2026 HRC Annual Installation and Awards Meeting

Members and guests of the Morris County Human Relations Commission (MCHRC) gathered on June 11, 2026, at Temple Adath Shalom in Morris Plains, for our Annual Installation and Awards Meeting. A lovely buffet dinner was followed by the installation of officers and members for 2026-27. 

This year we were delighted to honor three exceptional people for their achievements. 

Our first honoree was Dr. Edward J. Yaw, a longtime member of the Commission who most recently served as Vice Chair.  Dr. Yaw was the President of the County College of Morris (CCM) for thirty years, from 1986 to 2016. Under his leadership CCM experienced tremendous growth and has been ranked the Number 1 community college in New Jersey.

Our next honoree was Dr. Jonathan M. Golden. Dr. Golden is currently the Director of the Center on Religion, Culture & Conflict, which focuses on global peacebuilding and interfaith leadership at Drew University, where he also teaches comparative religion, anthropology, and conflict resolution. He was just awarded a full professorship, after teaching at Drew since 2000.  Dr. Golden brought a group of his students to the meeting.  It was evident how much they love and respect their professor, especially when they used this opportunity to give him their own award  A very moving moment.

Our final honoree, Theresa Maughan, has been a Commission member for several years. She has served as Chair of the Education Committee and was installed this evening as our new Vice Chair. Currently, Ms. Maughan serves as a high school social studies teacher at East Orange STEM Academy, where she specializes in AP United States History and the Advanced Placement African American Studies (AP AAS) courses. She has received many prestigious awards including the 2022 New Jersey State Teacher of the Year and was just inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame. 

Congratulations to our awardees and the new and continuing members of the Commission. We look forward to the new year ahead. 

Our Awardees (L-R) Dr. Jonathan M. Goldren, Thersa Maughan, Dr. Edward Yaw

Dr. Golden's students

Dr. Golden's students

Dr. Golden and his family