Land Announcement
Letter
from
President
Marbach
Since 1908, Georgian Court University has been guided by the wisdom of Catherine McAuley, foundress of the Sisters of Mercy, whose motto was “Resolve to be good today, but better tomorrow.” As we endeavor into our second century of educating caring professionals and shaping whole persons, these words continue to ring true.
Today, I am proud to announce that after nearly two years of carefully considered negotiations, we have reached an agreement to sell some 42 acres of mostly unused land at the edge of our campus, and several administrative buildings along Lakewood Avenue, to our neighbors at Beth Medrash Govoha. As a Catholic university, we are called to be responsible for each other and care for the common good. This mutually beneficial partnership reflects our commitment to this core value and the Mercy tradition, enabling both communities to forge ahead to a better and brighter tomorrow.
For Georgian Court, this sale presents an incredible opportunity to meet the changing needs of our students and the greater community by leveraging one of our greatest assets: our geographic footprint. With more than 150-acres, GCU has, by far, the largest campus of any private religious educational institution in New Jersey. The proceeds from this sale will expedite the launch and expand the scope of our master plan, allowing us to reinvest in the historic heart of campus and provide dedicated facilities to accommodate some of our most rapidly growing academic programs. The enhancement of existing spaces and the development of cutting-edge new facilities will propel Georgian Court into the 21st century and improve the student experience, while preserving the classic charm that makes GCU such a special place to learn and teach.
Four key areas of GCU growth
that will be accelerated by this deal are:
One
The construction of a new, cutting-edge center for nursing and health sciences, to expand on our tradition of training caring professions and to meet a pressing nationwide shortage of nurses
Two
The reimagining of our 1899 Casino as a modern student center, to meet the needs of the 21st-century student and increase accessibility to some of our core support programs
Three
The renovation of our historic Mansion, to be used as an administration hub; and
Four
The modernization of our student housing/dorm facilities, to better serve our existing population—and encourage additional enrollment—of residential students.
While this sale will allow GCU to reinvest back into our campus and fuel enrollment, it will also contribute to the development of the greater educational community as Lakewood gains respect as a center for the advancement of young people. As stewards of the land bestowed to us by the Sisters of Mercy, we are pleased that this partnership will also provide Beth Medrash Govoha an opportunity to build new student housing units. These residences may ease the demand for housing, reduce local traffic congestion, and improve current parking shortages in the area. While the precise construction timeline is undetermined, it will be planned to impose minimal interruption to the student, staff, and faculty experience.
Our mission-focused commitment to growth and investment in our students and the communities we serve has driven more than $75 million in campus renovations, updates, and improvements over the past decade. With this sale, Georgian Court will build upon our progress, and solid financial foundation, to meet growing demand for our specialized fields of study.
Go Lions!
-President Joseph R. Marbach, Ph.D.
Frequently Asked Questions
The majority of land being sold to BMG is undeveloped, unused, surplus land. As stewards of the Mercy tradition, we prioritize sound decision-making with the resources that our founders entrusted to us.
The proceeds from this sale will expedite the launch and expand the scope of our long-planned Master Plan, allowing us to reinvest in the historic heart of our campus, just as Georgian Court did from the 1950s through 2008. The new plan also helps us accommodate some of our most rapidly growing academic programs.
About 42 acres.
The majority of the land is not developed and not in use.
A small portion of the land to be sold to BMG currently houses GCU’s administrative departments, including Human Resources, Finance, Information Technology, Facilities, and some Admissions staff.
These changes will have no impact on the student experience. Rather, the shift brings several GCU offices closer to residence halls and academic offices already on main campus.
We began having conversations with Beth Medrash Govoha about the potential deal about two years ago.
We have the largest campus of any private religious educational institution in New Jersey with 150-acres. Our ability to monetize that asset will enable us to reinvest in our campus and drive our school forward. Ultimately, the comprehensive master plan identifies opportunities for future growth within the new footprint.
Lakewood is becoming a center for higher education. Both GCU and BMG, the largest Yeshiva in the world outside of Israel, are focused on the education and advancement of young people to prepare them to enter the workforce and become upstanding citizens and active members of their communities. This sale will contribute to the educational community’s growth, while allowing us to reinvest back into our campus and fuel our growth in enrollment to benefit the community.
Fast Facts About GCU
Our endowment exceeds $65 million, which is among the strongest held by New Jersey’s private Catholic colleges.
Upwards of $18 million.
For the 2021-2022 school year, we employ 262 full- and part-time instructional faculty, along with 188 administrative staff.
Our total undergraduate enrollment for Fall 2021 was 1,612 undergraduates and 514 graduates; 27% of our students are male and 73% are female. The majority of our students are New Jersey residents; 36% are first-generation college students, 40% are low-income students, and 58% are Roman Catholic. Our average high school GPA is 3.59.
Contact Us
For more information related to the land deal or related matters, please contact us at:
advancement@georgian.edu
732-987-2266
FOR JOURNALISTS
News release announcing the
GCU-BMG land agreement: georgian.edu/land-announcement-news
High-resolution images and
graphics available for download: https://bit.ly/GCU_Photos2022
For b-roll or other assets, please contact Stacey Ehling at Princeton Strategic Communications: stacey@princetonsc.com