The overall purpose of the John J. Heldrich Institute for Leadership Development is to prepare a diverse cadre of New Brunswick leaders to work collaboratively in establishing partnerships to build stronger communities and neighborhoods. The focus of this initiatives on building local community leadership as it relates to the socio-economic needs and challenges facing New Brunswick and its surrounding communities.

The program has been designed to prepare local leaders with the necessary competencies and skills to work together cooperatively and collaboratively so they can effectively form strategic alliances that will foster community development and economic growth. The curriculum for this Institute focuses on leadership development, including skills in collaborative decision-making, team building, and conflict resolution in order to prepare leaders to assume new roles and responsibilities in their communities.

Significance of the Program
The creation of the program responds to the desperate need for the development and cultivation of an expanded leadership base in the City of New Brunswick. With a growing population of 49,000 residents and an abundance of residents who arrive to the city during the business day with college students, corporate and business employees, hospital and health care workers and visitors, New Brunswick is one of the premier cities in the State. New Brunswick is a community with richly diverse neighborhoods, a bustling downtown, and an innovative and popular cultural arts center. The city is home of Johnson & Johnson's world headquarters, Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey, the country's largest medical school, two premiere academic hospitals, three professional theaters, and several four-star restaurants. According to The Star-Ledger, Among New Jersey's hard-hit urban centers, New Brunswick stands out as perhaps the state's most dramatic example of downtown revitalization."

More information contact New Brunswick Tomorrow