President Koppell Named to Engage NJ Board of Directors

Montclair State University President Jonathan Koppell has been named to the Board of Directors of Engage NJ, a nonprofit higher education presidents’ coalition focused on civic engagement in New Jersey.

Established in 2011 and based on the Montclair campus, Engage NJ represents all sectors of New Jersey higher education. It operates as a collaborative force in empowering campuses to foster competencies that advance democracy and enable students to thrive in 21st-century life and work.

Koppell will serve a three-year term as a member of the board, joining presidents from both two-year and four-year public institutions.

“The missions of Montclair State University and Engage NJ are closely aligned,” says Koppell. “To ensure a sustainable, vibrant New Jersey that will thrive for generations to come, we must cultivate an ethic of public service while preparing students with hands-on learning experiences so that they have the skills to solve the state’s current and future challenges. I am pleased to join the Board of Directors of Engage NJ, and serve alongside leaders who share this important commitment.”

Engage NJ holds true that when higher education is both an ecosystem for equality and an engine of economic opportunity for each and every student, they will persist and graduate with the competencies and commitments to contribute positively to a resilient democracy and to lead fulfilling lives.

As part of its latest Strategic Plan, Engage NJ will work toward the goal of a minimum of 5,000 students per year completing an educational and experiential pathway that enables them to advance democracy and develop transferable competencies for life and work. The coalition will strive to equip each public and private higher education institution with comprehensive resources and tools that collectively and over time will show a measurable spread of a culture of engagement throughout New Jersey higher education.

“This is such a pivotal moment for higher education in New Jersey – in the coming decade we must ensure all students see an engaged and meaningful role for themselves in society as well as in their careers,” says Engage NJ Executive Director Saul Peterson. “Dr. Koppell’s leadership on the board will ensure that Engage NJ operates as the public service backbone for all of higher education and its students in New Jersey.”

For more information on Engage NJ, visit engagenj.org