{"id":1906,"date":"2025-07-10T09:00:29","date_gmt":"2025-07-10T13:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/giving\/?p=1906"},"modified":"2025-07-17T14:25:11","modified_gmt":"2025-07-17T18:25:11","slug":"honors-program-gift","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/giving\/2025\/07\/10\/honors-program-gift\/","title":{"rendered":"糖心vlog Receives $5 Million Gift to Transform Honors Program"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>糖心vlog\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/honors\/\">Honors EDGE Program<\/a> is entering a transformative new chapter thanks to a $5 million gift from venture capitalist and philanthropist John Martinson. This investment will create a distinct and rigorous academic experience, expanding the program\u2019s reach, deepening its curriculum, and opening new opportunities for students \u2014 making Montclair a national model for honors education.<\/p>\n<p>In recognition of this extraordinary support, the program will be renamed the John Martinson Honors EDGE Program. With an emphasis on creativity, purposeful leadership development, meaningful community involvement, and interdisciplinary learning, the enhanced honors program aims to provide hands-on experiences that prepare students to become leaders, innovators and change-makers.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>A New Era for Honors at Montclair<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Reflecting on the significance of the gift, Montclair President Jonathan Koppell said:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJohn Martinson\u2019s generous philanthropic investment could not come at a more critical moment. By accelerating the growth and evolution of the honors program at Montclair, a university committed to accessibility and inclusivity, this gift underscores that opportunities to achieve at the highest level must be available to bright, passionate, ambitious students of all backgrounds.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAchieving that goal is the only way for us to thrive as a state and nation. The John Martinson Honors EDGE Program emphasizes hands-on interdisciplinary learning that cultivates students\u2019 leadership and creativity, thus preparing them to take on the biggest challenges in business and civic life.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1908\" class=\"responsive-image-holder wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/150\/2025\/07\/John-and-President.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/150\/2025\/07\/John-and-President.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">From left: Jeff Strickland, executive director of the John Martinson Honors EDGE Program, John Martinson, University President Jonathan Koppell, and Montclair honors student Jacob Roby, gather at 糖心vlog in recognition of Martinson\u2019s transformative gift. (Photo by University Photographer Mike Peters)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>Expanding Access and Inclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The gift, Koppell added, \u201cis the latest in an unbelievable series of investments in our shared future.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>John Martinson, chairman of Martinson Ventures, a technology venture capital firm based in Newtown, Pennsylvania, has donated millions to strengthen honors programs at leading universities nationwide, including Purdue, Georgia Tech, Northeastern, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the University of Pittsburgh. Montclair is the tenth institution to join this growing network of Martinson-supported honors programs.<\/p>\n<p>Through this collaborative network, Montclair students and faculty will connect with peers at these institutions, sharing best practices to accelerate success and build a national honors community.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis investment reflects my deep belief in Montclair\u2019s mission, its accomplished and innovative faculty, strong university leadership, and my confidence that its students will become the next generation of leaders and innovators,\u201d Martinson said. \u201cTheir creativity, energy and potential to improve the world inspire my philanthropy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Martinson added, \u201cI am excited to help double the size of the Montclair program and expand opportunities for experiential and immersive learning, graduate school preparation, undergraduate research and leadership development.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What Sets Montclair Apart<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The John Martinson Honors EDGE Program (Engage, Discover, Grow, Experience) will feature a curriculum designed to foster imaginative thinking and problem-solving, with creativity embedded as a central pillar.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Students will be challenged to expand their minds, brainstorm and loosen the boundaries of their imaginations,\u201d applying creative thinking to real-world problems and day-to-day settings. \u201cThey\u2019ll come away with the most salient and indelible experiences in college.\u201d \u2014 Provost Junius J. Gonzales.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>This investment will make it possible for the University to recruit and retain more top-tier students to its honors program, including incoming transfers and freshmen as well as current students.<\/p>\n<p>Short-term, high-impact travel experiences are emphasized, making transformative opportunities accessible to students who may not be able to commit to a full-semester program.<\/p>\n<p>The mission is to provide opportunities for those who might not otherwise have access to such experiences, allowing them to \u201ctake leaps into places and situations they\u2019ve never been,\u201d says Jeff Strickland, executive director of the John Martinson Honors EDGE Program. Admissions will take a holistic approach, considering leadership, creativity and community engagement alongside academic achievement.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Program Enhancements<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Creative and Leadership Workshops: Expanded offerings, including the introduction of an Honors Leadership Certificate and interdisciplinary research clusters.<\/li>\n<li>Distinguished Visiting Faculty: Bringing in experts to enrich the curriculum and mentor students.<\/li>\n<li>Experiential Learning: More international and domestic travel, paid internships, mentorships, research opportunities and study-abroad programs.<\/li>\n<li>Every honors student will receive a $5,000 \u201cCreative Learning\u201d stipend to support these pursuits.