Montclair State University Annual Scholarship Dinner to Honor Lawrence R. Inserra, Jr. and Inserra Supermarkets

Montclair State University will honor Inserra Supermarkets and Lawrence R. Inserra, Jr., its Chairman and CEO, with the Rose and John J. Cali Award for Business Leadership and Community Engagement at its Annual Scholarship Dinner. Proceeds from the Saturday, March 9 public event will provide scholarship opportunities for future generations of University students.

Since 1999, the annual benefit dinner has raised millions of dollars to support student scholarships. Last year’s sold-out event attracted close to 400 alumni, friends and supporters to raise funds for scholarships that provide financial assistance to hundreds of students of limited financial means, enabling them to pursue and complete their studies at Montclair State.

This year’s dinner will highlight Soar – The Campaign for Montclair State University. With its goal of raising $75 million in private contributions, Soar is the largest and most ambitious campaign in University history. Once again, the University will showcase the extraordinary talents of the students in its nationally recognized Musical Theatre Program, with a performance of highlights from the 1950’s musical, Guys and Dolls.

“Larry Inserra is a dedicated champion of Montclair State,” said University President Susan A. Cole. “Both as a member of our Board of Trustees and also as a long-term friend, he has been steadfast in his support of our efforts to provide our talented and diverse student population with the highest quality education – regardless of their economic circumstances. We thank him for helping both the University and our students to soar.”

Larry Inserra established the Theresa and Lawrence R. Inserra Endowed Chair in Italian and Italian American Studies in honor of his parents. The Inserra Chair is dedicated to educating generations of students about Italian culture in Italy and America through academic programs, student internships and educational initiatives, and Montclair State’s Italian program is now ranked among the top ten in the nation by the Modern Language Association. In addition, over the years, Inserra and Inserra Supermarkets have made generous contributions to student scholarships, the University’s Emergency Book Fund, and to the Red Hawk Pantry, which serves the needs of students struggling with food insecurity.

Founded in 1954, when Lawrence Inserra’s grandfather, Patsy Inserra, opened his first store in Lyndhurst, New Jersey, Inserra Supermarkets, Inc. is today one of the largest supermarket chains in the metropolitan area. As a family business that serves families, Inserra-operated ShopRite stores take pride in being an integral part of the communities in which they are located.

Inserra is a noted community and business leader. In addition to his service on the University’s Board of Trustees, Inserra is Chairman of Hackensack University Medical Center Foundation and serves on the boards of directors of Wakefern Food Corp., The Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey, and Lakeland Bank. He is also a member of the boards of trustees for Hackensack Meridian Health and the Community Resource Council. The Inserra family has supported numerous health, cancer and medical research, education and human services initiatives.

Join us to help Montclair State University and our students Soar. We hope to see you March 9. https://www.montclair.edu/scholarship-dinner/