Sarah Cunningham: [0:00] Hello. My name is Sarah Cunningham. I'm the gallery director here at the College of New Jersey. I'm really honored to be part of this summer's Trenton-based summer research program. I'm entering Michelle Nugent, a rising senior in the Department of Art. The project that we're working on this summer is a mural project at the West Ward Center here in Trenton.

[0:19] The Trenton summer research program is in its second year and the project coordinators Diane Bates and Liz Borland realized that the arts would be a really important contribution and addition to the program.

Michelle Nugent: [0:30] Hello. My name is Michelle Nugent and I'm a fine arts major here at the College of New Jersey. My mentor, Sarah Cunningham, asked me if I wanted to do a project that was community-based in Trenton, and of course I said yes. I really wanted a hands-on project, so I decided that I wanted to get the community engaged in it.

Sarah: [0:48] We met with city representatives to talk about good locations, and through that conversation we were recommended to the West Ward Center. We've had a wonderful collaborator in Mr. Clark, who's the director there, and he has really enthusiastically embraced this program. He's brought us lots of students.

Ron Clark: [1:04] My name is Ron Clark. I'm the site director here at the West Ward Recreation Community Center. In the past we've dealt with the College of New Jersey. They actually did a mural in our gymnasium. It turned out really nice. They had some kids that helped paint the mural. They came in on a Saturday and did it one day.

[1:20] I felt really confident. I knew it was something that we could do. I think it's great. The kids were really enthusiastic about it. I can't wait till we get it up so they can actually see the finished project.

Michelle: [1:30] This is my preliminary sketch. There are lots of fluorescent colors, and these are the profiles that the children will decide what symbols to go in them, like soccer, basketball. The kids will decide on what colors they want in here. They were really excited to see what they were capable of doing.

Sarah: [1:45] Prior to working on the mural, to get Michelle kind of ramped up and ready to do her independent project, we collaborated on a mosaic in the Homan Park in the Hillcrest neighborhood, also in Trenton. That's a project that really celebrates the community garden that the neighbors have put together and it's a really special project.

[2:02] The Trenton-based summer research program, funded by the National Conferences in Undergraduate Research and the Lancy Foundation, represents seven teams of faculty and students which are all also part of the MUSE program.

So those seven teams focused specifically on Trenton, and then we are all part of this greater MUSE program, which is a mentored undergraduate summer experience. I just think it's such an interesting program. It's a unique opportunity that TCNJ really has to offer for undergraduates to really take that next step in their careers and thinking about the future as independent researchers and artists.

Michelle: [2:15] Bringing the mural to the West Ward Center, I hope to bring art to the kids and inspire them to create art of their own and collaborate with me. I really hope that this mural will motivate them to see art around them.

Sarah: [2:51] When I look at what Michelle's doing, it's a really exciting thing because not only is it Michelle getting to create her artwork, but it's also a gift to the community as well as an opportunity for the people who she collaborates with to experience art in a really tangible way.