Courtesy Building One NJ/John Froonjian.
GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP - John Froonjian, executive director of the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University, will retire March 1.
Froonjian joined the Hughes Center in October 2011 following a 32-year career as a journalist.
"Few people are as lucky as I was in their professions. Being a journalist before the decline of newspapers was exciting, challenging, rewarding, and, most of all, fun. You met interesting people at all levels of life and got to write about them. It was creative work, and it never felt like a job. I was able to leave on top and was given the opportunity here to establish the Stockton Polling Institute before becoming director of the Hughes Center," Froonjian said.
He said his career prepared him for his final role studying and analyzing public policy and legislation, meeting political leaders, and forming relationships in government, business and academia.
Froonjian was formally recognized Dec. 14 as the 2023 Steadfast and Loyal Friend of Building One New Jersey. Froonjian received the award for being an outstanding ally of the organization, which works to train and develop leaders advancing social and racial justice in New Jersey.
"It underscored for me the importance of Stockton University having declared its 'Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Social Justice' in July 2020 and for the Hughes Center to be part of that effort," he noted. "Awards are nice, but the real importance is that it validates that your organization is fighting the good fight and doing the kind of work that makes a positive difference.
The Hughes Center also sponsored Building One New Jersey's community organizer training program for the past two years.
"Ambassador Hughes was passionate about encouraging broad participation in democracy. It's less democratic when certain groups of people don't have a seat at the table because of their race or ethnicity or socio-economic status, he said. As a former political reporter, what I love about this training is its hard-nosed practicality. It says you cannot make change if you do not know how to attain and use power, and we're going to teach you how to do that. Hosting that training helps the Center and Stockton honor its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion."
Froonjian, an adjunct professor at Stockton, shared some sound advice for students passionate about public policy and social justice.
"Don't be afraid to take jobs that don't pay a lot but provide experience and most importantly, contacts and networking opportunities. Relationships are the key to making progress in the public arena. Also, don't be afraid to work hard. Nobody lazy ever really accomplishes anything. That doesn't mean be a workaholic; always make time for family and recreation. Just show up when the whistle blows, willing to get your hands dirty."
Froonjian reflected on his upcoming retiremement years.
"People think I'm joking when I say I will spend significant time sitting and staring into space. But I started working at age 11, most of the time with long and stressful hours," he shared candidly. "And at age 67, I've earned the right to do nothing for a while. I hope to have the opportunity to continue teaching at some point and get back into writing, possibly journalism, but also fiction. My friends say I won't be able to resist staying involved. Maybe they're right."
Story by Mandee McCullough, Stockton University
