Gary and Barbara Rodkin Academic Success Center

Topping Off Ceremony Photo Gallery

The Gary and Barbara Rodkin Academic Success Center serves all Rutgers student-athletes and provides a range of resources, including academic advising, learning specialists, one-on-one and group tutoring, as well as housing soccer, lacrosse and athletics administration. Located adjacent to Athlete’s Glen on the Busch Campus, the 80,000-square foot facility was made possible via the largest gift in Rutgers Athletics history - $15 million – and opened in January 2021.

Rutgers hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking for the Gary and Barbara Rodkin Academic Success Center on April 13, 2019, prior to the annual Scarlet-White Football Game Presented by PNC Bank. Gary Rodkin, Chancellor Christopher J. Molloy, Director of Athletics Pat Hobbs, Faculty Athletics Representative Tom Stephens and women’s soccer player Dana Goldstein all made remarks regarding the significance and impact of the state-of-the-art facility.

“We came to the decision that this was something that could make a real, lasting impact at Rutgers,” said Rodkin. “This facility, which will house all the resources and the programming and allow all student-athletes to be together, enables peer exchange and collaboration. Hopefully, it will even help to tip the balance in recruiting. When student-athletes are looking at their different choices, maybe this will help the decision to come here to Rutgers.”

Both graduates of The State University of New Jersey, Gary (RC '74) and Barbara (DC '76) have been major supporters of programs across the University, including Rutgers Future Scholars, Douglass Residential College, Rutgers Honors College, an endowed chair at the School of Engineering, the Center for Social Justice and LGBT Emergency Fund, and R Big Ten Build.

“Through the incredible generosity of Gary and Barbara, we have the ability build upon our strengths and help Rutgers further transform the student experience by supporting the academic achievement of our student-athletes” said Molloy. “By providing academic support services, including tutoring, learning specialists, seminars, workshops, space for team study halls and computer labs, we enable peer-to-peer learning right in the middle of where academics takes place at this University.”

The Gary and Barbara Rodkin Academic Success Center rises through the generosity of donors via the R Big Ten Build campaign and under the leadership of Hobbs.

“As folks come to attend our football or lacrosse games, we want them to see that at Rutgers University our commitment to academics is first,” said Hobbs. “They will see The Gary and Barbara Rodkin Academic Success Center…It will stare right across Athlete’s Glen to SHI Stadium and over to the Marco Battaglia Practice Complex. Everybody who arrives on gameday is going to see the emphasis we place upon academics.”

Gary and Barbara Rodkin Academic Success Center at a Glance

An academic center to serve all Scarlet Knights.
Environment to support academic advising, learning specialists, one-on-one group tutoring as well as workshops and seminars.
Team study halls and computer labs.
An expansive lounge area to foster peer-to-peer learning among student-athletes from all sports.
A home for men's and women's soccer and men's and women's lacrosse.
New year-round locker rooms that will not be shared with opposing teams.
New lounges and meeting spaces in which teams can build camaraderie and trust.
Strength & conditioning area for on-site training and development.
Proximity to the sports medicine team.
Additional meeting space to host career networking nights with players and alumni.
Dedicated training space.