Dear Colleagues:

As mentioned on today’s open call, an anonymous donor has committed $21 million to Monmouth in support of high-achieving students facing financial hardship. This tremendous scholarship gift – the largest in the University’s history – will help recruit and retain deserving students with financial need, changing the life trajectory of scholarship recipients for generations to come.

This gift is wonderfully emblematic of our University’s enduring commitment to educational access, and I am incredibly grateful to the donor for their endorsement of our mission. Please see the below press release to learn more about this transformational gift.

Sincerely,

Pat

Dr. Patrick F. Leahy
President

Monmouth University Announces Largest Gift in Its History

Outright gift of $21 million will expand educational access.

WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. (March 27, 2023) – Monmouth University is pleased to announce the largest single gift in its 90-year history, an outright gift of $21 million from a donor who has chosen to remain anonymous. The gift will establish a new scholarship program that will aid undergraduate students who meet specific academic and financial criteria by helping provide access to a private university education that would otherwise be financially challenging or unattainable for them.

“This transformational gift is a true game-changer for our students,” said Monmouth University President Patrick F. Leahy. “Promoting and supporting social mobility is one of the most important things we can do in higher education, and this commitment is squarely aligned with Monmouth University’s ambition to integrate academic excellence and educational access like no other university in our category. We are extremely grateful that our generous benefactor shares this commitment.”

According to Amanda Klaus, vice president for University Advancement, the gift will be structured with $20 million dollars invested in a perpetual endowment, and $1 million deployed for immediate scholarship use—all with the intention of supporting academically high achieving students at the greatest financial risk.

“This historic gift will have an immediate impact at Monmouth University,” said Klaus, who is an alumna of Monmouth. “But its true benefit will be demonstrated when we see deserving students graduate and succeed in careers of their choice that will help provide them with long-term financial security, allowing them to transform their lifelong personal and financial trajectories. This is the real power of education and I hope this lead gift will inspire others to support scholarships.”

Leahy emphasized the short-term and long-term benefits of the scholarship funds: “This gift will allow our students to unleash their potential immediately, and just as importantly, it creates the possibility for generational impact through social and economic mobility,” he said.

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Dear Members of the Monmouth University Community:

At 9:15 p.m. on March 22, 2023, the Monmouth University Police Department received a call with a report of a person with a possible weapon on campus in the area of Magill Commons. Upon investigation, additional reports of shots fired were unfounded.

Police were dispatched to the area and the campus was immediately alerted to shelter in place. Multiple law enforcement agencies were called in to assist in searching and securing the campus, including the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, Long Branch, Ocean Township, and West Long Branch police departments.

Detectives were able to utilize video footage and other technology based on the description provided and identified a person of interest, a currently enrolled student. Based on interviews with that person, law enforcement personnel were able to determine that the person was in possession of a curling iron that was mistaken for a weapon. Based on this update to the investigation, the University lifted the shelter-in-place order at 1:40 a.m. on March 23.

All of us are thankful that this situation was resolved successfully and without incident, and we appreciate the support and cooperation we received from our students and staff who adhered to the shelter-in-place restriction. On behalf of the University, I would like to express my appreciation for the efforts of the responding law enforcement agencies who assisted in our investigation.

In acknowledgment of the impact of this situation on the community, the University will have a delayed opening for offices at noon on Thursday, March 23, 2023. Classes with start times at-or-after 12 noon will meet as scheduled.

Sincerely,

Dr. Patrick F. Leahy
President

Dear Members of the Monmouth University Community:

It is with great sadness that I write to share news of the passing of trustee emeritus and former Board Chair Paul S. Doherty, Jr. a beloved alumnus of the Class of 1967. His contributions to the University were immeasurable, and his unwavering dedication to its success will be deeply missed.

As a Board Chair, Paul helmed the successful Vision for Distinction fundraising campaign. Along with his wife, Diane, he established the Doherty Family Endowed Scholarship, and provided vital support for the president’s residence on campus, Doherty House, which is named in their honor. In recognition of his many contributions to the University, Paul was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 2004 and was elected a Life Trustee the same year.

As a student, Paul was deeply involved in campus life, serving as a class officer, a member of the Phi Delta Sigma fraternity, and a passionate athlete who participated in intramural sports. Later, as an active alumnus, he was instrumental in bringing football to Monmouth’s campus as a charter member of The Touchdown Club, for which he was inducted into the Monmouth Athletics Hall of Fame in 2022.

