University of Orange has lots to offer

Photo by Tyree Huey
Remembering Rosa Community Choir and KarmaKarmz at Remembering Rosa: Celebrating 50 Years of Hip-Hop.

There is so much to learn from the city of Orange.

It’s a township that offers an urban vibe, with plenty of coffee shops, parks, art and music. Inspired by all the town had to offer, Molly Rose Kaufman was one of the people who spearheaded creation of The University of Orange in 2008 — with the city itself being the university.

“Everyone has something to teach, and everyone has something to learn,” said Kaufman, co-executive director and co-founder of Orange University. “People teach classes. People take classes. We’ve taught all kinds of classes and programs. We do a lot of music events with music programs. In May we’ll have a music festival.”

Kaufman was the co-founder with several other people who loved the history of Orange, including her mother Mindy Fullilove who studied cities. Others who were onboard early on included Karen Wells, Pat Morrisey, Jody Leight and the late Anthony Monica.

“This group of people kind of had this concept, ‘How do we uplift the things that are going on?’ A group of people just talked about what was possible,” Kaufman said.
Having a background in journalism, Kaufman felt is what prepared her for taking on this type of work. “That (journalism) prepares you for anything,” she said.

In the beginning stages of the university, Kaufman’s grandmother, Maggie Thompson, was still alive. Thompson worked with Ben Jones, who was the first African American elected to City Council in Orange.

Together, they helped create the University of Orange.

“I was lucky to be able to learn from them,” Kaufman said. “My grandmother was very remarkable. When she was 91, she wrote a memoir. She had been a legal secretary for a civil rights lawyer. We gave her an honorary doctorate – an award given to people who complete a big project.”

At University of Orange, students can graduate every year by taking two classes or having an independent study, though they are not accredited by an outside source. “We’re a community organization,” Kaufman said.

What is offered each year “depends on the year” according to Kaufman. For example, this year the memoir class is 10 sessions long. Some classes may be an afternoon workshop, taking a walk in town.

“Walking tours tell stories about our city,” she said.

The Digital Campus offers classes over Zoom. It began during the pandemic and it widened the audience. The memoir class is taught via Zoom, with people joining from other countries including Ireland and Italy.

“They love it,” Kaufman said. “It’s really popular. We’ve offered it eight times.”

Music City is a part of University of Orange that cultivates pride in Orange’s musical identity, encouraging social connection, life-long learning, and increasing civic engagement. Their longest running class was a music theory class taught by Dr. Margo Simmons. Later on, a student offered the class in Spanish.

A Music City Festival takes place in spring, all over town. Sometimes they’ll have a smaller concert series showcasing an emerging artist.

The Wind Down concert series runs once a month and features artists from the area.

All programs at University of Orange are free. This is possible due to receiving funding from various places, fund raising, and individual donor campaigns. “We received a grant from Essex County for our music festival,” Kaufman said.

The age group of attendees is very broad. “We try to be intergenerational. It’s important to us,” Kaufman said. “At festivals, performers are of all ages, from 4 to 84.”

Among the events recently was the 8th annual “Remembering Rosa: A Concert for Peace” that celebrated 50 years of hip hop. It was organized by the University of Orange, Ebenezer Baptist Church and the Orange Public Schools and held in December at Central Elementary Auditorium.

The show featured King Sykez, Euphony, KarmaKarmz and the Ebenezer Baptist Church Worship Choir. Remembering Rosa celebrates the legacy of Rosa Parks as an activist and a life-long learner and the feat of solidarity that led to the Montgomery Bus Boycott being organized and implemented just four days after her act of civil disobedience.

The concert brought together choirs from around Orange and Essex County to sing together in her memory, but also to learn about and honor local histories of community organizing. The prior year’s theme was Remembering Rosa, Remembering Robeson and focused on the legacy of Paul Robeson, including his visits to Orange.

Encouraging residents to enroll at University of Orange, Kaufman said, “There’s a lot of ways to be involved. There is something for everyone. Sit outside and hear live music. Teach a class. We can help find a way for you to offer a class. There are always new things to see and explore.”

To learn more about University of Orange, visit: https://universityoforange.org/.