Trenton's Foundation Collegiate Academy Students Complete Mentoring Program

May 15, 2018

NJM and Big Brothers Big Sisters partner to support educational and professional development

West Trenton, NJ — NJM Insurance Group and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mercer County (BBBS Mercer) held a luncheon today celebrating the achievements of twelve Trenton high school students who will soon complete BBBS Mercer’s Workplace Mentoring Program.

"I learned so much from this experience," said Angeley Vargas, a junior at Foundation Collegiate Academy, a Trenton City charter school founded in 2007 with the mission of supporting the families of Trenton by providing a rigorous academic program intended to prepare students for college. "There were so many different programs to target different parts of life. Most importantly, I learned to immerse myself more in new experiences."

The partnership, which began last year, pairs twelve NJM employees ("Bigs") with twelve Foundation Collegiate Academy juniors and seniors ("Littles") enrolled in the BBBS Mercer's Workplace Mentoring Program. BBBS Mercer, in cooperation with NJM, developed a curriculum designed to help students realize their potential and build their future through scholastic, professional, and personal development."

The impact that this program has had on these students has been enormous. They have learned so much about business and how careers are formed from one of the top companies in New Jersey," said Susan Dunning, BBBS Mercer Executive Director. "Each one of our Littles has been able to form a special relationship with their NJM Bigs, who are an outstanding group of role models. This program embodies all the positive aspects of mentoring, and we are very grateful for NJM’s enthusiastic participation."

Workshops are held twice a month bringing together Bigs and Littles. NJM employees, as well as outside professionals, present topics including goal setting, descriptive writing, time management, insurance fundamentals, budgeting, résumé preparation, and social media network building. Each presentation is followed by one-on-one mentoring. The current series of workshops runs through June.

"Our goal is to create a meaningful experience for the students. As it turns out, our employees have also been positively impacted by this program given the personal connections they've made with their Littles," said Tracy McManimon, NJM Senior Vice President & Chief Underwriting Officer. "BBBS Mercer is a wonderful organization that helps children of all ages build skills, confidence, and a clearer sense about their futures, which we believe have no boundaries, limits, or ceilings. We’re thrilled to be a part of this effort and extend our appreciation to BBBS Mercer for including us in the experience."

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mercer County

For more than 100 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. As the nation's largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, matches between adult volunteers ("Bigs") and children ("Littles"), ages 6 through 18, in communities across the country.

About NJM Insurance Group

NJM is one of the Garden State's leading property and casualty insurers. Founded in 1913, NJM's mission is to provide value-based insurance solutions with the highest levels of service, integrity, and financial stewardship. One of the Company's core values is to support the communities it's privileged to serve, a value exercised through year-round employee volunteer efforts and a formal corporate giving program. Headquartered in West Trenton, NJ, NJM employs nearly 2,500 workers and operates in a mutual fashion for the exclusive benefit of its policyholders. More information is available at NJM.com.