Founded in 2012, the mission of the Newark College Institute is to prepare college-going Newark residents to meet the demand for highly educated professional employees by providing the participants with real-world professional and personal development skills and exposure to various career opportunities and industry leaders. The NCI provides career development support for its participants year-round, continuously engaging the students while they are in college. The Newark College Institute works in partnership with multiple agencies and organizations across the city of Newark and beyond, and is a member of several city-wide initiatives, including the Newark City of Learning Collaborative (NCLC), Hire.Buy.Live.Newark, and Newark2020.

The Newark College Institute provides several programs and services, including the Newark College Freshman Institute, the Newark College Institute Winter Retreat, the Newark College Institute Summer Internships, and Newark College Senior Institute.