With undergraduate commencement at William Paterson University a week away on Thursday, May 28 at the Prudential Center, Benjie E. Wimberly will deliver the undergraduate commencement address.
As 3,600 bachelors, masters, and doctoral degree candidates are expected to be recognized, many may not know who Benjie E. Wimberly is?
Wimberly, a Paterson native is one of the most decorated individuals to grace the William Paterson campus.
Long before entering state politics, Wimberly made his impact in classrooms, on athletic fields, and throughout the Paterson community. In January 2025, he became the first African American to represent Passaic County in the New Jersey Senate after being selected to serve Legislative District 35. He currently serves on the Senate Community and Urban Affairs Committee and the Senate Military and Veterans Affairs Committee.
Before joining the Senate, Wimberly spent six terms in the New Jersey General Assembly representing the same district. During his time in the Assembly, he served as Speaker Pro Tempore from 2022 through 2025 after previously holding the role of Deputy Speaker. He also held leadership positions on several committees focused on education, housing, transportation, and economic justice.
Outside of government, Wimberly is widely recognized throughout North Jersey for his coaching career. A former special education teacher and coach at Eastside High School in Paterson, he led the school’s baseball team to both a Passaic County championship and a Northern New Jersey Interscholastic League title in 1993.
His greatest success came as head football coach at Paterson Catholic High School, where he coached from 1995 through 2009. During that span, his teams captured seven state championships and eight league titles, helping establish Paterson Catholic as one of the top football programs in New Jersey. Wimberly later served as head football coach at Hackensack High School, where he added three league championships to his resume.
His accomplishments in athletics earned him numerous honors over the years, including the 2020 New York Giants Lou Rettino Coach of the Year Award and induction into the NJSIAA/NJCA Coaches Hall of Fame in 2024.
Beyond coaching and politics, Wimberly has served as director of recreation for the City of Paterson since 1998 and continues to work with youth mentorship and athletic programs throughout the community. In 2024, he founded the Paterson Recreation Girls Flag Football League to help create more opportunities for young female athletes.
Wimberly graduated from Virginia State University in 1989 with a sociology degree and later earned a certificate as a teacher of students with disabilities from William Paterson. At commencement, Wimberly will also receive an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from the university.
The undergraduate ceremony will also recognize the Class of 1976 and members of the Pioneer Society. In addition, the university will present a President’s Medallion to retiring Vice President for Student Development Miki Cammarata for her 12 years of service to the institution.
Across New Jersey, universities have selected a wide range of commencement speakers this spring:
Montclair State University: Mikie Sherrill, New Jersey Governor
Ramapo College of New Jersey: Don La Greca, Sports Radio Host
Fairleigh Dickinson University: Mark Hertling, Retired Army Lt. Gen.
Seton Hall Universty: Arthur C. Brooks, Social Scientist
Rutgers University: Christopher Markus, Award-Winning Screenwriter
William Paterson is also scheduled to hold the state’s latest commencement ceremony, giving graduates one final moment to celebrate before beginning life after college.
As thousands of Pioneers prepare to turn the page, Wimberly’s story, from educator and championship coach to state senator and community leader, offers a message as graduates hear one final farewell from the university.
