Gov. Phil Murphy announced his nomination of Dr. Brian Bridges, Ph.D., as the next secretary of higher education on Oct. 30 in New Brunswick.
“Making college more affordable and accessible has been a hallmark of our mission to build a stronger and fairer New Jersey for all,” Murphy said. “After conducting a nationwide search for a new secretary of higher education, we’ve found just the right leader to build upon our progress. Dr. Brian Bridges has the vision and experience needed to put a college education within reach for more students, including continuing our highly successful Community College Opportunity Grant (CCOG) program.”
Bridges previously served as vice president of research and member engagement at the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) in Washington, D.C., where he led UNCF’s Frederick D. Patterson Research Institute (FDPRI) and the Institute for Capacity Building (ICB).
Prior to joining UNCF, Bridges was vice provost for Diversity, Access, and Equity at Ohio University. Previously, he was associate director of the Center for Advancement of Racial and Ethnic Equity at the American Council on Education. Bridges is a former adjunct assistant professor of Higher Education Administration at George Washington University.
Throughout his career, Dr. Bridges has served on numerous panels and advisory committees on issues related to student engagement, historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), learning environments at minority-serving institutions, and success factors for African American college students at predominantly white institutions.
Dr. Bridges earned his doctorate in higher education administration from Indiana University-Bloomington, a master’s degree in public administration from the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, and a bachelor’s degree in English language and literature from Francis Marion University.
“I am humbled but invigorated by the confidence of Gov. Murphy to serve as the next secretary of higher education for the great state of New Jersey,” Bridges said. “I have a deep and abiding faith in the power of colleges and universities to not only provide life-changing educational experiences, but to also serve as economic engines and hubs of innovation and intellectual discovery.”