New Brunswick Mayor Cahill Awarded Middlesex College's Highest Honor

Jim Cahill, whose time as a student-athlete at Middlesex College was an important stepping stone to becoming New Brunswick's longest-serving mayor, has been awarded the school's highest honor.

Cahill, MCC Class of 1972, has been named the 2025 Paige D. L'Hommedieu Award recipient, an honor named for the founding chair of the Middlesex College Board of Trustees and established in 1974 to recognize community leadership.

"As a dedicated public servant, Mayor Cahill embodies all the qualities the Middlesex College Board of Trustees looks for in bestowing the L'Hommedieu Award," said Middlesex College President Mark McCormick. "We are grateful for his support of our mission and the students we serve."

Cahill, who is in his ninth term as mayor after first being elected in 1990, was presented with the award during the Fall Convocation on Aug. 25.

He attended what was then called Middlesex County College, serving as the catcher on the school's baseball team, after graduating from St. Peter's High School in New Brunswick and before going on to Glassboro University (now Rowan University). He later earned a master's degree in criminal justice at Rutgers and a law degree at Seton Hall.

"Middlesex College provided me with a strong foundation, both academically and personally, and to be recognized with the L'Hommedieu Award by the very institution that helped shape my journey is deeply meaningful and a tremendous honor," said Cahill. "I am grateful to the college for its enduring commitment to excellence and for its vital role in empowering generations of students across Middlesex County."

In his 34th year as mayor, Cahill has guided New Brunswick through globe-spanning economic downturns and a pandemic, as well as natural disasters and waves of immigration that have changed the very face of the city.

New Brunswick has been transformed in a variety of ways during Cahill's time as mayor.

Billions of dollars in development projects continue to change the city's skyline, serving as economic drivers and job creators. Most recently, New Brunswick Performing Arts Center was completed in 2019, followed by the Blanquita B. Valenti Community School (2023) and the Jack and Sheryl Morris Cancer Center (2025). Plus, work continues on the first two buildings in the three-phase HELIX project across from the New Brunswick Train Station - which is in line for a $49 million makeover.

Cahill has also worked to reshape education in New Brunswick through an innovative school construction strategy that has included redeveloping Lord Stirling School and opening the new New Brunswick High School in 2010.

Working closely with the State's School Development Authority and the city's Board of Education, he also oversaw the creation of Redshaw Elementary School and a three-story expansion of the Paul Robeson Community School for the Arts, more than doubling its size.

His leadership brought a major addition to McKinley Community School, the establishment of the Health Sciences Technology High School, the launch of the P-TECH (Pathways in Technology) program, and the opening of the Valenti School - expanding educational access for local students.

The city also enhanced after-school opportunities, including the award-winning Youth Services System program.

Beyond education, Cahill has helped make New Brunswick a hub for health care innovation, home to institutions such as Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Saint Peter's University Hospital, and the PSE&G Children's Specialized Hospital.

These partnerships created enduring outreach programs serving neighborhoods directly. Recent milestones include the Ambulatory Medical Pavilion and the Morris Cancer Center--New Jersey's first freestanding cancer hospital. The HELIX, a cutting-edge research complex, is under construction, while the new U.S. headquarters for Nokia reinforces the city's role in 5G and telecommunications leadership.

Cahill has also championed open space preservation and expansion, ensuring safe, vibrant areas for residents. Under his guidance, improvements have been made to the Youth Sports Complex, Alice Jennings Archibald Park, the Raritan River Conservation Area, and the HUB Teen Center.

Most recently, the city opened Riverside Bark for dogs at Boyd Park and Welton Street Park, and is preparing to debut Liberty Square Park, developed downtown in partnership with Middlesex County.

Story by: Chuck O'Donnell
Photo by: Middlesex College