The College of New Jersey formally installed Michael A. Bernstein as its 17th president in a ceremony this afternoon in Kendall Hall.
“On behalf of the trustees, I welcome you as the 17th president of The College of New Jersey,” said Rebecca Ostrov ’02, chair of TCNJ’s Board of Trustees. “I assure you of our confidence in you and pledge our support to you as you strive to continue the greatness that is this college’s destiny.”
“The College of New Jersey has been blessed with a long line of extremely capable leaders,” Bernstein said to ceremony attendees. “I would like to suggest, however, and I think each of my predecessors might agree, that our celebration this afternoon is about much more than an office or an individual; it’s about the institution.”
Bernstein honored his immediate predecessors — presidents Harold Eickhoff, R. Barbara Gitenstein, and Kathryn A. Foster — who were also in attendance, by citing remarks they made during their presidencies to both celebrate their stewardship of the college and to “underscore that change and surmounting challenges have been constants throughout the history of our institution.
“Our steady rise across several decades has precisely been the result of the simple and straightforward fact that we have always risen to the occasion,” he said. “We have always embraced the task of refashioning ourselves, and in so doing remain true exemplars of what public higher education can and should be.”
Special guests included Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson ’94 from the 15th District and Ewing Mayor Bert Steinmann, who delivered greetings on behalf of the state and local governments.
“As a public servant, I have seen firsthand how education, particularly higher education, shapes our future,” said Reynolds-Jackson. “Institutions like TCNJ are the birthplace of leaders, where dreams are nurtured and forged into reality with wings to soar. Let’s lean into President Bernstein’s vision, embrace our values, elevate our levels of engagement, and watch TCNJ grow to higher heights.”
Faculty Senate President Abby O’Connor, Staff Senate President Colleen Schmidt, TCNJ Student Government President Jared Williams ’25, and TCNJ Alumni Association President Angelica Lamartino ’08 brought greetings on behalf of their constituencies.
“Since our very first meeting, I knew President Bernstein was the visionary leader who could guide TCNJ to a brighter and better future,” Williams said. “I remember watching President Bernstein eloquently talk about our college during his open forum and I vividly remember thinking that he might be a California man but he sure is Jersey-Strong.”
Samuel L. Stanley, president emeritus of Michigan State, who worked alongside Bernstein at Stony Brook, presented greetings on behalf of the academy.
“With your collaborative leadership, work ethic, vision, and integrity I have no doubt that TCNJ will continue to excel as a beacon of academic distinction and civic engagement,” Stanley said. “Speaking for myself, and for your colleagues in the academy, we stand ready to support you in realizing the aspirations for The College of New Jersey now and in the future. May your tenure be marked by success, purposeful growth, and a continued commitment to excellence.”
The Alumni Association donated the presidential medallion to mark the occasion. In Bernstein’s honor, the members of the Board of Trustees endowed the Michael Bernstein and Patricia Harp Scholarship Fund, which will support talented students with financial need who transfer into the college from a two- or four-year institution.
As a special surprise for Bernstein, who is a lifelong New York Yankees fan, two additional guests delivered video greetings. Yankees broadcaster John Flaherty, whose son Logan graduated from TCNJ in 2024, offered his congratulations, praising TCNJ as a “major league institution with a great reputation.” Yankees manager Aaron Boone also sent words of congratulations and invited ceremony attendees to enjoy a campuswide baseball-themed reception.
The ceremony featured the singing of the national anthem by Sarah Granholm ’26 and the singing of the college’s alma mater by Ilana Pazzani ’26, both accompanied by the TCNJ Wind Ensemble. The TCNJ Wind Ensemble, conducted by Eric Laprade, also performed a musical interlude of “Halcyon Hearts” by Katahj Copley, and a recessional of “The National Game” by John Philip Sousa.
The day concluded with a campuswide celebration in the Brower Student Center. All inaugural events were privately funded by the TCNJ Foundation.
Bernstein, a native of New York, was named TCNJ’s president on June 6, 2024 and officially began his tenure on that day.
Read President Bernstein’s full biography here.