Statement from NJCU President Andrés Acebo on the Passing of Congressman Frank J. Guarini

As a fellow son of Hudson County, I know that Frank Guarini's legacy cannot be measured solely by the buildings that bear his name or the honors he accumulated throughout a remarkable life. His legacy lives in the ambitions he inspired, the opportunities he created, and the unwavering belief he had in the people of this community.

For generations, he invested not only in institutions, but in the promise of Hudson County itself. At New Jersey City University, his generosity helped expand possibilities for countless students who dared to imagine a future beyond their circumstances. He understood that the most enduring form of philanthropy is not found in brick and mortar alone, but in the lives transformed within them.

His commitment to the power of education carries his legacy across our campus to this day. In October 2000, our library was dedicated in his honor as the Congressman Frank J. Guarini Library, and in 2020 we launched the Guarini Institute for International Education and Economic Mobility. Both carry his belief in opportunity directly into the communities he loved and represented, preparing Hudson County students to compete in a global economy and to lift their families with them.

Everything that comes next on our campus and throughout our greater community will, in some way, carry his handprints on its cornerstone. The pathways he helped build will continue to connect aspiration with opportunity for generations to come.

As we honor Frank's extraordinary life, we also extend our deepest gratitude to the Guarini family, whose stewardship, generosity, and devotion have ensured that his commitment to this community will endure. They inherit not only a remarkable legacy, but the responsibility and privilege of carrying forward a vision that has helped shape the story of Jersey City and Hudson County for decades.

Frank Guarini loved this community deeply, and this community loved him in return. We mourn his passing with gratitude, celebrate a life well lived, and take comfort in knowing that his legacy is forever etched not only into our public spaces, but into the character, aspirations, and opportunities of the people whose lives he touched.

Andrés Acebo, J.D.
President
New Jersey City University