The Brodsky Institute for Economic and Community Impact

The incubator is a student centered experiential learning initiative, with impact extending far beyond campus. It embeds Rider University into the Trenton and Mercer County ecosystems as a trusted, collaborative partner capable of addressing the region’s most pressing economic and community needs.

The Maker Space gives students, faculty, and the wider Rider community free access to prototyping and fabrication tools.

3D Printing & Design

Two 3D printers plus Tinkercad, a browser-based CAD tool, turn digital designs into physical objects.

Laser Cutting & Engraving

A Glowforge Aura laser cutter supports precision cutting and engraving across wood, leather, and other materials.

Since 2021, Rider has partnered with Saxbys, a Certified B Corporation, to operate a 100% student-run café in Sweigart Hall — the same building that houses the Maker Space and the Norm Brodsky College of Business. A “Student CEO” leads café operations, with students earning both wages and academic credit while managing real operations, finances, and a team.

Held one evening a week on Rider's Lawrenceville campus, participants develop and pressure-test a business concept — from industry and competitor research through pricing, sales forecasting, and cash flow — with feedback from instructors and volunteer business mentors in a cohort capped at 20 students.

The Student Media Center is comprised of the University's student newspaper, The Rider News, student radio station, 107.7 The Bronc, and student television production studio, Rider University Network (R.U.N.).

The Rider Bonner Community Leaders Program is part of a national network of over seventy American colleges and universities. The Bonner Foundation is located in Princeton, New Jersey. In 1990, they created the first Bonner Scholars Program at Berea College with the mission of providing access to college for students with no means of paying for school and an opportunity to become civically experiential in their communities. Rider University has been a part of the Bonner network since 1999.