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The William Paterson campus was filled with an even more youthful energy than usual last week when the University celebrated National Bring Your Child to Work Day on Thursday, April 24. Approximately 85 future Pioneers spent a day on campus with a parent or guardian – 60 members of the faculty or staff from various areas – to learn about their loved one’s career while enjoying a full schedule of fun events.
Organized by the division of Human Resources, the day’s theme, “For a New Generation,” included a full schedule of both community building activities such as painting, an inflatable obstacle course, and a scavenger hunt, as well as career education activities such as a tour of the campus radio station, WP careers-based BINGO, and “resumé” building to get elementary-aged participants thinking about their skills, hobbies, and future aspirations.
“Events like our celebration of Bring Your Child to Work Day strengthen the WP employee community overall. In bringing our employees from across the institution together in a casual, celebratory setting, we build connections both personal and professional,” says Vice President for Human Resources Allison Boucher-Jarvis.
National Bring Your Child to Work day coincided with William Paterson’s end-of-semester Common Hour celebrations, which had students, faculty and staff, and visiting children of all ages having fun together on Zanfino Plaza. WP students handed out frozen treats to all, while they, the visiting children, and the employees who are their parents/guardians, played lawn games together, got temporary tattoos, danced to DJ-provided music, and cheered on the students participating in a wing-eating competition.
“It was a pleasure to see everyone so excited and engaged with the day’s activities, which certainly bolstered our employees’ already strong sense of belonging and Pioneer Pride,” Boucher-Jarvis says. “We hope also that our campus celebration inspired the next generation to dream about their own career goals and see how higher education plays a vital part in their jouney.”
William Paterson University was named to Forbes’ prestigious “Best In-State Employers” list for 2024, recognizing the institution as one of the best-ranked employers in New Jersey based on nationwide surveys.
One of four higher education institutions on the Garden State’s 2024 list, WP employs close to 1,000 full-time professionals who work in a variety of positions ranging from faculty to administrative staff, physical plant operations, campus police, athletics coaches, academic advisors, managers, and more.
