Yousef Saleh, SAS’11, NLAW’15 holds the distinction of being one of the youngest Jersey City councilmen. A former Rutgers University Student Assembly President, Yousef says, “There’s so much we have to take care of and I feel like this is the time right now. Even though it’s not the most convenient time for me to be an official of city government, with the pandemic and with the global economic recession and the civil unrest, I would say Rutgers has trained me very well to deal with this.” Whether it was finding resources for students as a Residential Assistant (RA), or budgeting for hundreds of student groups in the student assembly, his Rutgers experiences directly inform how he serves the citizens of Jersey City.

A self-described “loyal Rutgers boy through and through,” Yousef spent his undergraduate years doing a little bit of everything on campus. When he wasn’t mentoring as an RA or running student government, he was serving as a community service officer, volunteering with service clubs, and DJing on student radio. Across all his experiences, he credits the diversity on campus as one of the most valuable parts of being a student at Rutgers.

Swelling with pride, Yousef talked of Rutgers’ continued research clout when talking about the COVID-19 rapid test. “We beat out the Ivy Leagues,” he says. And for undergraduate education? “I believe it’s better, because we are that state school, because we have that grit. You know we don’t take anything for granted. As good of an education as you can get anywhere at any Ivy at any school across the us and I believe it’s better.”

Yousef credits his home town of Jersey City with instilling his tenacity, but he says Rutgers helped him aim his passion. “Rutgers was the one that took me to new heights,” Yousef declares. “It really is the pathway to opportunity. If you’re trying to build a better life for yourself and the next generation, Rutgers really is the key. The network you build there, the people you meet there, the things you do there….it will make you a better individual.”

As for staying involved? Yousef stays involved with the Rutgers Law New York City Chapter, and mentoring Rutgers students. Yousef  says he’s always open to lending a helping hand.