Hackensack Meridian Health and Monmouth University recently announced a strategic affiliation to grow the University’s healthcare access and develop more wellness, training and education opportunities for its students. On July 30, leaders from both groups met at the University’s campus to formally sign the agreement, making their collaboration official.
“Hackensack Meridian Health is excited to partner with Monmouth University to provide meaningful learning opportunities for students at one of our world-class facilities,” said Robert C. Garrett, FACHE, chief executive officer, Hackensack Meridian Health. “We are committed to advancing clinical education here in New Jersey by training future leaders in healthcare to provide high-quality, compassionate care to the patients we serve. We look forward to seeing the impact this partnership will have on generations to come.”
The affiliation consists of collaboration on clinical academic placement and community wellness initiatives and forms a preferred provider relationship with Hackensack Meridian Health, making them the students’ top choice for urgent care needs when the University’s Health Center is not open. Hackensack Meridian Health will also sponsor a student wellness center as part of an expansion of the health and fitness facilities that is expected to occur at the OceanFirst Bank Center on the Monmouth University campus.
Hackensack Meridian Health was able to secure the naming rights for the student wellness center, which is scheduled to open in 2026. The expansion will add 22,745 square feet of health and fitness space to the already-existing fitness center, as well as upgrades to the University’s sports medicine facilities.
“I am delighted that our strategic affiliation with Hackensack Meridian Health will bring such important and direct benefits to our students,” said Monmouth University President Patrick F. Leahy. “This new agreement will offer expanded academic and career placement options, enhance opportunities for health and wellness on campus, and most importantly, expand and augment after-hours options for urgent care within a seamless healthcare provider ecosystem.”
Arguably the most significant part of their collaboration is the academic affiliation between the groups, which will allow students at Monmouth University to have access to a variety of health and allied health programs. Hackensack Meridian Health will have a full-time clinical academic placement coordinator onsite in the Marjorie K. Unterberg School of Nursing and Health Studies at Monmouth to help place students in internship and employment opportunities within the Hackensack Meridian Health system.
Hackensack Meridian Health will also provide direct health services as part of the agreement, which establishes Hackensack Meridian Urgent Care Centers in Eatontown and Neptune as preferred urgent care options for students, faculty and staff in the case that the University’s Health Center is closed. To ensure that transportation will not be an issue for students, Hackensack Meridian Health is offering a limited number of discounted rideshare vouchers.