The College of New Jersey announced on April 25 the public launch of The Campaign for TCNJ: Elevating Excellence, aiming to raise $76 million by June 2028. This marks the college’s second comprehensive fundraising campaign and, with $41,893,807 already raised, it has surpassed the halfway point.
The campaign is intended to support four main priorities: scholarships for access and affordability; academic enrichment through research and faculty support; enhancing student experiences with co-curricular programs and wellness resources; and capital projects such as modernizing campus facilities. These initiatives reflect TCNJ’s focus on cultivating critical thinkers and leaders according to the official website.
Student Lynne Abraham ’26 said that financial support from scholarships like hers “isn’t really just about covering costs, it’s about creating access. It’s about giving us the freedom to say ‘yes’ to opportunities that shape our futures.” Abraham will soon begin a post-baccalaureate research fellowship at Harvard Medical School in neuroscience—a path made possible by philanthropic support.
Significant gifts were also announced during the event. President Emerita R. Barbara Gitenstein and her husband Donald Hart contributed $4 million—the largest private gift in TCNJ history—with $3 million designated for undergraduate student research. “Don and I believe very strongly in the power of higher education, and particularly the power of higher education at a place just like TCNJ,” Gitenstein said. “Why? Because of the faculty commitment, because of the staff commitment, and because of the special students that come to TCNJ. Higher education is the engine of democracy. It is the engine of innovation, and we have to remain committed to that.”
Campaign co-chair Gloria Weissbart ’78 highlighted how early success demonstrates growing philanthropy at TCNJ: “It’s worth noting that we’ve already exceeded our previous campaign’s $40 million goal… It serves as a solid foundation as we seek to ‘Elevate Excellence.’” Fellow co-chair Elaine Rocha ’95 added that extensive engagement across alumni, academic leaders, and friends revealed strong belief in TCNJ’s mission.
TCNJ maintains a 289-acre tree-lined campus according to its official website. The college offers degree programs across disciplines such as arts, business, engineering according to its official website, has secured numerous NCAA championships according to its official website, was honored with a Council on Undergraduate Research award in 2015 according to its official website, earned a Phi Beta Kappa chapter in 2006 according to its official website, and focuses on developing leadership skills among students according to its official website.
Looking ahead, construction will soon begin on an annex for music rehearsal space funded entirely through philanthropy—including gifts from Professor Emeritus Herbert Mayo (Buddy), President Michael Bernstein himself (who said “The excellence that we’re looking to elevate through this campaign has much to do with the academic transformation that Bobby led during her tenure as TCNJ’s 15th president”), and others—reflecting both immediate impact from donor contributions as well as continued investment into student life.
