From the President
Education by its very nature is about transformation; it changes lives through learning, experimentation and creative expression. As knowledge and the world change, the institutions that provide that education also evolve, and, this year at Montclair State, evidence of our continuing transformation is abundant.
The University’s educational resources have been enhanced with the addition of new facilities; new programs are offering even more pathways for students; and we recently welcomed a record-breaking enrollment of 21,000 talented and promising students into our community.
In 2017 we will open a new School of Communication and Media building, providing the most technologically advanced broadcast and media production facility at any university in the country. Our new School of Nursing, along with The Graduate School, will be moving into the renovated Partridge Hall in January. And students in our dance program (which was recently ranked No. 5 in the nation) are already pirouetting in our new state-of-the-art studio space.
Less than a year ago, Montclair State marked a major transformation as we moved up in our national classification from a master’s level comprehensive university to a research doctoral institution. As a result, the U.S. News & World Report rankings this fall compared us to the nation’s largest doctoral institutions. I am proud to report that we debuted impressively in the top 200 and in the top 100 public universities in The Wall Street Journal rankings.
The most impressive transformations, of course, happen at the individual level, and this is where Montclair State truly excels.
As you read through this edition of Montclair magazine, consider the students so transformed by a beloved professor and his lasting impact on their lives that they stepped forward to offer a kidney to save that mentor’s life.
Examine the power of just one of our talented, devoted researchers whose decades-long effort to preserve biodiversity in Papua New Guinea has helped create that country’s largest conservation area.
Read how our faculty, staff and students have transformed the lives of Syrian refugees, offering them safety, hope and support as they begin anew in New Jersey.
Contemplate the generosity of spirit of two remarkable friends of the University whose lives were so enriched by their educational experiences that they contributed considerable family wealth toward making that experience possible for others.
In fact, every page of Montclair magazine contains a story of transformation, betterment and lives well led. That’s what great universities make possible. As we head into the season of celebration and sharing, I hope that you share in the sense of pride and accomplishment that comes with being a member of the Montclair State University community.
Susan A. Cole