On August 20, 2025, Ginger Gold Schnitzer of the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University, and her distinguished guests, Haley Tam, Aide to First Lady Tammy Murphy, and Jersey City Council President Joyce Watterman, led an engaging and inspiring Exchange.

 

The discussion, Ready for the Room: Helping Students, Activists, and Everyday Citizens Develop the Civic Confidence to Attend Public Meetings, highlighted practical strategies for civic engagement at all levels. Professor Gold Schnitzer shared components of the RU Ready Digital Civics Fair Toolkit, which equips middle and high school students and educators with hands-on learning experiences and actionable tools to address public issues in their communities. Ms. Tam and Council President Watterman offered valuable insights from their work as civic leaders, both locally and statewide. The Exchange sparked meaningful dialogue and ideas among participants. 

 

Here are the resources shared during the Exchange: 

 

 

If you missed August’s Exchange, a recording of it can be found here (pw: pi=@22Vu).