2013 Undergraduate Commencement Speaker:

New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney

Representing the Third Legislative District, State Senate President Steve Sweeney is in his third term in the Senate.

An ironworker by trade, the West Deptford resident was elected to the New Jersey Senate in 2001 and, in 2009, was chosen by the Democratic majority to become Senate President.

Sweeney was a member of the Gloucester County Board of Chosen Freeholders from 1997-2010 and served as freeholder director for a dozen years.

Sweeney has sponsored laws to raise the state’s minimum wage and to create the Paid Family Leave Program. He helped design and pass “Back to Work NJ,” 30 separate bills that aimed to help create jobs and economic growth in the state.

As Senate President, Sweeney has taken a prominent role in promoting property tax relief and refocusing the state’s fiscal priorities. Last year, his leadership led to the adoption of the New Jersey Medical and Health Sciences Restructuring Act. Designed to strengthen the state’s higher education and medical education while spurring economic development, the act will enable the state to attract clean industry—such as biomedicine and pharmaceuticals—to South Jersey while strengthening medical care in the region.