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JERSEY CITY, N.J. |  (NJCU) President Andrés Acebo and NJCU student leader Shahod Augustin, Class of 2025, were honored on July 16 by the Boys to Leaders Foundation at its annual fundraiser and scholarship reception held at The Highlawn in West Orange.

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President Acebo was presented with the prestigious Hermano Leadership Award, while Augustin earned the Rising Star Award in recognition of each honoree's outstanding leadership and commitment to empowering young men in their communities.

 

Augustin, an Irvington, N.J. native who earned his B.A. from the William J. Maxwell College of Arts and Sciences at NJCU's May 2025 commencement, served as NJCU Student Government Association President during the 2024-25 academic year and exemplifies the transformative impact of the university's Men of Color Initiative. Prior to his election as SGA President, Augustin served as a project manager on the Student Activities Board and has shared his inspiring story of perseverance at the university's annual leadership gala.

"Shahod represents the best of what our Men of Color Initiative aims to achieve," said President Acebo. "His leadership on campus and dedication to serving his fellow students demonstrates the power of mentorship, community support, and personal determination."

The Men of Color Initiative aims to increase the retention, graduation, engagement, and overall success of students from underrepresented groups in higher education, particularly African, African American/Black, Caribbean, and Latino/Hispanic males. The program addresses academic and social challenges through mentoring, peer connections, and educational and social engagement opportunities.

This year's celebration, themed "Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges, Creating Change," highlighted the transformative impact of leadership, mentorship, and community support. The annual event honors young men who exemplify leadership in their schools and communities, recognizing them with Leaders and Achievers Scholarships while providing mentoring, leadership training, and access to a supportive professional network throughout their academic journeys.

 

President Acebo has been a long-standing mentor and contributor to the Boys to Leaders Foundation. In October 2023, he served as keynote speaker for the organization's 10th Annual Young Men's Leadership Conference in Newark.

Since becoming NJCU's interim president in January 2023, Acebo, who was appointed officially as the university’s 13th president on July 23, has received extensive recognition for his transformational leadership, earning honors from multiple organizations and publications. Most notably, he was ranked the  in the state of Â鶹´«Ã½ in the  and earned the No. 4 spot on the NJBiz Education Power 50 List—the highest ranking of any college or university president in the state. ROI-NJ has recognized Acebo nine times across various influencer lists since 2023, including naming him to the Champions of the C-Suite Top 30, making him the first NJCU leader ever selected for this honor.

His accolades span innovation, community impact, and diversity leadership. In 2025, he was selected for the prestigious INNOVATE100 Â鶹´«Ã½ honorees list and named to the ROI-NJ Power List Super 75 for the third consecutive year. Additional recognition includes being named 2024 Partner of the Year by the Â鶹´«Ã½ Small Business Development Center, Honorary Puerto Rican Male of the Year by Jersey City Puerto Rican Heritage Arts & Culture, and being selected for the  — formerly known as the Millennials 100 List.

The Boys to Leaders Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower, motivate and inspire young men by providing leadership training, scholarships, educational programs, and positive personal and professional development. The organization's goal is to unleash the potential of young men while offering the resources they need to succeed.

For more information about the Boys to Leaders Foundation, visit . 

Â鶹´«Ã½ NJCU: 
Â鶹´«Ã½ is a comprehensive public regional institution committed to providing a high-quality education to a diverse student population. Located in Jersey City, Â鶹´«Ã½, NJCU offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs and is dedicated to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for learning, professional development, and community engagement. Consistent with our mission, NJCU is recognized as a top university for improving upward economic social mobility, ensuring students enrolled in our undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral programs have access to an affordable, diverse environment, and an exceptionally supportive faculty. This prepares them to go on to become the next generation of workers and leaders who improve their communities and the State of Â鶹´«Ã½.

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Contact: 
Ira Thor, Associate Vice President for University Communications and Marketing | ithor@njcu.edu | 201-200-3301