New Jersey City University union establishes $25,000 scholarship fund with the NJCU Foundation

New Jersey City University (NJCU) announced on May 1 that AFT Local 1839 — the American Federation of Teachers local union represents NJCU faculty, professional staff, and librarians — has authorized a $25,000 gift to the NJCU Foundation to establish a scholarship fund benefiting students on the Jersey City campus.

The scholarship will be awarded to students who demonstrate financial need, academic achievement, a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75, a connection to the values of organized labor and public higher education, and a record of community service. The investment is structured as a restricted educational grant administered by the NJCU Foundation in accordance with its established policies and procedures.

Founded in 1972, AFT Local 1839 has been active in collective bargaining and shared governance at NJCU throughout its history and has long been committed to advancing the interests of its members alongside the educational mission of the institution and the students it serves.

Dr. William Calathes, professor of criminal justice at NJCU and president of AFT Local 1839, reflected on the significance of the scholarship in the context of the union’s 54-year history on campus.

“The men and women who built this local — the faculty and staff who gave years, in some cases entire careers, to this campus and to these students — deserve to be honored,” said Calathes. “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 AFT Local 1839 for a commitment he said reflects the values of the union’s half-century on campus.

“For more than 50 years, AFT Local 1839 has been a vital partner in the life of this university. In recent years especially, we have done difficult and consequential work together focused on centering our students and honoring our storied mission. Through that, I have come to know a membership not only for its advocacy, but for its resolve, its care for this campus, and its belief in what this place makes possible.”

The announcement adds to the growing momentum of a planned centennial campaign that will benefit student scholarships and community engagement on the Jersey City campus following the merger of NJCU with Kean University in Summer 2026.