BACK
to SCHOOL insert inside
SEPTEMBER 2018 FREE
New leader for TCNJ
COMMUNITYNEWS.ORG
Battling monsters
Diving stop
EHS grad uses art to help with her physical and mental challenges
Kathryn Foster succeeds Barbara Gitenstein as president of Ewing’s state college
By scott moRGan
By Diccon Hyatt Kathryn Foster has established a quirky pattern in her career: taking over from a longtenured woman president of a college or university. Three months ago, she became the second woman president of The College of New Jersey, succeeding Barbara Gitenstein, who retired after a 19-year tenure. Before that, Foster was president of the University of Maine at Farmington, once again succeeding a woman president who had been on the job for 19 years. “I definitely think the new president coming in after a long tenure like that should continue their momentum,” she says. “You don’t come in to fix things that aren’t broken.” But at the same time, she says, a new leader brings a new perspective and a chance to evaluate everything afresh, she says, like having a guest come over to your house and see everything with the eyes of an outsider. “After 18 or 19 years, people get into habits,” she says. “Institutions have a sense of inertia.” See FOSTER, Page 10
William Bolmer makes a stop in goal during boys’ soccer practice on Aug. 20, 2018 at Ewing High School. For more coverage of the boys’ and girls’ soccer teams, turn to Page 14. (Photo by Suzette J. Lucas.)
Father knows best
Parent of four releases book on dealing with life as a single dad By scott moRGan
Greg Wheeler lost his job. Which, to be fair, he kind of asked for. “I took a Landmark course,” Wheeler said. “I said, ‘I want to wake up excited about going to
work in the morning.’” Three weeks later the universe obliged him. He was downsized from his longtime job in corporate America, doing R&D on things like infrared cameras. By the time he’d confessed to wanting to enjoy his work at a professional development course, Wheeler had been divorced for almost 20 years and happy for about 20 seconds. But with his wish answered, he began studying Kundalini yoga
and found a part of himself he didn’t know he had. Getting to the point at which he asked for something to look forward to, though—that only came after he realized he needed to face an awful lot of issues about himself, including who he’d been as a partner and as a father. His healing journey has led him to a new career as a personal coach specializing in single fathers. It’s also culminated in a book, Single See WHEELER Page 8
The first thing you need to know about Rachel Kochis is that she’s an extremely quiet person with a lot to say. Softspoken and shy, she almost gives off the impression that she would rather hide under a blanket until the monsters subside. Almost. She’s had her share of monsters to contend with, some physical and some mental. This month she turns 18, and she’s already gotten into the ring with chronic migraines, amplified musculoskeletal pain syndrome (which causes her to feel pain more sharply than most others), gastroparesis (which slows or halts the muscles that push food through the digestive system), depression, anxiety and panic disorder. But here’s the second thing you need to know about Kochis: She’s a math nerd, which means she likes solving puzzles. Or, problems, if you will. And for her, problems are best overcome by hitting them head on. Because the third thing you need to know about Kochis is that she’s an artist whose creative language somehow blends the intangible with the factual into a kind of stew that reveals its flavors one at a time, slowly. And if art springs from pain See KOCHIS, Page 6
Visit Our Showrooms
2850 Brunswick Pike (Business Rt. 1) Lawrenceville, NJ 08648
10 North Main Street
(At The Gristmill) SEE OUR AD ON PAGE 6 Yardley, PA 19067 FOR A SPECIAL OFFER 609-883-0900 215-493-7709
Experience 95 Years & 4 Generations of Jammer Quality & Commitment
Experience 97 Years & 4 Generations ofG aJammer ra g e D o o r s Quality · O p e ra t o r& s ·Commitment Gate Openers · Entry
our ad FINANCING on pg 5 18See MONTH
101 South Warren St., www.jammerdoors.com Trenton, NJ 08608 PAHIC# 022787 | NJHIC# 13VH02000800 Trenton & Hamilton
Locations To Serve You.
D o o r s · P a t i o D o o r s · S t o r m D o o r s · W i n d ow s ·
ACCEPTING MOST INSURANCES, ALL NJ STATE EMPLOYEE INSURANCES, such as Aetna, Cigna, R e t ra c t a b l e Aw n i n g s Horizon and more...
DEFERRED INTEREST WITH PAYMENT Available forSee Qualified 609-800-2018 I CAPITOLSMILESNJ.COM Call Us Today, Us Today!Customers
1179 NEWARK, NJ