COVID Concierge

For 22 years, Holly Gera ’79 was a constant, calming presence amid the whirlwind of schedules, games, personnel and decisions that make up Montclair State University’s athletic programs.

Gera’s trademark positive, nurturing approach will be in play again when the retired director of Intercollegiate Athletics returns to campus to assume a new role – COVID Housing and Health Concierge for the University.

“We are very excited to have Holly Gera return to assist us,” says Jeanine Stroh, executive director of Residence Life. “Holly’s upbeat and caring personality will be an asset when contacting students residing in our isolation and quarantine spaces on campus.”

Gera fills a need that was discovered in the fall. “We found the one piece we were missing was consistent housing follow-up to check in on students and find out what their needs were while residing in these spaces,” Stroh explains. “Holly will provide excellent customer service to these students so that they know they are not alone, and we are here in Residence Life to support them.”

“Holly’s knowledge of Montclair State University, specifically in Student Development and Campus Life, made her the perfect fit for this position,” adds Stroh. A 1979 graduate of Montclair State, Gera joined the University as director of Campus Recreation in 1989, after working in recreation departments in South Orange and Branchburg townships, New Jersey. She became assistant director of Intercollegiate Athletics a year later, associate director in 1995, and in 1996, was promoted to director.

Additionally, Gera has always connected well with students. “Holly’s warmth and sense of community will forever stick with me as an alumni and former student athlete,” Maurice Torres ’10 told Montclair magazine for a profile on Gera when she retired in 2018. “Every time I see her, she makes me feel a part of the Montclair State family.”

Gera will work to bring that family feeling to those residential students who face the boredom and loneliness associated with isolation and quarantine this spring.

“My work is both a practical and an emotional check-in to make sure that they understand that they’re not ‘alone’ in their quarantine, that there are people that are concerned for them,” says Gera. “If they have questions or they’re having trouble with classes, I can be the connection for them to some of the other resources that are available on campus.”

Despite her retirement, Gera has been back to campus in various capacities before now. For example, she taught a seminar for new students in the fall. “Most of my students were taking the class from home, I could see some of the challenges that students were facing. Here they are freshmen. They ended their high school experience dealing with COVID and the things that they had to miss because of that. And now they were starting their college career with COVID.”

Because of that experience, she says she has a strong sense of what students are struggling with. “I think it will help me talking with and dealing with the students that are even further isolated by being in quarantine.”

According to Residence Life, the number of students in quarantine fluctuated last fall but, at any given time, there were usually between 30 or 40 students in quarantine or isolation.

“I really, really enjoy the students,” says Gera. “When people asked me what was the best part about my job? I always said, you know, the people, the students and my colleagues on campus.”

As excited as Gera is for her new role, her wish is that she is soon out of a job. “Hopefully it’s only going to be for this spring and there won’t be a need for quarantining next fall.”

Story by Staff Writer Mary Barr Mann with reporting by Bob Gano

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