Community Is Invited to 3rd Annual Social Justice Symposium at Caldwell University

Former NJ State Senator Raymond J. Lesniak will deliver luncheon keynote

Caldwell, N.J. – The Social Justice Institute at Caldwell University will host its third annual Social Justice Symposium, Friday, March 1, 2024 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on campus.    

Raymond J. Lesniak, former New Jersey State Senator and founder and president of the Lesniak Institute for American Leadership, will deliver remarks during the luncheon session. His talk will be followed by a panel discussion with community leaders on “Your Voice Matters” moderated by University faculty members Stephanie Sitnick, Ph.D., interim dean of the School of Psychology and Counseling, and Helen Antoniou McGowan, J.D., associate professor in the School of Business and Computer Science.  

The day will kick off with opening remarks at 9:15 a.m. from members of the University community including President Jeffrey Senese, Ph.D.  

Attendees are invited to panel discussions on a number of topics including “Gerrymandering and the U.S. Democracy,”   “Know Your Sources,”  “International Voices for Justice and Social Change,”  “Teaching Social Justice Through Literature at the K-12 Level,” “What It Means to Be a Woman in a Male Dominated Field,”  “From One HSI (Hispanic Serving Institution) to Another: Sharing Models for Bringing Social Justice Into Teaching and Mentoring,” “The Importance of Mental Health Wellness When Engaging in Social Justice on Social Media” and more. 

“We are really excited about this event because we have something for everyone. There are sessions that will appeal to high school and college students and also sessions geared towards community members, professionals and educators,” said Sitnick. 

Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m. in the Student Center Hall of Flags.  To register, go to https://whova.com/portal/registration/iesjs_202312/

For further information, please email sji@caldwell.edu.  Free CE credits are available for educators. 

More on Senator Lesniak and the Lesniak Institute for American Leadership

Senator Lesniak served in the New Jersey State Assembly from 1978 to 1983 and in the New Jersey State Senate from 1983 to January 2018.  After 40 years in the legislature, he founded the Lesniak Institute for American Leadership which is aimed at  “developing the next generation of American leaders by teaching the principles of effective advocacy, offering first-hand experience through its causes, and partnering with grassroots organizations.” As described on the Lesniak Institute for American Leadership website, the organization was founded by the former Senator “who realized the need for an institution that teaches action-driven advocacy in addition to awareness.”