New Jersey City University (NJCU) announced that AFT Local 1839—the union representing faculty, professional staff, and librarians since 1972—has authorized a $25,000 gift to the NJCU Foundation. The gift establishes a new scholarship fund dedicated to supporting students on the Jersey City campus.
The scholarship is designed to support high-achieving students with financial need who demonstrate a commitment to the values of organized labor, public higher education, and community service.
The investment comes as a tribute to the union’s half-century of involvement on campus. Dr. William Calathes, Professor of Criminal Justice and President of AFT Local 1839, emphasized that the fund honors the generations of faculty and staff who dedicated their careers to the institution.
“The men and women who built this local… deserve to be honored,” Dr. Calathes said. “This scholarship is our way of doing that. It honors our past while investing in the future of this institution.”
NJCU President Andrés Acebo praised the union for its resolve and its partnership during recent years of institutional transformation. “This generous legacy gift reflects more than a history of advocacy,” Acebo noted. “It reflects a deep and enduring investment in our students and in the future of this campus on the precipice of its second century.”
The scholarship marks a significant contribution to a planned centennial campaign ahead of the university’s 100th anniversary in 2027. This gift, combined with the recently announced Silverman Family Scholarship, brings the total pledged toward the centennial initiative to $75,000.
The timing of the gift is particularly noteworthy as the university prepares for a major transition. In Summer 2026, NJCU is expected to merge with Kean University to become Kean Jersey City.
Despite the upcoming merger, the NJCU Foundation will continue to operate as an independent 501(c)(3) entity. It will remain focused on its mission to raise critical funds and provide scholarships for the Jersey City campus, ensuring that students can continue to “enter to learn and exit to serve.”
To be eligible for the AFT Local 1839 Scholarship, students must:
- Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75.
- Demonstrate financial need and academic achievement.
- Show a record of community service.
- Display a connection to the values of organized labor and public service.
