Edison’s Middlesex College Gets $2 Million Gift To Transform Performing Arts Center

EDISON, NJ – Middlesex College, located in Edition, recently received a historic $2 million gift to significantly renovate the Performing Arts Center (PAC), while also providing ongoing support to the College’s arts program.

The gift was given by the Dalal Family Foundation, founded by Nayan Dalal.

Their donation will provide funding to build a new exterior façade, relocate the lobby, update the theater, and maintain a facilities and programs sustainability plan.

These enhancements will complement a $1.7 million audio/visual technology upgrade funded in large part by a Higher Education Leasing Fund grant awarded by the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education. The theater’s aesthetic upgrades, including ambient lighting and improved acoustics, will provide guests with a more intimate and inviting experience.

Middlesex College leadership and the Dalal family, Nayan and his wife Bindu, both embraced a common vision of expanding the arts program. This initiative immediately resonated with the Dalals, as they believe the arts are “essential to a well-rounded education and community life.”

“The Dalal Family Foundation’s extraordinary generosity will have a transformative impact on Middlesex College students as well as the entire Middlesex County community,” said Middlesex College President Mark McCormick. “This investment reflects a shared belief in the power of the arts to educate, inspire, and unite. We are deeply grateful to the Dalal family for their longstanding partnership, and for helping us reimagine what is possible for our students and neighbors alike.”

The project, set to break ground in Spring 2026, came about after a more than 10-year long relationship between the Dalal Family Foundation and the Middlesex College Foundation, through scholarships and other programs.

While the College had plans to upgrade the current PAC with the aid of some state grants, a substantial partner was needed to take this project to the next level.

“Nayan and Bindu Dalal are leading the way in showing that private philanthropy has a rightful place at the county college level, where the impact ripples beyond the campus into our shared community,” said Lisa Kelly, executive director of the Middlesex College Foundation.

The hope is for this space to become a cultural cornerstone where students, families, and local artists can gather to expand access, opportunity, and cultural richness for the entire community.

Both the theater and dance programs offered at the College are designed to prepare students for seamless transfer to four-year programs while grounding them in a robust liberal arts education. This state-of-the-art facility with fresh lighting, acoustics, and advanced tools will better nurture student abilities and allow them to train in conditions that align with professional industry standards.

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