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Friends, family, & community – turning 40 is a milestone that may seem daunting, but also provides an opportunity for reflection. I look back on four fun decades, filled with challenges and accomplishments. Receiving a top notch education has prepared me for continuous learning and skill development, and at the center of so many of my memories are my relationships. I am eternally grateful to Montclair State University for opening doors to both a world of education and a lifetime of relationships I could not imagine being without.
In respect to the indispensable memories I enjoy on my 40th birthday as a result of my decision to attend Montclair State University, I am donating this milestone birthday in an effort to raise money for student scholarships at my alma mater. This is a call to action and an invitation to join me in supporting this amazing institution and providing the next wave of students with the opportunity to build the same memories.
I met my beautiful wife, Rebecca, at Montclair State University. We have reveled in our respective roles as alumni and as members of the classes of 2004 and 2006. We welcomed our son, Liam, into our nest in 2017.
I met several of my closest friends at Montclair State University, and have served as a groomsman and best man at several weddings of other “MSUnions.” I toasted Orlando and Julie, Derek and Amanda, Chris and Shawnna, Abby and Johan, and Stacy and Andy as they made their vows to one another. I’ve teed off with DJ Wuss, hired more than 100 alumni in my role as a Talent Acquisition Professional, and spoken at 6 graduations hoping to inspire thousands of new alumni to remain connected to Montclair State. My son watched his first football game next to President Susan Cole in the endzone tent at Homecoming. Rocky the Red Hawk visited my home during quarantine. I have personally embarrassed myself and my co-workers at every single Red Hawk Open. I’ve followed the lead of my mentor, MSU professor Dr. Rob Gilbert, and become a professional speaker. I’ve hugged Frank Marino at my son’s baptism. I’ve served on boards with Jon, Ian, Pooja, George, Arun, and Pete to show the MSU Community that young alumni are a force for the future.
My life has been cast with countless characters I only know thanks to Montclair State University, and I want the next generation of student leaders to have the same opportunities. We can help them get there together.
During September 2021, I hope you’ll consider supporting my birthday initiative. Regardless of whether you are an alum of Montclair State or not, I promise that any donation to this fundraiser will have a profound impact on future generations. As I celebrate my 40th birthday, perhaps we can answer the question, “what do you get for the man who has everything?” The answer is simple – we come together, join hands, and pay it forward.
Thank you for celebrating with me by supporting future students of Montclair State!
Chris W. Fitzpatrick
B.S. Business Administration
Class of 2004
A gift of $120.04 will provide critical funding to student scholarships and honor the academic class of 2004. This generous gift is the first of our giving levels and will support the scholarships of current and future student leaders.
At the $250 level you become a “Goggins Gift Giver,” which was the name of the Student Government Association’s intramural teams from 2002-2004 in honor of a former MSU employee. Chris was a member of the Goggins Inner Tube Water Polo Team and briefly played on the softball team before revealing to everyone that he was a defensive liability who was better off as a bench coach. As a “Goggins Gift Giver” you provide support for scholarships for student leaders who will continue to shape the University and our communities for years to come.
Active Students Serving in Society Together, or A.S.S.I.S.T., is the organization Chris Fitzpatrick co-founded in 1999 alongside some of his closest friends. A.S.S.I.S.T. was a philanthropic organization first chartered in the SGA in November of 1999 and was famous for “The People’s Coffeehouse,” an open mic night in held in the Student Center Rathskellar every other Thursday Night for more than 5 years. A gift at this level in honor of the charity work and impact A.S.S.I.S.T. had on the campus community helps to provide needed financial support to student leaders in their academic journey.
Many of Chris’s fondest memories (and biggest challenges) were as a member of the Student Government Association of Montclair State University, where he served as a legislator and chair of the Appropriations committee from 1999-2001, Executive Vice President from 2001-2002, and Executive President from 2002-2003. A gift at this level not only provides tremendous support for scholarships for student leaders, it also includes the donor in the Montclair State University “President’s Club,” which is reserved for Montclair State’s most generous financial supporters.