Dream Maker

The first time Montclair resident Robert Gregory attended a performance at Montclair State’s Alexander Kasser Theater, he says he was blown away.

“I had lived in Montclair for more than 10 years at the time and had no idea this jewel of a resource for performing arts existed in our backyard,” says Gregory. “It was a real eye-opener, and I knew I needed to get involved.”

An ardent supporter of the arts and arts education, Gregory had started out with some success as an actor in his 20s after graduating from Williams College but changed course for what he felt would be a “more practical” career in law. He received a full scholarship to New York Law School and enjoyed a successful law career before venturing into the technology business.

Yet, Gregory is a firm believer in following your dreams – after more than 30 years, he is now returning full time to his first love, acting. And since 2009, he and his wife, Holly, have made it possible for Montclair State students in the College of the Arts to achieve their dreams. Although busy with casting calls, he leaves time for volunteer work, and his role as chair of the College of the Arts Advisory Board is his primary focus. The board works with the dean and faculty of the College of the Arts to prepare students for meaningful careers, to maintain its national reputation for excellence and to be the first choice for students who want to pursue careers in the arts.

The board has been influential in developing the Creative Talent Award Scholarship, intended to attract and retain exceptionally talented students to the College of the Arts. “We are providing financial support to attract talent but we’re also connecting students to direct mentoring and a network of alumni and committed donors for extra support,” explains Gregory.

This competitive advantage of the program expands students’ professional networks and gives them opportunities to work with luminaries in their chosen disciplines.

“To be part of a student’s growth and see these students excel has been beyond gratifying, especially realizing how many Montclair State students are the first in their family to attend college,” Gregory says. “When I got a scholarship, it made a big difference in my life and helped move me forward. This is about paying it forward.”

As Gregory sees it, students may have a dream, but they need the benefit of hearing how to get from here to there, and it’s not always a straight line.

“Students make sacrifices, work multiple jobs to make ends meet so they can pursue their desire to improve themselves,” he says. “I can only imagine how hard it is for students now to choose to be artists with the reality of student debt and the long odds of steady work in the arts. Anything we can do to support them can give them a leg up when they leave.”

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