Mondays are especially packed for Sara, beginning in her dorm room with an 8 a.m. Zoom meeting for the John Martinson Honors EDGE Program.

As she begins another week at ����vlog, Sara Flores is already moving with purpose. A Linguistics major and honors student, she starts her busy Monday with an early-morning Zoom alongside campus leaders. By evening, she’s in Paterson, helping adult ESL learners at Eastside High School as part of the University’s One-Square Mile initiative.

Flores reflects on her journey – balancing classes, service and her passion to empower those who are often overlooked.

Pursuing Excellence, Honoring Family

A classmate squeezes in a few extra minutes of sleep before class, while Sara catches up on emails. Despite being in her second year at Montclair, Sara’s college-level work in high school means she’s already classified as a junior.

As first gen, I want to make it worth my parents’ money, time and sacrifices – and for myself too. Education is a privilege; you have to take the opportunities in front of you because this environment doesn’t exist elsewhere.”

Her schedule includes Introduction to Cognitive Science with Associate Professor Lauren Covey, an opportunity to better understand how the mind works.

Campus Life: Finding Balance

Sara manages her busy Mondays by using moments of downtime to relax – especially outdoors on campus when the weather is nice.

Lunch on the go: Sara runs on Dunkin’, grabbing an iced coffee and croissant sandwich between commitments.

After a stop at her room in Dinallo Heights, she’s off again for another campus event.

Connecting with Martinson Honors EDGE

Sara sets up for a student event with Montclair’s John Martinson Honors EDGE Program. Thanks to a $5 million gift from philanthropist John Martinson, honors students now benefit from expanded academic, creative and leadership opportunities as well as $5,000 Creative Learning stipends for study abroad, internships and research.

The classes in Honors encourage you to rethink your beliefs and the way things are structured, and then apply that to your field.”

Sara chats with other Honors students during Field Day.

As an officer, I’m always thinking about making events inclusive – considering commuters, timing and exam weeks. We work hard to make sure students feel supported.”

Experiential Learning in Linguistics

Beyond Honors, Sara holds a paid internship in the Linguistics lab. Her work involves annotating speech – tracking starts, stops and word emphasis.

Sara arrives at Eastside High School in Paterson, where funding from the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and Paterson Public Schools support a full-service community school, including English classes for adults.

Unlocking Possibilities Through Language

The language classes at Eastside – center of the One Square Mile initiative – help adults unlock new possibilities. Sara works with beginners on introducing themselves and sharing their origins, encouraging real-life questions and translation support.

Working with adult ESL learners in Paterson has shown me how many people in my community have had opportunities kept from them for so long. I want to help others continue their dreams, in whatever way I can.”

Sara shows fellow Bonner volunteers how to search for training opportunities and track their volunteer hours.

Language, Identity, Mutual Learning

Sara grew up speaking Spanish at home but only learned to read the language at age 13.

Learning Spanish has been an adjustment for me. I still sometimes use informal words or slang. When I tutor, I warn students about my Spanish and ask them to correct me. In the same way they’re learning English, I’m learning – and improving – my Spanish. It’s a good relationship because we both learn.”

As told to Marilyn Joyce Lehren

for a complete look at Sara’s day as a student, campus leader and ESL teacher.

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Major Gift Fuels Change

A $5 million gift from philanthropist John Martinson is powering program enhancements that expand interdisciplinary and experiential learning, with a focus on:

• Preparing innovative leaders
• Supporting creative and socially impactful academic pathways
• Investing in interdisciplinary study and student engagement on campus and beyond

Executive Director Jeff Strickland described this as a defining chapter: “Our vision for honors is bold – to expand access, to promote creativity and leadership, and to ensure that Montclair stands at the forefront of public honors education.”

President Jonathan Koppell addresses students gathered at the John Martinson Honors EDGE reception, encouraging them to embrace creativity and social transformation. (Photo by Mileena Torres ’21)

Reception Welcomes Students

A welcome reception kicked off the��John Martinson Honors EDGE (Engage, Discover, Grow, Experience) Program on September 8, gathering about 120 honors students and faculty. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the honors program at Montclair.��

Speaking to the energy of the new academic year and the program’s milestone, President Jonathan Koppell emphasized the centrality of creativity and social transformation.

��“You have demonstrated commitment, curiosity and eagerness to develop your own potential,” he told the students.

Provost Junius J. Gonzales reinforced this challenge, urging students to make creativity their “competitive advantage in business, scholarship, in your work and future lives.”

