The Power of a Bus Ride: A Story of Hope and Opportunity

A Talk with Courtney McAnuff, Vice Chancellor of Rutgers University

 

By James Tian and Zoe Zhang 

 

“The Rutgers bus pulled up on my street, and the whole block came out and asked why was the bus here? And I told them it was for me.”

 

On November 28th, 2024, HAM had the honor to host an interview with Courtney McAnuff, Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management at Rutgers University over Zoom. Notifications rang in a cascade of attendees from around the US and the world, an array of backgrounds haloing their faces. Together, we heard Mr. McAnuff share his extraordinary story, as well as his rich perspective on the value of education. 

 

Moving to the US at the age of seven, Mr. McAnuff had a firsthand experience with the difference in American education—from the competitive students in his school to the smallest detail he remembered in second grade: “we had nap time and milk and cookies, and in Jamaica, we didn't get any of that.” Mr. McAnuff grew up in New York City and, after graduating from the City University of New York, embarked on a journey working in America’s higher education system, taking him through public, private, urban, and even Midwestern corridors. He worked for the State University of New York and Eastern Michigan University before working at Rutgers University as the Vice Chancellor. 

 

Based on his own experience with the American education system and the lack of information and support he had when applying for college, Mr. McAnuff started a program, Rutgers Future Scholars Program. As he said, this program is life changing. RFSP offers accessible ways for the less privileged to access higher education, demystifying the process and taking a more holistic approach, especially focusing on inspiring young students.

 

Started in 2007, this initiative has had a transformative impact on students from disadvantaged backgrounds, providing them with access to higher education many had never imagined. Rutgers accepts 215 seventh graders, who are first generation college students in low-income families whose families are in poverty situations, and offers them rigorous summer courses, on campus seminars, and tutoring for free. These programs help students develop a passion for learning while supporting their college applications and career paths. These students will also be offered four year scholarships if they attend Rutgers in the future, thus relieving their financial stress and opening them up to greater possibilities in life. Mr. McAnuff is proud of the program's outcomes: “the students from that first class now are physicians, engineers, one a lieutenant in the state police, one a partner at Ernst and Young on Wall Street.”

 

When talking about RFSP, Mr. McAnuff recalled a moment that resonated with him deeply. While escorting a little girl to the bus on a warm sunny afternoon, he asked her what she liked most about her day at the RFSP. Her answer was surprising, “She looked at me and said: ‘the Rutgers bus pulled up on my street, and the whole block came out and asked why was the bus here? And I told them it was for me.’ ” Not meeting the president, nor visiting the university, but getting a bus ride was the one thing that made a little girl’s day. The bus stood at the corner of her worn street, along the cracked sidewalks and weathered homes. It was there for her; it made her feel special. This highlights the profound importance of a child developing a sense of self-worth. If a child's basic needs are not met, how can they reach their full potential? 

 

Mr. McAnuff also addressed the broader challenges faced by students from marginalized backgrounds in navigating the competitive college admissions process. While Rutgers has adopted a holistic admissions policy—considering factors like a student’s background and relative performance, rather than test scores solely— this is just one part of the solution. He gave an example: imagine a student applies to Rutgers’ competitive engineering program. The minimum SAT math score might be 720 for that program, but what if this student scored 680 while coming from a school where the average math SAT score was 480? “That student is outperforming his or her peers by 200 points! That’s grit, and we recognize it,” he said, grinning. 

 

Even though holistic admissions ensure that hardworking students aren’t overlooked due to systemic inequalities, programs like the RFSP demonstrate that real change begins long before the college application stage, often as early as in middle school. Students involved take summer courses on campus that introduce them to different subjects and spark their curiosity. Mr. McAnuff offered as an example: “the biology class is called CSI. It's a crime scene investigation, and they have to do an autopsy of a chicken and explain how the chicken died. But it's actually a biology class.” These early interventions are essential because they demystify the path to higher education for underprivileged students, providing them with the tools and confidence to dream big. By bridging the gap between aspiration and opportunity, these initiatives tackle inequities at their root.

 

Mr. McAnuff’s work goes beyond college admission, he illustrates a sensitivity to and care for global communities, as well as fostering a diverse student body. Whether gaining a trusted mentor, a group of supportive friends, or even an extroverted buddy to lean on, he continuously underlines that building meaningful connections on campus, inside and outside the classroom, is key. Once an introvert himself, Mr. McAnuff proudly presented his advice for students who struggle in social situations: find your people. “You do have to make yourself known, even if you're introverted,” he said, “there are professionals at these schools, and their job is to help you, but they can't help you if they don't know about you.” Moreover, with campuses like Rutgers supporting students with different nationalities and with diverse backgrounds, Mr. McAnuff encourages students to talk to each other and find common grounds in order to grow that supportive network. 

 

His passion as an educator can be best summarized in his own words: “being at a university is the first time in your life you're probably not going to be in a homogeneous community …You know, I love walking around and hearing the languages and seeing the different experiences of the students, but I think that's what it's all about, that's what makes it special. It's probably the only time in your life, those four years where you get to do some amazing things, and don't necessarily always know exactly what you want to do.”

 

By the end of the interview, one thing was clear: Courtney McAnuff isn’t just a Vice Chancellor, he is a man on a mission. His stories, programs, and vision for higher education aren’t just about getting kids into colleges, they’re about giving them tools, confidence, and opportunities to thrive. 

 

His story left the audience with valuable reflections: Who are you helping today? Who can you inspire, support, or guide to unlock their potential? These are questions that resonate far beyond admissions offices and college campuses. There are many people in our lives who might not see themselves as heroes, but they help shape the community for a better future through different actions in their unique ways.

 

Just as Mr. McAnuff said: “I don’t relish being called a hero. What I do is a love of passion.” If we all commit to a smaller cause, we can achieve a greater cause.

 

So, who’s ready to hop on the bus?