New Jersey City University Will Honor Four on May 31 at 2022 NJCU Leadership Awards

May 19, 2022
NJCU Leadership Gala 2020

JERSEY CITY, N.J. | New Jersey City University (NJCU) will honor three distinguished individuals and one visionary organization on Tuesday, May 31, 2022 at 6 p.m. when it presents the 2022 NJCU Leadership Awards at the Liberty House, located at 76 Audrey Zapp Drive in Jersey City. The NJCU Leadership Awards are the institution’s annual celebration of those who have made a lasting impact on society in the Jersey City and the greater Hudson County area.

Presented by the NJCU Foundation, this year’s theme will be Celebrating Transformational Impact, and the university will honor four individuals in the categories of Service, Arts, Innovation, and Legacy.

More information, including tickets and sponsorship opportunities for the 2022 NJCU Leadership Awards are available at njcu.edu/gala. All proceeds from the evening benefit student scholarships.

Assembly Deputy Majority Leader and New Jersey Assemblywoman Angela V. McKnight will be recognized in the Service category. Originally elected in 2015 as the first African-American Assemblywoman for the 31st District for the State of New Jersey, McKnight is currently serving her fourth term in the State Legislature where she was appointed Assembly Deputy Majority Leader this session.

Developer Paul Silverman, whose approach to building neighborhoods through Jersey City-based real estate company, SILVERMAN, and who has been a steadfast supporter of the arts as a volunteer and philanthropist, is the recipient in the Arts category.

John J. Moore, L.L.M., ‘56, the former Chair of the Board of Trustees, longtime Trustee Emeritus and NJCU Athletics Hall of Famer, will be recognized posthumously  in the Legacy category for eight decades of work as one of the most influential alumni and leaders in NJCU’s history.

Bank of America will be acknowledged in the Innovation category. Alberto Garofalo, President, Bank of America New Jersey, will accept the honor on behalf of the bank. The award honors Bank of America New Jersey for its demonstrated commitment to providing opportunities, advancing economic mobility and giving back to the people that live and work in the communities it serves.

NJCU President Sue Henderson said, “The NJCU Leadership Awards are a signature event for our institution to pay tribute to individuals who have set the bar high for both professional and personal contribution to our community. After a two-year absence during the pandemic, we are proud to be able to host this dynamic event again in 2022, as we honor leaders whose work furthers the mission of our university while contributing to the lives of those in our community. The three individuals and one company we celebrate have empowered NJCU and the City of Jersey City to thrive and grow.”

Peter Hernandez, the Chair of the NJCU Foundation Board of Directors, said: “The NJCU Foundation is delighted to be able to honor Angela, Paul, the family of John Moore, and our friends at Bank of America, for their commitment to the Jersey City community and the mission of New Jersey City University, while concurrently benefiting NJCU’s students. Their work has complimented the vision and leadership of the Foundation and are great ambassadors for the university. We are pleased to be able to present these honors, look forward to honoring and congratulating each recipient for their achievements.”

About the NJCU Leadership Awards:
Launched in 2018, the NJCU Leadership Awards were conceived to honor, promote, and encourage exemplary efforts by individuals and organizations who have made and continue to make exemplary contributions to our society. NJCU last held the leadership event in 2019, before the 2020 and 2021 events were canceled due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Past honorees include 2018 honorees Jersey City Mayor Steven M. Fulop (Service), Angelo J. Genova, Esq., Senior Partner, Co-Founder and Chairman, Genova Burns, Attorneys-At-Law (Innovation), Stefania Panepinto, Founder, Panepinto Galleries (Arts), and the late Thomas Stanton, Jr., a Jersey City banker, visionary and prime mover committed to the renaissance of his hometown (Legacy, awarded posthumously); and 2019 honorees Hon. Frank J. Guarini (Service), Meredith Burns, Executive Director, Art House Productions (Arts), Joseph F. Scott, FACHE, Executive Vice President, Health Care Transformation, RWJ Barnabas Health (Innovation) and the late Glenn D. Cunningham, Former Mayor of Jersey City, 2001-2004 (Legacy, awarded posthumously).

About the NJCU Foundation:
NJCU is wholly dedicated to offering the best, most affordable education to its students, as well as state-of-the-art facilities and campus amenities that augment learning and support personal development. Philanthropic giving is key in making this happen. The NJCU Foundation Board of Directors empowers this work by guiding philanthropic endeavors and serving as ambassadors for NJCU.

NJCU Foundation’s mission is to support New Jersey City University as it transforms itself into a nationally recognized leader in urban public education while maintaining its commitment to transforming the lives and livelihoods of its diverse student body.

About NJCU:
New Jersey City University is an institution of higher learning with an audacious goal: the development of our students, our city, our communities, our state, and the world beyond. We are a game-changing force for our students and their families. Whether our students are enrolled in one of our 50 undergraduate, 30 graduate or three doctoral programs at our three locations — our main campus in Jersey City, our School of Business located in the heart of the Jersey City Financial District, or our newest location at NJCU @ Fort Monmouth which expands bachelor's and master's degree offerings along the Jersey Shore, NJCU provides an affordable, diverse environment, and an exceptionally supportive faculty—all of which prepares them to be critical thinkers in a global landscape.

We’re also changing the game for our city, our communities, and our state. As the educational anchor institution in Jersey City, we’ve established partnerships to ensure the area’s growth directly benefits our students and community members. We seek to improve the lives of everyone in the Garden State, whether creating a home for the arts, bringing educational programs to K-12 students, offering bachelor’s degrees in partnership with community colleges, or providing professional development opportunities for adults.

At NJCU, we’re not just educating minds, we’re nourishing souls and lifting communities. We’re changing the game.

www.NJCU.edu


Contact:
Ira Thor
, Senior Director of University Communications and Media Relations | ithor@njcu.edu | 201-200-3301