Ella Rue-Eyet

Ella Rue is an award-winning graphic designer and artist who is also an accomplished writer. Hired as a graphic designer at New Jersey City University (NJCU) in 2001, Ms. Rue was promoted to Assistant Dean of the William J. Maxwell College of Arts and Sciences at NJCU in 2010. She eventually returned to the Office of Marketing and Communications where she currently serves as the Director of Creative Services, overseeing the extremely talented design team, consisting of three full-time designers and four student workers. She has won many awards for her work, including first place in the Art category from the Middle States Region of Phi Theta Kappa for an encaustic painting entitled “A Stitch in Time”. She has been recognized for much of the work that she has done over the years for the university; earning an In-House Design Award from Graphic Design USA magazine for her design work for the NJCU Athletics Hall of Fame. She also earned an award of excellence from University & College Designer Association, a GOLD award from the New Jersey Art Directors Club, and has had illustration work that she art-directed chosen for inclusion in the SI55 Society of Illustrators Annual.

Among the various publications in which Ms. Rue’s articles, interviews, and poetry have appeared are Nota Bene, Phi Theta Kappa’s international publication for excellence in writing. She has also written many feature interviews of noted artists and illustrators for University & College Designer Association’s (UCDA) Designer magazine, as well as an article highlighting NJCU student work and the advantages of hiring student workers within university marketing offices. She has also been a featured expert in HOW magazine's In House Design Advice Column.

Ms. Rue is currently the senior member of the Hunterdon Preparatory School Board of Trustees. She served 9 years on the Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) Board of Trustees, holding the position of Education Secretary. She also served on the Graphic Design Advisory Board for the Hunterdon County Polytechnical High School. She also served two years on the Board of Directors for the Printmaking Center of New Jersey. She also served on the UCDA Foundation Board. Ms. Rue also has served on the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education as well as on the New Jersey Community College Team for Tomorrow, a Blue Ribbon Commission assembled to ensure that the state continues to offer tuition relief for community college students. She served one term as the alumni representative on the Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) Board of Trustees and for three years on the RVCC Graphic Design Advisory Board.

Ms. Rue has spoken to the New Jersey Senate on behalf of New Jersey’s community colleges. She was named “Distinguished Chapter President” of the RVCC chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, which, under her leadership was recognized with its first international award for community service. Ms. Rue was also the founding president of the internationally