Johnson & Johnson has been a neighbor and great supporter of Rutgers for nearly 130 years. So when Rutgers was considering ways to mark the 250th anniversary of its founding, J&J was interested in contributing to the celebrations. In a generous gesture, the company set up a Donate a Photo program to team up with the Rutgers community to create scholarships for students in the health care field.

Tangible Token of Friendship

But J&J also wanted to give a physical expression of its well wishes. After the two institutions met to discuss the idea of an interactive, public art installation, Rutgers' Office of Community Affairs developed a plan to create the word “Revolutionary” in large white steel letters, with the first R and the U painted scarlet and capitalized.

Happy Birthday, Rutgers

The monument was literally under wraps when it arrived in New Brunswick. The facilities department drove it around Rutgers–New Brunswick to promote the anniversary kickoff party, where it would be unveiled.

On Charter Day, November 10, 2015, Rutgers president Robert Barchi and Johnson & Johnson vice president of corporate equity and partnership Sarah Colamarino, unveiled the monument on the Old Queens lawn and announced the start of the Donate a Photo campaign. Both said they looked forward to continuing their institutions’ warm friendship and joint efforts at promoting health.

See the Monument

You can visit the monument at the Visitor Center on the Busch Campus at Rutgers University–New Brunswick. Stop by and take a photo. Don't forget to post your photo to Instagram, Twitter, and Rutgers Facebook page using #Rutgers250.