NJCU President Andrés Acebo Honored with Visionary Award

New Jersey City University (NJCU) President Andrés Acebo received the Visionary Award from the Hudson County Chamber of Commerce at the HOLA New Jersey Conference and Business Expo on Wednesday, September 24. The event, held at Newport Centre Mall in Jersey City, celebrated Hispanic business leadership and community impact.

Acebo, a Hudson County native and first-generation son of Cuban exiles, was officially installed as NJCU’s 13th president on September 10, after serving as interim president since January 2023. He became the youngest known president to lead a public university in New Jersey and only the third Hispanic to lead a four-year public institution in the state.

During his tenure, NJCU experienced a notable financial recovery. In May 2025, Moody’s Ratings upgraded the university’s outlook from stable to positive, the first positive rating NJCU has received from the agency.

Also in May, Acebo signed a letter of intent to merge NJCU with Kean University, a move intended to establish Kean Jersey City.

The event also honored North Hudson Community Action Corporation with the Community Impact Award, Ponce Bank with the Economic Impact Award, and the United Children’s Music Project as Nonprofit of the Year. Congressman Rob Menendez delivered the keynote address.