Three colleges once called themselves Trenton. What would it take for the city to spark that kind of ambition again?
As many Trenton students enjoy their summer and some start their preparations for the upcoming school year, we would like to discuss local universities with roots in Trenton that are unheard of. Often, we discuss these universities’ proximity to the city and how Trenton natives are educated there, surprisingly,but we do not recognize discuss their root connections to our capital city that spans decades and even centuries. From multiple universities that once graced Trenton in their names to institutes built in partnership with Trenton, we’ll be discussing how Mercer County Community College (MCCC), Rider University, The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), Thomas Edison State University (TESU), Kean University, and Princeton University have built their foundation with the help of Trenton.
Mercer County Community College (MCCC) started with just 10 students in 1890 as Trenton’s Evening Drawing School. The school focused on mechanical drawing and further developing professionals. It formally opened as the Trenton School of Technical Science and Art on April 4, 1898, and remained at the North Broad Street location with under 50 students enrolled. On July 1, 1967, The Trenton Junior College and School of Industrial Arts merged to create what we now know as Mercer County Community College. MCCC is one of the few colleges on this list that Trenton residents vividly picture as a part of our community. Although the Assunpink Park site was approved to be MCCC’s primary location in the early 1970’s, the James Kerney Campus (JKC) still stands today; primarily servicing adult learners and high school students. MCCC is an example of a college founded in Trenton that continues to give back through their numerous programs launched at the JKC for residents.
Similarly, Rider University and The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) once bore Trenton in their names. Starting as the Trenton Business College, Rider was founded in 1865 to train professionals and war veterans for the changing economy and workforce after the Civil War. Rider’s campus was once situated in downtown Trenton on 428 and 430 East State Street; however, they relocated to their Lawerence location in 1959. TCNJ was established on February 9, 1855, as the New Jersey State Normal School on Clinton Ave. The university bore many names from the New Jersey Normal School in Trenton (1908-1929) to Trenton State College (1958-1996) before formally adopted its current name in 1996. Both universities initially prospered with an influx of students from Trenton and that influx served as their foundation that they continue to build on today.
These three institutions have moved their primary locations outside of downtown Trenton, yet their ties to the city are still embedded and felt by the increasing number of Trenton students that are drawn to enroll in their academic programs.
Unlike the previous institutions, Thomas Edison State University (TESU) was founded in Trenton and has remained here since. Many residents know that TESU was founded in 1972 with the purpose of educating adult learners however they do not know that TESU has governance and public policy ties in Trenton. In the early 1990’s, TESU created the Trenton Office of Policy Studies (TOPS) in collaboration with the city of Trenton. TOPS was designed to analyze and create recommendations and plans to address Trenton's urban public policy issues. The TOPS advisory board included representatives from Princeton University, Rider University, TCNJ, MCCC, and Rutgers University. TESU’s collaboration with Trenton in creating tops shows their “respect and appreciation for the history of Trenton” as once said by John Thurber, the former Vice President of of Public Affairs at Thomas Edison State University. It also gives another example of a university that benefited from Trenton and reciprocates those benefits.
In 1991, TOPS was renamed to the “John S. Watson Institute for Public Policy” and relocated to Kean University. The institute is still committed to developing public policy solutions; however, is now broadened to the whole of New Jersey. In more recent efforts at engaging with Trenton’s population, Kean University’s John S. Watson Institute for Urban Policy and Research and the Michael Graves College School of Public Architecture announced the Coalport Neighborhood Revitalization Planning Project in 2024. This project aims at redeveloping the Trenton neighborhood to include affordable housing, economic opportunities, and improved public spaces.
Lastly, the final university we are speaking of today is one that has been intertwined with Trenton for centuries. Founded in 1746, Princeton University’s founding purpose was to train clergymen who would preach and resonate with the revivalist movement. A movement aimed at revitalizing Christianity throughout the British American colonies. Princeton’s first graduates include many Presbyterian ministers who came to minister in Trenton. The list includes Rev. Norris William Harkness who ministered at the Second Presbyterian Church of Trenton, Theodore L. Cuyler who ministered at the Third Presbyterian Church in Trenton, and Ralph E. Urban who ministered at the Associate Mission on Hamilton Ave. Princeton University’s foundation of clerical education is conjoined with Trenton’s religious history as their graduates found safety, prosperity, and a place here in Trenton. Not just a place in Trenton, but a basis of comfort and confidence that they carried with them just as they carried their Princeton education.
As we continue to enjoy our summer, celebrate the 250 years of American independence, and prepare for the upcoming school year, it is important to note Trenton’s rich history in both revolution and education. Many universities have had the pleasure of once being situated in downtown Trenton and bearing Trenton in their name; although they have left our capital city, they continue to prosper from Trenton’s foundation and welcome Trenton residents into their programs.
As national trends show more students seeking urban experiences rich with culture, opportunity, and real-world engagement, Trenton is well-positioned to offer exactly that. Mercer County Community College is already laying important groundwork as an anchor institution, and Thomas Edison State University continues to serve as a national model for adult higher education. Yet a downtown campus would provide an enormous boost to economic development in a city uniquely poised for experiential learning, access, and partnership. The idea of a downtown campus is not a single institution’s project; it is a collective investment in Trenton’s future. By working together, educators, civic leaders, businesses, and community partners, the city can create a learning environment that strengthens downtown, expands opportunity, and anchors long-term growth. The momentum is already here; a downtown campus is how we turn it into lasting impact.