FROM THE PRESIDENT

am pleased to share the 2024 President’s Report, a reflection of Monmouth University’s continued pursuit of academic excellence, student success, and meaningful impact.

This past year marked extraordinary progress for Monmouth. We launched the public phase of Excellence. Access. Ambition., a bold fundraising campaign poised to elevate student support to unprecedented levels. We also secured national recognition as a research college and university in the new Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education—affirming our growing research enterprise and Monmouth’s increasing competitiveness on the national stage.

Our faculty advanced scholarship across disciplines, earning prestigious grants and engaging students in original research that supports both learning and innovation. We celebrated notable academic and creative achievements, including patents in development through the Center for Entrepreneurship, the success of the Parton Broadcasting Center, and the expansion of the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music, whose new home is rising rapidly right here on campus.

Our momentum continues with the Class of 2028—the most academically prepared and diverse in University history. This class set new records for average SAT score (1220) and Honors School enrollment (nearly 12%). More than half of its members identify as first-generation and/or low-income students, while a record 34% identify as students of color and 35% are Pell-eligible. These markers of both excellence and access affirm the ambitious educational aspirations spelled out in our current strategic plan. That momentum extends beyond the classroom as well: Monmouth’s student-athletes continue to raise the University’s national profile, with 70 televised contests this year alone—37 of which were student-produced—through our membership in the Coastal Athletic Association.

In addition, the Board of Trustees recently approved a $110 million investment in capital enhancements, all without incurring long-term debt. This decision reflects our commitment to enhancing the student experience and our long-term institutional health. Indeed, Monmouth has maintained an average Council of Independent Colleges’ Financial Indicators Tool score of 6.1 over the past five years—well above the industry benchmark of 3.0. Our endowment has grown to $153 million, and we concluded fiscal year 2024 with a $30 million increase in total net assets and outstanding debt of just $1.2 million.

All of this and more has led to Monmouth reaching our highest-ever ranking by U.S. News & World Report, rising to No. 15 among Regional Universities North. Monmouth also ranks No. 33 on the list of Top Performers on Social Mobility and has been recognized by Money magazine and Washington Monthly for delivering exceptional value.

As you read this report, I hope you share my pride in how far we have come—and the ambitious path ahead. As I often say, it is great people who make great universities. Thank you all for playing a role in this shared journey.

Sincerely,