Christie Institute, Seton Hall Law partnership to help support students

Former-Gov. Chris Christie’s alma mater, Seton Hall University School of Law, and the nonprofit Christie Institute for Public Policy are officially teaming up, a spokesperson for the former governor announced Tuesday.

The nonprofit plans to donate money toward at least one scholarship or fund to pay off loans for Seton Hall Law students “who aspire to careers in public interest or public service.”

The institute also plans to help train students in law and public policy through its facilitation of externship placements, to give them a better grasp of “law-making and development of public policy,” and to “increase student awareness of the professional responsibility and ethical obligations of attorneys and public policy professionals,” the announcement continues.

Christie, a Republican, finished his term as governor in 2018. He graduated with a law degree from Seton Hall in 1987.

“I am thrilled that our newly-formed institute will not just provide insightful bi-partisan dialogue about matters of national importance but will also benefit the students of this great Law school,” he said in a statement.

Christie started the institute and an accompanying lecture series in 2019. According to the announcement, the Christie Institute for Public Policy Lecture Series will host quarterly discussions on pertinent, nonpartisan issues with the participation of Seton Hall students, faculty, administrators and alumni.

The first event was held at the Seton Hall School of Law in late September, where Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo reminisced about working together as their respective state’s chief executive officers. An upcoming event will feature former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger.

Christie told NJ Advance Media last summer that he started the institute because “our politics have gotten so ugly and divisive in the country that people are not having civilized conversation”—a stance that was widely mocked because of his confrontational style as governor.

“The Christie Institute will bring exciting conversations with world-renowned speakers to our campus,” Seton Hall University President Joseph Nyre said in the same statement. “The Institute’s commitment to supporting our law students will provide an immediate benefit to those individuals.”