Issue link: http://tcnj.uberflip.com/i/1543060
2 The College of New Jersey Magazine " ONCE A LION, ALWAYS A LION. PROUD TO SEE TCNJ CONTINUE ITS LEGACY AS THE #1 PUBLIC COLLEGE IN THE NORTH! " — KURMAINE MAY '17 A LIVING LEGEND I wouldn't be where I am today without the encouragement of John Pollock ("The man, the mentor, the legend," fall 2025). He pushed me to think critically and to pursue graduate school. His support and guidance changed the course of my life. This story reminded me how powerful mentorship can be. A mentor doesn't just teach you skills. They open doors. They challenge your assumptions. They help you see possibilities you hadn't imagined for yourself. As I reflect on Professor Pollock's legacy, I'm reminded of the importance of "paying it forward." Investing time, energy, and belief in someone else can have ripple effects that last a lifetime. MELISSA OSTERWIND '01 The article about Professor Pollock was an inspiring story. NANCY GRUNEWALD '80 TALK UP SPOTTED IN THE WILD The Paramus IKEA has a mock dorm room decked out with a TCNJ athletics logo. Thought this campus crossover would be a perfect tidbit for the magazine. Keep doing awesome work. KELLY MEISBERGER DEPSEE '06 Editor's note: Thanks for sharing, Kelly. What a fun find! Grateful to have had Dr. Pollock as a professor when I was a communication studies major. He demonstrated that paths to publication in the field were indeed possible, something that I did eventually pursue after graduate study. MICHAEL ZALOT '94 I never had Professor Pollock as a teacher but heard a lot about him from friends and classmates. I enjoyed reading this story and especially loved your choice to include this passage: At Swarthmore College, Pollock studied political science and international relations and discovered a passion for research. But it was his professors' interest in student ideas that changed his world. "It was very much, 'Your opinions are as valid as mine,'" he says. "We're all smart people here. The professors had just been at it a bit longer." SHAWN MECCHI '05 FOND FAREWELL TO A FRIEND My wife, Janet Richards '71, loved TCNJ Magazine. She looked forward to receiving it and read it avidly. She recently passed away from a decade- long battle with multiple myeloma. Janet was an educator and presenter par excellence. She touched thousands of lives and energized spirits. RODNEY RICHARDS WHAT ARE YOUR PASSIONS? Share your special hobbies or the causes you dedicate time to at magazine@tcnj.edu.