Cranford – UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ Board of Trustees Chairman Victor M. Richel was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Kean University during its Spring 2026 Commencement Ceremony at the Prudential Center in Newark. Mr. Richel was formally hooded by Dr. Thomas J. Bistocchi, Secretary of the Kean University Board of Trustees, marking the conferral of one of higher education’s most distinguished honors.
The honorary degree was conferred by Kean in recognition of Mr. Richel’s exceptional leadership in higher education, distinguished public service, and longstanding commitment to expanding educational opportunity throughout Union County and the State of New Jersey. The award also reflects the growing and impactful partnership between UCNJ and Kean fostered under his chairmanship. Mr. Richel has been a member of the UCNJ Board of Trustees for more than 40 years and has served as Chairman for 30 years. Through innovative transfer pathways and collaborative educational initiatives, the partnership between the two institutions has expanded access and created seamless transfer opportunities for countless UCNJ students pursuing bachelor’s degrees and long-term career success. He guided the College through a period of significant institutional growth, innovation, and national recognition. Under his leadership, UCNJ earned national recognition as a finalist for the $1 million 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence and was subsequently selected as a semifinalist for the 2027 Aspen Prize. He has also helped strengthen university transfer partnerships, expand student success and workforce development initiatives, increase educational access, and advance the College’s mission of promoting social and economic mobility through higher education.
Mr. Richel is a distinguished banking executive, civic leader, and philanthropist, whose lifetime of service has left a profound impact on the greater Union County region. He was a Vice President for Elizabethtown Gas, and it was under his leadership that the company gifted its building in Elizabeth to the College. He also serves as Chairman of the Board of RWJBarnabas Health Trinitas Regional Medical Center in Elizabeth. His leadership was instrumental in facilitating Trinitas’ 2022 merger with RWJBarnabas Health, one of New Jersey’s largest healthcare systems. That partnership continues to strengthen critical healthcare and workforce development initiatives across the region, including UCNJ’s nursing program offered in collaboration with RWJBarnabas Health, which educates and prepares hundreds of nurses annually to serve communities throughout New Jersey.
Further honoring his longstanding contributions to higher education governance, Chairman Richel received the Association of Community College Trustees’ 2025 Northeast Regional Trustee Leadership Award. This marks the second time he has earned the distinction, having first received the ACCT Northeast Regional Trustee Leadership Award in 2021, an uncommon achievement that reflects sustained impact and leadership at both the institutional and regional levels. In 2016, he received the Ronald D. Winthers Community College Trustee Leadership Award from the New Jersey Council of County Colleges. Additionally, he received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 1999, an award presented to distinguished American citizens who have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to serving their communities.
“Chairman Richel’s impact on higher education and the Union County community has been truly transformational,” stated UCNJ President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin. “For decades, his visionary leadership, civic stewardship, and unwavering belief in the power of education have expanded opportunity and changed the trajectory of countless students and families. This recognition is especially meaningful given the Richel family’s longstanding connection to Kean University, where his wife, Andrea, is a proud alumna. It is a fitting tribute to his extraordinary service, enduring legacy, and lifelong commitment to advancing educational opportunity across our region.”
UCNJ is a public comprehensive community college that provides quality, affordable, accessible educational programs to the greater Union County region. It is the first of New Jersey’s 18 two-year colleges, serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. The College offers a wide variety of academic programs and extracurricular activities. UCNJ provides many experiential learning opportunities such as access to the Bloomberg Business Center, Innovation Center, and Student Research Lab. Additionally, students at UCNJ attend one of the top community colleges in the country as designated by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. To learn more about UCNJ, visit www.ucc.edu.
