Hopey-Changey Rears its Ugly Face

Inside the gate pictured above is a wonderful university; my alma mater, Drew University-one of the New Jersey's best and one the America's most successful Liberal Arts Universities. I had a wonderful and memorable experience there; a feeling I am sure a majority of its graduates feel. Recent graduates of Drew, like the graduates of every other college in the United States, are being ravaged by "hopey-changey:" the results we were told were going to occur as a result of the economic, political and social agenda pursued by this president.

The Journey, Part VII-Tom Kean: the Man, the Myth, the Legend

A little more about the background behind The Calling to Lead.

Growing up in New Jersey in the 1980s, I, like everyone else who lived here during that time, came to know Governor Thomas H. Kean very well. A former educator, Assemblyman, Assembly Speaker and Minority Leader, he was elected Governor in the closest election in New Jersey history and won re-election by the largest plurality in New Jersey history. During his time in Trenton, he successfully reformed education, cut taxes and encouraged investment and tourism in New Jersey. (Who didn't love New Jersey & You-Perfect Together!!!) After leaving Trenton, Governor Kean became the President of Drew University and in his time there, he raised the notoriety of Drew, inspired his students and became involved in their lives, unlike most university presidents. His leadership is a big reason why Drew is known outside of the Northeast as one of the best Liberal Arts Colleges in the United States. I remember during my time at Drew he was not only a major reason why I chose Drew, but he was a mentor in the fields I decided to pursue after I earned my BA. He expected the best and positively mentored not only me, but his other students and advisees so they may achieve the best. The faith he had in me in my writing opinion pieces in The Acorn, to reviving Drew's College Republicans, to politically speaking out, was memorable as it allowed me to hone the skills for the real world that my parents taught me prior to college. Governor Kean was not only my mentor at Drew, but he was my professor and one of my academic advisors. He is a big reason why Drew University was such a memorable time of my life. The picture you see above is of the Governor embracing me (I cropped myself out) on the Porch of Mead Hall on Commencement Day, 2001.

When I began planning and writing The Calling to Lead, I wished to include Governor Kean and not allowing him to 'play himself' would be unfair, as readers should know his true colors as a mentor and statesman. Therefore, when reading The Calling to Lead, readers will observe his interactions with Michael during his years as a student at Drew University and how their relationship allowed Governor Kean to be a mentor in Michael Buonocore's life. Similar to myself, Michael Buonocore may not be 100% aligned in political beliefs with the Governor, (Like Michael, I consider myself more Conservative than the Governor) but he stays loyal as he understands the significant role Governor Kean played in his intellectual development at Drew University.

I will end this entry with a quote from the Governor that I always remember in everything I do in life:

"Give back to those who have given to you."

This quote also plays a role in The Calling to Lead in how Michael leads his life after his undergraduate years at Drew University.

The Journey, Part IV

As written in a previous post, I am very proud of my Alma Mater, Drew University. Additionally, my time at Monmouth University and Kean University, where I completed graduate study, have also been influential, not only in my professional life, but in writing The Calling to Lead. Look for these three individuals, who were my educational mentors, in the many characters of The Calling to Lead:

Dr. Julius J. Mastro: Dr. Mastro has long been a fixture of Drew University; a student, alumnus, professor, chairperson and trustee. He had many students over the years and as Chair of the Political Science Department, was responsible for forming and staffing the department. Dr. Mastro's love of Drew was so noticeable and contagious, so much so that he came out of retirement twice to teach Drew's students. He also had a great influence on his students, including myself! Before I took his intro to American Government class (PSCI 6), I was planning on majoring in History. After I took his class, it was the force that brought me to change my mind and become a Political Science major. Dr. Mastro made sure his students were active participants in the learning process through discussion, debate and the application of real world activities. The two things he taught me, as well as the rest of his students stayed with me to this day.

• "Know all sides of the argument"
• "If you want it or believe in it, stand up for it"

For an intro class, PSCI 6 was quite challenging and he gave the hardest exams around, but in the end, his students learned the material. He also had a strong sense of humor that one could mistake him for a comedian instead of a professor. Many a Drewid was teased by him and made to falsely believe that they would have a chance to drive his Jaguar convertible if they got on his good side. Interestingly enough, Dr. Mastro also owned a shoe store in Bernardsville that is still in existence today. Dr. Mastro passed away in 1999, but will be long remembered by his students and the Drew community.

The Honorable Thomas H. Kean: As the president of a university, one would expect the person in this position to be hidden behind a desk in the ivory towers, unseen by students and inaccessible to the public. This was not the case with Former New Jersey Governor Thomas H. Kean. He was readily visible among the campus, meeting with students, sitting down to eat lunch with the students in the Commons, attending campus events and even teaching a class. In this class, Governing a State, Governor Kean taught with the use of storytelling. Each event or moment brought up was relevant to leadership and government; the two themes of his class. Additionally, he brought in speakers to his class that ranged from pundits to State Supreme Court Justices to Legislators in order to show the students the faces behind the stories and allow them to directly tell the students their experiences. We were also welcomed to network with these individuals. The Governor invited his students to various social events around campus and in North Jersey, and also took us on a very memorable field trip to the Statehouse in Trenton.

As a professor, Governor Kean was in close contact with all his students, allowed them the opportunity to exhibit their strengths and was incredibly loyal even after leaving his class. This class and my experiences within, as well as the encouragement and opportunities presented to me by the governor are some of the most memorable academic and professional moments for me at Drew.

Dr. Nicolas Celso, Esq.: Of all the graduate classes in Education I've taken at Monmouth and Kean, and many of them have been quite fulfilling and useful, School Law, a class I took for the Masters in Educational Leadership program at Kean University, was the most useful and fulfilling Graduate Class I have ever taken! The professor, Dr. Nicholas Celso, a former school administrator and attorney/partner in his own firm, knows the material and presents it clearly and articulately to his students. He has been teaching at Kean for many years and I find it amazing that a family member of a friend of mine had him as a professor in his first year at Kean. Back then, Dr. Celso admitted being a novice instructor, but sure did not show it! And he definitely did not show it last year when I took the class! The class was taught very much like a law school class where we had to read cases, examine legal precedents and analyze the reasons why the courts ruled as they did, after learning New Jersey Educational Law (Section 6A and 18A). He was a big fan of the Socratic Method and gave a final exam in the end that was a significant portion of the grade. This class has definitely helped me in my teaching career and will help me if I become an administrator. After taking this class, I learned that (a) many teachers are unaware of the laws and; (b) many administrators are unaware of the laws.

As an educator, I highly recommend my fellow teachers thoroughly read through 6A and 18A and know it by heart! It is unfortunate that some administrators in the system operate with the belief the teachers do not know the law and take advantage of their lack of knowledge Dr. Celso taught me that the career you save in knowing the law may very well be your own.

As I said in earlier Journey posts, my life experiences have helped to form the plot of The Calling to Lead. People who have been influential in my life one way or another have inspired characters in the book. As these three gentlemen have greatly influenced my professional life and their teachings still live on to this day, having them inspire characters in The Calling to Lead is the best thank you and honor I could give to them for mentoring me.