Photo of College Hall Bell Tower

University News

Category: Humanities and Social Sciences

Kaung Hla Zan stands between two long shelves of books in a library.

From Myanmar to Montclair: A Graduate’s Journey of Resilience and Purpose

Despite political unrest, personal uncertainty and a lost scholarship, Kaung Hla Zan persevered – with the support of Montclair State University – to earn a master’s degree and continue his mission in education

Ashley Crawford, in a black dress with bright blue blazer, stands in front of a building’s windows.

Years in the Making: A Determined Graduate Earns Her Degree

Through years of working full time and raising a family, Ashley Crawford perseveres to complete the degree that once felt out of reach

Jacob Roby sits in a classroom full of red chairs.

From an ‘American Dream School’ Education at Montclair to a Future in Policy and Global Studies

National security research, D.C. experience and a highly competitive U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship put this Montclair State University graduate on a path to public service

Melvin Rodriguez, wearing a white lab coat with a Montclair State University patch and blue gloves, sits at a fluorescent microscope in a dim lab. He looks intently through the eyepiece while holding a petri dish glowing bright green under the microscope lens, surrounded by scientific equipment and incubators in the background.

A Promise to His Grandmother Will Carry Him to a Career in Medicine

For Molecular Biology major Melvin Rodriguez, studying melanoma in zebrafish is more than academic – it’s a promise kept and a path toward healing

Ana Barahona

Finding Her Voice at Montclair, Speaking Up on Climate at the United Nations

Political Science major Ana Barahona turned faculty mentorship, research and early‑morning commutes into a UN climate role and a future in law and leadership

Pamela Hernandez stands in a campus broadcast media lab, surrounded by professional studio lights and equipment.

Montclair Student Sails the World with Semester at Sea and UN-linked Study Abroad

With a $25,000 C.Y. Tung Scholarship, Pamela Hernandez turned her love of languages into a life‑changing Semester at Sea experience

Hand drawing animation on screen

Disney Princesses Have Become More Left-Handed Over Time, New Montclair Study Finds

Psychology researchers at Montclair examined hand movement activities and more than a dozen classic Disney movies to see how handedness in the famous animations have evolved over the years

Isabella Zarate Gonzalez, wearing a blue SPARK T-shirt and a green-and-white crochet cardigan, sits at a table holding a worksheet, speaking with an elementary student who is seated around her during a classroom activity.

From One Major to Three in Four Years: Connecting Data Science, German and Linguistics at Montclair

In a German language program for local children and on an archive translation project, Isabella Zarate Gonzalez shows how Montclair’s mix of STEM, world languages and community engagement helped her connect her interests into a single path

Trailblazer Award honorees Tommy Foster and Professor Leslie Wilson stand with Montclair leaders during the MEGA Symposium, talking in front of a Montclair State University backdrop.

Montclair History Professor and ‘Good Morning America’ Producer Honored with Trailblazer Awards

Montclair State University’s Leslie Wilson and alumnus Tommy Foster recognized at the statewide Male Enrollment and Graduation Alliance Symposium

Jose Carlos Aguilar outside the Paterson Division of Child Protection and Permanency, where he interned, helping children find safe homes or reunite with family.

How Montclair Turned My Passion for Service into a Career in Policy and Child Advocacy

Internships, research and campus leadership at Montclair State University are helping Jose Carlos Aguilar launch a career in government and child protection reform

Transfer student Abigail Rodriguez sits at a desk inside a classroom with a notebook in front of her and holding a pencil.

How Montclair’s Transfer Support Helped One Student Find Her Place and Her Purpose

At Montclair State University, transfer student Abigail Rodriguez’s journey from community college to campus inspired her passion for advancing educational policy

Horatio Wauchope , wearing a winter coat, stands outside on a campus walkway at night, holding a large folder to his chest in front of a lit academic building.

From the Creative Industry Back to Campus: A Second Act at Montclair

After a decade in photography and fashion, Sociology major Horatio Wauchope is channeling his artistic background into a more focused second act, powered by financial support and Uber shifts between classes