United States Senator and Presidential Hopeful Cory Booker Visits Eastwick College in Ramsey, NJ
Close to 200 students filled the student lounge at Eastwick College in Ramsey, NJ this past Wednesday to hear what United States Senator and presidential hopeful Cory Booker had to say about a wide range of topics including education, housing, taxes, the justice system, and civic engagement.
But the U.S. senator didn’t do all the talking: he opened the floor to the students as well, addressing their concerns and inviting their thoughts on the most pressing issues facing the country.
The event began with President Thomas M. Eastwick welcoming the senator to Eastwick College, joined by key community figures including Bergen Democratic Chairman Lou Stellato, Assemblywoman Shavonda E. Sumter, Modia Butler, Jimmy O’ Conner, and Pablo Fronceca.
The college has a long history of community outreach, encouraging students to give back to those most in need, a philosophy that Senator Booker also emphasized in his message to the students in attendance.
If the students took just one thing away from the discussion with him, Senator Booker hoped, it was that they should practice more acts of kindness to those around them.
During the open question and answer session students were eager to engage the senator on a variety of topics, including rising housing costs, community policing, as well as racial and gender equality.
“I was proud to host a presidential candidate at our campus but more importantly I was happy to see our students ask such meaningful questions,” said President Eastwick.
Senator Booker also took the opportunity to discuss his vision for the future, noting that his primary focus was running as someone that could unite the country. Americans from many different groups have more in common than they realize, the senator explained.
“As we approach another presidential election, we at Eastwick College are cognizant of our role as educators to instill in our students the value of active participation in the political process,” explains Vice President of Operations Bhavna Tailor. “So it was an incredible opportunity to have Senator Booker here to speak and motivate them to engage on the issues that affect their lives.”
In addition to organizing speaker events, Eastwick College offers a number of different ways to dedicate their time and connect with their local community organizations, including blood drives, volunteer efforts, and campus fundraisers. In fact, last year Eastwick raised over $50,000 for local food banks with the help of students, faculty, and staff.