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\n\t\t\tHigher Ed\n\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t On Apr 3, 2026<\/p>\n
Real estate developer and philanthropist Paul Silverman has established the Silverman Family Scholarship at New Jersey City University, with an initial $50,000 endowed gift that will provide financial assistance to deserving students on its Jersey City campus for generations to come.<\/p>\n
The need-based scholarship will be awarded by the NJCU Foundation to students who demonstrate financial need, with recipients selected by the Foundation based on an applicant\u2019s circumstances and potential for success.<\/p>\n
Silverman\u2019s gift also serves as the lead and inaugural donation for a planned centennial campaign\u2014details of which will be announced at a later date\u2014that will benefit student scholarships on the Jersey City campus following the merger of NJCU with Kean University in Summer 2026. NJCU was chartered in 1927 as Jersey City State Normal School, and 2027 will mark the 100th year of the campus in the state\u2019s second largest city.<\/p>\n
Silverman, a former longtime member of the NJCU Foundation Board of Directors where he served from 2012 to 2022, including a term as vice chair, cited President\u00a0Andr\u00e9s Acebo\u2019s investiture\u00a0ceremony in September 2025\u00a0as the catalyst for re-engaging with the university after stepping back from active involvement in recent years.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat inspired me was Andy\u2019s investiture. He approached it not as a ceremony, but as a tribute to this community,\u201d Silverman explained. \u201cBeing there rekindled something in me: a belief in NJCU, in its purpose, and in the people it exists to uplift. Like many, I had stepped back after losing faith in the university\u2019s previous direction. But that moment, shaped by President Acebo\u2019s conviction, passion, and deep commitment to our students, called me back with clarity and renewed purpose.\u201d<\/p>\n
Silverman emphasized that NJCU\u2019s mission and student population make philanthropic support particularly impactful. \u201cNJCU serves a population where this scholarship is really going to make a difference in the life of a student,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a significant investment. Rather than donating to a huge university with billions of dollars, you can really make a difference in the lives of students from our community every year. I encourage others who are in a position to give back, to consider the impact a gift such as this will have.\u201d<\/p>\n
Silverman was honored during the\u00a02022 NJCU Leadership Awards\u00a0gala in recognition of his lasting impact on Jersey City and the greater Hudson County area.<\/p>\n
President Acebo\u00a0celebrated the gift, saying \u201cPaul Silverman and his family\u2019s generous commitment to our students demonstrates their profound understanding that education is the foundation upon which strong communities are built. As someone who has literally shaped the skyline and neighborhoods of Jersey City, Paul recognizes that investing in our students is the most important investment we can make in our community\u2019s future. His gift will support the very students who define our campus community\u2014hardworking individuals, predominantly first-generation working-class scholars, who are determined to succeed notwithstanding significant challenges and obstacles. We are deeply grateful for Paul\u2019s renewed partnership with our campus mission and his unwavering belief in the transformative power of education.\u201d<\/p>\n
The establishment of the Silverman Family Scholarship continues Paul Silverman\u2019s long history of supporting education and community development in Hudson County. As co-founder with his brother Eric of the prominent real estate development firm SILVERMAN, he has played a pivotal role in revitalizing Jersey City\u2019s downtown and waterfront districts since 1981. Under their leadership, SILVERMAN has developed over 1,000 new residences and hundreds of thousands of square feet of commercial and industrial space.<\/p>\n
Widely regarded for his work as a developer of residential, commercial, retail and industrial real estate in New Jersey, including restoration of historic buildings, renovation of existing buildings, and new construction, he is also a noted supporter of the arts and other causes. He has also served as Chairman of New Jersey Beer Co., a microbrewery producing craft beer since 2011.<\/p>\n