Rutgers Oral History Project

SHARE YOUR PART OF RUTGERS ATHLETICS HISTORY

Rutgers Faithful are invited to share their stories from their time on The Banks. Rutgers Athletics will preserve these great memories for generations to come through the On The Banks – Rutgers Athletics Oral History Project. You have all played a great part in writing the amazing chapters of Rutgers Athletics. Don’t miss this opportunity to share yours and let it live on forever.

About On The Banks

Everyone in the Rutgers Faithful community has a story, and it should be included in the archives of the rich history of Rutgers Athletics. We want to hear your chapter of history in your own words of how Rutgers Athletics has played a role in your life. We’re then going to preserve and showcase your RU stories in a commemorative hardbound book, and a digital storybook. Make sure your story is included in one of the most historied college athletic departments in the country.

Why We’re Verifying Your Data

Have you moved, changed emails, or even phone numbers? As part of this project, we are taking the opportunity to help make it easier for you to stay connected to Rutgers Athletics and confirm your contact information. Our trusted project partner, Publishing Concepts (PCI), will help us update that information for those of you who may have inadvertently lost touch with our Scarlet Knight programs.

Your Piece of Rutgers Athletics History

What story will you tell?

Are you a former Scarlet Knight who represented the Block R?
Did you help build the foundation of Rutgers Athletics as a coach, administrator, or staff?
Are you a faithful fan who has attended countless RU competitions?
In celebrating the 50th anniversary of Title IX we want to hear from our RU Title IX trailblazers!
Were you in attendance for one of Rutgers Athletics' history making moments?
Has Rutgers Athletics been a part of your family tradition for multiple generations?
Have you chosen to give back to our Scarlet Knights and impact the lives of Rutgers student-athletes?
Are you a Rutgers Athletics historian who holds special knowledge that should be forever preserved?

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights womenâ??s field hockey team takes on the Michigan Wolverines during the 2021 Big Ten Conference Field Hockey Championship game at Bauer Track & Field Complex in Piscataway, NJ on Sunday November 7, 2021.(Ben Solomon/Big Ten Conference)

About the PCI Partnership

Collecting thousands of stories from the hundreds of thousands of Rutgers Faithful is an ambitious endeavor. Publishing Concepts (PCI) is able to aid in filling the gap to record and preserve our special history. They’re a family owned business with over 100 years of experience

What’s Next?

First, you’ll receive email and postcard communication from the PCI team with instructions on how to participate. The PCI team will collect stories until April 28, 2023. After that PCI will enter a post-production phase editing the stories. We hope to have the books distributed in late fall, 2023.

What Should I Look For?

Below is an example of the postcard and/or email communication you will receive. These are official communications from Rutgers Athletics, distributed by our partner PCI. Once you receive yours, please follow the instructions to update your information and share your Rutgers Athletics story.

How Does Rutgers Athletics Benefit From The Oral History Project?

Updated contact information allows us to effectively communicate and engage with Rutgers Faithful
Sharing and collecting stories preserves the great history of Rutgers Athletics and helps us archive the legacy of the Athletic Department
After providing your updated information and sharing your story, you’ll have the option to purchase an Oral History Package which includes the collection of stories in a hardbound or digital publication. There are multiple package options, a portion of which will be a donation to Rutgers Athletics

Contacts:

To submit your story call the dedicated Rutgers Athletics update line at 1-888-892-3739.

Questions about a story you submitted or a book you ordered? Contact PCI’s customer service desk at 1-800-982-1590 or customerservice@publishingconcepts.com.

Additional questions? Contact the R Fund at rfund@scarletknights.com or 848-932-7629.

Frequently Asked Questions by Rutgers Faithful

We have partnered with PCI (also known as Publishing Concepts) to produce an Oral History Publication for Rutgers Athletics. PCI is a family owned business based in Dallas, TX that has published directories for educational institutions, fraternities, sororities, and military organizations across the nation for over 100 years. This project allows us to hear about your personal experiences with Rutgers Athletics and how they helped to shape your life. And, while we have you on the phone, we want to make sure your contact information is up to date.
Yes, in a few different ways:
Updated Information – allows us to effectively communicate with and engage Rutgers Faithful
Legacy – sharing and collecting stories preserves the great history of Rutgers Athletics
Revenue – generates non-dues revenue for Rutgers Athletics and Scarlet Knight student-athletes
PCI is committed to protecting your information. The names, addresses and information provided to PCI for the publication of the Oral History Project will be held confidential by PCI, except to the extent that they are utilized in, or in the preparation of, the Oral History Project and except as required by court order or law. Upon completion of the project, PCI will redact PII (Personal Identifiable Information) from any and all electronic files that we have supplied or were produced by PCI in connection with the production of the Oral History Project.
If you have received a postcard or an email with a telephone number, you may call the number to speak with a dedicated representative for the Oral History Project. The representative will verify the information we have on file for you, make any updates where needed, and then ask you to share your story about your Rutgers Athletics experiences. Your story will be recorded and the sound clip provided to Rutgers Athletics at the conclusion of the project.
If you have received an email with an embedded link, you may go to the online site to review your information and submit a story.
If you did not receive a postcard or email, you may call the dedicated Rutgers Athletics update line at 1-888-892-3739.
The only information that is included in the publication is your name, class year (if applicable), along with your story and photo. No contact information is printed. When you call to update your contact information, it will only be used to update your Rutgers Athletics record. You may revoke consent for your story and/or photo to appear any time before April 28, 2023, by contacting PCI’s customer service helpdesk at 1-800-982-1590 / customerservice@publishingconcepts.com.
You can call back at any time before April 28, 2023, to share your story.
You will receive an email with a link to upload one photo (black and white or color) plus a caption.
If you have also purchased a book but do not have an email address on file, you will be sent a photo mailer to send a physical photo in to be printed (note: the photo will be returned if you include a self-addressed, stamped envelope).
On The Banks Rutgers Athletics Oral History Project as told by Rutgers Faithful is available for sale only to Rutgers Faithful.
The total duration of the Oral History Project is about 12-13 months. Since we began the project in late October of 2022, the books will be distributed in November of 2023.
Contact PCI’s customer service helpdesk at 1-800-982-1590 and they will take care of this for you.