MUWinter2014

TRANSFORMING
MONMOUTH
“Our soccer programs have brought national—and
international—recognition to Monmouth over the last few
decades, producing teams ranked in the top tier among
colleges, and notable alumni playing at the professional and
Olympic level,” Brown said.
“Our men’s and women’s programs, along with our
thriving club sports programs, will all benefit from [Hesse’s]
generous gift,” Brown said. President Brown emphasized
that the upgrades will be done in a way that enhances the
majesty of the Great Lawn on the south side of Wilson Hall.
Another athletic milestone took place on February 22 when
Monmouth University competed for the first time as a Division
I men’s lacrosse program against the University of Maryland,
Baltimore County. Although the team, whose roster features
32 freshmen, dropped the match 10-8, Head Coach Brian
Fisher said, “I could not be more proud of the guys and the
way we played and competed in their first match.”
“Lacrosse is one of the fastest growing sports in North
America, and the New England/Middle Atlantic States
region is a hot spot for the sport,” President Brown said.
“We expect Monmouth to become a destination for men and
women interested in lacrosse in the years to come.”
INCREASING STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS
President Brown is keenly aware that academic and
athletic program and facility enhancements come
with a price. New facilities cost money to build,
and new academic programs require new faculty
members, and attracting the best educators requires an
investment in the future.
“It is no secret that the cost of college attendance has risen
in recent years,” Brown said.
Even so, the National Association of College and University
Business Officers reports that “the cost of providing an
education is greater than the price charged” at public and
private institutions.
Mindful of the need to continue to attract a pool of
academically qualified students in an increasingly competitive
marketplace, President Brown is making an increased
commitment to help students fund their education with
increased financial aid dollars.
“To help students take advantage of the new academic
programs, the Board of Trustees has approved a commitment
to increase financial aid by 11 percent in the coming year,”
Brown said.
“The long term success of this initiative will depend upon
our ability to grow private philanthropic support of our
scholarship endowment through the continued generosity of
our current donors, engagement from a wider cross-section of
“To help students take advantage
of the new academic programs,
the Board of Trustees has
approved a commitment to
increase financial aid by
11 percent in the coming year.”
PhOTO: MaRk ludak '81
President Paul R. Brown, Ph.D.
our alumni, and the development of new revenue streams,” said
Jason Kroll, vice president for External Affairs.
Kroll is on a mission to more actively engage alumni and
members of the wider community in the process of transforming
Monmouth into a stronger, vibrant, and evolving University.
Kroll notes that while financial support from alumni and
friends is critical, it is only one facet of his mission to support
President Brown’s vision to transform Monmouth University.
“Register as a career mentor for our students; have an
employer be in touch with our career services department;
attend a sports event; enjoy a live concert at Pollak Theatre, or
one of our great gallery exhibitions,” Kroll said.
Like President Brown, Kroll is confident that alumni—
even recent graduates from within the last decade—will be
surprised by the changes underway at Monmouth. “Come back
to campus,” Kroll urges, “The energy is contagious.”
8 MONMOuTh uNIvERsITy MagazINE WINTER