NJCU opens Fort Monmouth location

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New Jersey City University (NJCU) officially opened its new location at Fort Monmouth, the historic former United States Army base, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 25.

As the educational partner in the revitalization of Fort Monmouth, NJCU’s new location will expand bachelor’s and master’s degree offerings along the Jersey Shore, giving the university the only four-year public higher education program in the area.

The ceremonial event was attended by New Jersey state and Monmouth County political leaders, and representatives from the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE), the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA), the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority (FMERA), and the Monmouth County Chamber of Commerce.

Prior to the official ribbon-cutting, remarks were offered by 11 speakers, including NJCU President Sue Henderson; state Sen. Vin Gopal, Assemblywoman Joann Downey,  and Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling, all Democrats representing the 11th District; and NJEDA CEO Tim Sullivan.

“The opening of NJCU at Fort Monmouth is the culmination of our collective vision of expanding public higher education to the Jersey Shore,” Henderson said. “This is a major milestone in the history of our institution.

“Through our investment in this multi-year project and our partnership with FMERA, many more students in the state will have the opportunity to complete their undergraduate studies and pursue master’s degrees close to home without incurring significant debt,” she continued. “This aligns with our mission of providing a diverse population with an excellent education as we continue to keep that promise for our next generation of students.”

The Squier Hall location – formerly the home of the Signal Corps – is renovated from its origins as a 1935-era administrative building and is now a state-of-the-art facility featuring 15 classrooms, a nursing education center, a cybersecurity computer lab, and offices for faculty and staff in a 72,000-square-foot building located on more than 22 acres.

Additionally, the facility includes a flexible event space that will host organizations and community events as a partner to the Monmouth County community.

“FMERA has worked tirelessly toward its vision of restoring Fort Monmouth to its place as a creator of jobs and reinventing it as a driver of economic activity centered around innovation,” Sullivan said. “Welcoming NJCU onto Fort Monmouth furthers two of Gov. Murphy’s goals – increasing access to institutions of higher education and repositioning stranded assets to drive equitable and inclusive investment in our communities. A win-win by all accounts.”

NJCU has maintained a presence in Monmouth County for more than 15 years, offering degree-completion programs in partnership with Brookdale Community College on the Wall and Lincroft campuses.

This historic expansion at a new location will offer the only affordable, public, four-year option in the area.