Housing Scholars Program featured in Rutgers Today

New Jersey's Housing and Community Development Scholars program, a community development training program that the Professional Development Institute and The Leading Institute help facilitate, was featured in a recent issue of Rutgers Today.

The program helps 30 to 45 college and graduate school students build their skills and knowledge in community development.  Students -- known as scholars -- spend a week in a bootcamp-style training program developing a revitalization plan for a New Jersey community.  They spend the rest of the summer interning at a nonprofit or governmental community development or social service agencies throughout New Jersey. The program is sponsored by the Wachovia Foundation and the New Jersey State Department of Community Affairs.

This year, the Scholars produced -- in less than a week -- a revitalization plan for the Greater Dublin neighborhood of Perth Amboy. Last year, the Scholars created a plan for North Elizabeth in Elizabeth.

Working with the lead trainers from The Nishuane Group in Montclair, NJ, The Professional Development Institute and The Leading Institute help design and facilitate the weeklong training program. PDI staff also prepare the final plan to deliver to the client.  PDI and TLI have been involved with the program since 2009.

Among the PDI and TLI affiliated professionals who helped design and facilitate the bootcamp were:
*Michele Delisfort, Principal, The Nishuane Group, and Chair, Professional Development Institute Industry Council
*Lee Edgecombe, Principal, The Edgecombe Group (of Hyattsville, MD) and instructor in the Bloustein Online Continuing Education Program
*Swena Gulati, PDI Programs Manager
*Leonardo Vazquez, Director, Professional Development Institute and Director, The Leading Institute