From the President
We are fortunate to live in a society that values teaching, learning and research, one that not only strives to pass knowledge on to the next generation, but one that also seeks to create new knowledge through acts of imagination, ambition and courage.
Back in 1895, a group of educational leaders had the courage to acknowledge New Jersey was falling short in meeting that critical standard. They recognized that teachers were in short supply statewide, and that those actively teaching in schools were often poorly prepared to do so. Knowing that the future of New Jersey’s children depended upon their actions, they worked together to convince the Legislature to invest in a new Normal School that would deliver high-quality preparation to much-needed teachers. That school was the precursor of today’s University, and since its founding 110 years ago, Montclair State’s history has been one of compelling stories of teaching, learning and research.
In these pages you will read not only of our rich history but also about the ways that Montclair State is actively creating a better future for our students, New Jersey’s communities and the world at large. Our campus is a rich and diverse mosaic of talented students and faculty. In these pages, you will meet Communication and Media faculty, staff and students who spent spring break in Puerto Rico, documenting the devastation and the hardships people continue to face months after Hurricane Maria. You will meet our entrepreneurship students, whose big ideas won favor with celebrity judges in our annual pitch contest, which offers the largest prize money at any university in the state. You will meet Isadora Williams, a student who skated in the Winter Olympics in South Korea for Team Brazil, and Kaan Yilmaz, a sophomore from Turkey who has found a home on the Red Hawks men’s basketball team as a power forward.
I hope that you, as one of the University’s many supporters, donors or alumni, take pride in all that Montclair State University has become and all that our students and our faculty continue to accomplish. We are grateful for the many ways that you have helped to make Montclair State University’s accomplishments possible. As we continue to imagine what the future can be for our campus community, the possibilities are virtually limitless. To realize those dreams, we will need your continued support.
Susan A. Cole