It’s fitting that a publishing company that specializes in scientific, technical, medical books, journals, and other educational materials is out in the community helping neighborhood public school children to learn to read.
When John Wiley and Sons, an internationally renowned publishing firm, moved almost 900 employees to Hoboken last year, it instantly became the city’s biggest and most profitable employer. Last year, the company generated over $600 million in revenues. Just before cutting the ceremonial banner outside of Wiley’s new Hoboken headquarters at the Waterfront Corporate Center last Sept. 20, President and CEO Will Pesce spoke of Wiley’s commitment to playing a role in the Hoboken community, and the importance of being a good neighbor. He also spoke about the company’s desire to bring Wiley employees into Hoboken public school classrooms to read to students, among other volunteer opportunities.
According to Susan Spilka, director of corporate communications for Wiley, the Wiley Volunteer Program is now up and operating.
"The Wiley volunteers program matches the diverse talents within Wiley together with the needs of the students of Hoboken," said Spilka. "The program consists of the reading, tutoring, mentoring, training and various other activities geared for Hoboken students."
She added that for the past several months, on the first and third Tuesday and Friday of the month, volunteers from the global company, which had been in Manhattan for 195 years, went into Hoboken’s schools for a number of different programs. These included a Read Aloud Program, a Sing Along Program, a middle school Book Club, and Shadowing Day, which is an opportunity for students to follow around a Wiley employees for a day.
During this year’s Read Aloud Program, 18 volunteers went to local elementary schools to read, and had students read to them.
"The classes are small, and the kids are extremely receptive," says volunteer Doug McLaurine, director of content systems at Wiley. "We talk about the stories, and they relate them to themselves. They’re very engaged, and we’re having a lot of fun."
Associated with the Read Aloud Program, Jeff Penque, a Wiley employee and volunteer, led the students of the Connors Primary School in a sing-along program.
Another program in that has been successful has been the Book Club, where two teams of two pick a book for middle school students to read and discuss. According to Editorial Assistant Megan Burke, who first conceived of the Book Club idea, the students were attentive and were willing to be engaged with the books that were selected.
"We’ve had some very sophisticated discussions," said Burke. "I’m impressed."
On Feb. 11 it was Shadowing Day at Wiley, where 16 Hoboken High School students traveled to the Wiley headquarters to spend the day with a Wiley mentor.
"Just being in this room, you can feel the positive energy," said Hoboken High Student Kevin Gonzalez, who spent his day with Associate General Counsel Maria Danzilo. "It’s not every day you get to be with a group like this."
Board of Education member Carmelo Garcia said that Wiley should be commended for their volunteer program.
"The Board of Education is really excited about the partnership that we have established with Wiley," said Garcia Wednesday. "It’s refreshing that company like Wiley is being proactive. They came to us and were willing to use their own resources and own employees for the benefit of the students of our school district."
Wiley and Sons have a long-term lease for approximately 380,000 square feet at the first completed building in the Hoboken Waterfront Corporate Center on the city’s southern waterfront. They are occupying floors two through eight in the 13-story building.
Joining Wiley in phase one of the corporate center are Japanese bank Sumitomo Trust & Banking, CPR (USA)/ Liberty View Capital Management, and Fuji Securities, each taking one floor.
When finished, the Waterfront Corporate Center, which is being developed by SJP Properties, a Parsippany-based commercial builder, will include two 550,000 square-foot office buildings – a total of 1.1 million square feet of coveted Class A office space.
Phase two is 85 percent leased, according to SJP officials. Marsh & McLennan Companies, a leading professional services firm, will occupy 425,000 square feet of office space. Phase two is scheduled to be completed in the third quarter of 2003.
On the southern waterfront, which runs along the waterfront from First to Fourth streets, the corporate center is joined by a residential building at 333 River St., which was built by the Applied Companies in partnership with Starwood Heller, LLC.