Paul and Diane later contributed generously to the construction of the OceanFirst Bank Center and Kessler Stadium, which is home to The Doherty Family Deck on the second floor. We are fortunate that Paul’s enormously successful business career was matched by his passionate connection with Monmouth University, and we are grateful for all that he has done to support the University and its mission.

As a tribute to Paul’s life and his lasting legacy on our university community, the Monmouth University flag will be flown at half-staff.

We extend our deepest condolences to Diane, the Doherty family, his alumni community, friends, and all those who knew Paul. He will be missed, but his legacy will live on in the many ways he helped to shape Monmouth University.

Sincerely,

Dr. Patrick F. Leahy

President

Dear Members of the Monmouth University Community:

I am writing with an update to the University’s policy regarding the University’s COVID-19 vaccination protocol.

Effective with the start of the Summer 2023 semester, which begins on May 15, we will no longer require that all members of the community get the COVID-19 vaccine primary series or bivalent booster. Students and faculty engaged in clinical/field work or other experiential learning are required to follow each clinical or field site’s policies, which may include proof of full vaccination.

We continue to highly recommend that all members of the community get the COVID-19 vaccine primary series as well as the bivalent booster as recommended by the CDC. We also encourage all students and employees to continue to inform the University of their COVID-19 vaccination status on the health portal to ensure that the University can respond appropriately to any outbreak situation on campus, consistent with prevailing CDC guidelines.

Please note, if the CDC and/or New Jersey Department of Health guidelines change, the University will revisit this policy and may change its requirements.

Thank you for your continued cooperation as we work to keep our campus healthy and safe. If you have specific questions about our COVID-19 protocols, please contact Health Services at health@monmouth.edu.

Sincerely,

Dr. Patrick F. Leahy
President

Dear Members of the Monmouth University Community:

We awoke this morning to the tragic news of another shooting on a college campus—this time, at Michigan State University. The entire Monmouth University community extends its deepest condolences to those affected—directly and indirectly—by this senseless act of violence.

It is at times like these that I am especially grateful for the round-the-clock protection of our Monmouth University Police Department. While there is no known or immediate threat, today and in the coming days, our police have heightened vigilance in an effort to keep our campus as safe as possible.

The safety of our community depends on each of us looking out for one another. Please know that there are resources and services available through Counseling and Prevention Services to any member of our community who seeks them.

We wish our higher education colleagues in East Lansing, Michigan peace and comfort during this difficult time.

Dr. Patrick F. Leahy
President

Dear Members of the Monmouth University Community:

I write today with an important administrative update. Effective June 30, 2023, Mary Anne Nagy, Vice President of Student Life and Leadership Engagement, will be retiring from Monmouth after an impressive and impactful career at the University. While I know VP Nagy will be deeply missed by the entire university community—staff, students, alumni, and trustees alike—I am delighted for her to enjoy the rewards of a well-earned retirement.

VP Nagy has dedicated nearly her entire professional career to the advancement of Monmouth University. She first joined Monmouth’s program services department in 1986 and, after a series of promotions, was elevated to her current position as vice president in 1994. Her responsibilities today include overseeing the areas of campus safety, conference and event services, counseling and prevention services, crisis management, fraternity and sorority life, health services, judicial affairs, off campus and commuter services, residential life, student engagement and student center operations, transitions and leadership programs, and student support and veteran services.

Twice in her career, VP Nagy took on the role of interim vice president for advancement for one-year terms, overseeing the areas of advancement services, alumni engagement and annual giving, development, and stewardship and donor relations. Since 1991, she has managed the university’s commencement programs—both on and off-campus—for all of our graduating students and their families. And, her tireless leadership of the crisis management team has been critical in helping the Monmouth community navigate the uncharted territory of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A two-time alumna of Monmouth (M.S. Ed, MBA), VP Nagy has demonstrated her commitment to Monmouth in countless ways during her 37 years of service to the university. She has been a steady and thoughtful leader on this campus for nearly four decades, and her many contributions to Monmouth will be felt for generations to come. We will have ample opportunity to celebrate her dedication to Monmouth before June 30, but I wanted to share this news now, in order to best plan for this transition. I will take some time to converse with campus constituents in the coming weeks to determine the best way to fill this large void. I will continue to share updates with the university community as they become available. For now, please join me in thanking VP Nagy for the incredible impact she has made on Monmouth University.

