In 1990, Dr. Gloria Bonilla-Santiago, distinguished professor of public administration and policy at Rutgers, founded the Center for Strategic Urban Community Leadership at Rutgers to help revitalize the nation's second poorest city through leadership, education, and partnership. The center is recognized as a model program for revitalizing and advancing urban communities. The center also is the leading force behind the multimillion dollar Rutgers/LEAP Initiative, a comprehensive effort of Rutgers to create brighter futures for Camden's children and families, by integrating community development, education, and health and human service programs. The LEAP (Leadership, Education, and Partnership) Academy University Charter School opened in 1997. Since then children have graduated. Last year, 100% of LEAP graduates were accepted into colleges. In 2003, LEAP Academy University Charter School received an inaugural New Jersey Public Charter School Exemplary School Award and a 2002-2003 Pioneer Award from the New Jersey Department of Education. The Annie E. Casey Foundation cited the LEAP Academy as a "sign of hope" and one of Camden's "recent successes in improving its overall academic environment and expanding civic engagement." Rutgers/LEAP is a holistic model for innovative partnership including a major research university, a public charter school, parents, businesses, and community partners. Its comprehensive approach supports students from early childhood through the first college years. With a successful track record in disseminating LEAP's best practices to the larger Camden city school community and other New Jersey charter schools, the institute now replicates best practices on a national level.The Center for Strategic Urban Community Leadership is located at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Its mission is to provide new organizational environments and strategies to build communities; and to build bridges, partnerships, and collaborations among community stakeholders to deal effectively with interpersonal and professional development.