New & Noteworthy
Campus updates, philanthropic highlights, key hires, and more from the previous year
First-Year Class Sets New Benchmarks for Excellence and Access
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ast fall’s incoming class was the most academically prepared in Monmouth University’s 92-year history, while also setting new benchmarks in key measures of access.
The Class of 2029 posted the highest average GPA (3.67), the highest submitted SAT scores (1225), and the largest Honors School enrollment (126 students) of any first-year cohort to date. At the same time, the class includes a record number of students who joined Monmouth’s thriving first-generation and/or low-income community, representing 55.8% of the first-year class. First-generation students make up a record-high 41.3% of the cohort, while 40.8% of incoming students are Pell Grant–eligible—the highest percentage in University history.
This momentum in delivering excellence and expanding access is reinforced by rising national recognition. Monmouth earned its highest-ever ranking from U.S. News & World Report last fall, placing No. 13 among Regional Universities North and continuing a steady climb of 63 spots over the past two decades. The University also earned top-25 rankings for innovation, undergraduate teaching, and social mobility, and was named a Best Value institution. Additionally, the Wall Street Journal/College Pulse rankings placed Monmouth No. 3 among private universities in New Jersey, behind only Princeton University and Stevens Institute of Technology.
Together, these milestones underscore Monmouth University’s growing national reputation and affirm its leadership in integrating excellence and access.
Monmouth Earns Carnegie Research Classification
In March 2025, Monmouth University was designated a Research College and University (RCU) in the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, recognizing sustained research activity and investment. Institutions in this category typically demonstrate more than $2.5 million in annual research spending, reflecting consistent growth in faculty scholarship and student-faculty collaboration across disciplines.
With this designation, Monmouth joins approximately 130 research-classified institutions in the Northeast and is one of only four private universities in New Jersey to hold Carnegie research status. For an institution founded in 1933 as a junior college, the RCU classification marks a significant milestone in Monmouth’s evolution, one defined by strengthening research, academic ambition, and integration of discovery with student opportunity.
The Montecalvo family and President Leahy celebrate the naming of the Montecalvo-Oppelt Family Alumni House following a pledge from the Montecalvo Family Foundation
Seven-Figure Pledge Leads to Alumni House Naming
A seven-figure pledge from the Montecalvo Family Foundation led to the naming of Alumni House as the Montecalvo-Oppelt Family Alumni House. The gift supports Monmouth University’s Excellence. Access. Ambition. comprehensive campaign and advances strategic capital initiatives aligned with the University’s long-term facilities plan.
The naming honors current University Trustee Valerie Montecalvo and her husband, Frank Montecalvo, along with their daughter, Nicole Montecalvo-Oppelt ’10, and her husband, Michael Oppelt ’10. The building that now bears their names was renovated in 2022 and serves as a hub for alumni engagement and events.
President Launches Community Leadership Forum
Monmouth University hosted its inaugural President’s Community Leadership Breakfast in March 2025, convening more than 150 community, business, and government leaders at the Varsity Club in the OceanFirst Bank Center to discuss shared regional priorities. President Leahy outlined the University’s growing impact across Monmouth County and beyond, and the event is expected to become an annual forum for regional collaboration.
Middle States Reaffirms Monmouth’s Accreditation with 12 Commendations
Monmouth University’s accreditation was reaffirmed by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education in June 2025 following a two-year self-study and an on-site evaluation in early 2025. The University received an eight-year accreditation term with no requirements or recommendations, along with 12 commendations recognizing excellence in areas such as governance, academic programs, student support, and institutional resources. The commission also reaffirmed the University’s compliance with accreditation standards and its eligibility to offer credentials ranging from post-secondary certificates through doctoral professional practice degrees.
A Legacy of Student Support
A six-figure gift from the Estate of Dorothy Fielder Brown marked the culmination of a long-standing commitment to student scholarships at Monmouth University and represents the final phase of support for the Dorothy F. Brown and Adamant Brown ’62 Distinguished Endowed Scholarship, which benefits students with demonstrated financial need. Established in the 1990s and endowed in 2005, the scholarship has generated more than $1.6 million in support for Monmouth students. Adamant Brown built a career in engineering, military service, and broadcasting.
State Grant Expands UCI Oyster Reef Research
The Urban Coast Institute (UCI) received a $991,655 grant from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to expand and monitor its oyster reef installation off the coast of Naval Weapons Station Earle. The project builds on the UCI’s ongoing work developing the installation, which is in a restricted area of the Raritan Bay off the Earle shoreline.
