Monmouth University

Monmouth University is a private university in West Long Branch, New Jersey. Founded in 1933 as Monmouth Junior College, it became Monmouth College in 1956 and Monmouth University in 1995 after receiving its charter.

There are about 4,400 full-time and 260 part-time undergraduate and 1,750 graduate students, as well as 302 full-time faculty members. About 80% of faculty members hold Ph.D.s or other terminal degrees in their field of study. The university's student-to-faculty ratio is about 14:1. Because of the university's relatively small student population, class sizes are capped between 20 and 35 and no classes are taught by teaching assistants. Forty-four percent of students live on-campus. Most of Monmouth's student body is drawn from the northeastern United States, although students from 29 states and 28 foreign countries add to the school's diversity.

History
Monmouth College was founded in 1933 as a junior college. On January 18, 1956, Monmouth received accreditation to grant four-year Bachelor's degrees, and in March 1995, it received its university charter from the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education.

Presidents

 * 1933 to 1956:   Edward G. Schlaefer (Dean)
 * 1956 to 1957:   Eugene H. Lehman
 * 1957 to 1962:   Edward G. Schlaefer
 * 1962 to 1971:   William G. Van Note
 * 1971 to 1979:   Richard J. Stonesifer
 * 1980 to 1993:   Samuel Hays Magill
 * 1993 to 2003:   Rebecca Stafford
 * 2003 to 2013: Paul G. Gaffney II
 * 2013 to 2017: Paul R. Brown
 * 2017 to present: Grey J. Dimenna
 * Incumbent 2019: Patrick F. Leahy

Woodrow Wilson Hall
The centerpiece of the Monmouth University campus is Wilson Hall. Originally, it was the site of the Shadow Lawn mansion, constructed in 1903 and housed 52 rooms. United States President Woodrow Wilson stayed in the mansion during his campaign in summer of 1916.

After Shadow Lawn was destroyed by a fire in 1927, the building that would become Wilson Hall was built as a residence for Mr & Mrs. Hubert Templeton Parson. Mr. Parson was the former head of F.W. Woolworth Company. The building was designed by Horace Trumbauer and Julian Abele. Abele is regarded as the first professional African American architect.

Wilson Hall became municipal property during the Great Depression and until Monmouth University acquired ownership, it was home to Highland Manor Junior College, a private girls' school. Today, it is a National Historic Landmark. Some classrooms and the administrative offices are inside of the building.

Wilson Hall was named to the National Register of Historic Places on March 28, 1978 under the name Shadow Lawn. It was named a National Historic Landmark on February 4, 1985.

Wilson Hall has also been a host of the film version of Annie, starring Aileen Quinn. Some of the scenes in this movie were filmed inside and outside of the building along with the rest of the Monmouth University Campus. Wilson Hall was used as Daddy Warbucks' mansion.

Murry and Leonie Guggenheim Memorial Library
In 1903, Murry Guggenheim (1858–1939), son of Meyer Guggenheim, bought property in West Long Branch to build a summer residence for himself and his wife, Leonie. The original structure of the Beaux-Arts mansion, designed by Carrère and Hastings is now the Murry and Leonie Guggenheim wing of the Monmouth University Library.

It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 28, 1978.

Lauren K. Woods Theater
The Guggenheim estate also included a stable and carriage house across the road on Cedar Avenue. This has been converted into the Lauren K. Woods Theatre.

Organization
Monmouth University is organized into seven schools:


 * Wayne D. McMurray School of Humanities and Social Sciences
 * School of Education
 * Leon Hess Business School
 * School of Social Work
 * School of Science
 * Marjorie K. Unterberg School of Nursing and Health Studies
 * The Honors School

Centers of Distinction

 * Center for the Arts
 * Monmouth University Polling Institute
 * Kislak Real Estate Institute
 * Institute for Global Understanding (on hiatus)
 * Institute for Health and Wellness
 * Urban Coast Institute

Activities
Monmouth University has a variety of on-campus clubs and organizations, including the campus television station HawkTV; the college radio station WMCX-FM, one of the last media outlets to interview Bob Marley and the first media outlet in America to announce his death; and the student-run newspaper The Outlook, which has been published since 1933.

The Department of Art and Design is an active participant in the arts of Monmouth. It maintains multiple galleries for exhibiting creative works of students, faculty, and staff, as well as practicing artists and designers.

Monmouth University also has its own independent, student run record label, Blue Hawk Records. The music organization allows students to learn hands-on, gaining relevant experience and encountering situations that would occur in the Music Industry. Blue Hawk Records allows students to work together, alongside experienced industry professionals, to build their skills in talent scouting, artist promotion and development, live music and record releases, artwork, packaging, sales, marketing, further learning the structure of business and how to mold artists into marketable material.

