The underpass that connects the residential and academic sides of the main Monmouth University campus was dedicated to Patricia L. Swannack ’02 and renamed the Swannack Gateway during an outdoor ceremony hosted by University President Patrick F. Leahy and Vice President for University Advancement Amanda Klaus ’09 on June 15. Swannack served at the University for over 40 years, most recently as vice president of Administrative Services from 1994 to 2021.
Swannack first joined Monmouth’s human resources department in 1975 and, after a series of promotions, was elevated to vice president in 1994, overseeing the departments of campus planning and construction, facilities management, human resources, student employment, and the University police department.
Under her watch, the University performed over $325 million in construction and renovation projects including, in 1996, the installation of what was then the largest solar energy system in higher education east of the Mississippi River. She oversaw projects that forever changed the campus footprint, including the construction of four residence halls and three academic buildings; the renovation and addition of the Edison Science Building; the renovation, restoration, and expansion of the Guggenheim Memorial Library; the restoration of the Great Hall at Shadow Lawn, which included securing more than $4 million in preservation grants; and the University’s largest construction project, the OceanFirst Bank Center. She also negotiated the contract for, and oversaw the multiyear renovation of, the University’s satellite campus at the Monmouth Park Corporate Center.
During her tenure as vice president, the University’s property holdings have increased over 50% while its financial obligation for utilities remained flat, while also garnering numerous awards for Monmouth as a leader in sustainability.
