Forging and Strengthening Corporate Partnerships
The Prudential Foundation awarded Montclair State a $1.6
million grant to fund The Prudential Teaching Fellows
Project, a math and science teacher recruitment/education
program in Newark. From left: Lata Reddy, Vice President
of the Prudential Foundation; Marion Bolden ‘68,
Superintendent of Schools for the Newark Public School
System; Ada Beth Cutler, Dean of the College of Education
and Human Services; Arthur Ryan, Chairman and CEO of
Prudential Financial; Susan A. Cole, President of Montclair
State University; Jane Oates, Executive Director of the
Commission on Higher Education; and Robert Prezant, Dean
of the College of Science and Mathematics.
“As we quickly approach our centennial in 2008 and grow to accommodate the increasing demand for public higher education in New Jersey, it is especially important to have support from the private sector,” says Thomas J. Haynes, Vice President for University Advancement.
In an era of steadily declining state support and increasing student and societal needs, Montclair State is taking the initiative to create and strengthen corporate partnerships to gain resources and expertise for our students, the University and the larger community. Here are some recent examples.
The Prudential Foundation awarded Montclair State University a $1.6 million grant to fund The Prudential Teaching Fellows Project, which will work to improve the teaching of math and science in Newark public schools. Montclair State’s College of Education and Human Services will recruit, educate, mentor and support 15 math and science baccalaureate degree holders each year to teach in the Newark school system.
“At Prudential, we believe that great public schools are the foundation of strong communities,” said Prudential Chairman and CEO Arthur Ryan. “Teachers who have been prepared at Montclair State will be able to help empower Newark’s children to succeed in school and in their professional lives.”
The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey recently awarded a grant to Montclair State for an HIV-prevention program, “Protective Skills-Building in Grades K-8.” This project will provide teachers with in-depth knowledge and training on effective teaching methods and content related to sexuality and HIV prevention at the elementary and middle-school levels. Teachers will bring about sustained change in their schools and establish an important foundation related to HIV prevention that can be built upon in later grades.
In addition, The Verizon Foundation supported the Digital Backpack program, a unique initiative of the ADP Center for Teacher Preparation and Learning Technologies. The program provides Digital Backpacks to the University’s student teachers and their cooperating teachers in the schools to improve student academic achievement in the middle grades through technology-based professional development and follow-up support.
In March, School of Business students had a valuable opportunity to learn from successful executives, many of them alumni. “Business Week” featured distinguished panels sharing their expertise with students. Alumni presenters included Annette Catino ’78, President and CEO of QualCare Inc.; Ajit Khubani
’84, President and CEO of Telebrands; Marcella LoCastro ’74, Managing Director of SolomonEdwardsGroup; and Stephen B. Luongo ’81, Managing Director of Marsh USA, Inc. The keynote speaker was Steve Adubato ’80, a four-time Emmy
Award–winning television anchor on Thirteen/WNET New York (PBS), who is also a newspaper columnist, author, motivational speaker and communication coach.
MBA students have a unique way to study with a variety of top corporate
leaders through a class called “Executive Perspectives” taught by Professors Eileen Kaplan and Jeff Monacelli. In a recent semester, guest lecturers included Andrew Gatto, President of the Russ Berrie Company; Ralph Izzo, President and COO of PSE&G; and Robert C. Waggoner, President of Burrelle Information Services.
“We are working hard to provide top-notch educational and professional opportunities for our students, our faculty and our alumni,” adds Dr. Haynes, “and partnerships with individuals and organizations in the private sector have tremendous potential, both now and in the future, to increase our efforts exponentially.”