Fraternities

 * Tau Delta Phi (Delta Tau Chapter)
 * Delta Tau Delta (Kappa Gamma chapter)
 * Phi Kappa Psi (New Jersey Beta chapter)
 * Sigma Pi (Delta Beta chapter)
 * Sigma Tau Gamma (Epsilon Omicron chapter)
 * Lambda Theta Phi (Pi Chapter)

Sororities

 * Alpha Kappa Alpha (Tau Eta chapter)
 * Alpha Omicron Pi (Iota Theta chapter)
 * Alpha Sigma Tau (Beta Omega chapter)
 * Alpha Xi Delta (Iota Nu chapter)
 * Chi Upsilon Sigma (Gamma Beta chapter)
 * Delta Phi Epsilon (Delta Omega chapter)
 * Lambda Theta Alpha (Tau Chapter)
 * Phi Sigma Sigma (Delta Phi chapter)
 * Zeta Tau Alpha (Kappa Nu chapter)

Student residences

 * Beechwood Hall
 * Cedar Hall
 * University Bluffs
 * Elmwood Hall
 * Garden Apartments
 * Great Lawn Apartments
 * Laurel Hall
 * Maplewood Hall
 * Mullaney Hall
 * Hesse Hall
 * Oakwood Hall
 * Pier Village
 * Pinewood Hall
 * Redwood Hall
 * Spruce Hall
 * Willow Hall

Food services

 * C-Store
 * Java City at Bey Hall
 * Library Cafe
 * Magill Commons
 * Rebecca Stafford Student Center
 * Shadow's (formerly "The Underground")
 * Jersey Mike's Subs

Athletics
Monmouth's athletic teams are known as the Hawks. The school competes as a Division I (NCAA) school in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, with football competing as a FCS independent in the 2013 season before joining the Big South Conference in 2014. Monmouth fields the following sports at the Division I level: baseball, basketball (men's and women's), bowling (women's) cross country (men's and women's), field hockey, football, golf (men's and women's), indoor track (men's and women's), lacrosse (women's and men's), soccer (men's and women's), softball, tennis (men's and women's), and track & field (men's and women's). In the fall of 2014, Monmouth announced the reintroduction of swimming programs (women's and men's) at the Division I level in the fall of 2015.

Monmouth University (then still Monmouth College), added football to the school's ledger of sports teams in 1993. The team's first game was played on September 25 of that year. The first points in school history were scored on a bizarre defensive play by intercepting and returning a two-point conversion.

A new multipurpose activity center opened with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on September 16, 2009. The 153200 sqft Center currently serves as the primary indoor athletic structure. A partnership agreement with OceanFirst Bank named the facility as the OceanFirst Bank Center in June, 2016. It houses a 4,100 seat competition arena; a 200-meter; six-lane indoor track; locker rooms; educational and conference space; ground-level bookstore; and fitness center. The new facility adjoins the William T. Boylan Gymnasium a 2,500-seat arena built in 1965. Monmouth has been in the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament in 1996, 2001, 2004, and 2006. Monmouth won their first NCAA men's basketball tournament game in 2006 when they beat Hampton University in that year's play-in game. It was the first time a Northeast Conference school won a game in the NCAA tournament since 1983 when Robert Morris University won in the opening round. Monmouth's men and women's soccer teams as well as baseball and women's lacrosse and men's golf team have also reached the NCAA tournament. The men's lacrosse team made the 2016 NCAA playoff tournament as well. The Monmouth Men's Soccer team is the only sport on campus to ever advance to the 2nd round of the NCAA Tournament. The men's soccer team also hosted three first round NCAA Tournament games on The Great Lawn, in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Monmouth's men's soccer team has even been ranked as one of the top teams in the country. In September 2010, Monmouth attained the #4 spot on the NSCAA/HendrickCars.com National Rankings and has been ranked in the national top 25 every single week for the past two seasons.

Politics and government

 * Tom Gallagher, American diplomat and the first openly homosexual United States Foreign Service officer.
 * DiAnne Gove, member of the New Jersey General Assembly.
 * Noel Lawrence Hillman, United States federal judge.
 * James W. Holzapfel, member of the New Jersey Senate.
 * Declan O'Scanlon, member of the New Jersey Senate.
 * Lori Serrano, former commissioner and chairwoman of the Jersey City Housing Authority.
 * Mitchell Shivers, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs.

