Alumni News

For Rita Burke ’73, Montclair was the springboard to success as a music teacher – a career that she loved. By including the University in her estate plans, she will provide scholarship support for future generations of music educators.

Edwin Feliciano ’82, Feliciano School of Business namesake, Mimi and Edwin Feliciano Center for Entrepreneurship co-founder and 2012 Carpe Diem Award recipient, recognizes a good opportunity when he sees it. That sensibility extends to his philanthropy, which is just as entrepreneurial in nature.

Chloe Swift ’22 wasted no time launching her career in television production. Only 19 when she completed her Montclair degree, she has already achieved a dream job in her field: senior producer of One-on-One with Steve Adubato.

From Montclair classrooms to the NBA airwaves, Jonathan Edmond ’22 turned preparation and mentorship into a career-defining moment. Now a senior content coordinator with Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, he’s building a future in sports storytelling—one broadcast at a time.

When Sheila and Vincent Wooten graduated from Bloomfield College in 1985 and 1986, respectively, they had no way of knowing just how big a role the College, and Montclair State University, would play in their lives and in their family’s future.

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.