Sociology Professor Christopher Donoghue teaches one of Montclair’s signature honors courses, “Honors Creativity,” which underscores that creativity is a cultivated skill tied to public purpose. (Photo by University Photographer Mike Peters)

Students credit the program with shaping their academic direction and personal growth. Krishita Vaghani, a junior in Computer Science, said: “Honors is not only preparing us for the future, it’s teaching us to create the kind of future worth living in.”

Expanded Experiences and Opportunities��

Martinson’s gift makes possible expanded academic, creative and leadership opportunities for honors students:

• Creative Learning stipend – $5,000 for every honors student to pursue study abroad, internships and research
• Honors Leadership Certificate – a planned program integrating leadership training into coursework
• Interdisciplinary research clusters – planned initiatives connecting faculty and students across fields
• Distinguished visiting faculty – bringing national experts to campus for mentoring and teaching
• Collaborations – expanded ties to the Martinson Collaborative linking Montclair with 10 leading honors programs nationwide, also funded by Martinson

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.��

“These enhancements elevate Montclair’s position among public universities while giving students expanded avenues for discovery and impact,” Strickland noted. “Honors EDGE is not just a curriculum – it is a community and a calling. It is about cultivating knowledge and creativity, not for ourselves alone, but for the larger public good.”

Ready to Start Your Montclair Journey?

Learn more about admission criteria to the John Martinson Honors EDGE Program and take your first step in applying to become a Red Hawk.

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.

A New Era for Honors at Montclair

Reflecting on the significance of the gift, Montclair President Jonathan Koppell said:

“John Martinson’s 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.

“Achieving 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’ leadership and creativity, thus preparing them to take on the biggest challenges in business and civic life.”

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 ����vlog in recognition of Martinson’s transformative gift. (Photo by University Photographer Mike Peters)

Expanding Access and Inclusion

The gift, Koppell added, “is the latest in an unbelievable series of investments in our shared future.”��

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.

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.

“This investment reflects my deep belief in Montclair’s mission, its accomplished and innovative faculty, strong university leadership, and my confidence that its students will become the next generation of leaders and innovators,” Martinson said. “Their creativity, energy and potential to improve the world inspire my philanthropy.”

Martinson added, “I 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.”

What Sets Montclair Apart

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.��

Students will be challenged to expand their minds, brainstorm and loosen the boundaries of their imaginations,” applying creative thinking to real-world problems and day-to-day settings. “They’ll come away with the most salient and indelible experiences in college.” — Provost Junius J. Gonzales.

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.��

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.

The mission is to provide opportunities for those who might not otherwise have access to such experiences, allowing them to “take leaps into places and situations they’ve never been,” 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.

Program Enhancements

• Creative and Leadership Workshops: Expanded offerings, including the introduction of an Honors Leadership Certificate and interdisciplinary research clusters.
• Distinguished Visiting Faculty: Bringing in experts to enrich the curriculum and mentor students.
• Experiential Learning: More international and domestic travel, paid internships, mentorships, research opportunities and study-abroad programs.��
• Every honors student will receive a $5,000 “Creative Learning” stipend to support these pursuits.
• Community Engagement: Courses like “Community Matters” connect students with local and global issues, ensuring learning goes beyond the classroom.
• National Advisors: External advisors from Yale, Rice and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville bring national perspectives and best practices to Montclair.

Jacob Roby, a senior double majoring in Policy Studies and Political Science, has earned prestigious fellowships and internships — exemplifying the caliber of students the John Martinson Honors EDGE Program is designed to support and elevate. (Photo by University Photographer Mike Peters)

High-Impact Student Opportunities

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’s honors program that Martinson’s investment will elevate to even greater heights.

Roby credits Honors EDGE for enabling him to secure prestigious fellowships and internships — including roles as a Research Fellow at the Wilson Center and a Student Fellow at the USDA.��

“����vlog, especially the honors program, is really what I would call an American Dream university,” Roby says. “It’s 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.”��

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 — opportunities she says broadened her perspective on education and community.��

The Honors Program has given me hands-on experiences and helped me rethink how I want to teach and learn. It’s not just about academics — it’s about building a community where students feel like they’re part of something bigger.” — Sara Flores

Flores’ 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.

Building Community and Alumni Connections

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.��

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.��

“This extraordinary gift elevates the student experience at Montclair,” says Strickland. “It is transformational for honors and for the entire institution, enabling students to benefit from what we hope will become a nationally recognized program.”

Ready to Start Your Montclair Journey?

• Prospective Students: It’s not too late to apply! ����vlog is and deposits for fall 2025.
• Looking Ahead? The application for fall 2026 opens August 1. Plan your visit and in applying to become a Red Hawk!
• Interested in the John Martinson Honors EDGE Program? Learn more from the Executive Director.��