Excerpt from Stakeholder Address 2023

Jonathan Holloway
President, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

October 24, 2023

When it comes to serving the common good, we are as strong as ever.

Let me give you a vivid example: Rutgers is home to the Miller Center, which is dedicated to protecting vulnerable communities in the United States and around the world. It grew out of a recognition that acts of antisemitism and other forms of intolerance and violence have been on the rise in Europe and America, especially in the past decade.

The center helps vulnerable populations gain a greater sense of safety by building stronger relationships with law enforcement and government. Last fall, it merged with another Rutgers center dedicated to excellence in policing, enabling an even greater impact on improving the relationship between police departments and communities, particularly those vulnerable to acts of hatred and violence.

Should Rutgers be in this space? Of course. Can we have an impact? Yes—not only locally but globally. And it’s all been made possible through the generosity and vision of Rutgers alumnus Paul Miller. Altogether, he and his family have given Rutgers more than $6 million. Because of him, the Miller Center on Policing and Community Resilience is putting Rutgers resources to work to help combat violence and bigotry and make communities safer.

Paul’s generosity does not stop there. Last week, for example, I had the pleasure of joining Paul and his wife Carol at a dinner for remarkable students like Jamicka Rutherford, who are at Rutgers Law in Newark on full-tuition scholarships. Decades ago, Paul’s life changed because of financial assistance that made Rutgers Law affordable for him. His request of the students that evening: do good work, remember that stakeholders facilitated their success, and help heal the world. 

Paul couldn’t be here tonight because he is in fact in meetings to raise funds for the Miller Center, but I want to thank him for all he has done.