Shalonda Tanner is an Assistant Director of Applicant Evaluation at Rutgers University-New Brunswick Undergraduate Admissions. She also serves as the Rutgers University Coordinator of Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Admissions Evaluation. Shalonda holds a BA in Psychology. Shalonda has some three decades of affiliation with Rutgers starting with her undergraduate career at Rutgers University at Douglass College in New Brunswick, where she received multiple scholarships including a 4-yr scholarship from the United States Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) when she enlisted as an airman. While attending Rutgers as an undergraduate, Shalonda was an active member and president of the Black Women’s Association for Black Unity (BWABU). She was a resident of the Africana House in the Global Village, volunteered at Elijah’s promise soup kitchen, coordinated the Big Sister/Little Sister program at Lord Stirling Community School, and assisted 100 Black Men of Rutgers with the Clay Program on Saturdays at the Paul Robeson School, just to mention a few of the projects she was involved in.
Putting “children first” secured her a seat on the Roselle Board of Education in April 2006. During her 3-yr term in elected office, Shalonda expanded her role as Board member to include Chairperson of Finance and Negotiations Committee, Chairperson of Curriculum, Assessment, and Technology Committee, Liaison to District Steering Committee, Liaison to Roselle Collaborative for Youth and Family, Liaison to ACHS-PTO and Core Member of High Schools That Work. She served as the Roselle Delegate to NJSBA Legislative Assembly and on the Roselle School Based Youth Services Program Community Advisory Board. Shalonda is most proud of her historic & impactful contributions ensuring that Roselle Board of Education spearheaded the charge as the first to infuse Amistad into the core curriculum in the State of New Jersey.
Recognized for her service, dedication, and commitment to the community, in March 2005, she was nominated for the “Divine Inspiration Award” for Outstanding Female Administrator at Rutgers. In March 2006, the NJ Commission on Higher Education and EOF Board of Directors presented her with the “EOF Champion Award”. In March 2007, she received the NAACP Roselle Branch “Role Model Award” with a special resolution from the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders. In October 2008, Shalonda, as the seated President of the Roselle Board of Education, received “Board Certification” from the NJ School Boards Association. In November 2008, Shalonda received a “Role Model Award” from the ACHS Marine Corps Junior ROTC Cadets and was guest of honor and keynote speaker at the Marine Corps Military Birthday Ball. On May 4, 2009, she received the “Distinguished Board Member” award for service as a Roselle Board of Education member (2006-2009) and Board President (2008-2009) when she completed her first and only full term and retired as an elected Board member.
Shalonda was initiated into the Electrifying Eta Omicron Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. in April 2009. In December 2010, she received “Member of the Year” awarded by the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Inc. of Central Jersey which she helped to Charter as their first Parliamentarian. In 2014, Shalonda helped Charter the Toastmasters International, Dialogue Party Toastmasters Club, Somerset, New Jersey and in 2015, she became a Charter Member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. – Alpha Alpha Chi Zeta Chapter (Monmouth County and Ocean County, New Jersey). Shalonda is a USA Basketball Gold Licensed Coach, a member in good standing of National Association of Parliamentarians (NAP), a subscribing life member of NAACP, and a highly sought-after keynote speaker, presenter and performance vocalist. Shalonda holds membership in various professional and philanthropic organizations and has received certifications from various governmental agencies.
Through her election as Borough of Dunellen Democratic Committeewoman in the June 2017 Primary, Shalonda made history by becoming the first-ever African American Female major political party Municipal Chairman elected within the 25 municipalities of Middlesex County, NJ. Shalonda ran two successful campaigns, in 2017 and 2018, picking up 3 Democratic Seats with all women candidates in two consecutive elections prior to retiring from her first and only 2-yr term in that elected office.
Shalonda has recently played a pivotal role in the newly integrated Salesforce platform at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in the development stages and implementation phases that began in 2021. In 2022, she was elected as the First Woman & First African American Woman Commander at American Legion Post 119, was selected as a Rutgers Leadership Academy Fellow, and was recognized by her Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. graduate chapter as its 2022 “Zeta of the Year.”