Jersey City, N.J. – March 28, 2013 – Saint Peter’s University today released a Community Investment Report, which details the University’s position as an economic driver in New Jersey and surrounding areas and in-depth data on how Saint Peter’s contributes to its community, locally and globally. As a purchaser of goods and services, an employer of more than 500 individuals and a generator of highly skilled labor, Saint Peter’s is making an indelible impact on today’s economy. The report estimates that the University’s economic impact for the fiscal year 2012 (July, 1, 2011-June 30, 2012) was $381,668,938.
“Our mission as a Jesuit, Catholic institution is at the heart of Saint Peter’s,” said Eugene J. Cornacchia, Ph.D., president of Saint Peter’s University. “The University strongly believes in being a good steward of God’s creation, being men and women for others and positively enhancing the reputation of higher education in New Jersey. The Community Investment Report provides a detailed outline of how our commitment to the environment, our dedication to serving the community and our economic influence is making a positive impact locally and globally.”
In terms of the commitment to the environment, Saint Peter’s has sought cutting-edge science to assist in the goal of reducing the carbon footprint of the University. In 2008, Cornacchia signed The American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, a pact signed by more than 400 college and university presidents that aims to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions to zero on their respective campuses.
This year the University completed a green energy initiative on the West Campus and is beginning plans on the East Campus, which will reduce Saint Peter’s carbon footprint by more than 40 percent. Saint Peter’s is also a “wind-powered” campus and recently celebrated the opening of the LEED-Silver Mac Mahon Student Center.
Saint Peter’s influence on the local community is clearly evident in the Community Impact Report. Students of the University are encouraged to embrace a lifelong commitment to service so they may gain a better understanding of Ignatian values, which are at the core of a Jesuit education. Each year, more than 800 students contribute a combined total of approximately 16,000 hours of service to local, national and global organizations. The University also assumed responsibility for St. Aedan’s: The Saint Peter’s University Church in July 2011 and provides a safe, valuable location for more than 20 outside organizations to hold community events.
With New Jersey currently holding the title of one of the biggest exporters of college students, Saint Peter’s is serving as a vehicle to keep students and graduates in the state. The University continues to attract the majority of its students from New Jersey and 18,861 of the University’s more than 30,000 alumni reside in the state. The financial power of these graduates affects nearly every aspect of the state’s economy.
Saint Peter’s also gives and attracts financial support. The University distributed $16,751,563 in institutional funding to more than 1,500 students from New Jersey in academic year 2011-2012. The University attracted significant amounts of funding from corporations and foundations in the form of grants to support community assistance projects, academic research and other initiatives.
To view the full report, please click here.
# # end # #
Saint Peter’s University, inspired by its Jesuit, Catholic identity, commitment to individual attention and grounding in the liberal arts, educates a diverse community of learners in undergraduate, graduate and professional programs to excel intellectually, lead ethically, serve compassionately and promote justice in our ever-changing urban and global environment.