Congratulations to Marcheta Evans

I write to you today to congratulate Bloomfield College of Montclair State University Chancellor Marcheta Evans on her appointment to the position of President at St. Catherine University in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Her last day as Chancellor will be June 30, and we will be planning a farewell celebration for her at a later date.

Since assuming Bloomfield’s presidency in 2019, Marcheta led the institution through the pandemic while creating numerous new community partnerships. It quickly became evident to her that Bloomfield faced an existential crisis hastened by COVID. Unlike many higher ed leaders whose institutions are now closed, Dr. Evans pivoted to find a partnership model that would create a sustainable path forward.

When I came to Montclair, engaging in a merger with a local private institution was not at the top of my to-do list. It was because Chancellor Evans courageously went public in search of a suitable merger partner before it was too late, and we saw the mission alignment of Bloomfield and Montclair, the MSU Board of Trustees and I felt we could develop a new model for higher education success. None of this would have happened without Chancellor Evans’ visionary leadership and fortitude.

Her legacy will be evident this May when Bloomfield College hosts its 151st Commencement and the students, who were able to continue their education uninterrupted, are conferred their degrees.

Marcheta has been a tremendous partner throughout the process, and I have enjoyed working with and getting to know her as we have become a national model for other schools thinking about the future. More importantly, I value the friendship we have built.

While I am sorry to see her go, I know St. Catherine University, the nation’s largest Catholic women’s university, will thrive under her leadership. Moreover, I smile knowing that Marcheta will provide an important model of leadership as a woman of color who will inspire countless future leaders.

Her departure will not in any way change our steadfast commitment to ensuring the sustained success of Bloomfield College of Montclair State University and to upholding its crucial mission. We will continue to do all that is necessary to ensure generations of students to come can benefit from its distinctive educational experience, and we will begin a search for new leadership to help further these efforts.