The grant will enable the UCI to add 600 oyster “castles”—stackable, cement block-like reef structures designed to withstand waves and currents—aimed at enhancing coastal resilience, reducing shoreline erosion, and creating habitat for marine species. The funding—provided through a Water Quality Restoration grant program with support from the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium—will also support upgrades to the aquaculture facility that the UCI maintains on the Earle grounds.
Left to right: Sen. Vin Gopal, David Wildstein, Briana Vannozzi, Sen. Joe Kyrillos (Ret.), and President Leahy
Famed Journalist’s Planned Gift Supports Future Reporters
A six-figure planned gift from the estate of alumna Linda Deutsch established the Linda Deutsch ’65, ’23HN Distinguished Endowed Scholarship, supporting third-year communication majors with a concentration in Journalism and Public Relations who demonstrate financial need. Deutsch, an Associated Press court reporter for more than four decades, credited her Monmouth journalism experience with launching her career. Her gift will help future students pursue careers grounded in ethical reporting and public service.
Campus Conversation Series Tackles Media, Trust, and Civil Discourse
More than 200 guests gathered in Pollak Theatre in March 2025 for “Restoring Public Trust: The Role of Media in Advancing Civility and Informed Policy,” a panel examining journalism’s influence on democratic life. The program was part of the University’s annual Leadership, Civility, and Common Ground in Politics and Public Service series, which brings leaders across party lines together for nonpartisan dialogue. Moderated by Democratic State Sen. Vin Gopal and former Republican State Sen. Joe Kyrillos, the discussion featured journalists Briana Vannozzi of NJ Spotlight/NJPBS and David Wildstein of the New Jersey Globe and addressed how a free press can rebuild public trust and strengthen civic discourse.
Women’s lacrosse, one of five Hawks programs earning NCAA academic honors
Seven-Figure Pledge Advances Campaign and Student Priorities
Monmouth received a seven-figure pledge from Tony DaRe, founder and CEO of BSI Corporate Benefits, in support of the University’s Strategic Capital Initiatives Fund and the Excellence. Access. Ambition. campaign. A strategic partner and friend, BSI has also supported the University through marquee fundraising events including the Gala at the Great Hall and Golf Outing, as well as the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music’s American Music Honors. Additionally, BSI is a proud champion of the men’s basketball program.
Hawks Earn Top Academic Marks from NCAA
Monmouth’s student-athletes earned strong academic recognition in the NCAA’s 2025 academic performance metrics. Five Hawks programs—men’s golf, men’s tennis, women’s bowling, women’s golf, and women’s lacrosse—posted perfect multiyear Academic Progress Rate (APR) scores, leading their respective sports within the Coastal Athletic Association and placing them among the top programs nationally. An additional 13 programs recorded perfect single-year APR marks for the reporting period.
In addition, Monmouth reported a 91% NCAA Graduation Success Rate, with 12 athletics programs—women’s bowling, field hockey, men’s basketball, men’s soccer, men’s tennis, men’s track and field, softball, women’s golf, women’s lacrosse, women’s soccer, women’s swimming, and women’s tennis—achieving a perfect 100% four-year graduation rate.
President’s Lecture Explores Bob Dylan and Social Change
Monmouth’s second annual President’s Lecture on Music History and Contemporary America featured Sean Wilentz, the George Henry Davis 1886 Professor of American History at Princeton University. His lecture, “‘I Don’t Write Protest Songs’: Bob Dylan, 1963,” examined a pivotal moment in Dylan’s early career, drawing on rare recordings and archival material to explore the tension between his rejection of political labels and the social impact of his music during the civil rights era. Hosted in collaboration with the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music, the event continued the series’ focus on music as a lens for cultural and political change.
Trustee Marianne C. Hesse was honored with the President’s Medal at the annual Gala at the Great Hall
Annual Gala Honors Leadership, Advances Student Access
More than 250 alumni and friends gathered in December for the annual Gala at the Great Hall, raising $426,000 in support of Monmouth’s Access Fund, which provides scholarships to students with unmet financial need. The evening included the presentation of the President’s Medal, Monmouth’s highest honor, to Trustee Marianne C. Hesse, who was recognized for decades of leadership, generosity, and service to the University and its students.
