Rutgers Honors Assembly Speaker Coughlin and Alumni in Government
Leaders and alumni gathered at the New Jersey League of Municipalities Annual Conference
More than 400 alumni, friends of Rutgers University, and legislators transformed Harper’s Restaurant in the Ocean Casino Resort in Atlantic City on Tuesday night into a sea of Scarlet and sent a clear message from this influential network: Rutgers graduates are leading the way at every level of government.
The Rutgers reception during the opening night of the New Jersey League of Municipalities Annual Conference was a celebration of Rutgers talent leading innovation and policymaking. Of the 120 combined seats in the New Jersey Senate and General Assembly, 18 percent of the current members hold Rutgers degrees—a reflection of the university’s influence in shaping New Jersey’s public institutions and leadership.
“This robust crowd here tonight speaks volumes about the depth and impact of Rutgers’ partnerships across government and public service,” Francine Newsome Pfeiffer, senior vice president for Rutgers Government Relations, told the packed room. “Thank you for showing the impact that Rutgers has across the state. Your very presence here reminds us of how important our institution is to the success of the state of New Jersey.”
Assembly Speaker Coughlin Honored
During the reception, Rutgers honored Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin—who although not a Rutgers alumnus, has been an avid supporter of the university.
Coughlin, a lifelong resident of Middlesex County, rose to the position of Assembly Speaker in 2018 and is now in his fourth term, making him the longest serving legislator in that role in New Jersey history. His advocacy has resulted in significant wins for Rutgers, including $300 million in federal American Rescue Plan funds for capital projects at Rutgers, including $240 million for the HELIX in New Brunswick, which will be the home of the new Rutgers Medical School.
Rutgers President William F. Tate IV congratulated Coughlin and noted that during the eight years the speaker has guided the annual appropriation of state funds to Rutgers, the university has returned the public investment many times over through significant economic impact. During Coughlin’s tenure as speaker, Tate said, Rutgers has graduated more than 148,000 students who contribute immensely to the state. He also noted during that time, Rutgers researchers have conducted $6.5 billion worth of research, and through a partnership with RWJBarnabas Health, Rutgers Health has served more than 17 million patients.
“It's because of leadership like yours—and specifically you leading those appropriation processes—that make that possible,” Tate said to Coughlin. “I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart, and I look forward to working with you going forward.”
Coughlin’s prioritization of efforts to combat hunger and food insecurity throughout his tenure has aligned with Rutgers’ goals and supports the university. In 2019, he advanced the NJ Hunger-Free Campus Act, which provides grants to institutions of higher education to combat student food insecurity and create sustainable solutions for basic needs.
“We share a passion for making sure that people get fed,” Coughlin said. “It's something that just strikes at the heart.”
Coughlin is an ardent supporter of the state’s Tuition Aid Grant (TAG) and Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) programs. He also has backed partnerships between Rutgers and Middlesex County, including the dual-admissions agreement with Middlesex College, Rutgers branding agreement at the New Brunswick Train Station, and the development of the Jack and Cheryl Morris Cancer Center.
“It is a true privilege to get to work with the people at Rutgers University,” Coughlin said. “The scope of what Rutgers does is tremendous, but I often think it's underappreciated in New Jersey. You're an incredible force in the state.”
A Sea of Scarlet
Beyond elected officials, Rutgers alumni from all walks of government were in attendance and enjoyed the networking opportunities.
David Cole RC’07, the state’s Chief Innovation Officer, said participating in student government and an internship he held in the Rutgers Office of Federal Relations in Washington, D.C., helped him launch his career in public service, where he continues to make new Rutgers connections.
“There's a mission of service at Rutgers that I think a lot of folks either seek when they get there or they develop it while they're in school,” he said. “You see that across the government meetings. You'll often see a R in the background of somebody's Zoom or in their office, or they find out you went to Rutgers and you have a connection. There's a bond that carries forward.”
That bond spans generations. Khushwant “Khush” Singh Pall RBS’17, who forged new pathways as the first Sikh American to serve on the New Jersey Democratic State Committee and as a volunteer firefighter in Readington Township, mingled with the next generation of operatives, including recent graduates from the Scarlet Service program.
Joseph Al-Adam SAS’24 and Santiago Díaz de León Domínguez NCAS’24, GSN’25 became friends during internships supported by the Scarlet Service in Washington, D.C. Program in 2023. Both have gone from graduation in 2024 to seek careers working for legislators on opposite sides of the aisle.
“Rutgers helped me get from graduation to where I am now by teaching me valuable life lessons, such as networking organization and how to keep your eyes on the ball,” said Al-Adam, who has worked on Republican campaigns for the U.S. Senate and the New Jersey Assembly and plans to work on mid-term congressional races. “I had great mentors at Rutgers who helped me to get where I am today.”
Hosted by the Rutgers Department of Government Relations and the Rutgers University Foundation, the reception was the second annual event hosted at the New Jersey League of Municipalities Annual Conference. Co-hosts included the Rutgers Eagleton Institute of Politics, the New Jersey State Policy Lab of the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, and the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences at Rutgers–Brunswick; the School of Public Affairs and Administration at Rutgers–Newark; and the Senator Walter Rand Institute of Public Affairs at Rutgers–Camden.
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