The View from Here
From Bruce Springsteen to standout rankings, here’s what’s making noise around campus.
“Born to Run” Turns 50
In September, Monmouth University hosted a multiday celebration of “Born to Run,” the album that cemented Bruce Springsteen’s place in rock-and-roll history.
Organized by the Bruce Springsteen Archives & Center for American Music, the weekend brought together fans, scholars, and a who’s who of Springsteen collaborators, including current and former bandmates, Columbia Records insiders, producers, photographers, and managers, for a mix of stories, laughs, and rare glimpses behind the scenes.
The centerpiece event featured Springsteen alongside longtime collaborators Jon Landau, Mike Appel, and Jimmy Iovine, plus E Street Band members Garry Tallent, Stevie Van Zandt, Max Weinberg, and Roy Bittan in conversation with Archives Executive Director Bob Santelli ’73, ’14HN. The day ended on an unforgettable note, when Springsteen and the E Street Band, joined by original players David Sancious and Ernest “Boom” Carter, took the stage for surprise performances of “Thunder Road” and “Born to Run.”
Other highlights included screenings of rare studio footage hosted by filmmaker Thom Zimny and walking tours of Springsteen’s old Long Branch neighborhood. An exhibit of Eric Meola’s iconic album-cover photography remains on view in Rechnitz Hall’s DiMattio Gallery through Dec. 18.
Best. Class. Ever.
Monmouth’s Class of 2029 arrived with record-breaking stats: a 3.67 GPA, 1225 SAT, and the largest Honors School cohort in University history. It’s also the most inclusive, with more than half identifying as first generation and/or low income. Proof that at Monmouth, excellence and access aren’t just buzzwords—they’re reality.
Quick Hits
A Little Help From Their Friends
When the “Miss O’Dell” documentary needed a Beatles-inspired track, the folks from Monmouth’s music industry program said, “Let it be … us.” Students, faculty, and alumni, led by Specialist Professor George Wurzbach, wrote and recorded “Come Back,” an homage to “Get Back” that plays over the film’s animated rooftop finale. Pretty fab, indeed.
Straight A’s From Middle States
Monmouth University aced its latest accreditation review by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, earning an eight-year reaffirmation with no requirements, no recommendations, and 12 commendations in such areas as academics, student support, and governance. In accreditation terms, that’s about as close to a perfect score as it gets.
Radio Love Is In The Air
Monmouth’s student-run station, WMCX 88.9 FM, hit a high note this year, landing at No. 23 on The Princeton Review’s 2026 list of Best College Radio Stations. The recognition, based on student voting, reflects the station’s mix of new-music spotlights, live shows, and political debates, said adviser and Associate Professor Aaron Furgason ’92.
Gruden Goes Blue (and White)
Super Bowl–winning coach Jon Gruden has turned unboxing football swag into a social-media sport of its own, and this fall, Monmouth made the highlight reel. In a video viewed by more than half a million fans, Gruden unpacked a stash of Hawks gear (shipped in a box hand-painted by men’s basketball player Quinn Peters), sang the team’s praises, and gave Monmouth football a surprise viral spotlight. Chalk up another W for the Hawks.
