A generous donor has offered a $1,000 challenge to help grow the Robert Ellis Gilbert Endowed Award for Positive Impact in Teaching Fund. When we raise $1,000 by September 30, an additional $1,000 will be unlocked for the fund, doubling the impact of gifts made toward this challenge.

The Robert Ellis Gilbert Endowed Award for Positive Impact in Teaching Fund is being established to honor Dr. “Rob” Gilbert and his extraordinary impact as an Associate Professor in the College for Community Health at Montclair State University for the past 45 years. Thanks to generous supporters, the fund has reached the endowment threshold and will be awarded this fall to an outstanding Montclair State faculty member who embodies Dr. Gilbert’s lasting impact as an educator. The $1,000 challenge provides an opportunity to continue growing the endowment and extend Rob’s legacy for years to come.

Dr. Gilbert teaches sports psychology in the Kinesiology Department, where he has inspired students, alumni, parents, colleagues, fans, and friends through his classroom teaching, books, and “Success Hotline.” Anyone can call his Success Hotline and listen to his three-minute outgoing motivational message, which he has never missed a single day in 33 years. As of April 2025, he has left nearly 12,500 messages, sharing his message of motivation and positivity with countless people.

The Robert Ellis Gilbert Endowed Award for Positive Impact in Teaching will be awarded annually to a current faculty member who has positively impacted the lives of their students and the Montclair State University community over a significant period of their teaching career. This award honors a member of the MSU faculty who excels at teaching, inspiring, and mentoring undergraduate and/or graduate students. The honoree must demonstrate a lasting dedication to the ideals of higher education at Montclair State University and the highest standard of excellence, inspiring academic rigor, engagement, and intellectual curiosity.

The award is meant to acknowledge a faculty member who demonstrates exemplary commitment to their students, is known for their passion for teaching, and inspires students, colleagues, and friends in similar ways. The fund will support the University and its programs that assist students while creating a lasting tribute to the positive impact of exceptional teaching and mentorship.

By making a gift by September 30, you can help us meet the $1,000 challenge and unlock an additional $1,000 for the fund. A gift of any amount will make an impact and help ensure that Dr. Gilbert’s legacy of inspiring others continues for generations to come.