Eloise Samuels, Community Contributor

“From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Luke 12:48).

Eloise has a passion for education for herself, her two children and for the youth of all ages that she encounters. She has applied that passion to support the education of youth to those youth in Piscataway as a former member of the Board of Education and to those members of the New Jersey Orators, Inc., a non-profit youth organization she helped established 32 years ago.

Eloise is one of the founders and current President of the New Jersey Orators, Inc., a 32-year old non-profit youth organization founded in 1985 with the mission to teach the art of public speaking, an appreciation for literature, reading and media arts literacy, college readiness and life skills to youth from 7 to 18 years of age in preparation for college. Over the past 32 years, more than 5,500 youth have participated in this program. This non-profit organization started with one chapter in Somerset, New Jersey in 1985 and has since grown to 22 chapters in nine counties throughout the state of New Jersey and two chapters operating under the Pennsylvania Orators, Inc. charter as they roll out nationally. "Our Orators have made us proud by applying their oratorical skills successfully by becoming news reporters, newscasters, Broadway actors, engineers, management executives, lawyers and judges, professors at colleges and a host of other careers. My desire is to see them return and run this organization and continue the legacy for generations to come."

Eloise is a Certified Project Manager by profession. Having retired after 20 years of service from Telcordia Technologies (Bellcore) in Piscataway as a Director of Commercial Business Development of Learning Services Division. She utilized her MBA skills acquired from Pace University in her non-profit role as Executive Director for the Cathedral Community Development Corporation.

She has been recognized throughout the years for her community service with awards from: Johnson & Johnson 2019, National Association for University Women 2018, NJ Black Issues Community Change Award in Education 2016, President Obama Community Service Award 2015, National Organization of Black Law Executives James Spellman Community Service Award 2012, Brookdale Community College 2004, Manhattan Institute Social Entrepreneur Award 2002, Community Foundation of NJ as a Neighborhood Leadership Initiative Fellow, NAACP Metuchen-Edison Chapter, Governor’s Volunteer Award, YMCA of Newark “Black Achiever”, City News “100 Most Influential” Executives, National Black Business Women’s Association, and Piscataway Board of Education.

Presentations: WNET POVERTY FORUM / "Chasing the Dream: Poverty and Opportunity in America" 2016; NJ Americorp “Public Speaking for Professionals” 2017; Democracy Prep “Public Speaking and Literacy After School” 2018.

Eloise is a member of the Cathedral International Church in Perth Amboy where Bishop Donald Hilliard, Jr. is her Senior Pastor and where she heads the Educare & College Support Ministry. She lives in Piscataway and has been married to Rupert Samuels for 46 years. She has two adult children: Anthony, an honors graduate of Morehouse College with a joint JD/MBA degree from Howard University; Fallon Samuels Aidoo, a Ph.D. in Urban Design from Harvard University currently teaching at the University of New Orleans with a Transportation Institute Chair is married to Kwamena Aidoo with their first child, Sofia.