Sincerely,

Dr. Patrick F. Leahy
President

Dear Members of the Monmouth University Community:

As we begin Black History Month, especially in the wake of troubling recent events across our nation, we are reminded of the importance of celebrating the contributions and achievements of Black Americans throughout history. At the same time, it is important for us to acknowledge the injustices that Black Americans have faced, and continue to face, as we work towards creating a more equitable and inclusive community here at Monmouth.

I invite you to participate in the various events and activities planned by our Intercultural Center, as well as other departments and student organizations, to commemorate Black History Month. I also encourage you to reflect on ways in which we can all realize our mission of preparing students to become engaged citizens in a diverse and increasingly interdependent world.

By deepening our understanding of Black heritage, and acknowledging that everyone has a history to tell, we can work to create a present and future grounded in equity and inclusion. Thank you for your efforts during this Black History Month and beyond to become a stronger Monmouth community where all are welcome and all belong.  

Dr. Patrick Leahy
President

Dear Members of the Monmouth University Community: 

Today we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his extraordinary example of nonviolent resistance and social activism. Dr. King’s commitment to social justice and racial equality should inspire all of us at Monmouth as we work towards a more just and more inclusive community where all are welcome and enjoy a true sense of belonging. 

As we celebrate Dr. King’s legacy today—and every day—I am grateful to our Social Justice Academy for bringing his daughter, Dr. Bernice King, to campus last October. She has dedicated her life’s work to advancing her parents’ legacy of nonviolent social change, and in a wonderful twist of fate, her visit was almost exactly 56 years after her father addressed Monmouth students in our very own Boylan Gymnasium to share his thoughts on “The Future of Integration.” 

Dr. King’s historic 1966 visit to Monmouth is commemorated in our “Waves of Change” interactive exhibit, currently displayed on the second floor Leon Hess Champions’ Hall in the OceanFirst Bank Center. If you have not yet seen it, I hope you will make every effort to experience this exhibit. I also hope you will set aside time on Wednesday, January 25 for the 2023 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Lecture on Social Justice, featuring Dr. Anthony Jack, assistant professor of education at Harvard and author of The Privileged Poor. 

Each of us can take inspiration and courage from Dr. King’s example to ensure that his dream of equality and justice lives on. Thanks to the many ongoing and robust efforts across our campus to foster a truly welcoming and inclusive community—dedicated to learning, service, and excellence—I am hopeful for the semester and year ahead.  

Dr. Patrick F. Leahy
President

Dear Members of the Monmouth University Community:

It is with sadness that I share the news that our dear friend and former Monmouth University trustee, Thomas I. Unterberg ˈ08HN, passed away on January 10, 2023.

Tom was a respected financier and businessman, launching and running several successful investment firms bearing the Unterberg family name. He was a pioneer investor in the emerging technology industry and helped take public such notable companies as Intel, Compaq, Applied Materials, and over 200 others over the course of his 65 years on Wall Street.

Perhaps even more significant was Tom’s philanthropy and commitment to service which impacted numerous institutions in New Jersey and New York, including Monmouth University. Tom served loyally on our Board of Trustees for nearly a decade from 1995-2003 and he received an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree in 2008 in recognition of his notable achievements in business, his countless contributions to charity, and his exceptional commitment to Monmouth University.

Thanks to the generosity of the Unterberg family, the Marjorie K. Unterberg School of Nursing and Health Studies at our university bears the name of Tom’s late mother. The Unterberg family was also instrumental in the construction of the OceanFirst Bank Center, and has been hugely supportive of expanding performing arts partnerships and enhancing academic facilities at Monmouth. Tom and his wife, Ann—who is also a former trustee—have supported the growth of Monmouth for many decades, and we are indebted to their kindness and commitment to our university.

There is no doubt that Tom’s influence and remarkable legacy will be felt by our university community for generations to come. As a tribute to Tom’s extraordinary life, the Monmouth University flag will be flown at half-staff for the next few days.

Please join me in keeping Tom, Ann, and the entire Unterberg family in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

Sincerely,

Dr. Patrick F. Leahy

President

Dear Colleagues:

With our calendar year coming to an end, I want to share a short video featuring some of the highlights and milestones you helped make possible for our students and our University in 2022. Looking back, these collective accomplishments are nothing short of remarkable.

We have enriched our academic programs, made great strides in athletics, and expanded our influence beyond our campus borders, while staying healthy and safe. I am grateful for your continued efforts and wish each of you a restful break, and good health and happiness in the new year.

Sincerely,

Pat

Dr. Patrick Leahy

President