Student speaker Zulmy Lozano, an honors student double majoring in finance and political science, emphasized the transformative power of scholarship support. “Scholarships provide students access to potential and inspire them to become the best version of themselves,” she said, noting that donor generosity is helping her pursue her goal of becoming a lawyer.
WMCX Ranked Among Nation’s Best College Radio Stations
WMCX, the University’s student-run radio station, earned the No. 23 spot in The Princeton Review’s 2026 ranking of the nation’s best college radio stations. The recognition reflects the station’s longstanding commitment to student leadership, original programming, and engagement with the campus and surrounding community.
President Leahy Delivers CQA Keynote on Higher Education Trends
President Leahy delivered the keynote address at the annual Chicago Quantitative Alliance meeting on Sept. 17, addressing investment professionals from firms including Fidelity, Goldman Sachs, and Charles Schwab. His talk, “AI, DEI, NIL: What Does This Mean for American Higher Education,” examined trends reshaping the sector, including projections of institutional consolidation. He joined leaders from institutions such as MIT, Yale, Vanderbilt, Ohio State, Villanova, Bucknell, and the University of Toronto, highlighting Monmouth’s role in national discussions on the future of higher education.
Leadership Dinner Raises $240,000 for Kislak Real Estate Institute
The Kislak Real Estate Institute raised $240,000 at its annual Leadership Excellence Dinner in May 2025, with proceeds supporting the institute’s J. I. Kislak Endowed Director Fund. The funding sustains academic programming, student opportunities, and industry engagement. The evening also honored Leadership Excellence Award recipients John Saraceno Jr. and Jonathan Schultz of Onyx Equities, LLC, and Service to the Industry Award honoree Gretchen S. Wilcox, president and founder of G.S. Wilcox & Co.
Fans pack Kessler Stadium for Monmouth’s 2025 home opener, a 51–33 win over Villanova
Business School Convenes Global Workshop on Sustainable Development
The Leon Hess Business School, in partnership with the McMullen Family, hosted the inaugural Regional Sustainable Economic Development Around the Globe workshop in June 2025, bringing together academics and policymakers from five continents to examine climate change and sustainable economic development. Participants included representatives from the World Bank, European Commission, and International Labour Organization, along with faculty from universities worldwide. Co-organized with the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, TH Köln, and the Center for Economic Development and Social Change, the virtual workshop explored strategies for sustainable regional growth.
Billboard Again Names Monmouth a Top Music Business School
Monmouth was named one of Billboard’s 2025 Top Music Business Schools in recognition of its integration of business and music education. Billboard cited collaboration between the Leon Hess Business School and the University’s music business programs, along with student opportunities through the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music and the student-run record label Blue Hawk Records. The publication also noted Monmouth’s status as one of eight collegiate chapter affiliates of Women in Music.
New Fund Expands Support for Student-Athletes
The University’s Department of Athletics established the Hawk Excellence Fund, an initiative designed to support the University’s Division I student-athletes through enhanced academic resources, leadership development, and evolving name, image, and likeness and revenue-sharing opportunities. The fund will strengthen the student-athlete experience by supporting program excellence while prioritizing academic achievement and personal development on and off the field.
Football Captain Earns CAA Leadership and Excellence Award
Monmouth quarterback Derek Robertson received the 2025 Chuck Boone Leadership and Excellence Award, becoming the first Hawk to earn the annual Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) honor recognizing a football student-athlete who exemplifies leadership, integrity, teamwork, and sportsmanship.
On the field, Robertson led one of the Football Championship Subdivision’s most prolific offenses last fall, as the Hawks ranked first in the CAA in total offense, passing yards, points per game, passing efficiency, and first downs. Off the field, he has appeared on the CAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll for 10 semesters, is a four-time Dean’s List honoree, and remains active in community outreach initiatives.
Appointments & Accolades
- Eileen Chapman, director of the Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music, was named to ROI-NJ’s inaugural Influencers Power 2025 Sports, Arts and Entertainment list, recognizing her leadership in overseeing the center’s collection and documenting the careers and legacies of Springsteen and other influential musicians.
- Tryon Eggleston, director of digital communications, and Steven Graboski, full stack developer, received a best-in-category award at the Digital Collegium 2025 Annual Conference for a presentation highlighting their work to optimize Monmouth University’s website performance and speed.
