Rutgers Business School
Rutgers University proudly welcomes the Honorable Cory A. Booker, mayor of Newark, New Jersey, as the 2009 Rutgers Business School commencement speaker.
Mayor Booker's political career began in 1998, after serving as staff attorney for the Urban Justice Center and program coordinator of the Newark Youth Project. He rose to prominence by upsetting a four-term incumbent to become Newark's Central Ward councilman. During his four years of city council service, Booker earned a reputation as a leader with innovative ideas and bold actions, from increasing security in public housing to building new playgrounds.
On July 1, 2006, Booker took the oath of office as mayor of New Jersey's largest city and immediately began working on realizing his vision of transforming Newark into a leading city in safety, prosperity, and wholesome family life. As of July 1, 2008, Newark led the nation among large cities for reductions in shootings and murders, achieving decreases of more than 40% in both categories. Through a $40 million public/private partnership initiative, Newark has made a commitment to revitalize its parks and playgrounds. In the area of public housing, under Mayor Booker’s leadership, production of affordable accommodations has doubled.
For his hard work and commitment to public service, Mayor Booker has received recognition in numerous publications such as Time,
Esquire (naming him one of America's "40 Best and Brightest" in 2002), New Jersey Monthly (naming him one of New Jersey's
"Top 40 under 40" in 2005), Black Enterprise (naming him to the "Hot List: America's Most Powerful Players under 40" in 2005), and
The New York Times Magazine.
Reflecting his dedication to education, Mayor Booker is a member of numerous boards and advisory committees including Democrats for Education
Reform, Columbia University Teachers' College Board of Trustees, and the Black Alliance for Educational Options. As for his own education,
Mayor Booker received a bachelor of arts and master's degree from Stanford University, a bachelor's degree in Modern History from Oxford University
as a Rhodes Scholar, and a juris doctor from Yale Law School.
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