The Princeton University Office of Community and Regional Affairs is pleased to share the Back to School edition of Regional Roar, a monthly newsletter for regional thought leaders, policymakers, and community stakeholders. Regional Roar offers updates about forward-looking perspectives, innovation, and collaborative partnerships that support the growth and vitality of our region.

This Back to School edition highlights some of the ways Princeton University provides support, access and opportunities for schoolchildren and lifelong learners including backpacks filled with supplies donated by faculty and staff, workforce training for careers in the arts, and opportunities to dive into a new subject through the Community Auditing Program.

We are always pleased to hear from you, and invite you to forward this information to others who would be interested in these updates. 

Is there an event, research, or activity at Princeton University that you would like to learn more about? Please reach out to us at pucra@princeton.edu with questions or comments.

Support for Mercer County Families

Annual Backpack Drive helps hundreds of local students prepare for school

Princeton University faculty and staff donated 211 backpacks filled with school supplies to community partners that help youth across Mercer County prepare for school.

The Office of Community and Regional Affairs partnered with the University's office supplies provider, W.B. Mason, to support local K-12 students. Employees used W.B. Mason's website to purchase backpacks filled with school supplies like binders, folders, notebooks, pencils, crayons, scissors and highlighters. 

Backpacks and supplies were donated to Princeton Human Services and the United Way of Greater Mercer County. 

More about Princeton's commitment to supporting local residents:

How Princeton summer programs help high school, public college, transfer, veteran and other students succeed in school and beyond

By the numbers: University raises funds for United Way

Contribution to Housing Initiatives of Princeton supports rental assistance program

Photos by Denise Applewhite, Office of Communications

Access to the Arts

Innovative tech workforce training preps N.J. high school graduates for high-paying theater stagehand jobs

After wrestling to attach U-brackets onto three speakers, each about the size and weight of a 30-pound kettlebell, she looked at the catwalk 25 feet above her head at Princeton’s Wallace Theater — where the next task was to hang the speakers from a truss. 

“I’m afraid of heights,” she told her work partner, Noni Burke. “But I’m going to do what Tess says — I’m going to do something every day that challenges me.” 

Rivas and Burke are two of four fellows in the inaugural cohort of the Lewis Center for the Arts’ Princeton Production Workforce Training (PPWT) program, a four-week summer intensive that provides training in theatrical tech work for New Jersey high school graduates. Continue reading.

More about Youth Arts:

Introducing Saturday Morning Arts: A Documentary wins two Telly Awards

Trenton Arts at Princeton releases first music video

Photo by Jon Sweeney

Opportunities for Lifelong Learners

Community Auditing Program celebrates 25th anniversary

For more than 25 years, lifelong learners from Mercer County and beyond have listened to Princeton University lectures through the Community Auditing Program (CAP). The program gives high school graduates residing within 50-miles of campus the opportunity to register for Princeton University courses as "silent students."

CAP's course catalog includes more than 100 courses in a wide-range of subjects from art history to computer science to philosophy. About 600 residents participate in the program each semester.

The Office of Community and Regional Affairs commemorated the anniversary milestone with a video featuring interviews with Community Auditors and Princeton University professors. New participants are invited to join the program November 7-14.

More opportunities for learning on campus:

Find campus programming for K-12 students on YouthCampus

Professor Michael D. Gordin discusses Princeton Pre-Read at public library in September

Continuing Education Programs at Princeton: From free online courses to in-person opportunities

If you are not already on the mailing list for Regional Roar and want to receive these monthly updates, please click here to subscribe.