On an evening filled with energy and optimism, Monmouth University announced its most ambitious undertaking yet: Excellence. Access. Ambition. The Campaign for Monmouth University. Unveiled during the 50th annual Gala at the Great Hall on Dec. 7, the $175 million initiative is the largest fundraising campaign in the University’s 91-year history. 

This historic campaign reflects Monmouth’s evolution from a local junior college to a nationally ranked university and aims to secure the institution’s future as a place where ambition meets opportunity.

Designed to advance the University’s strategic plan, the campaign focuses on three key priorities: enhancing campus facilities, endowing academic excellence and student access, and enriching learning opportunities through annual fund support. 

“Excellence. Access. Ambition. underscores Monmouth University’s unwavering commitment to transforming students’ lives and creating a more equitable and innovative future in higher education,” said Henry D. Mercer, III ’87, ’17HN, who together with his wife, Joan, is chairing the campaign.

President Patrick F. Leahy added, “Our bold aspirations for the campaign will ensure that a Monmouth education remains within reach for deserving students regardless of their means and advance our goal to make Monmouth University a national leader at integrating excellence and access.”

Transforming Students’ Lives—and Monmouth’s Future

Monmouth University has always strived to balance academic rigor with accessibility, ensuring that students from all backgrounds can achieve their dreams. Founded during the Great Depression as a junior college providing local students access to higher education, Monmouth has grown into a nationally ranked university with doctoral programs, Division I athletics, and state-of-the-art facilities. Throughout this evolution, the University has remained true to its founding principle: access. 

However, today’s higher education landscape presents new challenges, from rising competition for a shrinking pool of college-age students to increasing demands for financial aid. Excellence. Access. Ambition. is a direct response to these challenges, positioning Monmouth to remain a place where students from all backgrounds can thrive. The campaign’s success will provide critical resources for three key priorities that together ignite the spark of ambition and opportunity.

Priority 1: Enhancing the Campus

Strategic investments will enrich the University’s facilities, creating an exceptional learning environment and strengthening the Monmouth experience. In addition to a number of campus enhancement projects, three major capital investments—each inviting support from donors of all levels—include: 

Priority 2: Endowing Academic Excellence and Student Access

A robust endowment is essential to sustaining Monmouth’s long-term growth and securing its mission for generations to come. Through the campaign, the University aims to expand scholarships, ensuring that financial barriers never prevent deserving students from attending Monmouth—not just today, but in perpetuity. At the same time, the campaign supports faculty development and innovative academic programming, strengthening Monmouth’s ability to attract and retain top-tier educators who inspire, challenge, and mentor students.

Priority 3: Annual Funds to Support Students Today

Annual funds provide vital resources that directly benefit today’s students. These flexible resources address immediate needs such as scholarships, hands-on learning opportunities, and enhancements to campus life. Increasing annual support enables Monmouth to respond to emerging challenges and opportunities, preparing students for successful post-graduate careers. 

The Impact of Giving

At the heart of Monmouth’s Excellence. Access. Ambition. campaign are the students whose lives are transformed by the generosity of donors. Two such stories, shared at the campaign kickoff event, illustrate the transformative power of philanthropy.

Kylensky Miracle, a sophomore pursuing dual degrees in economics and finance and musical theater, shared how donor-funded scholarships opened doors he once thought impossible. Raised in a three-bedroom apartment that housed 14 family members, he faced constant challenges but stayed focused on school, guided by his father and his own determination. The first in his family to attend college, Miracle described Monmouth as the place where he can merge his passions, excel academically, and set a positive example for his younger siblings. “Because of donors like you, you have given me hope, a future, and a way,” he said.

Emily Singer, a junior communication major and member of Monmouth’s field hockey team, moved 9,000 miles from New Zealand to pursue her education. She credited her scholarship support with making her Monmouth experience possible and the University’s student life resources with helping her overcome personal challenges. “Thanks to Monmouth, I am living a life-changing experience,” she said. 

Together, their stories illustrate how philanthropy provides the spark that ignites ambition and opportunity, ensuring that Monmouth remains a place where students from all backgrounds can thrive. 

Join Us in This Ambitious Undertaking

The Excellence. Access. Ambition. campaign is more than a call for support—it is an invitation to shape Monmouth’s future. Its success, President Leahy said, “will help elevate academic excellence, expand educational opportunities, enhance our campus, and establish Monmouth University as a leading force in higher education.”

Campaign co-chair Henry Mercer echoed the transformative potential of this effort during his remarks at the gala, emphasizing that reaching the ambitious $175 million goal will require the collective commitment of the entire Monmouth community. 

“With your help, we can raise Monmouth’s stature and clout to the level we aspire to—and, most critically, nurture future generations of Hawks,” Mercer said. He closed with a fitting nod to Bruce Springsteen: “As the Boss says—you can’t start a fire without a spark. Please help us provide that spark.”

From new programs to national recognition—view the campaign’s early impact.

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For more information about the campaign priorities and ways to give, visit the Excellence. Access. Ambition. campaign website or contact Amanda Klaus ’09, vice president for university advancement, at campaign@monmouth.edu.