Erin McGrath was a student at Middlesex County College when she  joined the Bonner program during her first year.  At that time, it was the only two year service corps program at a community college in the country.   She later transferred to the College of New Jersey, worked as the Service Learning Director at Rider after graduation, and then moved on to run national AmeriCorps progams at the Bonner Foundation.  Next, she received her Masters Degree in Public Policy from the University of Deleware– and now helps lead the State’s Vista Office in Trenton.

Maria De la Cruz was also a Bonner at Middlesex County College for two years, before she too transferred to The College of New Jersey, where she became a leader in the TCNJ Bonner Community Scholars Corps.  After graduation, she became the Coordinator of Middlesex’s Bonner Program and Center–called Democracy House.  Last year, Maria also started coordinating national training sessions for the Bonner Foundation–before she was recruited to take a full time position back here at TCNJ.   She is our Budget and Finance Coordinator, and leads our Immigration Team and advises faculty members interested in community engaged learning.

Their success stories are why TCNJ has taken the lead on an initiative to support community college service programs — and their students who wish to access four-year institutions. The TCNJ Democracy House Initiative aims to  further develop existing Bonner programs at community colleges and help establish new ones. In addition, TCNJ recruits graduates of these programs to transfer to the College and join its Bonner program.   Over the last few years, TCNJ has worked with the Bonner Foundation to help create Bonner programs at Mercer and Burlington County Colleges.  It hopes to spread the program to two more community colleges within the next year.