From First-Generation College Graduate to Family Legacy

At first glance, the education and career paths traveled by Fran Sabaliauskas ’70 and her daughter, Stephanie Sabaliauskas ’05 ’11 MA, are as different as night and day. Fran studied Business Education and went on to teach business at the high school level for 42 years. Stephanie studied Commercial Recreation and Tourism and earned a master’s in Sports Administration. She has spent most of her career at Montclair, currently serving as the University’s manager of Game Operations.

Scratch the surface, however, and you will find more similarities than you might guess in their trajectories – and in their Montclair experience. 

“I knew I wanted to go to college,” Fran tells us. “I started out as a Spanish major, but I found I didn’t want to continue in that direction. I had already taken a few business courses in high school, so I thought I might switch to Business Education.”

Still concerned about her decision, Fran attended a camping trip organized by her newly chosen academic department. “I wasn’t even sure who I was supposed to share a cabin with,” she recalls with a laugh. “I ended up canoeing on a lake with the head of the department, who helped me with my direction in life. The professors were inspiring and supportive especially during challenging times – they kept you on task and encouraged you to persist. As a result, I finished my degree in three and a half years and became the first in my family to graduate from college.”

After living on campus for a year in Chapin Hall, Fran moved into off-campus housing. The Student Center became a focal point of her days at the University. “The campus was so much smaller then,” she says. “We walked a dirt road to get to the local Dairy Queen!”

During her time in Chapin, Fran formed a close circle of friends and became actively involved on campus through her sorority and the business education club. Reflecting on that period, she recalls the deeply personal impact the Vietnam War had on her generation: “I lost a brother to the war,” she says. “Many of us lost loved ones, and we felt it was important to make our voices heard.”

“Montclair changed my life,” Fran adds. “I had a wonderful, 42-year career as a business teacher in Woodbridge Township, first at Woodbridge High School and then at John F. Kennedy Memorial High School.” 

Fran also notes that the courses she took in data processing at Montclair played a huge role in her success as a business educator. “I started teaching just as business education began shifting its focus from machines to computing,” she says.

Stephanie’s story differs a bit. Her priority at the time was sports. “I played club soccer in central NJ,” she explains. “There were a few players in the league who were already on Montclair’s Women’s Soccer team. They kept telling me how much they enjoyed playing at the collegiate level for Montclair and encouraged me to apply.” 

“I honestly didn’t have any idea what I wanted to study, or even if I wanted to go to college, but I was offered a recruiting visit that turned out to be the deciding factor for me to attend Montclair State University and play for an amazing coach and women’s soccer program,” Stephanie says.

Once college life took hold, she fully immersed herself in her studies. “I enjoyed my classes so much,” she says. “The professors opened my eyes to new worlds and made learning enjoyable.”

With growing confidence, Stephanie embraced the challenge of choosing a course of study. “I felt I could do anything,” she says. “I even tried a course in geology and thought about a career as a cruise director. Fortunately, I had wonderful advising and mentoring that guided me toward sports management and event planning.”

By the time she graduated, Stephanie was a five-time Dean’s List student and was one of 15 students selected as a Presidential Leader on Campus. She also made a name for herself as a member of the Women’s Soccer team. 

The sixth all-time leading scorer in Women’s Soccer program history as well as a Hall of Fame inductee in 2010, Stephanie played for Montclair from 2001-2004. She helped the Red Hawks to three straight New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) championship games. The 2003 NJAC Player of the Year, Stephanie was a three-time All-NJAC selection and finished her career with 95 points. At the end of her career, she finished third in goals scored with 41 and in her four seasons in a Montclair uniform, the Red Hawks posted a 50-24-11 mark. Stephanie’s achievements earned her the Dean of Students Leadership Award and membership in the National Student-Athlete Honor Society. In addition, she was an active member of Montclair’s Student-Athlete Advisory Club. In 2005, Stephanie was named Outstanding Female Student-Athlete by the College Athletic Administrators of New Jersey.

After completing her undergraduate degree in 2005, Stephanie began her career in corporate sponsorships and development for the New Jersey/New York MetroStars Major League Soccer team. Within a year, another opportunity arose and she was back at Montclair as the assistant director for Sports Information & Athletic Promotions as well as a volunteer assistant coach for the women’s soccer program. She built a successful career at Montclair, earning a master’s in the University’s Sports Administration program and rising to the role of Events and Promotions manager. 

In 2020, Stephanie became the University’s manager of Game Operations, a role that includes managing game day operations for all athletic contests; recruiting, training and supervising game day staff employees; managing contest contracts; and coordinating University Police, Facilities and Housekeeping for all athletic contests. She also is a member of the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4).

For her part, Fran remains an involved alumna, attending Homecoming every year and volunteering for her class reunion committee. 

Even though the campus has changed dramatically over the last 50-plus years, both Fran and Stephanie emphasize that the Montclair community’s supportiveness is as strong as ever. “The staff was always welcoming and helpful,” Fran says. “If you were willing to work hard, they wouldn’t let you fail.”

Stephanie cannot agree more. “There was always someone who cared enough to push you forward,” she says. “We are a family!”