One of New Jersey’s most famous rock stars is opening a restaurant on the campus of Rutgers-Newark with a focus on struggling college students who may not be able to pay for their meals.

Jon Bon Jovi will open JBJ Soul Kitchen in the Robeson Campus Center on Martin Luther King Boulevard in Newark in January, school officials said.

Like the other Soul Kitchen restaurants in Red Bank and Toms River, the Rutgers-Newark location will allow guests to either pay for their three-course, locally-sourced meals or volunteer to work at the restaurant if they can’t afford to pay.

“When you send your kids off to school, you don’t think about, after tuition, books, living, what’s left for food?” Bon Jovi said in an interview on “CBS Sunday Morning” that aired Sunday.

“And so few are on meal plans to begin with. And that’s another reason why they’re eating ramen noodles. We all think it’s the right of passage – to study hard and eat the ramen noodles. But how about if it’s the only thing you can afford?” Bon Jovi told CBS.

The interview included video of Bon Jovi meeting with Rutgers-Newark faculty last week, encouraging them to send students to the new restaurant. The restaurant will be a partnership between Rutgers’ Gourmet Dining department and Bon Jovi’s charitable foundation.

At the Newark location, diners will be asked to pay $12 for their three-course meal, using either cash, a credit card or their university dining dollar credits, according to the Rutgers-Newark website. They will also be encouraged to make an additional donation or volunteer to help cover the cost of meals for the needy.

Those who can’t afford to pay will be given an opportunity to volunteer at the restaurant or somewhere else on the Rutgers-Newark campus in exchange for meals.

“Food insecurity is a growing problem on college campuses across the country,” according to the Rutgers-Newark announcement, noting that recent studies say 30 percent of four-year college students nationwide lack consistent access to healthy food.

JBJ Soul Kitchen will have its grand opening at Rutgers-Newark on Jan. 22 and open to the public the following day, university officials said.

Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find her at KellyHeyboerReporter on Facebook.

Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips

Get the latest updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.com’s newsletters.