UD alum Christopher Christie elected governor of New Jersey
Wearing an NCAA Division I-AA national football championship ballcap, Christopher Christie addresses University of Delaware graduates at the 2004 Winter Commencement.

ADVERTISEMENT

UDaily is produced by Communications and Marketing
The Academy Building
105 East Main Street
University of Delaware
Newark, DE 19716 • USA
Phone: (302) 831-2792
email: ocm@udel.edu
www.udel.edu/ocm

10:20 a.m., Nov. 4, 2009----The University of Delaware was dubbed the “epicenter of politics” during the 2008 presidential campaign and that honor has been extended in 2009 with the election of a Blue Hen as governor of New Jersey.

THIS STORY
Email E-mail
Delicious Print
Twitter

Republican Christopher J. Christie, who graduated from UD in 1984, was elected governor of New Jersey in balloting Tuesday, defeating incumbent Democrat Jon Corzine.

Christie, who served as U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey before becoming governor, received a UD Presidential Citation for Outstanding Achievement in 2003. “I have nothing but fantastic memories from my years at the University of Delaware. I received a great education. I met my wife. I made lifelong friends. A knowledgeable and caring faculty mentored me. Now 20 years since my graduation, I still have friends at the University and visit the campus on a regular basis,” Christie said at the citation ceremony.

He spoke at UD's Winter Commencement in January, 2004.

Christie began his legal career in 1987, joining the law firm of Dughi, Hewit & Palatucci in Cranford, N.J, where he established the firm's litigation department.

In 1994, Christie was elected to the Morris County, N.J., Board of Chosen Freeholders and was later elected director of the board, overseeing the operation of the county government.

Christie also has served as an officer of the Christie Family Foundation, a private family foundation that supports charitable causes. In addition, he has served on the board of the United Way of Morris County, Family Services of Morris County, Morris County Board of Social Services and as chairman of the Morris County Insurance Commission.

A 1984 graduate of UD, with a major in political science, Christie earned his law degree from Seton Hall University.

Christie and his wife, Mary Pat, a 1985 UD graduate, live in Mendham, N.J., with their four children.

UD was dubbed the epicenter of the 2008 presidential race because of the involvement of Vice President Joe Biden and wife Jill, both UD graduates, and campaign advisers David Plouffe and Steve Schmidt, who worked with President Barack Obama and Republican John McCain, respectively.

close