By Taylor Smith
U.S. News and World Report recently released the 2020 rankings of the Best Graduate Engineering Programs in the United States, according to a methodology that accounts for selectivity (acceptance rate), faculty resources, student-faculty ratio, research activity, total doctoral degrees awarded, GRE scores, peer assessment scores, and more. Statistical data was collected in fall 2018 and early 2019. more
By Taylor Smith
Located in scenic Pottersville in Bedminster Township (60 minutes west of Manhattan), Purnell School is a progressive private all-girls boarding high school. It was founded in the summer of 1962 by Lytt Gould and his wife, Sis, who wanted to create a school in New Jersey that would “put the girls first.” Purnell’s founding Guidelines — Consideration of Others, Use of Common Sense, and Truthfulness in all Relations — are still upheld and honored today by current Head of School Anne M. Glass, Ed.M. more
By Taylor Smith
My summer camp experiences as a child and teenager are some of my most vivid memories. Growing up in Princeton, I attended Rambling Pines Day Camp (https://www.ramblingpines.com) in Hopewell with my younger brother when I was 8 years old. I immediately enjoyed being able to spend all day outdoors, riding mountain bikes, playing tennis, and swimming, before taking the bus home — sweaty, contented, and freckled. more
By Taylor Smith
Poet, writer, activist, and musician Joy Harjo will succeed Princeton University professor Tracy K. Smith as the nation’s 23rd Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry. Announced by Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden, the appointment will make her the first Native American to occupy the position. more
By Taylor Smith
Located in Northeastern Pennsylvania’s Wayne County, Lake Bryn Mawr Camp for Girls is a rural summer haven that prides itself on building “summer sisters” among girls ages 7 to 15. more
By Taylor Smith
Grounded in the Wesleyan/Methodist tradition, Drew Theological School is a leading seminary in Madison, N.J., offering four unique master’s programs and two doctoral programs. more
By Taylor Smith
Brant Lake Camp, founded in 1916, is one of the oldest single-family owned camps in the United States. Situated in the Adirondack Mountains, 3.5 hours from New York City, Brant Lake serves as a summer “home away from home” for boys ages 7 to 15. With the motto of “Where sports are done right,” Brant’s facilities include 15 tennis courts, three baseball fields, two soccer fields, eight basketball courts, a roller hockey rink, two volleyball courts, a climbing wall, an archery range, a putting green, and a large multi-sport stadium. more
By Taylor Smith
Ira Glass, host and creator of This American Life, will deliver a special presentation on what he has learned about the art and interest of storytelling on Sunday, June 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pa. more
By Taylor Smith
Rutgers Preparatory School is a distinguished private school in Somerset, N.J. Each summer, the school offers a series of academic camps. The International Ivy Summer Programs for ages 5-14 will take place July 8-August 16. Half-day offerings are available from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or 1:30 to 5 p.m. A full-day option takes place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. more
By Taylor Smith
Crayola Experience, located at 30 Centre Square in Easton, Pa., is dedicated to fostering creativity in children (and adults) of all ages. Crayons, markers, and chalk in every hue can be used to create one-of-a-kind pieces of art. Coloring life-size pages and molding clay are also part of the interactive craft room experience. more
By Taylor Smith
Launching in the fall of 2019, Seton Hall University’s College of Arts and Sciences will offer a Master of Science in data science. The data science program encompasses coursework in statistics, computer science, and applied mathematics. Data scientists are currently in high demand for their knowledge and understanding of business needs, analytics, computer science, and systems engineering. Graduate students will also have the opportunity to pursue certifications in both Amazon Web Services and Tableau, a cloud computing technology. more
By Taylor Smith
Summertime means more outdoor time for children and teens, and sports camps are a popular way to fill that free time. While exercise and play are an important part of every child’s development, it’s important for parents to be aware of the signs and symptoms of sports-related concussions. more
By Taylor Smith
Best Buddies New Jersey’s Friendship Walk will take place on Saturday, April 27 at 10 a.m. at The College of New Jersey in Ewing. Check-in is at 9 a.m. The Best Buddies Friendship Walk is the number one walk in the country raising awareness and funds to support inclusion for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). At this event, you can expect to dance, laugh, smile, and make new friends. If you would like to attend, but choose not to walk, volunteers are readily needed to assist with event planning and day-of support. Sign up to volunteer at www.bestbuddies.org/volunteer/. more
By Taylor Smith
April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day and the entire month of April is recognized as World Autism Month. Many will wear the color blue to mark the occasion in an attempt to bring awareness to a condition that physicians say affects 1 in 59 children in the United States. more
By Taylor Smith
New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) is frequently recognized as one of the nation’s top public colleges for animation, as noted in the 2019 Animation School Ranking published by Animation Career Review.
Central to this distinction is NJIT’s B.A. in digital design with two tracks: entertainment and interactive media/production. Both programs offer undergraduate students experience in character design, color and composition, game modification, acting for animators, character development, and technology. more
By Taylor Smith
Christine Todd Whitman, former governor of New Jersey and administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, will speak at Drew University’s 2019 commencement ceremony in May.
Whitman’s commencement address will be her second at Drew. She spoke at the 1997 ceremony, at which she also received an honorary degree. more
By Taylor Smith
In order to better meet the growing demands of the national workforce, The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) in Ewing has announced that it is adding two new undergraduate majors beginning fall 2019. They include a Bachelor of Arts in world languages and linguistics and a five-year program in secondary education with a concentration in special education. more
By Taylor Smith
A host of summer classes at Seton Hall University in South Orange can help high school, college, and graduate students meet their academic and future graduation goals. The Department of Continuing Education and Professional Studies’ Summer Sessions will begin on May 21 and run through August 8. more
By Taylor Smith
On view through August 9, 2020, “T. rex: The Ultimate Predator” is sure to ignite the imaginations of visitors at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.
The new exhibit asks, “How did T. rex evolve to become the most fearsome carnivore of the Mesozoic?” Spectators can take in life-size models of the fearsome predator; fossils, casts, and interactive activities; and an immersive multiplayer virtual reality experience developed just for the exhibition. Children are sure to marvel at how this 12,000-plus-pound terror began as a tiny critter. They will also meet T. rex’s family members, some of whom are small and even have feathers! more
By Taylor Smith
Philanthropist and former Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg recently announced on his Twitter account: “I’m giving $1.8 billion to @JohnsHopkins for financial aid so admissions can be permanently need-blind. I want to open the same door of opportunity that I had for generations of talented students, regardless of financial aid.”
The donation is the largest ever to a higher education institution. Bloomberg wrote in a following New York Times op-ed, “My Hopkins diploma opened up doors that otherwise would have been closed, and allowed me to live the American dream.” Bloomberg has stated that he was able to attend Johns Hopkins because of a National Defense student loan. more
