The University’s 81st Anniversary Founders’ Day was celebrated on Wednesday, Oct. 8 in the Multi-Purpose Athletic Center (MAC). This occasion also marked the 20th anniversary of Monmouth’s status as a University.
The ceremony began at 2:15 pm with a processional led by the University Chamber Orchestra, under the direction of Specialist Professor Michael Gillette, followed by “America the Beautiful,” performed by Monmouth’s Chamber and Concert Choruses.
Following the entrance of numerous alumni and other distinguished members of the Monmouth community, President Paul Brown began with some opening remarks and welcomed the first of a variety of speakers.
Henry D. Mercer III, a member of the Class of 1987 and Chair of the Board of Trustees, took the podium. “This is a special day,” Mercer said. “It is the first time I have the privilege of welcoming you as the Board Chair. [Day’s like Founders’ Day] gave me appreciation and respect for the value of education.”
While furthering education was certainly a prevalent theme throughout the convocation, the entire celebration focused heavily on time: past, present and future. As noted by Ali Tuyahov, President of the Student Government Association (SGA), Founders’ Day is a great opportunity to revel in the University’s successes, but it is also the time to prepare for the future. She said, “Today, we look back at 81 years of success, and look forward to many more.”
Lauren D. Moriarty, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, followed Tuyahov by recognizing student leaders and honor school scholars. Notably, among the University’s many accolades, she noted that Monmouth’s honor students are among the top ten percent of honor students nationwide.
The highlight of the afternoon was the presentation of the distinguished Alumni Award to Thomas Gallagher. Earlier in the day, Gallagher held a short presentation for students and faculty in Wilson Auditorium during which he spoke about his professional experiences.
A Monmouth graduate from the class of 1962, Gallagher immersed himself in international and humanitarian work, joining the John F. Kennedy’s Peace Corps during its inaugural year. He continued his foreign service in numerous positions, notably being the US Consul General in Ecuador, at which point he was the youngest chief of a major diplomatic mission in US history at 34 years of age.
Beyond his service to others, Gallagher also impacted lives when in 1973 he became the first civil servant to openly come out as a gay person.
Despite peppering his speech with some genuine humor, Gallagher recalled that announcing his sexuality could have ended his career very abruptly. After being accepted into the Peace Corps by John F. Kennedy, Gallagher said, “Had he known of my sexual orientation, President Kennedy would have been forced to fire me, as I was a criminal under American jurisprudence. The only crimes more serious than homosexuality were murder, rape and treason.”
Gallagher continued to speak about what could be considered a humanitarian world tour, which saw him serve in Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ecuador, Saudi Arabia, and 17 other countries.
The major takeaway from Gallagher’s speech, however, was his perseverance through his work despite the odds against him. Gallagher recounted that when Bill Clinton ended the policy of firing gay people he returned to the State Department, from which he had resigned some years earlier because of his sexuality. He concluded, “Whatever you do, please don’t ever stop being carefree and frivolous.”
Just before the ceremony came to a close President Brown gave his Founder’s Day address. He described Monmouth as being at a crossroads. He said “We stand at the crossroads of our rich past, our vibrant present, and a future we will shape together.”
The President also emphasized the continual efforts of the Monmouth community to grow and prosper. He said, “Planning new undergraduate programs, expanding graduate programs at Monmouth Park Corporate Center, building new academic and athletic facilities, all while providing a personalized education to our students.”
Ultimately, the 81st Founder’s Day concluded without a hitch, and the Monmouth community looks forward to celebrating the University’s 82nd year in 2015.
Dr. Saliba Sarsar, Associate Vice President for Global Initiatives and member of the Founder’s Day committee, said, “It takes several months of collaborative work on the part of the committee to prepare for Founders’ Day.”
Sarsar added, “Much goes into producing a high quality work, including deciding on and inviting honorees, writing biographies, printing and sending out invitations, ensuring the proper venue for the several events, selecting the music to be played at the ceremony, contacting the media, and so forth.”
As stated by President Brown, “We must document and monitor our own progress as we implement our vision for the future of Monmouth University.”
PHOTO COURTESY of Petra Ludwig
