New Jersey Future To Honor George Pruitt, Pioneer in Higher Education, Trenton Revitalization

September 1st, 2015 by Lauren Bolline

Institutions play an important role in the revitalization of urban downtowns. The city of New Brunswick has anchored its downtown redevelopment around Rutgers University, Johnson and Johnson and two major hospitals. In Trenton, it is Dr. George Pruitt and Thomas Edison State College that are playing a leading role in revitalization.

Dr. Pruitt has been president of Thomas Edison State College since 1982 and has pioneered higher-education investment in Trenton. Deeply committed to New Jersey’s capital city, he has led the college’s effort to restore and construct several historic and new buildings in the city’s downtown, preserving the essence of its stately past and stimulating economic development. These buildings include the Kelsey Building, one of the architectural landmarks of Trenton; the townhouses adjacent to New Jersey’s State House complex; the Center for Learning and Technology; and Kuser Mansion, all on West State Street, as well as the Academic Center and Canal Bank buildings on West Hanover Street.

One of Dr. Pruitt’s core convictions is that as a public institution of higher education, Thomas Edison State College has a responsibility to apply its research, expertise and other resources to strengthening leadership in the public and non-profit sectors and enhancing the capacity of those leaders to address the most critical public-policy challenges. To help the institution meet that responsibility, he established The John S. Watson Institute for Public Policy at the college, working closely with leaders from foundations and the public sector, who would become the institute’s long-term funders, partners and clients.

Dr. Pruitt has long been active in the formulation of national and state higher-education and economic development policy. In a study of presidential leadership funded by the Exxon Education Foundation, Dr. Pruitt was identified as one of the most effective college presidents in the United States. The City of Trenton, and indeed the State of New Jersey, have been strengthened, and will continue to be strengthened for generations, in no small part because of George Pruitt’s commitment and dedication. New Jersey Future will be honoring Dr. Pruitt on Thursday, October 29, 5:30 to 8:00 PM at the Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie. Please visit the event page to purchase tickets or show your support.