5 Things Montclair’s Quintuplets Show Us About Higher Education’s Value

Here’s five things Montclair’s “Quints” show about our impact and about the students we serve. 

1. It’s about access. The Povolos qualified for both need and merit-based state, federal and institutional financial aid, including Montclair’s Presidential Scholars program for high-achieving students. Without this combined assistance, they haven’t been shy about saying that college may not have been a possibility for all of them. Providing access to affordable, high-quality higher education to as many students as possible requires a shared investment, but we all benefit.  Ashley Povolo is on her way to becoming a much-needed elementary school teacher, for example. Let’s get back to embracing higher education as a public good to ensure a bright future for our country.

2. Different people need different pathways. Five students, with five different majors and five different career paths, all under one roof. 

The Povolos highlight the fact that, even within the same family, students need the ability to pursue multiple pathways toward achieving their aspirations – and those pathways must include flexible learning options that allow them to progress towards completion while exploring different fields and finding their passion. 

Marcus Povolo knew he wanted a career in business and took advantage of summer and expedited courses while working full-time in order to stay on track and graduate in four years. The result? He’s already landed a job with JPMorgan Chase & Co. Ludovico thought he wanted a career in law but found his way to sales and marketing and also has a job lined up post-graduation.

When institutions are structured this way, the results – which in this case include five students with either full or part-time jobs or defined career plans after graduation – speak for themselves.

3. Quality matters. You can be accessible and excellent. The two do not have to be mutually exclusive, and the Povolos are proof of this. 

By providing access to the resources of a comprehensive research university, they made the most of the opportunity and took advantage of Montclair’s academic rigor in business, education, biochemistry, nutrition and political science. 

Now, they have plans to continue their education in both medical school and law school. Michael is already well on his way to earning his second Montclair degree by enrolling in a 4+1 master’s programs in Nutrition.

4. The idea that students are “spoiled and entitled” is off-base. The narrative that today’s college students are not willing to roll up their sleeves and do the work needs to change. 

All five Povolos held down either full or part-time jobs while completing their bachelor’s degrees. Marcus could not participate in the ABC World News Tonight story I mentioned earlier because he was at work. 

Like thousands of our Montclair graduates and like millions of others around the country, they worked to help support their families while continuing their education. 

Instead of generalizing about students, suggesting they are looking for a free ride, we should be appreciating the lengths they go to transform their lives, and further reduce the barriers to earning their degrees.

5. Hands-on learning is what students want – and what they thrive on. Victoria, the eldest Povolo (by minutes), held multiple undergraduate research positions in Montclair’s Science labs during her college career. Ashley works as a University Fellow and studied abroad in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.

These types of opportunities allow students to take what they learn in the classroom and directly apply it to real-world situations. I routinely hear from students that these are not just the opportunities they want – they are what they need in order to maximize what they’re learning. It’s up to us to facilitate them regardless of subject matter. 

The results, if we succeed, are students prepared to tackle society’s most pressing challenges in any industry. 

The Povolos’ story demonstrates the life-changing impact of access to high-quality university education. At a moment when people are questioning the value of higher education, they need only look at five siblings from New Jersey to see what a college education makes possible for millions of Americans.