Held in partnership with the Newark City of Learning Collaborative, the fair is part of city-wide effort to expose students to more opportunities for college and career success
“College and career readiness opportunities allow our students, who have a multitude of interests and wide-range of goals, to be proactive and plan a meaningful future for themselves,” said Christopher D. Cerf, Superintendent of Newark Public Schools. “Thanks to the strong partnerships that have developed between NPS, the Newark City of Learning Collaborative and others, students across our city are able to explore the many collegiate and professional opportunities that are available in order to successfully compete in a 21st century global economy.”
Representatives from nearly 60 U.S. colleges and universities participated in the event, including but not limited to Rutgers University, Kean University, The College of New Jersey, NJIT, The Pennsylvania State University, Clark Atlanta University, Harvard University, Princeton University, and The United States Naval Academy. The United States Armed Forces, Wells Fargo, and a variety of New Jersey community colleges and vocational programs also attended the event.
Throughout the day, students from 9th to 12th grade met with representatives from each institution that they were interested in and were able to ask questions and learn about the expectations of each particular program. Students also participated in several gift card raffles, through which students would answer questions about the various institutions that were attending the fair. The event was co-sponsored by Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, the Newark Schools Advisory Board, Newark Municipal Council, as well as all five NCLC higher education partners, which include Essex County College, Pillar College, NJIT, Bloomfield College, and Rutgers University-Newark.
“In order for our students to be prepared for college and career success, it’s vital that students are constantly exposed to the important information surrounding college and career opportunities and have the opportunity to network with adults who are invested in their future,” said Dr. Kelly Williams, Special Assistant of College and Career Access at NPS. “It’s exciting to see our students leaving these sessions feeling empowered, knowing they can dream big and pave their own pathway forward to success.”
The District-Wide College Fair adds to the district’s initiative to increase access to college and career readiness opportunities to all students across the city. Last week, on Thursday, March 30, nearly 350 students from 10th to 12th grade attended the 2017 NPS and New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) Career & Youth Empowerment Summit at NJIT’s Campus Center. The event exposed students to a variety of careers and professional networks, allowing students to participate in breakout sessions encompassing a wide-range of careers in the fields of the fine arts, STEM, law enforcement, culinary arts, finance, cosmetology, and entertainment, as well as several workshops focused on preparing for the job application process.
The Career & Youth Empowerment Summit was attended by a variety of local community leaders, including Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, Newark Superintendent Christopher D. Cerf, and Dr. Jacqueline L. Cusack, Executive Director of NJIT’s Center for Pre-College Programs, each of whom spoke to students throughout the program. Students were also able to speak with representatives from the United States Armed Forces, Newark’s One-Stop Career Center, and NJIT’s Center for Pre-College Programs during the event.