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Dear Â鶹´«Ã½ Family,

As we launch the start of the Fall 2025 semester, I am filled with tremendous pride and renewed hope for our campus community. Today, we continue the vital work of ushering in a new era for our campus—one that honors our remarkable legacy while boldly embracing the transformative future ahead.

I am thrilled to announce that we are welcoming the largest new undergraduate class we have seen in multiple years to our campus. This extraordinary achievement reflects the growing confidence prospective students and their families have in Â鶹´«Ã½'s mission and the bright future we are building together. With 80 percent of our new students coming from Hudson County, and many others joining us from across the region and beyond, our community reflects both strong local roots and a diverse range of perspectives that have shaped us for nearly a century. 

As we begin the Fall 2025 semester, I'm delighted to share some remarkable enrollment news that reflects this growing confidence in Â鶹´«Ã½. Our new undergraduate enrollment has surged by 10%, growing from 1,275 to 1,404 students compared to this time last year. This growth is particularly exciting among our first-time, full-time freshmen, who represent a 20% increase—from 614 to 731 students—demonstrating the strength of our recruitment efforts and the compelling value proposition we offer to new students and their families. Our transfer student population has also grown by 7%, while graduate enrollment increased by 3%, showing sustained interest across all academic levels. These numbers tell a powerful story: more students are choosing our campus as their pathway to success, and our community continues to expand with bright, motivated individuals who will contribute to the vibrant culture that makes our campus special. This positive momentum positions us well as we work together to build our bridge to our second century. 

This year holds special significance as we welcome the Class of 2029—our campus’s centennial class. These remarkable students will graduate as we enter our second century, making them not just witnesses to history, but active participants in shaping the legacy of our campus. Their journey represents the bridge between our proud past and our limitless future.

Our campus continues to be a place where dreams take flight and lives are transformed. At Â鶹´«Ã½, your story matters, your voice is heard, and your journey is celebrated. Every student who walks through our doors brings with them unique stories, perspectives, and aspirations that enrich our entire campus community. This is not just a place where you will earn a degree; it is where you will launch the rest of your life. We are privileged to be part of your journeys, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to providing the support, resources, and opportunities you need to succeed. 

This academic year, we will deepen our focus on student success and community engagement. Our campus thrives because of the collaborative spirit that defines our community—faculty and staff who go above and beyond, students who support one another, alumni who remain connected, and community partners who believe in our mission. Together, we are creating an environment where every member of our campus community can flourish.

On September 10, we will gather for our 44th Annual Academic Convocation in the Margaret Williams Theatre at Hepburn Hall. Immediately following, I will have the profound honor of being formally invested as the 13th president of New Â鶹´«Ã½ City University. I approach this responsibility with deep humility, recognizing the extraordinary privilege it is to serve this campus community as your president. The trust you have placed in me is something I treasure, and I am committed to continuing to lead with the same grit, heart, and hope that define our campus spirit.

I want to acknowledge how our broader community has rallied around the mission we serve. Through unprecedented support and historic investments, we have secured resources that will ensure our campus not only survives but thrives well into our second century. This collective commitment to our future demonstrates the unwavering belief in what our campus represents and the students we are privileged to serve.

As we continue building our bridge towards our second century, I want to share an update on our integration efforts with Kean University. These collaboration initiatives are beginning to take shape, with both institutions exploring meaningful opportunities that will enhance the student experience on both campuses. We are actively looking for new ways to expand the services we can offer our students, including potential joint programming and shared events between our campuses. Throughout the year, there will be much more to share as these exciting developments unfold, always with our community and our students' success at the center of every decision. 

The strength of our campus lies in our diversity, our resilience, and our unwavering commitment to one another. As we embark on this new academic year, let us remember that our campus is more than buildings and programs—it is a living, breathing community where every story matters, every voice is valued, and every dream is within reach. We are cultivating leaders, innovators, and changemakers who will shape communities, industries, and the world itself. The ripple effects of what happens on our campus will be felt for generations to come. 

As we begin this transformative year, I invite each member of our campus community to embrace the opportunities ahead with open hearts and determined spirits. Let us continue to build bridges—not just to our second century, but to each other, to our broader community, and to the bright future we are creating together.

The path before us is illuminated by hope, strengthened by community, and guided by our shared commitment to excellence. Our campus stands ready to support every dream, celebrate every achievement, and nurture every aspiration that walks through our doors.

Here's to a year of new beginnings. Together, we will continue ushering in this new era with the courage of our convictions and the knowledge that our greatest days lie ahead.

With deep gratitude and boundless optimism for our campus community,


President
New Â鶹´«Ã½ City University