Alumni News

Defying many odds, Cookie Howard ’26 (of Mr. Cory’s Cookies fame!) conquers it all – and leaves a legacy of advocacy for adult learners and a tribe of supporters at Montclair State University.

Nicole Yator arrived at Bloomfield unsure of herself — but through mentorship, community, and involvement, she grew into a confident leader dedicated to uplifting others.

Fran Sabaliauskas ’70, the first in her family to graduate from college, used her Montclair degree to forge a successful career in education. A generation later, Stephanie Sabaliauskas ’05 ’11 MA followed her mother’s footsteps to Montclair, charting a career that led her to athletics and higher education.

As a production supervisor for Marvel Studios, Adam Derengowski ’19 is bringing superheroes to the big screen. In real life, Derengowski is the superhero, mentoring Montclair students on their way to careers in the film industry. 

Patrick Whittam ’93 began his career in broadcasting, but it wasn’t long before he was rising the ranks withing Prudential Financial. Now the communications director for Prudential’s Global Retirement and Insurance businesses, Whittam is helping build the Montclair alumni network there and sharing his expertise with the University’s MBA program.

Google Technical Program Manager Danielle Laing-Waliyaya ’17 brings her expertise to her role on the PSEG Institute for Sustainability Studies Advisory Board, supporting the University’s transdisciplinary efforts to prepare students for career success.

With the support of the Montclair community, a switched major led Miriam Aguirre ’24 to her career path in public relations.

Montclair’s MBA program helped Kevin Thwala ’21 MBA advance his career from software engineer to project manager. As a new member of the Black Alumni Advisory Council (that he supports with recurring giving), and member of the Recent Alumni Network – Thwala hopes to inspire and lift up the aspirations of the next generation of Montclair students.

With Anthony M. Carlino, Esq. ’77 at the helm of the Montclair State University Foundation board, the University has a powerful ally in building a world-class, public-serving institution.

Joanne Marren ’11 MA Brings Expertise in Law and Education to Montclair’s College for Education and Engaged Learning Advisory Board