In The Know – Issue 174
Posted in: In the Know
Montclair Honors Graduates at 2026 Winter Commencement
This year’s ceremony celebrated diversity, resilience and education’s power to change lives.
From EMT to Army National Guard: One First-Gen Montclair Graduate’s Path to Winter Commencement
Psychology major Brianna Correa balanced full-time online study, frontline emergency medical work and National Guard service using military education benefits to earn her degree.
Single Mom of Mr. Cory’s Cookies Fame Overcomes Adversity and Rises to the Graduation Stage
Learn how Cookie Howard overcame challenges to build a lasting legacy of advocacy for adult learners and a network of supporters at the University.
She Almost Joined the Navy. Instead, She Built a Life of Leadership and Service at Bloomfield College
Lisha Brito didn’t plan on going to college – but what she found on Bloomfield’s campus helped her grow into a confident, purpose-driven leader with big dreams for the future.
HR Updates
Performance Management Key Dates and Reminder: AFT Professional Staff
2026 PARs Launched for CWA Employees
The 2026 Performance Assessment Review (PAR) is now live in Workday. Your Supervisor has received a task in their Workday inbox to complete the initial agreement. The initial agreement is due on January 31, 2026.
This year, we are providing all Civil Service employees with a self-guided employee-facing version of the Performance Assessment Review training.
Your Partner in What’s Next
- For questions regarding 2025-2026 Performance Evaluations, please email performance@montclair.edu. A ServiceNow ticket will be created on your behalf and routed to the Learning and Talent Development team.
- To review AFT Professional Staff contracts, please visit the Collectively Negotiated Agreements webpage.
- View the full 2025-2026 AFT Professional Staff calendar for a printable version of additional key dates and actions per contract type.
Review and Update Your Beneficiary Designations
As we begin a new year, this is a great opportunity to review and confirm that your selections are accurate and up to date. To identify who your current beneficiary is, you may submit a written request to the State requesting a copy of your beneficiary disclosure.
- Requests should be sent to:
- New Jersey Division of Pensions & Benefits
Defined Benefit & Defined Contribution Bureau
P.O. Box 295
Trenton, NJ 08625-0295
- New Jersey Division of Pensions & Benefits
- To update or change your beneficiary, complete the Beneficiary Designation form and return it to:
- New Jersey Division of Pensions & Benefits
Defined Benefit & Defined Contribution Bureau
P.O. Box 295
Trenton, NJ 08625-0295
- New Jersey Division of Pensions & Benefits
- Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) and Police and Firemen’s Retirement System (PFRS) members who wish to verify, update, or change their beneficiary information must use the online Designation of Beneficiary Application available through the Member Benefits Online System (MBOS).
The University does not maintain beneficiary designation information for employees. The State of New Jersey is the official record keeper. Contact the New Jersey Division of Pension and Benefits (NJDPB) at 609-292-7524 with any questions.
Updates
Duo Security Update
Duo Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is making a security update on Monday, February 2. To avoid login issues, make sure your Duo Mobile app is up to date.
Open the Duo Mobile app, tap the menu (☰), and check the version at the bottom. If it’s below 4.85, update the app from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android).
Read the latest Phish Files article for more information and instructions.
Request Pebbles for your Events
Request Pebbles the Pupscot and her team at your event or program! Team Pebbles schedules one week out from each event request. If you need confirmation prior to a week before your event, email pebbles@montclair.edu and we will try to accommodate the request sooner. The above form is for Pebbles only. If you wish to have Rocky or Roxy at your event, please fill out the Mascot Request Form.
Reminders
Presidential Excellence Awards – 2026 Nominations Are Now Open
The Presidential Excellence Awards honor individuals and teams who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to Montclair’s mission, excellence in their work and service to our community. These awards are intended to highlight achievements from all members of our Red Hawk community, including faculty and staff, full-time and part-time, long standing and newly arrived. Together, we will continue our mission to make Montclair an inclusive and accessible University that creates transformative educational opportunities for students across the globe. Nominations close Thursday, January 23 at 5:00 p.m.
Montclair.edu Digital Transformation Office Hours
Book a slot to request updates to your program pages, ask questions about governance and responsibilities and preview both the upcoming Montclair.edu homepage and the draft of the Inside Montclair sitemap.
Your University Brand Guide
Review University branding guidelines and resources to help present a clear, consistent image for Montclair.
In The News
- NorthJersey.com published a photo gallery of Montclair’s Winter Commencement ceremony.
- Stephanie Silvera (Public Health) is quoted in this NorthJersey.com article about whether it is too late to get a flu shot.
- NJ.com/The Star Ledger praised the University Singers’ performance of Handel’s “Messiah” with the New Jersey Symphony on Dec. 21, stating that “the Montclair State choir delivered a bright, precise interpretation of the work. Much of their success is due to their chorus master, Heather J. Buchanan.”
Kudos
- The Charles J. Muth Museum of Hinchliffe Stadium made USA Today’s 10Best list for Best New Museum.
- To Lauren Carr (College of Communication and Media), for her work mapping course equivalencies as part of a new articulation agreement with Essex Community College, expanding transfer pathways for prospective students into Montclair’s BFA Animation & VFX program.
- To Catherine Baird (University Libraries) and Alicia Remolde (Center for Writing Excellence) whose project, The Graduate Student Journal Article Writing Group, has been selected as the runner-up for the 2026 Outreach in Academic Libraries Award, sponsored by the New Jersey Academic Librarians (NJAL) Marketing & Outreach (M&O) Committee. Introduced for the first time this year, this award honors exceptional achievement in outreach, promotion, and advocacy by New Jersey academic librarians or library teams.
- To Christine Lemesianou (College of the Arts), Ashante Connor (Office of Inclusive Excellence), Nicole DeCapua (Academic Affairs), Scott Kight (College of Science and Mathematics) and Julie Mazur (Academic Affairs) who presented at the Middle States Regional Conference. Their presentation explored how student success can serve as a stabilizing foundation for accreditation and institutional planning amid demographic, technological, workforce, financial and regulatory change.
- To Bridget Jivanelli (University Libraries), whose co-authored article “Necrotizing and Nonnecrotizing Granulomatous Reactions in Patients With Cancer Treated With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: A Systematic Literature Review” was published in the The Journal of Rheumatology.
Social Media Post of Note
A moment you’ll never forget. ✨ Officially a college graduate! #MontclairGrad
Photo of the Week
Supporting each other every step of the way at Winter Commencement 2026. – University Photographer: Mike Peters
Quick Links
Have an item you’d like included in Kudos or Reminders? Want to nominate a staffer for our spotlight? Use this form to tell us. Read more about our people and programs in the University News Center and in back issues of In the Know. And find out what’s happening on campus in the Events Calendar.