Dr. Esther Nir, Professor of Criminal Justice at New Jersey City University was appointed as the new Interim Dean of the College of Professional Studies, the university announced on Dec. 5.
Since joining the NJCU community in 2016, Nir has served the university in various roles. While working as a faculty member in the Department of Criminal Justice, she founded the NJCU Mock Trial Team and has guided the team as its coach since 2017.
Nir is actively involved in Community Engaged Learning initiatives on campus and partners with members of the Hudson County judiciary to run an interactive CEL Court Program for Honors Program and Criminal Justice students.
“We are thrilled that Dr. Nir has agreed to serve in this vital role,” Donna Adair Breault, Ph.D., interim provost and senior vice president of Academic Affairs, said. “Our College of Professional Studies provides many opportunities for our students to prepare for careers in the service sectors, including in nursing, criminal justice, professional security studies, fire science, health and exercise science. As such, the College has long exemplified our institutional motto, ‘Enter to learn. Exit to serve.’ Dr. Nir leads by example with her outstanding service to this institution and this community.”
“I am honored to step into the role of Interim Dean of the College of Professional Studies. Whether Nursing, Criminal Justice, Fire Science, Population, Health and Exercise Sciences, or Professional Security Studies, CPS programs train students to serve their communities in needed occupations that are critical to our society. It is truly a privilege, and I cannot wait to get started,” Nir said.
Nir has served on various committees on campus, including the Community Engaged Learning Committee, the CPS Curriculum Committee, the Institutional Review Board (IRB), and the Honors Program Committee, among others. In 2022, she was appointed to the position of director of the NJCU Honors Program.
She received her Juris Doctor from Fordham Law School and her Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from Rutgers University. She served as a prosecutor in Queens County, New York for 13 years, where she prosecuted felony cases from inception to disposition and litigated on the trial and appellate levels.