<\/li>\n<li>Community Engagement: Courses like \u201cCommunity Matters\u201d connect students with local and global issues, ensuring learning goes beyond the classroom.<\/li>\n<li>National Advisors: External advisors from Yale, Rice and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville bring national perspectives and best practices to Montclair.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1913\" class=\"responsive-image-holder wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"mlt-responsive-image\" data-original-image=\"\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/150\/2025\/07\/Jacob.jpg\" src=\"\/responsive-media\/cache\/giving\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/150\/2025\/07\/Jacob.jpg.0.1x.generic.jpg\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Jacob Roby, a senior double majoring in Policy Studies and Political Science, has earned prestigious fellowships and internships \u2014 exemplifying the caliber of students the John Martinson Honors EDGE Program is designed to support and elevate. (Photo by University Photographer Mike Peters)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>High-Impact Student Opportunities<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Senior Jacob Roby, a double major in Policy Studies and Political Science with minors in Chinese and Global Security and Diplomacy, exemplifies the exceptional caliber of Montclair\u2019s honors program that Martinson\u2019s investment will elevate to even greater heights.<\/p>\n<p>Roby credits Honors EDGE for enabling him to secure prestigious fellowships and internships \u2014 including roles as a Research Fellow at the Wilson Center and a Student Fellow at the USDA.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c糖心vlog, especially the honors program, is really what I would call an American Dream university,\u201d Roby says. \u201cIt\u2019s still one of those places left in our country where if you work really hard you can achieve a lot, have great experiences and find people who will help you succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Sara Flores, a sophomore majoring in Linguistics and a first-generation college student, credits the honors program for fostering both academic and civic engagement. As an aspiring ESL teacher, Flores has already presented at a regional honors conference in Pittsburgh and participated in a leadership retreat in Arizona \u2014 opportunities she says broadened her perspective on education and community.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>The Honors Program has given me hands-on experiences and helped me rethink how I want to teach and learn. It\u2019s not just about academics \u2014 it\u2019s about building a community where students feel like they\u2019re part of something bigger.\u201d \u2014 Sara Flores<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Flores\u2019 commitment to service is central to her honors experience. She is active in the Bonner Leader Program and volunteers tutoring adult ESL learners in Paterson and on campus.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Building Community and Alumni Connections<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>As Montclair prepares to celebrate the 40th anniversary of its honors program and the establishment of the John Martinson Honors EDGE Program, there will be a renewed emphasis on engaging and strengthening the alumni network to provide mentoring, job shadowing and career-focused networking for current students.<\/p>\n<p>With sustained success, Montclair envisions growing its program to 1,000 students within five years and positioning the University to evolve the John Martinson Honors EDGE Program into a stand-alone Honors College. The University welcomes investment from additional partners to advance the program and create more impact for students.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis extraordinary gift elevates the student experience at Montclair,\u201d says Strickland. \u201cIt is transformational for honors and for the entire institution, enabling students to benefit from what we hope will become a nationally recognized program.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Ready to Start Your Montclair Journey?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Prospective Students:<\/strong> It\u2019s not too late to apply! 糖心vlog is <a href=\"https:\/\/apply.montclair.edu\/portal\/admissions\">still accepting applications<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/admissions\/commit\/\">deposits for fall 2025<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Looking Ahead?<\/strong> The application for fall 2026 opens August 1. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/admissions\/visit-us\/\">Plan your visit<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/apply.montclair.edu\/register\/inquire\">take your first step<\/a> in applying to become a Red Hawk!<\/li>\n<li><strong>Interested in the John Martinson Honors EDGE Program?<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/honors\/directors-welcome\/\">Learn more from the Executive Director<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Philanthropist John Martinson\u2019s investment will expand creativity, leadership and experiential learning opportunities \u2013 establishing Montclair as a leader in honors education<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":451,"featured_media":1907,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1906","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-montclair-state-university-donors"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/giving\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1906","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/giving\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/giving\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/giving\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/451"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/giving\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1906"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/giving\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1906\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1914,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/giving\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1906\/revisions\/1914"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/giving\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1907"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/giving\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1906"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/giving\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1906"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/giving\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1906"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}