College. Cornacchia was the first layperson to serve as president of the 135-year-old Catholic, Jesuit institution. Cornacchia retired in June 2024, and Hubert Benitez was named the 23rd President of Saint Peter's University as of July 1, 2024.
In 2008, Saint Peter's was awarded a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to create the Center for Microplasma Science and Technology. This grant allowed the college to expand upon its 20 years of studying microplasma as part of its research on water purifiers in conjunction with United Water. Saint Peter's graduates U.S. Senator Robert Menendez and U.S. Representative Albio Sires helped secure the $2 million grant.
On the day after his narrow defeat in the 2008 New Hampshire Presidential primary election, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama held a rally at the college's Yanitelli Center.
In March 2011, it was announced that the college would take over Saint Aeden's Church at McGinley Square from the Archdiocese of Newark.
In March 2012, the …
