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TRENTON, N.J.—On Friday, Nov. 16, as part of the Vision 2028 Leadership Summit, the New Jersey Council of County Colleges presented the Community College Spirit Award to Raritan Valley Community College Director of Service Learning and Community Outreach Lori Moog, of Bridgewater.

The Community College Spirit Award is presented to a New Jersey community college employee to recognize his or her significant contributions above and beyond his or her day-to-day duties at the community college.

RVCC has a nationally ranked and recognized Service Learning program, thanks to Moog’s vision, dedication, and exemplary partnerships with students, faculty, and community organizations. She directs the efforts of over 1,000 students who contribute over 50,000 hours of service to hundreds of local community organizations. This program provides students with unique real-world opportunities to apply classroom learning.

RVCC students have addressed such critical issues as hunger, homelessness, illiteracy, environmental stewardship, domestic violence, substance abuse, and animal welfare. As a result, the program has been named to the President of the United States Community Service Honor Roll “With Distinction” in two categories, the only community college in the country to receive this honor.

This year, RVCC’s Service Learning program was honored with the 2018 New Jersey State Governor’s Jefferson Award for extraordinary service to the community.

Moog also has offered more than 40 professional development workshops to community college faculty and staff, highlighting the essential ingredients in a successful service learning program. She served as the project director of Developing Regional Collaboration, a project that created a regional network for community colleges in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. She helped establish the first New Jersey Campus Compact, and for the past three years she has coordinated a multi-state grant from the Teagle Foundation to assess and develop students’ civic and moral responsibility. She is now fully engaged in the National Democracy Commitment initiative to ensure that all community college students graduate with an education in good citizenship practices.

The award, a glass acorn atop a metal base, was designed and created through a partnership between Salem Community College and Camden County College. Salem Community College has one of the most innovative glass programs in the country and Camden County College has been a leader in New Jersey in training and educating students to work in the metal fabrication and advanced manufacturing industries. The award embodies the commitment of New Jersey’s community colleges to creativity, knowledge, innovation, and collaboration.

The New Jersey Council of County Colleges is the state association representing New Jersey’s 19 community colleges. As an independent, trustee-headed organization that joins the leadership of trustees and presidents, the Council is a resource that strengthens and supports the state’s 19 community colleges.

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Contact: Jacob C. Farbman, Ed.D., APR, (609) 392-3434, (609) 802-7814, jfarbman@njccc.org

Date: November 21, 2018

For Immediate Release