 Born in Philadelphia and educated
at the University of Pennsylvania, Walter Rand
was a proud resident of Camden New Jersey where
he built an outstanding career in public service
to the City and the wider South Jersey region.
Elected to the Camden Board of Education in
1971, the New Jersey State Assembly in 1975,
and the New Jersey State Senate in 1981, Walter
Rand was the chief architect of New Jersey’s
Transportation Trust Fund and the South Jersey
Transportation Authority, two critical accomplishments
in the growth and development of the State and
southern New Jersey in particular. He also was
instrumental in launching the Waterfront development
that brought the State Aquarium and the Tweeter
Center Amphitheater to Camden.
Senator
Rand’s dedication to providing public
support for transportation infrastructure was
built on his conviction that the welfare of
citizens and municipalities depends on their
development as a region. In the same vein, he
understood that higher education provides a
powerful regional resource and he fought effectively
to support Rutgers University’s Campus
at Camden.
In recognition of his devotion
to Camden, to South Jersey, and to the ideal
of public service, Rutgers University established
the Senator Walter Rand Institute for Public
Affairs (WRI) to honor his commitment to regional
development and his of public service. As the
southern campus of the state’s land grant
institution, Rutgers-Camden is a fitting location
for an institute to sustain Senator Rand’s
legacy. Just as he combined a tireless search
for facts and analysis to shape policy with
a commitment to interact with his constituents,
WRI blends applied research on policy issues
critical to South Jersey and beyond with a commitment
to bring citizens and leaders together to identify
and address those issues.
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