- Alison Gilbert, director of Monmouth University’s Center for Entrepreneurship, was named to the Innovate100 Leaders list, recognizing her contributions as a community leader in New Jersey’s innovation ecosystem.
- President Patrick F. Leahy, Ed.D., was named to ROI-NJ’s Power 2025: Higher Education list, honoring leaders with outstanding achievements and strategic impact, and was also named to the NJBIZ 2025 Education Power List for the sixth consecutive year in recognition of his leadership advancing the University’s enrollment growth, strategic partnerships, academic initiatives, and campus enhancements.
- Zaneta Rago-Craft, Ed.D., director of the Intercultural Center and advisor to the president for diversity and inclusion, was appointed to the board of the YMCA of the Jersey Shore, where she will help guide the nonprofit’s strategic priorities across Monmouth, Ocean, and Middlesex counties in support of its mission of youth development, healthy living, and social responsibility.
New Hires and Appointments
Andrew Brannen was named vice president and chief business officer in July 2025. He provides strategic leadership for the University’s financial and administrative operations, including finance, facilities, human resources, and information management. Brannen previously served as chief financial officer at Kean University, following earlier roles as senior vice president for finance and vice president for administration and finance.
Jamie Cook was named director of alumni engagement in March 2025. She leads efforts to strengthen alumni connections through events, programs, and strategic outreach in support of Monmouth’s engagement and annual giving initiatives. She previously served as director of experiential engagement at Seton Hall University and as assistant director of development, events, for the Rutgers University Foundation.
Joseph Coyle, Ph.D., was appointed dean of the School of Science in April 2025, a role he held on an interim basis since fall 2022. He joined Monmouth in 2002 as a faculty member in the Department of Mathematics and later served as department chair from 2017 to 2022. He has held numerous leadership roles across the University and has been actively engaged in student research and academic initiatives.
Patrick Elliott, Ph.D., was named senior associate athletic director for revenue generation and NIL in November 2025. He leads Monmouth’s efforts in revenue generation, corporate partnerships, and name, image, and likeness initiatives, advancing the athletics department’s external relations strategy and expanding opportunities for growth and engagement. Elliott most recently served as senior director of university development at Seton Hall University.
Jeff Gallo ’05, ’12M, was named head football coach in December 2025. A member of the coaching staff since 2005, Gallo has served as offensive coordinator and associate head coach since 2019 and has played a key role in the program’s development and success. He is just the second head coach in program history, succeeding Kevin Callahan, who transitioned to an advisory role after more than three decades at the helm.
Amy Gratch Hoyle, Ph.D., was named dean of the School of Education in May 2025. A higher education leader with a record of curricular reform and accreditation work, she most recently served as dean of the School of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Education at Neumann University. She previously served as assistant dean for graduate education and chair of the Department of Educational Policy and Leadership at Cabrini University.
Hayley Masi was named head coach of Monmouth’s swimming program in July 2025. She joined Monmouth from the University of Connecticut, where she served as assistant swim coach since 2021. Prior to that, she served as assistant coach and later head swim coach and aquatics director at Maine Maritime Academy.
Jennifer Ross was appointed director of the Honors School in July 2025. She previously served as assistant dean of the Honors School and has led the program’s growth in enrollment, retention, and undergraduate research. Prior to Monmouth, Ross was the senior administrator for the Honors Program at Union College, where she managed program operations, advising, and student transitions.
Timothy Thompson ’82, ’89M, was named director of the Kislak Real Estate Institute in December 2025. He brings extensive experience in commercial real estate, including construction finance and asset disposition. Thompson most recently served as a commercial real estate consultant and licensed referral agent. He previously worked in banking, focusing on the financing of multifamily dwellings and commercial real estate projects.
Nancy Uddin, Ph.D., was appointed interim dean of the Leon Hess Business School in October 2025. A longtime member of the faculty, she is a professor of accounting and has taught at Monmouth since 1999. Uddin previously served as chair of the Department of Accounting and has held numerous leadership roles across the University, including service on Faculty Council and as chair of the Undergraduate Studies Committee.
Lewis Young was named director of sports medicine in July 2025. He most recently served as director of clinical operations at UNC Cary Orthopaedics & Spine Specialists, where he led clinical teams and operational strategy. Prior to that, Young held athletic training and sports medicine roles at UNC Charlotte, Indiana University, the Duke Sports Science Institute, and Virginia Tech.