Stockton University broke ground on a new campus in Atlantic City in April 2017. The primary goals were to assure that all 533 beds of the new residential building were filled and that enrollment goals were met. The secondary goals were to establish Stockton University as a vital part of the redevelopment and re-imagining of Atlantic City. The State of New Jersey had designated Stockton University as an “Anchor Institution.” Thus, Stockton had to convince students they could benefit from beachfront living and learning at New Jersey’s only college or university just steps from the beach and boardwalk. Research of other institutions with beachfronts, outside of New Jersey, emphasized the natural environment and, in some cases, city life. Internal focus groups of students pointed to the newness of the campus as a major selling feature.
