About an hour from New York City and Philadelphia, and five minutes from the golden beaches of the Jersey Shore, a tight-knit group of students are doing some extraordinary things. They assemble in the residence and academic halls of Monmouth University, where historic and modern architecture blends with stunningly landscaped grounds to create what BuzzFeed calls one of the most beautiful campuses in the world.
Getting Your Hands Dirty, at Least Metaphorically
At Monmouth, they believe learning, and life, are richer when you step out of your comfort zone and expose yourself to new experiences and people. It’s a place where the classroom is only the beginning of your education. So, every student is required to participate in Experiential Education, completing at least one hands-on course in their major or minor through an internship, service learning or corporate project, cooperative education placement, or through the study-abroad program.
Through Monmouth’s alternative spring break program, Rachel Connors ’14 spent 11 days building a new school for poverty-stricken children in Guatemala. She also spent four months in London studying communications and psychology (and exploring Europe in her down time).
“To be able to fully immerse myself in different cultures was thrilling, freeing, and entirely unforgettable,” she said.
From the Sea to C Major, Opportunities of a Lifetime
Surf and sand aren’t the only perks of a campus a stroll away from the Atlantic. With Monmouth’s Marine and Environmental Biology program and the Urban Coast Institute (featuring a beautiful, new, 49-foot research vessel, the Nauvoo), the opportunities for undergraduate research are as vast as, well, the ocean. Megan O’Donnell, BS, ’16 took full advantage, “Aside from the research I have participated in here at Monmouth, the faculty also helped me network at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Marine Science Lab on Sandy Hook and with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP)...Getting involved in different research opportunities and beginning to network has been invaluable.”
Few schools have their own recording label or an affiliation with the Grammy Museum, and only one has Bruce Springsteen’s Archives. Music, and the music business, are a big deal at Monmouth University. Internships, performance opportunities and the chance to interact and network with industry players abound. Just ask Mark Rodriguez, Music Industry major, class of 2020, “It’s not just the music or the business aspects of this program — it’s both combined that makes it special. From sitting in on jam and recording sessions to managing a band in the applied industry class, you really gain insight into both the promotional and creative sides of the word of music.”
95% of Monmouth students have participated in at least one high impact experience (including service learning, research with faculty, internship or field experience, study abroad) by their senior year (Source: 2018 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE))
Bachelor’s? Master’s? Why Not Both?
For students who come to college knowing they want to continue beyond their Bachelor’s degree to a Master’s, Monmouth University helps them get there faster with its Baccalaureate/Master’s Programs. Motivated students can graduate with both degrees in as little as five years (for many programs), knowing they are well prepared for their career.
Hawks Soar. It’s Just What They Do.
On the Best Colleges lists from Princeton Review, Money magazine and U.S. News & World Report, Monmouth University offers students everything they’re looking for and more. You’ll find a beautiful campus five minutes from the beach, world-class faculty and facilities, Division 1 sports teams, a robust and active alumni community that loves to help their fellow Hawks with networking, internships and jobs, and an engaged, friendly and passionate student body. It really is a place where students can soar.