John P. Thurber, vice president for public affairs and executive vice president for the Thomas Edison State University Foundation, has announced his intention to retire this fall. He has served in both roles since January 1996. Prior to his appointment as vice president for public affairs, Thurber became the founding executive director of the John S. Watson Institute for Public Policy and its predecessor, the Trenton Office of Policy Studies, at the institution in 1991. Thomas Edison State University President Merodie Hancock said Thurber has made a great impact at the school and in the community. “Under John’s 30-year stewardship, the university has made significant strides in the areas of public affairs and institutional advancement,” she said. “The university’s community profile and impact in the region has also grown substantially.”