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William Paterson University President Richard J. Helldobler and three other WP leaders have been recognized in BINJE’s Best Higher Education Leaders. The inaugural list from the New Jersey business publication highlights the people, programs, and priorities currently shaping higher education, celebrating “the best in higher education in New Jersey.”
Honorees were selected in a variety of categories, including presidents at four- and two-year institutions, business schools, and STEM and campus leadership.
Included in the list were the following:
University President Richard J. Helldobler was named to the Best Higher Education Leaders: Four-Year Schools. Now in his eighth year as William Paterson’s eighth president, Helldobler was recognized for his focus on removing barriers to success for the diverse student population the institution serves. BINJE noted that his leadership has helped grow and diversify enrollment while improving graduate career outcomes, both on campus and online. The publication also cited the launch of WP Online, which in six years has grown to enroll approximately 4,500 students across a broad portfolio of undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs.
Anthony Bowrin, dean of the Cotsakos College of Business, was named to the Best Higher Education Leaders: Business Schools category. Bowrin was recognized for his role in positioning the Cotsakos College of Business as the state’s largest producer of MBA graduates, driven by flexible delivery formats and forward-looking concentrations, such as environmental, social, governance (ESG), that align with emerging workforce needs. The publication also noted the College’s oversees dynamic ecosystem of campus-based institutes — including the Cannabis Research Institute, the Center for Socially Responsible Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and the Russ Berrie Institute for Professional Sales.
Mary Alice Barrows, director of the Career Development Center, was included in the Best Higher Education Campus Leaders category. BINJE noted her role launching the University’s new PowerPaths program, a required, university-wide career-experience program that ensures all students graduate with hands-on learning through internships, research, civic engagement or applied coursework. Barrows has helped drive job placement that exceed the national average by five percentage points.
Nicholas Hirshon, associate professor of journalism, was also included in the Campus Leaders category. BINJE highlighted role mentoring the next generation of students journalists in the classroom, through guest speakers from the industry, and out in the field at live events.
BINJE also included the University’s current construction of a new Recreation and Health Sciences Center in a section on new facilities. The $40 million, state-funded project will more than double the size of student facilities for recreation and wellness and creates a new academic hub for students pursuing diverse allied health professions. With facilities for coursework in athletic training and exercise physiology, the project supports the university’s goal of aligning programs with the state’s workforce needs. Funded through the New Jersey Educational Facilities Authority, the facility is scheduled for completion in 2027.
