William Paterson University of New Jersey

Established in 1855, the William Paterson University of New Jersey is the second-oldest state institution in New Jersey. It took its current name in 1971, to honor the state’s first senator, William Paterson, who was appointed to the Supreme Court by President George Washington. 

Today, the university is home to approximately 10,000 students across both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It’s also one of the most diverse universities in New Jersey, and an impressive 30 percent of students are the first in their families to attend university.

The university is organized into five academic colleges: Arts and Communication; Business; Education; Humanities and Social Sciences; and Science and Health. There is also an Honors College, which offers teaching in Biology, Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology, Cognitive Science, Humanities, Life Science and Environmental Ethics, Management, Marketing, Music, Nursing, Performing and Literary Arts, and Social Sciences, as well as independent study.

The university has been recognized nationally for its alcohol prevention program. First-year and transfer students are required to take an online alcohol prevention course to learn about the dangers of alcohol abuse. The university is also the only academic institution in New Jersey that requires all students to take a course in civic engagement before graduation.