Rethinking Our Traditions: 50th Reunion Returns to May
Significant celebrations will converge at Commencement. MSUAA planners have been working overtime to redesign the 50th reunion tradition. Responding to feedback that the long-traditional "first-weekend-in-May" date for the 50th was fraught with too many competing community and family events, the 50th was moved to Homecoming Reunion Weekend in October 2005. The class of ’55 had a record turnout, despite the torrential downpour. While they had a happy reunion indeed, several elements of the weekend prompted the University to continue its search for an ideal date.

A new plan has taken shape. The class of ’56 will begin its 50th reunion by leading the procession of students at Commencement in the Continental Airlines Arena on Friday, May 19. Returning to campus following Commencement, the Class of ’56 will enjoy the President’s barbecue and will have the option of staying in the Village at Little Falls for the weekend. There, alumni can relax, and have ample time and opportunities to reacquaint themselves with friends and Montclair State. Campus residence halls are rarely empty; the few weeks around Commencement provide the only opportunity for lodging of groups on campus.

On Saturday, May 20, the party will open to include alumni from other reunion classes. The day will begin with the MSUAA annual meeting, followed by a buffet lunch. Bus tours of the campus and open houses for reunion groups will be available in the afternoon. On Saturday night, all alumni are invited to cocktails, dinner and dancing. Groups from classes other than the 50th are encouraged to reach out to friends and form a table. The classes of 1955 and 1957 also are invited to join their 1956 classmates for a "cluster reunion."

We hope you received our invitation. If you haven't but wish to attend, please call the Alumni Relations Office at 973-655-4141.

Click here to see pictures from the event.

Let Your Voice be Heard
Every active member of the MSUAA is invited to vote on the new slate of officers and members. Call 973-655-4141 or go to www.montclair.edu/ pages/Alumni/ExecutiveBoard.shtml for the slate and ballot. If you are not already a member, now is the time to join and let your voice be heard. In addition to voting privileges, you’ll benefit from special programs and services including access to Sprague Library, access to the computer labs and athletic facilities, discounts at Floyd Hall Arena, campus theater productions, University Bookstore, sporting events and more. For a printable membership application, go to www.montclair.edu/pages/Alumni/ or call for more information.

MSUAA Adds Tax Service to Web Site
The Alumni Association is pleased to announce the addition of the Jackson Hewitt Tax Service to its list of Affinity Partners. Jackson Hewitt is offering $20 off on individual income tax preparation. Visit www.montclair.edu/alumni and click on "Discounts and Partners," then click "Beneplace." All members of the MSU community can use this Web site.

Nominate Someone for the 2006 MSUAA Alumni Citation Award
One of the high points of Homecoming Reunion Weekend in October was the presentation of four MSU Alumni Association Awards, when a rapt audience heard the remarks of recipients Ella M. Haver ’34, Robert M. Hilton ’39, John T. Riordan ’59 and Mark J. Distler ’88. The highest honor conferred by the Alumni Association recognizes alumni who exemplify personal and professional commitment and dedicated service. Nominate an outstanding candidate. Call 973-655-4141 to request an alumni citation nomination form. Deadline for nominations is June 1.

Grabbing the Attention of Graduating Seniors
President Susan A. Cole has often called today’s students "millennial learners." They have no recollection of a time before computers. They lead a wireless life that includes cell phones, text messaging, podcasting and Web surfing. This year’s crop of technologically savvy graduating seniors are about to join the ranks of the more than 95,000 alumni who have gone before them, but many are not even aware of the potential value of the MSU alumni network. So we’re taking steps to grab their attention before they even get their diplomas.

The MSUAA recently introduced itself to graduating seniors as an indispensable resource through a hip, interactive Web site tailored specifically to MSU. The newsletter-type format provides students with "must have" information about their path to Commencement and how to stay connected to the University after graduation. They learn about the hundreds of jobs that are posted on the Alumni Job Bank through College Central, give their input in surveys dealing with current issues, have access to timely articles about such topics as workplace etiquette, personal financial management and tips on pursuing graduate school. These strategic messages are designed to underscore the idea that alumni enjoy the resources of MSU throughout their lives.

Our communications partner is GoalQuest, which enjoys a long and successful history with the Office of Admissions and the New Student Experience. This partnership is one of the growing number of services for students and alumni supported by the members of the MSU Alumni Association.

Alumna Named to Board of Trustees
Christine L. Padilla ’93, ’99 M.B.A. of Park Ridge, a business owner and computer consultant with extensive corporate experience was appointed to the Montclair State University Board of Trustees.

"Christine Padilla has put her Montclair State education to good use in a successful career," said President Susan A. Cole, "and we are delighted to have her back at the University, this time in the role of trustee."

