for 11 years, where he also founded Democracy House, the oldest replication Bonner program in the country.   He is the co-author of several journal articles and one book on community engaged learning and civic engagement.   A past Board President of Isles Inc. and volunteer with local youth programs, Patrick works most directly with TCNJ Bonner students on the prisoner magazine project in addition to directing the Center.   An avid Red Sox fan, Patrick roots for the Phillies when the Nation is not in  the playoffs.

Paula Figueroa-Vega, MPA, Associate Director

Paula Figueroa-Vega joined TCNJ Bonner Center as the Associate Director in 2008. Paula is a well known and highly respected non-profit professional with deep Trenton roots. She helped establish El Centro de Recursos para Familias and, prior to coming to TCNJ, Paula ran one of Womanspace’s largest divisions, the Emergency Services program. Her responsibilities at the Bonner Center are to support students and staff of the Bonner Center, manage the Community Engaged Learning program and the Health and Human Services Division including three teams:  Developmental Disabilities, Health and Immigration. She also works closely with a number of professors to design Community Engaged Learning projects related to their First Year Seminar classes. She had a lead part in putting together the forums entitled “Sex Slaves in America:  A Personal Story” and the “Human Abilities Unplugged Colloquium”, in addition to being part of the initial conversations with Dr. Gray’s Ecofeminism course that led to the creation of the Demonstration Garden at TCNJ. Paula has worked closely with TCNJ in 2009 and 2010 on Martin Luther King Service Day activities. Paula has a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Rutgers University.

Richard Wilson, Program Assistant

Rich Wilson is the Program Assistant at the Bonner Center. As the program assistant, his responsibilities include managing two site teams, Hunger and Juvenile Justice. He also provides support to all areas of the Bonner program, including securing facilities for events, coordinating transportation, and managing the AmeriCorps program and the Food Stamps program. He is currently working with seven professors on First Seminar Program projects and mentoring 10 Bonner students. Rich is also an alum of TCNJ, having graduated in 2004. Being able to physically engage in the local community of Trenton is his favorite aspect of working at the Bonner Center, he said, particularly because he grew up there. He also enjoys the experience of providing resources and opportunities for TCNJ students and developing a partnership between the College and Trenton.

Brittany Aydelotte, Bonner Community Scholars Coordinator

Brittany Aydelotte graduated from TCNJ in 2009 with a BA in English and Secondary Education. She was a Bonner Community Scholar during her time at TCNJ and was on the Education Team. Brittany now works full-time at the Bonner Center where she coordinates the Bonner Community Scholars Corps, manages the Education teams, and organizes the large Youth Development projects. The Youth Development projects are her favorite part of working at the Bonner Center because they provide a creative way to get kids from Trenton excited about learning and thinking about going to college.

Madeline Bell, PolicyOptions Coordinator

Madeline Bell is the PolicyOptions Coordinator for the Bonner Center. She is a recent graduate of The College of New Jersey, Class of 2011, and received a BA in History and a BA in Political Science. As PolicyOptions Coordinator, Madeline works to mobilize the underutilized research capacity of The College, focusing on recruiting faculty and students as well as community partners in community-based research efforts. In collaboration with PolicyOptions Coordinators located on college campuses around the State, Madeline’s focus is on building a network of “local community think tanks” that will sustain the core community-solving resources in Trenton, Camden, New Brunswick, and Newark.

Heather Camp, Senior Program Director for CEL II & Special Initiatives

Heather Camp earned a Master of Science in Social Enterprise Administration from Columbia University’s School of Social Work.  Ms. Camp has over 10 years of experience in the non-profit, international development and education sectors.  Prior to working at TCNJ, Heather worked at Princeton University , the YWCA of Trenton, Safe Homes (a part of Good Shepherd in New York), Global Potential (NY, NY), and the Cambodia Project.

Maria De La Cruz graduated from TCNJ in December of 2008 with a BA in International Business. She came to TCNJ after graduating with an AA from Middlesex County College in Business Administration.  At Middlesex she was a Bonner Leader and when she tranferred to TCNJ she continued in the Bonner world by becoming a  Bonner Community Scholar serving with the Immigration Team. Maria returned to Middlesex County College and directed the Democracy House Bonners program during the 2009-2010 academic year. She now works full-time at the Bonner Center where she manages the budgets and grants.  She also works on special projects and is a program associate for the Bonner Foundation.

Jamie Hollerith, Asset Based Community Development Coordinator

Jamie is currently conducting research on businesses in Trenton and consumer and institutional expenditures to help mobilize underutilized economic assets to accelerate job creation.

Vertulie Massenat, ASA: After-school Enrichment Program Assistant

ASA is a K-8 after-school program in Trenton for at- risk youth. Facilitate enrichment activities with students in the after-school program at GGrant 94ft. Academic Sports Academy. We incorporate reading/writing challenges, homework help, basketball activities, and life skills workshops into the after-school program.

Erin Murphy and Blaire Smith, AmeriCorps*VISTA Fellows

Erin and Blair are the newest additions to the Bonner Center at the College of New Jersey. As AmeriCorps*VISTA Fellows, they work on economic, volunteer and employment development along with local policy in the Trenton area. They also assist sponsoring organizations and AmeriCorps*VISTAs in achieving their project objectives by coordinating and increasing the impact of VISTAs efforts to address the needs of low-income communities. For more information on this program, please click here.