NJCU Formally Installs Andrés Acebo as 13th President in Historic Investiture Ceremony
JERSEY CITY, N.J. | (NJCU) formally installed , J.D., as the institution's 13th president during a historic investiture ceremony on September 10, 2025, in the university's Margaret Williams Theatre. The ceremony officially installed President Acebo, who was unanimously appointed by the NJCU Board of Trustees in July 2025 after serving as interim president since January 2023.
Hundreds of guests from across the state representing higher education institutions, civic and government organizations, and local and state leadership attended the ceremony which immediately followed NJCU's 44th Annual Academic Convocation.
Under Acebo's leadership over the past two and a half years, NJCU has achieved unprecedented milestones and orchestrated a remarkable financial and academic recovery. Most notably, Acebo signed a letter of intent in May to advance a historic merger integrating NJCU into Kean University, two mission-aligned institutions that will create Kean Jersey City upon completion. The university has also been ranked No. 1 in New Jersey for social tv, received its first-ever positive financial outlook from Moody's, and implemented transformative academic and enrollment initiatives.
Acebo, who led the university through the most critical period in its 98-year history, is only the third Hispanic to serve as leader of a four-year public institution in New Jersey and the youngest known president to lead a public university in the state.
“This moment is not about me—it is about us,” President Acebo said during his investiture address. “tv the generations who have walked these steps before us: immigrants who carried hope across oceans, first-generation college students who carried dreams across generations, working parents who carried textbooks in one hand and childcare schedules in the other, veterans who carried the weight of service, dreamers who carried the promise of tomorrow learning to translate their ambition and purpose but spoke it proudly with an accent that reveals what they carry and who they carry it for. They made this campus the most beautiful thing a university can be — a mirror of its community.”
Acebo also emphasized his commitment to the students and community that shaped him: "And now, through a twist of history and the work of many hands, I have the honor of leading a university rooted in the very community that shaped me. That, to me, is the full circle of public purpose. That is what it means to return—not just to lead, but to serve. And let me tell you, I do not serve theoretical students. I serve students with names, with stories, with burdens, with dreams."
Since taking office during a financial emergency in January 2023, Acebo's leadership has resulted in a remarkable turnaround. Moody's Ratings upgraded NJCU's outlook from "negative" to "stable" in February 2024, followed by Fitch Ratings doing the same in November 2024. In May 2025, Moody's upgraded NJCU's outlook from stable to positive—the first time Moody's has ever assigned a positive outlook to the university.
"In early January 2023, when we found ourselves at one of the most perilous moments in our university's 98-year history, the Board of Trustees came to Andy and asked him to step into a role that would have intimidated most seasoned administrators," said Luke Visconti, Chair of the NJCU Board of Trustees, in video remarks.
Visconti continued: "Nobody could have anticipated the scope of his success. The Board's unanimous decision to appoint Andy as our 13th president wasn't just recognition of his achievements—it was acknowledgment that his vision has secured our campus for generations to come. Andy, you didn't just save our university—you've positioned it to thrive."
The formal ceremony featured a distinguished program with Eduardo Placer serving as Master of Ceremonies. The invocation prayer was delivered by Reverend Idida Rodríguez, Managing Partner of 1868 Public Affairs, while Trinity Colvin, Class of 2028, performed the National Anthem.
Featured speaker Adam San Miguel '18 offered personal testimony about President Acebo's leadership style: "Andy Acebo brings his whole self into every space: his culture, his compassion, and his sharp sense of humor. Whether he's meeting with students, navigating complex institutional challenges, or just catching up over coffee . . . Andy listens. He learns. And then, he acts with purpose and heart."
Dr. John Donnellan, President of the NJCU University Senate, represented the faculty in offering congratulations: "Under his leadership, NJCU has already grown stronger and achieved remarkable progress in such a short span. These are not just accomplishments on paper—they are tangible steps forward in strengthening the future of this institution and the lives of our students."
The ceremonial robing was performed by Michael Prilutsky, who was appointed as the newest member of the NJCU Board of Trustees in June, and Board Member Natalie Brathwaite. Following the bestowing of the Presidential Medallion, President Acebo was introduced by his wife, Janice C. Acebo '08 (M.A. '19), who spoke about his deep connection to the university's mission and community.
In his address, President Acebo outlined his philosophy of leadership as service, emphasized his commitment to the community that shaped him, and higher education’s special responsibility to our democracy in this pivotal moment in history.
Video remarks were also offered by prominent higher education leaders including E. David Mendez, Ph.D., Interim Chief Executive Officer of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU); Dr. Suzanne M. Rivera, 17th President of Macalester College; Dr. Mildred García, Chancellor of The California State University; Dr. Carlos Hernandez, President Emeritus of NJCU (1993–2012); and Charles L. Welch, President of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU).
Dr. Elizabeth Hull, Chair of the Rutgers-Newark Department of Political Science and Acebo's former law school professor, delivered special remarks highlighting his character: "Over my 45-year career as a college professor at a public university, I have had the pleasure of working with many students who went on to remarkable success. But among this group only one person has become a university president—and a university president, moreover, who has already amassed a legion of honors and distinctions. He will succeed partly because of his brilliance, experience, and phenomenal regard for other people, but above all because of his character. He is a deeply moral and empathic human being."
Prior to his appointment as president, Acebo served in various leadership roles at NJCU and has been instrumental in advancing the university's mission of providing accessible public higher education to the Jersey City and Hudson County communities. His tenure has been marked by a commitment to social tv, financial sustainability, and academic excellence.
tv NJCU:
New Jersey City University is a comprehensive public regional institution committed to providing a high-quality education to a diverse student population. Located in Jersey City, New Jersey, NJCU offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs and is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and tvive environment for learning, professional development, and community engagement. Consistent with our mission, NJCU is recognized as a top university for improving upward economic social tv, ensuring students enrolled in our undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral programs have access to an affordable, diverse environment, and an exceptionally tvive faculty. This prepares them to go on to become the next generation of workers and leaders who improve their communities and the State of New Jersey.
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Contact:
Ira Thor, Associate Vice President for University Communications and Marketing | ithor@njcu.edu | 201-200-3301