Mary Ellen Schoonmaker

Mary Ellen was an award-winning editorial writer and opinion columnist for The Bergen Record newspaper in New Jersey for 20 years. In 2001, she received the Editorial Writing award from the Society of the Silurians, the distinguished New York press club. She has also been a newspaper and magazine reporter and editor, writing extensively about education, family, workplace and childcare issues. She was a copy editor at Business Week magazine and an associate editor at The Columbia Journalism Review, where she wrote a groundbreaking piece on new mothers in the newsroom and the many challenges they faced. 

Mary Ellen also taught literature and journalism at Saint Anthony High School in Jersey City, N.J., the legendary basketball school.

She is currently co-director of the J-school's Writing Center and a long-time Master's Project advisor. Working with students has been among the most rewarding phases of her career.