WRI 25th Anniversary
25 Years of Community-facing Research
Launched in 2000, the Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs at Rutgers-Camden was established under the leadership of its first director, Dr. Richard Harris, to honor Senator Walter Rand’s legacy of public service to Southern New Jersey and to his hometown of Camden.
Over the past 25 years, the Walter Rand Institute has made significant strides, shaping its role and strengthening its impact on both the university and the broader South Jersey community. WRI continues to uphold a strong commitment to bringing community and leadership together to make connections across research, policy, and practice in the region.
Look back with us on this special milestone in our history and follow this page, where we’ll be adding even more content throughout the year.
The Path to Building Knowledge for Policy and Practice in South Jersey
Telling our Story
Click on each tile to read more about WRI’s work over the years.
Senator Rand’s Legacy – Transportation Research over the years
Supporting Camden City
WRI’s COVID-19 Tracking Tool Aids NJ’s State Response
Quote from Brianna Donahue, Inspira Health and WRI Advisory Board Member
Leading Community Health Needs Assessments for South Jersey
Quote from Rich Nichols and Rachael Bill, United Advocacy Group
Spotlight: 10 Years of Family Support Research
Quote from Senator Troy Singleton, 7th Legislative District, New Jersey
Spotlight: The Clayton Model Evaluation in Schools
Quote from Tom Risch, Vice Chancellor for Research, Rutgers–Camden
Addressing the Opioid Epidemic through Research
Research. Connect. Engage.
To celebrate, WRI will be releasing diverse content throughout the year that showcase WRI’s history, impact, and value over the last 25 years.
-
25 Years of WRI: Looking Back and Moving Forward
Read more: 25 Years of WRI: Looking Back and Moving ForwardAuthors: Mavis Asiedu-Frimpong, Angelina Cheng This year, the Senator Walter Institute for Public Affairs at Rutgers–Camden (WRI) is celebrating its 25th anniversary. In 2000, WRI was founded with a vision of creating a research…
Support WRI
Gifts made to the WRI Initiatives Fund support efforts at the Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public Affairs at Rutgers University—Camden that further its mission of being responsive to South Jersey’s needs and amplifying Rutgers service, teaching, and training goals.
As we celebrate our 25th anniversary this year, we reflect on the lasting impact we’ve made—and we invite you to be a part of our next chapter.