May 2021 ......................... Rutgers University–New Brunswick
Summer Opportunities for Children
Summer is just around the corner, and a number of local programs are available in person and virtually this year.

Scarlet Kids Summer Camp - an all-inclusive, full-day, recreational summer camp program for children entering grades 1-6, held on Rutgers' Cook/Douglass Campus. Rates include entire camp day, all activities, meals, and a camp t-shirt.

Virtual Summer Art Camp at Zimmerli Art Museum - Children between the ages of six and 14 are invited to explore their creativity and develop new skills in the arts alongside teaching artists in virtual classrooms during weekly morning sessions from July 6 to 30. Several favorite classes are returning, including The Secrets of Drawing and Art Meets Science, as well as new ones, such as Over the Rainbow: Exploring Color and Say It with Art – Making Art with a Message.

Rutgers Community Arts at Mason Gross School of the Arts - Join this vibrant artistic community online this summer! Choose from programs in art & design, dance, film & animation, music, and theater. Explore, create, and perform under the guidance of faculty from the state’s premier arts conservatory. Financial aid available for most programs.

Learn about other day camps, online programs, pre-college academies, and intensives offered by Rutgers University here.
Did you miss some of the programs on Rutgers Day? No problem! You can still watch recordings of most of the programs by visiting the Rutgers Day website. With more than 100 programs to choose from, the hard part is figuring out what to watch first? Choose from climate change videos, cooking demonstrations, science experiments, animal shows, and more.
Experts in the News
Rutgers remains on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis. Below are just a few of the stories that Rutgers' experts have contributed to in the fight to combat the coronavirus:




  • Hear Rutgers faculty and staff, including President Jonathon Holloway, talk about "Why I Vax."

COVID-19 Resources
Visit New Jersey’s COVID-19 Vaccine Registration site to pre-register for the vaccine. New Jersey's COVID-19 Vaccine Appointment Call Center can be reached at 855-568-0545.

Download the COVID Alert NJ mobile app to receive up-to-date information regarding reopenings, key COVID-19 data, and contact alerts. The app is free and secure, and user information will remain anonymous.

Season 1 of "On the Pandemic with Mary Marchetta O'Dowd," a Rutgers podcast series in which university experts and leaders in health examine the critical challenges we face in our recovery from COVID-19, concludes in May. Listen to Season 1 episodes here.

Middlesex County has been awarded $24.6 million in federal funding to assist renter households that are behind on rent and/or payments for utilities, such as gas, electric, and water due, to the COVID-19 pandemic. Qualified residents can apply via Middlesex County Emergency Rental Assistance Program (MCERAP) to have funds distributed on behalf of approved applicants on a priority basis. 

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced the launch of its $28.6 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) that will provide funding to help restaurants and other eligible businesses keep their doors open. Recipients are not required to repay the funding as long as funds are used for eligible uses by March 11, 2023.
Stay in the know on COVID-19 with updates from our local communities:
Events, Classes, & Performances
George Street Playhouse (GSP) is continuing the season with Tiny Beautiful Things, a heart-tugging production based on the best-selling novel by Cheryl Strayed. The show stars GSP veterans John Bolger, Kelly Dulin, Ryan George, and Laiona Michelle. Streaming will run through May 23.

NEW DATE: May 5 for Eagleton Institute's virtual event "This Is the Fire: What I Say to My Friends About Racism—A Book Talk with CNN’s Don Lemon." Lemon brings his vast audience and experience as a reporter and a Black man to today’s most urgent question: How can we end racism in America in our lifetimes?

Middlesex County Arts & Culture has a series of online events, book talks, story time, artists talks, etc. during the month of May. Offerings include Introduction to Baroque Music May 10 and a seminar on the Nuts and Bolts of Virtual Programming in the Arts May 25.

The 2021 Undergraduate Research Writing Conference launches May 13 and showcases the work completed by students in the Rutgers Writing Program. Organized into nine panels, topics range from psychology and mental health, to feminism, environmental justice, politics, the arts, and education, which can be viewed asynchronously.

On May 14, view a virtual screening of Discovering Utopia, which explores the story of VNIITE, the All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Technical Aesthetics, formed in the USSR in 1962. Hosted by the Zimmerli Art Museum.

On May 15, enjoy a virtual spring concert by international concert violinist Dr. David Podles, who will showcase composers who pay homage to this romantic, playful, and exciting time of year. The performance will cover folk, classical, and jazz genres. Brought to you by New Brunswick Free Public Library. Free.

