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JERSEY CITY, N.J. | Dr. Esther Nir, Professor of Criminal Justice at  (Ұ������) has been appointed as the new Interim Dean of the College of Professional Studies, the university announced on December 5.

Since joining the Ұ������ community in 2016, Dr. Nir has served the university in various roles. While working as a faculty member in the , she founded the  and has guided the team as its coach since 2017. 

Dr. Nir is actively involved in Community Engaged Learning (CEL) initiatives on campus and partners with members of the Hudson County judiciary to run an interactive CEL Court Program for  and Criminal Justice students.

., Interim Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs, said: “We are thrilled that Dr. Nir has agreed to serve in this vital role. 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.”

Dr. Nir stated:"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."

Dr. 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 Ұ������ 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. 

Dr. Nir’s research interests include sentencing disparities, police misconduct, and community engaged learning initiatives. She specializes in qualitative research methods and interviews judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys in connection to her research efforts. Her research can be found in numerous criminal justice, research methodology, and teaching journals.
 

About Ұ������: 
Ұ������ is a comprehensive public regional institution committed to providing a high-quality education to a diverse student population. Located in Jersey City, New Jersey, Ұ������ 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. Recognized as a top university for improving upward economic social mobility, 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 New Jersey.

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