Origin
College Club of Northern New Jersey was organized in 1913 by a group of five college graduates and three undergraduates to help establish a women’s college at Rutgers. The club’s first fundraiser netted $37. The New Jersey College for Women opened in 1918, at which point College Club established a girls’ scholarship fund and was officially incorporated in 1922. We currently have about 300 members. Membership is open to any woman who has earned at least an associate’s degree or its academic equivalent of post-secondary education. Our members are committed to the pursuit of excellence in education.
Mission
To offer educational opportunities for our members and to provide financial assistance to young women and men living in the area served by the club who are pursuing higher education. We give need-based renewable grants to young women, who first apply as high school seniors, and we make interest-free loans to young women and men who have completed one year of higher education.
Regular College Club meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month. We carefully select speakers who are experts in their fields to present topics of interest to our members.
Goals
To expand our fundraising activities in order to be able to award more grants and loans.
Programs
The Memorial Scholarship Loan Fund was formally established in 1946 as the result of a bequest from a former member, with the purpose of making interest-free loans to area students who have completed one year of higher education.
The Education Fund of College Club was formally created in 1969 to provide need-based grants to area high-school seniors to help with their higher education expenses.
Achievements
In our most recent fiscal year, we provided $38,100 in need-based grants and $48,500 in interest-free loans. We recently held a well-attended author luncheon with Mary Higgins Clark, one of several fundraising events over the past year.
Fundraising
We participate in the Boiling Springs CAP program, which has generously provided more than $8,500 over the last 12 months. The Boiling Springs Savings Bank “Community Alliance Program” is one simple and cost-free way in which local businesses can help support the College Club of Northern New Jersey. The program gives the club the opportunity to earn money based on the number of members who bank with Boiling Springs. Once the program requirements are met, the bank will make quarterly donations based upon the average balance of supporters’ designated accounts. Supporters can help us by opening a new or by having an existing account and designating the account as a Community Alliance participant.
In addition, we have an annual book fair in the spring at which we sell used books donated throughout the year. We also have author luncheons/events, often in conjunction with silent auctions. And we have shopping socials, among other events.
Benefactors
Support comes principally from our current and past College Club members. Our members often include us in their wills, and we recently received a $15,000 bequest from a member who passed away last year.
Finally
We have more applicants for financial assistance than we can accommodate, and we wish we could help all of them! We strongly believe that if we can help more young women and men pursue a quality education, society will be the ultimate beneficiary.
Conversation Starter
For more information about College Club of Northern New Jersey, please email: ccpresident@gmail.com or go to: collegeclubofridgewood.org.
In Brief
Serving: Chiefly Bergen and Passaic counties.
Key members: Louise Jennee, president; Susan Madden, first vice president; Janet Anderson, second vice president; Janice Willett, treasurer; Phyllis Johnson, recording secretary.
