Presidents
Richard Bjork (1969-1978), Peter Mitchell (1979-1983), Vera King Farris (1983-2003), Herman Saatkamp Jr. (2003-2015), and Harvey Kesselman (2015-2023) have each contributed a chapter to the history of ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ University.
The first president, Richard Bjork, was affiliated with the institution even before it existed, serving as the New Jersey Department of Higher Education liaison when plans for the college were being developed. He, along with the original Board of Trustees, chose the location and name of the institution, and it was only fitting that he also serve as the inaugural president.
Peter Mitchell solidified ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½â€™s reputation as an institution of quality education that prioritized a broad-based liberal arts instruction. During his tenure, Housing II and the N-Wing College Center were completed.
Vera King Farris was an Atlantic City native. She led ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ to establish one of the nation’s first Master’s programs in Holocaust and Genocide Studies. It was her leadership that envisioned and then created the Sports Center, West Quad Building, and the Arts and Sciences Building that are core elements of the Galloway campus today.
Herman Saatkamp, Jr. brought ambitious goals for expansion to the College. He established the first off-main-campus instructional sites in Atlantic City, Manahawkin, Hammonton, and Woodbine. Under his administration, the Campus Center and Unified Science Center 1 were constructed, and the institution was reclassified in 2015 from a liberal arts college to a comprehensive university, a fitting symbol of the institution’s growth.
Harvey Kesselman has been part of the institution since its founding. He was an undergraduate student in ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½â€™s inaugural class. After graduating, he served in many roles: as Dean of the School of Education, Director of the Southern Regional Institute and Educational Technology Training Center (SRI&ETTC), Vice President for Student Affairs, Interim Vice President for Administration and Finance, and Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, before becoming ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½â€™s president in 2015. Under his leadership, the University opened Phase I of its Atlantic City campus in Fall 2018, and Phase II was initiated in 2020. The Galloway campus expanded to include the Unified Science Center 2, as well as the John F. Scarpa Health Sciences Center. President Kesselman has served as President of both the New Jersey Association of Colleges and Universities, and the New Jersey President’s Council, and he has received various awards for his commitment to inclusion and diversity and community engagement.
Each of these presidents has provided their vision for continued growth and leadership at ÀÖ²¥´«Ã½ University, and the institution is stronger as a result.
