Middlesex College Dedicates New Boardroom in Memory of Dorothy Power
The upgraded meeting space honors Middlesex College’s longest-serving Trustee and Board Chair who dedicated her career to public service and advocacy for education.
(l-r) President Mark McCormick, Board Chair Gary Taffet, Board Chair Praful Raja, Lisa Power, Comissioner Director Ronald G. Rios, Mayor Brian C. Wahler, Senator Bob Smith
Middlesex College held a dedication ceremony for its new Dorothy K. Power Boardroom on October 21, named for the College’s longest-serving Board Trustee and Board Chair and a champion for higher education.
Dorothy “Dot” Power joined the Middlesex College Board of Trustees in 1998 and was elected chair of the Board by her fellow Trustees in 2007, a position she held for 15 years. She also holds the distinction of being the College’s longest-serving trustee, with nearly 24 years of service.
Power passed away on August 21, 2022, at the age of 90.
“I had the pleasure of serving this great institution with Dot Power for nearly two decades,” said Middlesex College Board of Trustees Chair Praful Raja, who joined the Board in 2004. “Dot believed in the power of education and in the mission of Middlesex College.”
Raja added that recognition of Power’s leadership of the Board ranged beyond Middlesex County. In 2019 the New Jersey Council of County Colleges created a new award to acknowledge trustee leadership at the local level, and recognized Power with the inaugural Trustee Spotlight Award.
“During Dot’s 24 years of service on the Middlesex College Board of Trustees – longer than any other Trustee to date – many amazing things happened,” said Board Vice Chair Gary Taffet.
Taffet cited several changes and expansions under Power’s leadership, including the construction of six new buildings on the Edison Campus, the building of the New Brunswick Center in partnership with the New Brunswick Parking Authority, the launch of several new academic programs, and the growth of the Dual Enrollment program with high schools across Middlesex County, among other initiatives.
In addition, the College, in collaboration with Middlesex County, became a focal point of the Middlesex County Community, Innovation, and Opportunity Strategic Investment Plan.
In 2020, Power was the recipient of the Paige D. L’Hommedieu Award, the highest honor given by the College, in recognition of her leadership and dedication to the community.
Middlesex College President Mark McCormick said, “Dot was an amazing leader. She understood the value of partnerships and supported me in my time as president in forging partnerships with K-12 school districts and businesses such as RWJBarnabas Health throughout Middlesex County. She also appreciated the importance of creating a strong brand for the College and was supportive of the change in our institutional name from Middlesex County College to Middlesex College.”
In addition to her career in the telecommunications industry, Power became the second woman to serve as a member of the Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders (now known as the Board of County Commissioners) with her election in 1975. As a freeholder, Power was assigned to serve as the liaison to Middlesex College.
“My friend and former colleague, Dorothy Power, was a tireless community advocate whose lifetime of public service included 14 years on what was then the Board of Chosen Freeholders, where she served as deputy director of the Board and as chair of the Committee on Education and Welfare,” said Middlesex County Commissioner Director Ronald G. Rios. “Dot was a mentor to many and embodied what a public servant should be — honest, hardworking, and always committed to doing her best on behalf of those she served. Dedicating this boardroom in her honor will serve as both a reminder of all Dot gave to the people of Middlesex County and as a call to action inspiring all who serve here to live up to her legacy.”
Power’s commitment to the residents of Middlesex County extended to several governmental roles, including as Middlesex County’s Democratic State Committeewoman and the board of the New Jersey Association for Elected Women Officials. Power was also involved in several regional chambers of commerce and was instrumental in the establishment of the Middlesex County Commission on the Status of Women.
“Dot Power was a dedicated public servant whose commitment to our community has made a lasting impact,” said Piscataway Mayor Brian C. Wahler. “She demonstrated unwavering dedication throughout her entire career working hard to make sure Middlesex County and her hometown of Piscataway thrived. She tackled challenging issues with compassion and integrity. Her legacy of service continues to remind me of the importance of public service and the positive change it can bring.”
“She was just a terrific person,” said Senator Bob Smith of the 17th Legislative District, which includes New Brunswick and Piscataway, New Jersey. “We have been blessed in this county by people who cared for the citizens, who were honest, worked hard, tried their best to do the right thing by the citizens – and it’s a great thing to look back and look at the people who made you who you are today. Dot Power was one of the giants of Middlesex County.”
“With the naming of the new Boardroom in memory of Dot Power, the Dorothy K. Power Boardroom will stand as a tangible legacy at Middlesex College,” McCormick said. “Dot’s impact will also be felt by students who attended Middlesex College during her time on the Board and graduated. Nearly 30,000 students graduated from Middlesex College during Dot’s 24-year tenure on the Board, and the diplomas of nearly 22,000 Middlesex College graduates bear her signature as the Board Chair.”
The new boardroom, located in Chambers Hall on the College’s Edison Campus, features a modern but stately look with state-of-the-art technology to support both in-person and livestreamed meetings.