Crossroads Theatre Company commemorates the 60th anniversary of the Freedom Rides with a free virtual screening of "John Lewis: Good Trouble" May 17.

K-12 teachers are invited to join a FREE professional development workshop May 19 on integrating Astrobiology in the Classroom, featuring Rutgers University scientists Dr. Vik Nanda and Dr. Corday Selden. 

Scarlet Knights football returns to the field for the traditional Scarlet and White Game May 20. View the game on the Big Ten Network.

On May 20, join Crossroads Theatre Company's tribute to the late Cicely Tyson, a virtual gala in honor of the legendary actress, with special performances and tributes, and guest hosted by award winning actress and singer Anika Noni Rose.

Women Aware invites you to join a virtual conversation with Rachel Snyder, author of No Visible Bruises: What We Don’t Know About Domestic Violence Can Kill Us May 25. An award-winning journalist, Snyder explores the real roots of private violence, its far-reaching consequences, and what it will take to truly address it.

Rutgers Community Arts presents a series of new classes for adult learners this summer, including Adobe Creative Cloud and Yoga Teacher Training, beginning June 1.
For Kids
Take a trip into outer space with Rutgers Geology Museum's "Meteorites at the Museum" online May 5. Learn what makes a meteorite a meteorite. On May 14, the museum hosts "Ask a Geologist: Coastal Dunes" with Dr. Rosana Grafals Soto, who will talk about the importance of coastal dunes to the variety of animals that call them home. Free.

Join 4-H’s online webinar series “Ask a Scientist: On the Ice," May 6, for middle and high school youth, and their families to join a panel of research scientists to discuss polar science and careers in marine and environmental science.

Enjoy the spring weather by listening to stories outdoors! New Brunswick Free Public Library presents outdoor story time May 10, 17, and 24. Bring a blanket, wear a mask, and join in the fun on the lawn in front of the Henry Guest House, next to the library. (Weather permitting.)

Join the Milk & Cookies Series, an online, lively storytelling and music series for families from the State Theatre New Jersey. This program is perfect for children ages 3-10. Your participation is a donation to the theater's family programs. 

The New Brunswick Free Public Library is offering free, daily online tutoring help through Brainfuse eLearning.
Around Town
Piscataway businesses are hiring! Looking for part-time work or looking to hire workers? The Township of Piscataway has a new job listing site to match job seekers with employers.

George Street remains closed to vehicle traffic but open to pedestrians and restaurants through the summer. Enjoy upcoming specials for Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day, and Rutgers Commencement. Keep a look out for upcoming events throughout the summer from New Brunswick City Center. And for those of you with four-legged friends, check out the list of dog-friendly restaurant and shopping destinations.

Interested in serving the local community? Piscataway Township's six volunteer fire companies are looking for recruits. Learn new skills while helping others. Contact any of the companies listed for details.

Honor local leaders with Middlesex County Regional Chamber of Commerce May 25 at the annual Community Leaders of Distinction Ceremony, held virtually this year. The award honors those whose activities have made a difference and have improved the quality of life for our neighbors and the communities in Middlesex County.

New Brunswick Theological Seminary has monthly and annual parking spaces available for rent on Bishop Place, near College Avenue. Contact parking@nbts.edu.

Download Senior Accent, a fun and free publication from the New Brunswick Senior Resource Center. Learn about vaccine availability, upcoming health programs, and the virtual Mother's Day program.

Learn about food insecurity with Rutgers' Collaborative Center, MCFOODS, and Feeding Middlesex County as they host the 5th annual Dine Below the Line June 3 on YouTube. Join to watch a virtual cooking competition, learn new recipes, hear from experienced and aspiring chefs, vote for your favorite dish, and more.

The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development has launched the SkillUp New Jersey Program to help recently laid-off New Jersey residents take charge of their futures and prepare to get back to work by offering free and unlimited access to more than 5,000 high-quality online training courses.

The New Brunswick Community Food Alliance has a webpage dedicated to the most recent food pantry updates from New Brunswick and neighboring communities. Check back often for updates.
New in Town

Bubbleology at The Yard, College Avenue
Kilmer Eatery and Gong Cha, 366 George Street
The Standard Apartments, 90 New Street
The Rutgers Farm Store, College Farm Road (Fridays 12-5 p.m.)
Dates to Know
Mother's Day - May 9
Rutgers Commencement (virtual) - May 16
Memorial Day - May 31
Independence Day - July 4
Rutgers Fall Semester Begins - September 1
Labor Day - September 6
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