Padilla is the owner of BIT Solutions, LLC, a technical communications firm in Park Ridge that specializes in technical documentation, Web design, training material development, SOP writing and usability reporting and recommendations. She is a member of the New Jersey Association of Women Business Owners and the Society of Technical Communications.

College High School Reunion
Montclair State was home to a demonstration school for more than 40 years. This school, which evolved into College High School (CHS), closed in the early 1970s. For the first time, the alumni of this unique and outstanding school are holding an all-school reunion, but unfortunately there are very few records of College High’s students or staff. The organizers of the reunion are trying to find former students and faculty. If you have any information that might help in locating CHS faculty, administrators or alumni, please contact Debbie Waldner Guttentag (CHS ’67) by e-mail at dnwg@yahoo.com, by phone at 336-282-4131, or by mail at 1600 Forest Valley Road, Greensboro, NC 27410.

The reunion is scheduled for Saturday, April 29, from 7 to 11 p.m. at the Birchwood Manor in Whippany. Toni Rachiele (CHS ’60) is organizing the event. You can e-mail her at ferdinandbouillon@hotmail.com. For more information about the reunion, go to www.montclairchs.net.

Gifts That Transcend Time

"Montclair State gave us a good liberal arts education. Now I would like to help Montclair students achieve their goals. I needed financial help and it wasn’t available for me as a student, so I know first-hand the importance of scholarships."

–Eva S. Walther ’34

Through a Charitable Gift Annuity, a donor makes a gift of cash, securities or other property to MSU. In return, the donor receives an income tax deduction and may save capital gains tax. Montclair State pays a fixed amount each year to the donor for life. A portion of these payments typically is tax-free. When the gift annuity ends, its remaining principal passes to MSU.

For example, Eva Walther created a Charitable Gift Annuity that will establish the Eva S. Walther ’34 Scholarship, which will benefit Montclair State University students studying English or music.

A Charitable Gift Annuity means lifetime guaranteed income for donors and their beneficiaries as well as tax benefits, while helping deserving Montclair State students achieve their dream of a college education. For more information about how you can support MSU through careful estate planning, please call Julie M. McIsaac, J.D., at 973-655-3443 or via e-mail at mcisaacj@mail.montclair.edu.

A Capitol Idea
If you have an interest in developing an alumni chapter in the greater Washington, D.C. area, please contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 973-655-4141 or alumni@mail.montclair.edu.

Make Career Connections Through the MSUAA
Whether you’re looking for a job or you already have a great career, the Alumni Association is the perfect place to network.

The Alumni Job Bank, College Central at www.montclair.edu/careerservices/college-centralx.html, is an online resource for Montclair State University students and alumni to post resumes and search job listings. It also allows employers to post employment opportunities. More than 2,000 employers have posted jobs with as many as 200 active jobs on any given day.

Perhaps the best way to connect with others in your field is through a campus Career Fair. Last semester, several alumni participated in a daylong event in the Student Center. Alumni who came back to MSU as employers to meet with potential hires included Nick Iannitelli ’99 of New York Life.

"I participated because MSU provided me with the tools to be successful, I feel obligated to give fellow alums that same opportunity," said Iannitelli. "Alumni generally are from hard-working, middle-class families who have a drive to be successful. Those are the type of people I want to hire."

Lidia Podyma ’02 of Ernst & Young agrees. "It makes a lot of sense to stay connected to the University after graduation. You simply don’t know when you might be looking to switch a job, and a Career Fair is a one-stop shop for some of the best employers out there."

Podyma can relate to the candidates who are searching for a job. "When I attended those career fairs  as a student," she said. "I felt that talking to a stranger collecting hundreds of resumes was so impersonal. I thought my resume was going to end up at the bottom of the pile. So when I’m behind that table, I’m with the candidates, and I stress that I was once in their shoes. Hopefully that gives them a feeling that getting a job through a job fair is worthwhile."

If you’re not in the position to hire, you also can give back by helping students explore careers as a mentor. The College Central Mentor Network is a listing of alums who volunteer to speak on the phone or via e-mail about their careers with other alums and current students who want to learn about occupations. Call the Alumni Association at 973-655-4141 to get the password to join.

Making connections is an important aspect of job searching and Iannitelli believes students and alumni can benefit from building relationships with people from the same background. "Whether it is looking for a career or expanding a current career, it provides a forum for alumni to help each other," he said.

Another forum for alumni seeking help in the job market is through the Career Development Center, www.montclair.edu/careerservices. Alumni can learn more about the type of occupation that best suits them; see what other alum have done with different majors; get information on resume writing and interviewing; find out about graduate school; and more.

Helen Hong Xu ’03 and Bhavini Patel ’03 look over materials from the Career Fair.