Red Hawks Soar at Homecoming 2025

Montclair State University welcomed thousands of alumni back to campus along with faculty, staff and students for Homecoming 2025.

The celebrations kicked off at the Bloomfield campus on Friday, September 26, with a campus tour, women’s and men’s alumni basketball games, art exhibit and alumni celebration that welcomed all alumni and recognized reunion classes.

The Montclair campus continued the celebration with a fun-filled day on Saturday, September 27. Festivities included a street fair, the annual alumni barbeque, live music showcase from award-winning campus radio station WMSC, tailgating and a football matchup against Wilkes University at Sprague Field.

The day even featured a taping of PBS program Think Tank with Steve Adubato with Emmy Award winning broadcaster Steve Adubato ‘80 engaging in conversation with President Jonathan Koppell. They covered topics ranging from the importance of bold leadership to the state of American media to the role of Universities in fostering a civically engaged populace. The conversation was produced to air by a student production team from Montclair’s College of Communication and Media.

Bloomfield Campus Celebrations

Alumni were welcomed back to the Bloomfield campus with a full lineup of events designed to honor legacy, showcase campus growth and celebrate community.

The evening kicked off with a guided campus tour led by a student ambassador. Art enthusiasts gathered at the Scott H. Kaplan ’02 Art Gallery for the unveiling of the Fall exhibition, The King Has Spoken—a powerful showcase of work by male artists exploring identity, experience and expression.

In the Bloomfield College Gymnasium, school spirit echoed through the halls during the Alumni Basketball Games as former players and fans relived the thrill of game day.

“Homecoming weekend was full of celebration, school pride and reconnection,” said Gage Daye ’12, Vice President of the Bloomfield College Alumni Network. Daye collaborated with alumni and staff to plan the women’s and men’s basketball games encouraging alumni participation.

The night concluded with the All Alumni Celebration at Westminster Hall, where laughter, memories and milestones were shared. A heartfelt pinning ceremony recognized alumni from reunion classes ending in 0 and 5, honoring graduates celebrating their 5th to 55th anniversary.

Sheila Wooten ’85, deputy director of Athletics & Recreation-External Operations, attended the reception and pinning ceremony celebrating her 40th reunion. “This year’s homecoming was the best experience I’ve had in a long time. Seeing friends I haven’t seen in years was gratifying. I can’t wait until next year!” said Wooten.

Montclair Campus Celebrations

On Saturday, September 27, celebrations continued on the Montclair campus.

One of the signature events of the day was the Alumni Barbecue, hosted on the historic quad. Guests enjoyed an array of delicious food, local brewery tastings and family-friendly activities. Alumni from across generations reunited with classmates, reminisced about their time on campus and celebrated their lifelong connection to Montclair. Featured local breweries included: Cricket Hill, Montclair Brewery, Seven Tribesman and Burnt Mills Cider.

Several alumni affinity groups were present at the Street Fair to welcome new and past alumni and show off their Red Hawk pride: the Black Alumni Advisory Council (BAAC), Recent Alumni Network (RAN), Women’s Initiative Network (WIN), Hispanic/Latiné Alumni Network (HLAN) and Bloomfield College Alumni Network (BCAN). These groups continue to embody Montclair’s commitment to inclusivity, leadership and lifelong engagement.

“It was a great experience connecting with alumni at Homecoming. We had meaningful conversations about WIN, signed up several new members and felt strong interest from the community,” said Ghowash Irshad ’22 MA, a WIN committee member who volunteered at the Street Fair.

Phil Ventola ’18 also volunteered at the Street Fair where he greeted recent alumni interested in RAN. “My homecoming experience on Saturday was great! It was my first time back on campus in several months and was well worth it,” said Ventola. “On top of volunteering to work the Recent Alumni Network table, there were some fun activities to participate in – alumni barbeque, ziplining, and the football game. I look forward to staying involved throughout the year and plan to attend this event next year!”

A highlight of the day featured a taping of the PBS program Think Tank with Steve Adubato with Emmy Award winning broadcaster Steve Adubato, PhD engaging in conversation with President Jonathan Koppell. The program tackles broader national policy issues impacting New Jersey and the tri-state region. The program questions the nature of political discourse and the role of government, higher education, the impact of technology, changes in healthcare, the future of energy and media leadership. Adubato graduated from Montclair in 1980 majoring in Political Science.

“It was an exceptional occasion and I enjoyed the program with President Koppell and Steve Adubato. I look forward to seeing it air on PBS” said Artemus Werts ’74.

The campus was alive with music and student-led energy with performances. WMSC, Montclair State University’s award-winning radio station, partnered with Recording Arts and Production students to produce an exciting live music showcase. At the George Segal Gallery, Homecoming guests experienced a groundbreaking exhibition, The Age of Black Metal by Afrotectopia, which transformed the gallery into a futuristic, immersive journey through speculative Black culture, technology and spirituality. Meanwhile, younger Red Hawks explored their own creativity in the Kids Art Corner, a hands-on activity space within the gallery designed for children.

The celebration continued with food trucks, carnival games and dynamic performances by Greek life organizations. Leading up to the football game was a tailgate, athletics garage party and Game Day Live broadcast by the Red Hawk Sports Network. See football game highlights here.

Homecoming 2025 was more than just a day of festivities—it was a powerful reminder of what it means to be part of the Red Hawk family. From heartfelt reunions to spirited performances and thought-provoking dialogue, the event celebrated the enduring legacy of Montclair State and the vibrant community that continues to make it soar.

If you would like to learn more about alumni engagement activities, visit montclair.edu/alumni or call the Office of Alumni Engagement at 973-655-4141.

Photos by Mike Peters, John J. LaRosa and Karsten Englander.