Giving Students a Brighter Future

It was a heartfelt tribute on July 9 as students, staff, faculty, family and friends gathered in the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Office in Cole Hall Suite 301 to honor Montclair resident Julia Lanigan for her generous investment benefiting Montclair students.

Langian, along with her son, Tom, got their first look at a commemorative plaque that now adorns the EOF Office wall, recognizing Lanigan’s legacy gift commitment to support the University’s Future College Graduate Academy.

The recognition event included a reception in the Alexander Kasser Theater lobby, where many students involved in the EOF Summer Academy joined to personally meet and celebrate Lanigan.

With the intention of supporting the priorities of the University’s Future College Graduate Academy, Lanigan established the Julia Bartko Lanigan Fund and named the Montclair State University Foundation as a beneficiary of her trust to create the Julia Bartko Lanigan Endowed Fund. Her generosity will create life-changing opportunities for highly motivated, low-income scholars for generations to come.

“My own experience has given me a great appreciation for the importance of access and excellence in higher education, and how this opportunity, combined with hard work, provides a pathway to achieve success in America,” Lanigan stated in setting up the gift, a quote that appears on the plaque.

At 17, Lanigan fled with her family to the United States as a refugee from her birthplace of Hungary, finding work and settling in Passaic, New Jersey. She studied chemistry and worked as a chemist for American Cyanamid for more than 26 years. She later joined her husband at Humana Press, the scientific publishing company they co-founded, and worked there 15 years, selling the company after his death.

“Julia’s impact on our scholars has been immeasurable, so we have this plaque nestled near the entrance of where scholars’ lives are transformed,” said Associate Provost for Educational Opportunity and Success Programs Daniel Jean in welcoming attendees.

“Montclair is your second home,” Jean added, expressing a theme which resonated throughout the day.

“This space is where the EOF and Future College Graduate Academy programs create a home for students, many of whom took a risk by coming to college and doing something that nobody in their family had done before… and in that respect there’s a strong connection between the journey our students are on and the journey that you took as an immigrant,” Koppell pointed out in thanking Lanigan.

“The investment you are making ensures that we are able to honor the spirit that our students bring to Montclair,” Koppell said. “You are empowering students to fulfill their potential.”

Ensuring that students can transform their lives through education is a priority for Lanigan. “I hope that my generosity helps your success,” she said to the students gathered.

“The Montclair EOF program has tremendously impacted my journey educationally in ways I never imagined,” said Josephine Leonard ’25, a first generation graduate now enrolled in the University’s master’s in Higher Education program. “It didn’t just provide financial support, but gave me a community of mentors, advisors and peers who believe in me.”

“EOF has helped me gain confidence and skills and taught me that my background is a strength and not a limitation,” Leonard said.

Junior Sociology major Ma’kayla James told guests, “I experience daily how this program is changing my life… my EOF family does not just want me to graduate, they also are preparing me to excel beyond college and break barriers in my family.”

Surrounded by a room full of gratitude, Lanigan was visibly moved and shared: “This school feels like my home, and I’m grateful that I can support the University. I feel very much loved here.”

View photos of the event here.