{"id":226035,"date":"2025-04-30T12:35:48","date_gmt":"2025-04-30T16:35:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/?p=226035"},"modified":"2025-05-12T16:14:59","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T20:14:59","slug":"montclair-state-university-employee-jodi-cotugno-earns-degree-fulfilling-a-lifelong-dream","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/newscenter\/2025\/04\/30\/montclair-state-university-employee-jodi-cotugno-earns-degree-fulfilling-a-lifelong-dream\/","title":{"rendered":"Montclair State University Employee Jodi Cotugno Earns Degree, Fulfilling a Lifelong Dream"},"content":{"rendered":"

This story is part of a series celebrating Montclair State University\u2019s Spring Commencement 2025 graduates \u2013 students who embody the University\u2019s mission to broaden access to exceptional learning opportunities and contribute to the common good.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Growing up, Jodi Cotugno always wanted to become a teacher. After graduating high school, she enrolled at Bergen Community College to study liberal arts, hoping it would be the first step toward her dream of leading a classroom.<\/p>\n

But over time, life happened \u2013 she married her husband, James, raised two daughters, and poured everything she had into being the best mom, wife and daughter she could be. She began working at Montclair State University as a pre-enrollment specialist in Undergraduate Admissions, supporting prospective students as they took their own first steps toward college.<\/p>\n

And that effort paid off. With her support, her family thrived. Her daughters, Emily and Molly, both went off to college \u2013 to Montclair State University \u2013 and graduated.<\/p>\n

Still, Cotugno\u2019s dream of completing a bachelor\u2019s degree of her own never quite went away. It stayed with her, quietly, tucked into the corners of her mind \u2013 unchecked on her bucket list.<\/p>\n

But when Cotugno learned about Montclair\u2019s employee tuition waiver<\/a>, that long-paused dream didn\u2019t feel so out of reach anymore.<\/p>\n

Maybe it wasn\u2019t too late after all.<\/p>\n

The Balancing Act<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In 2022, Cotugno enrolled in Montclair\u2019s Degree Completion Program<\/a>, choosing to study Education Studies \u2013 paying homage to her childhood dream of teaching.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the beginning, it was extremely tough,\u201d Cotugno says. At first, she tried to do it all \u2013 be a full-time employee, wife, mom, student, and caretaker. But eventually, the burden of trying to be everything to everyone all on her own took a major toll.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a mom. I wanted dinner on the table, everything ready for everybody,\u201d recalls Cotugno. \u201cNot only do I have my family and just trying to balance home life, work life, school life \u2013 at the time my mom was around and I was trying to take care of her. It was just a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

But beyond the book smarts she was learning in her college courses, this experience taught her an unexpected life lesson.<\/p>\n

\u201cI realized, I\u2019m working full time, I\u2019m doing school. I need the help,\u201d Cotugno says. \u201cAnd my husband and kids, they stepped up. I learned that I needed to ask for help \u2013 and it’s okay to ask.\u201d<\/p>\n


Jodi Cotugno\u2019s daughters Emily, 25, and Molly, 23, and her husband James, each <\/span>took things off of her plate, allowing her more time to dedicate to her studies. \u201cIt was just a semester or class by class. Just taking it one step at a time.\u201d <\/span>(Photo courtesy of Jodi Cotugno)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

How Montclair Helped<\/h2>\n

Cotugno\u2019s coursework helped her grow in other ways \u2013 both personally and professionally.<\/span><\/p>\n

Her business writing course gave her the tools to communicate more effectively with prospective students. \u201cIt really helps with emails, corresponding with students. It was so helpful,\u201d she says. She also credits her improved critical thinking skills with helping her explain complex concepts more clearly in her work with prospective students.<\/span><\/p>\n

Unexpectedly, her minor in Family Science and Human Development<\/a> <\/span>helped her communicate better with her own family.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt helped me understand different age ranges and what to expect developmentally,\u201d Cotugno says. \u201cEven learning about teenagers. I wish I took these classes when my kids were younger \u2013 it would\u2019ve been a big help.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

However, the most impactful aspect of her undergraduate experience was the support and community that she felt in Montclair\u2019s Degree Completion Program. That community helped her stay motivated and feel seen.<\/span><\/p>\n

Through all of the hardship, achieving this lifelong goal taught Cotugno one valuable lesson: \u201cI\u2019m stronger than what I really thought I was.\u201d (Photo by University Photographer Mike Peters)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Finish Line<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Now, in 2025, Cotugno will walk across the stage and receive her Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies with a concentration in Education Studies. Her family will be right there, cheering her on as she becomes the third Cotugno woman to graduate from Montclair after her daughters Emily (Class of 2022) and Molly (Class of 2024).<\/p>\n

Her team at Undergraduate Admissions is also excited to celebrate her achievement. \u201cJodi is the kind of team member who makes each work day brighter,\u201d says Jordanna Maziarz, director of Undergraduate Admissions. \u201cShe’s a true team player and cares about our students and her colleagues in equal measure. I’m so proud of her for completing her degree.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cotugno plans to decorate her graduation cap with a checkmark to symbolize crossing this dream off. \u201cThis was a bucket list thing, something I always wanted to do,\u201d says Cotugno. \u201cAnd now I get to check it off.\u201d<\/p>\n

And how does she feel now that she\u2019s finally gotten it done? \u201cRelief!\u201d she jokes. \u201cI\u2019m proud that I\u2019m finally getting to that finish line and seeing the end \u2013 and finally relaxing.\u201d<\/p>\n

The University will<\/em> celebrate its graduates at Commencement<\/em><\/a> exercises on Wednesday, May 7 and Thursday, May 8, 2025 at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Story by <\/em>Jayda Brown<\/em><\/a>, <\/em>University Communications and Marketing<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Ready to Start Your Montclair Journey?<\/h2>\n