Arts and entertainment

 * John Barnes, writer, producer and director.
 * Biggie Biggs, professional wrestler with independent circuits.
 * David J. Burke, producer, screenwriter and film and television director.
 * Cody Calafiore, actor, model, and television personality featured on Big Brother.
 * Jeff DeGrandis, animation director and producer.
 * Siggy Flicker, television personality and author featured on The Real Housewives of New Jersey.
 * Brian Hanlon, sculptor.
 * Stephenie LaGrossa, reality show contestant featured on Survivor.
 * Jack Lawless, musician and drummer for DNCE.
 * Amber Marchese, television personality and entrepreneur featured on The Real Housewives of New Jersey.
 * Dave McDonald, radio personality for the WRAT.
 * Matt Morgan, former professional wrestler with WWE and Total Nonstop Action and television personality featured on American Gladiators.
 * Michael Sorrentino, television personality featured on Jersey Shore.
 * Terry Spear, author and novelist.

Sports

 * Corey Albano, former basketball player in FIBA.
 * R. J. Allen, soccer defender in Major League Soccer.
 * Miles Austin, former American football wide receiver in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles.
 * Alpha Bangura, basketball player in FIBA.
 * Alex Blackwell, former basketball player in the National Basketball Association for the Los Angeles Lakers.
 * Wendy Boglioli, former Olympic swimming champion and swimming coach at Yale University.
 * Brad Brach, baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball.
 * Tevrin Brandon, gridiron football defensive back for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League.
 * Brian Brikowski, former gridiron football defensive end in the Canadian Football League and the Arena Football League.
 * Dave Calloway, college basketball coach and former men's basketball head coach at Monmouth.
 * Jim Carone, college baseball coach and head baseball coach at Wagner College.
 * Tom DeBlass, mixed martial artist formerly with Ultimate Fighting Championship and Bellator MMA.
 * Jose Gumbs, former American football safety in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins.
 * Ed Halicki, former baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball for the San Francisco Giants and California Angels.
 * Chris Hogan, American football wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League.
 * Will Holder, former gridiron football player in the Arena Football League.
 * Brian Kennedy, college basketball coach and current men's basketball head coach at the New Jersey Institute of Technology.
 * Ryan Kinne, former soccer player in Major League Soccer.
 * Eric Klenofsky, soccer goalkeeper for the Toronto FC II of USL League One.
 * Pat Light, baseball pitcher in Major League Baseball.
 * Derek Luke, soccer player in the USL Championship.
 * Chuck Martin, college basketball coach and assistant coach at The University of South Carolina.
 * Bryan Meredith, soccer goalkeeper for the Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer.
 * John Nalbone, former American football tight end in the National Football League for the Miami Dolphins, Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys.
 * Kevin Owens, former basketball player in FIBA.
 * Chevannah Paalvast, basketball player for the Canberra Capitals of the Women's National Basketball League.
 * Ford Palmer, professional middle-distance runner.
 * Christie Pearce, soccer defender and former captain of the United States women's national soccer team.
 * Justin Robinson, basketball player for the Élan Chalon of the LNB Pro A.
 * Greg Soto, mixed martial artist formerly with Ultimate Fighting Championship.
 * Neal Sterling, American football tight end for the New York Jets of the National Football League.
 * Travis Taylor, basketball player for BC Rilski Sportist of the Bulgarian National Basketball League.
 * Hakeem Valles, American football tight end in the National Football League.
 * Anthony Vázquez, soccer defender formerly with the Puerto Rico national football team.

Others

 * Foster Diebold, former president of Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and the University of Alaska System.
 * Ron Lapin, Israeli-born American physician.
 * John Daido Loori, Zen Buddhist priest and founding abbot of Zen Mountain Monastery.
 * Lee Lozowick, spiritual teacher and author.
 * Yvonne Thornton, obstetrician and author.
 * Heather Vitale, television and horse racing journalist.

Notable faculty

 * Steven Bachrach, dean of science and organic chemist.
 * Jenny Rosenthal Bramley, dean of mathematics and physicist.
 * Josh Emmons, professor of English and novelist.
 * Melissa Febos, professor of English and writer.
 * Alex Gilvarry, professor of English and novelist.
 * Amy Handlin, professor of marketing and member of the New Jersey General Assembly.
 * Eduard Helly, professor of mathematics and mathematician.
 * Ken Loeffler, professor of law, collegiate and professional basketball coach, and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame.
 * Joseph W. Oxley, professor of criminal justice, New Jersey Superior Court judge and former Monmouth County sheriff.
 * Steven Pressman, professor of economics and finance and economist.
 * Tommy Tucker, professor of music and bandleader.
 * Michael Waters, professor of English and poet.
 * Kenneth Womack, dean of humanities and social sciences, writer, critic and public speaker.