South Middlesex Times

Francine Newsome Pfeiffer has been appointed senior vice president for Government Relations at Rutgers University by President Jonathan Holloway. Pfeiffer, who has spent nearly three decades advocating for Rutgers on Capitol Hill, will now oversee the university’s efforts to secure funding and shape higher education policy in Washington, D.C., and Trenton, N.J.

Pfeiffer's career began in 1995 when she joined Rutgers’ Office of Federal Relations as a staff assistant. She ascended to the role of director in 2004. Under her leadership, her team built relationships with key federal policymakers to advance campus priorities. Ian Grubman and Samantha Booth now lead the D.C. team.

“It is about putting what Rutgers offers in front of all of our policymakers, by connecting them directly to people and programs that make this university tick,” Pfeiffer said. She plans to use a similar approach while overseeing Rutgers’ Trenton office.

Her efforts have yielded significant results: Rutgers students received $485 million in federal financial aid during the 2022-2023 academic year, and researchers were awarded $514 million in federal funding for the 2023 fiscal year.

Pfeiffer was recently recognized with the Association of American Universities’ Ripple Effect Award for her mentorship within the higher education community. Her background includes a bachelor's degree in political science and French from Rutgers, where she graduated in 1995.

Reflecting on her experiences as a first-generation student from Williamstown, N.J., Pfeiffer noted how these shaped her empathy towards students facing economic challenges today. “I'm thinking, ‘What is this really going to mean on campus?’ I can picture the people it's going to impact and how complicated implementation might be,” she said.

Pfeiffer’s initiatives include launching the Rutgers-Eagleton Washington Internship Award Program in 2016 and overseeing the Scarlet Service program since its inception in 2023. These programs provide stipends and free housing to ease financial burdens for interns working in Washington.

“I think what we're doing here is removing some of the chance and creating those clear pathways and opportunities for students regardless of their socio-economic background,’’ Pfeiffer said.

The Scarlet Service program aims not only to connect students with government and nonprofit positions but also to encourage civic-mindedness among participants. This initiative aligns with President Holloway’s public service priorities.

Pfeiffer replaces Peter J. McDonough Jr., who retired in July after playing a pivotal role in integrating Rutgers with the former University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) and strengthening ties with state lawmakers.

“When I first started out at Rutgers, there was a lack of attention to Trenton. And now they're our partner,” Pfeiffer said about McDonough’s legacy. She aims to build on his work by maintaining strong support from Trenton through bipartisan collaboration led by George LeBlanc and Gene Lepore.

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