The Emma Bloomberg Center for Access and Opportunity Established at Princeton University Through Major Gift from Bloomberg Philanthropies
With the goal of enhancing and expanding Princeton University’s fundamental commitment to the college success of talented students from first-generation, lower-income and underrepresented backgrounds, Bloomberg Philanthropies has made a significant gift that will establish the Emma Bloomberg Center for Access and Opportunity. The Center will bring together the University’s nation-leading initiatives in college access and opportunity, serve as a hub for research and innovation in the field of college access and success, and inform and strengthen similar efforts at colleges and universities across the country.
Emma Bloomberg, a member of the Princeton Class of 2001, has focused her career on expanding access to high-quality public education and to fighting poverty in New York City. Education is also a main area of funding for Bloomberg Philanthropies, founded by Michael R. Bloomberg, and a key focus of his foundation is helping high-achieving, lower-income students attend selective colleges and universities.
“My years at Princeton were tremendously formative and inspiring, and my closest friends to this day remain my classmates. I am forever grateful to have experienced such an incredible opportunity, and I want young people across the world, regardless of race, class or geographic origin, to access the same resources and opportunities,” said Emma Bloomberg ’01, founder and CEO of Murmuration. “But to achieve that vision, we know that getting students to college isn’t sufficient; we must do all we can to provide a more comprehensive support system for all who matriculate. This Center will help make sure that students who are disproportionately affected by the current inequities in education are better able to access supports, resources and opportunities, and that lessons learned are shared broadly across the country.”
“The Emma Bloomberg Center for Access and Opportunity will be transformative for Princeton,” said President Christopher L. Eisgruber ’83. “Increasing educational access and opportunity is one of the University’s highest priorities, and support from Bloomberg Philanthropies will enhance and expand current programs that help more students thrive in college and beyond. The Emma Bloomberg Center will make its insights and initiatives available to other institutions that share our commitment to increasing socioeconomic diversity on college campuses. I am deeply grateful to Mike Bloomberg for his generosity and to Emma for her leadership and commitment to the future of Princeton.”
“Emma has dedicated her life to increasing educational opportunities for students who need them most, and our family and foundation are excited to expand on that work with a university so strongly committed to it,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and Bloomberg LP and 108th mayor of New York City. “As Princeton continues to raise the bar for what college access and success should mean, we look forward to seeing this new center help even more first-generation, lower-income students achieve their goals — and push our country forward on the path to equality and equity.”
Princeton has played a leading role in the national movement to increase socioeconomic diversity, access and inclusion in higher education, an effort bolstered by the University’s no-loan financial aid policy. Grant aid replaces loans to meet 100 percent of each student’s financial need, making it possible for most students to graduate from Princeton with little to no debt. This in turn expands the range of opportunities a graduate can pursue, without the weight of student loan repayments influencing their choices...