After a series of insightful and invigorating speeches by Rutgers officials and elected
officials celebrating 80 years of excellence last Thursday at the Paul Robeson Campus
Center at Rutgers-Newark, Graduate Student Government Association President Tiffany
Olivera was called to the stage to wrap up the moment.
She delivered.
Olivera said the ceremony didn’t just mark a moment in history but exhibited the “living
legacy” of the institution.
“Through the words of our speakers, the energy in this room and the shared pride we all
carry, we were reminded of what makes Rutgers-Newark so extraordinary: A community
grounded in resilience, driven by purpose and committed to impact,” she said.
“As graduate students, we occupy a unique space in that legacy. Every day, we
contribute not only to our own fields but to the broader mission of this university and the
communities we serve. In many ways, we help shape what the next 80 years will look
like. And if today is any indication, the future is in very good hands.”
Student Government Association President Adrian Henry was just as thoughtful when
he led off the day. After reciting how the school came to be, Henry explained where it is
going.
“The student voice has always been one of the most powerful and consistent traits of
Rutgers-Newark. It is our ideas, our advocacy and our willingness to challenge and to
lead that push this institution forward,” he said.
“From the classroom to the community, students are not just participants in the story —
we are coauthors of it. This is the campus where energy meets opportunity. Where
diversity is not just acknowledged but celebrated.
“So, we celebrate this historic milestone, and we also look ahead to the next 80 years,
committed to the same values that have brought us here: access, excellence and a
commitment to making a difference wherever we go.”
In between, the remarks were just as powerful.
Rutgers President William Tate IV: “From the moment I stepped on this campus, I
could see that Rutgers–Newark is an extraordinary place. Brilliant faculty scholars, dedicated staff and motivated students producing results for New Jersey in our state’s
largest city. It’s an impactful combination of social mobility, scholarship and outreach
that’s life-changing.”
Rutgers-Newark Chancellor Tonya Smith-Jackson: “For eight decades,
Rutgers-Newark has held to a conviction that access and excellence are not tradeoffs —
they are inseparable principles that power possibility, progress, purpose and
transformation. Our strengths in jazz studies, data science, quantum physics,
neuroscience, art, supply chain, community health, urban policy and justicerelated
innovations demonstrate how learning, creativity and city partnership come together
here in powerful ways.”
State Sen. Teresa Ruiz (D-Newark): “As a first-generation college graduate, as the
daughter of a mother who earned her GED here and as the daughter of a father who
only went to fourth grade, I know what academics does. It really creates a pathway to
become a game changer. But it has to be inclusive. It has to be affordable, it has to be
respectful and it has to be approachable. I can tell you that all those things sit under the
umbrella here, and all those things sit in excellence here at Rutgers-Newark.”
Amy Towers, the chair of the Rutgers Board of Governors, said it was only appropriate
that everyone came together to celebrate the day — that’s been the way it is at
Rutgers-Newark since its founding on April 30, 1946.
“This rich history of coming together to create a sum that is greater than the parts is a
roadmap for success in life,” she told the crowd. “A rope is stronger when many strands
are woven together. The same is true of decisions, our communities and our university.
“Rutgers-Newark represents the model of this strength — led by our dedicated and
exceptional faculty and staff and our ambitious students who reflect the very best of
Newark and are changing the trajectory of not only their own lives but their families and
the communities to which they belong.
“So, we look forward to everything that the Rutgers-Newark community will achieve in
the next 80 years ahead — and we are so proud to stand with you every step of the
way.”
