Joanne Marren, Esq., Trustee

Bloomfield College Board of Trustees Vice Chair Joanne Marren has always been passionate about the ability of higher education to transform lives.

“I was a scholarship student, the oldest of seven kids in a family that had very limited resources,” said Marren. “It is this personal life experience that is the impetus for my passion about higher education.”

Marren says she was always aware of Bloomfield College through a cousin who was a long-time tenured professor at the small, private institution. Yet, her interest in getting involved with the College piqued when she was invited to attend an Annual Scholarship Dinner by former trustee Rosemary Iversen.

“The Scholarship Dinner was very moving. Students spoke from their hearts about the hurdles they had overcome to pursue their post-secondary education at Bloomfield. The mission of the College and its experience in removing barriers to earning a college degree was center stage. I had always been involved in non-profit work, especially in education,” she said. “Then, on a later date, I met with then-President Levao, and was invited to join the Board.”

Marren was elected to the Bloomfield College Board of Trustees in 2013. “Among all of the education sectors, I feel the most passion for higher education in that it is a gateway to so much of adult life. We have a free public school system in our country which is set up for most individuals to achieve at least a 12^th grade education. But higher education is a stepping stone to the middle class that is not within everyone’s reach. With Bloomfield College serving students who might otherwise be left behind, without the opportunity to earn a college degree, this was very appealing to me,” she said.

Marren had experience as a college trustee, having served on the board of her alma mater, Le Moyne College, for 13 years. The idea of serving as a trustee at another institution, she said, was appealing to her.

As a long-standing Bloomfield College trustee, Marren is well regarded for her generosity with her time, talent and treasure. When Marren learned about a new program that Bloomfield College students had popular interest in, but that the institution did not have the resources to launch, she quickly stepped in with a generous gift that kicked off the College’s Esports program that would soon become nationally recognized.

“Every student can’t be an athlete,” Marren remembers thinking. “And I considered the many benefits of being involved in athletics such as having a mentor, learning self-discipline and the strict expectations for high academic performance. While I had never before heard of Esports, I learned quickly that students learn the same skills as other sports, including leadership, communication, perseverance and determination. I became passionate about funding the initial stages of the program until such time that the program became part of the athletic budget.”

Keeping her ear to the ground about the needs of Bloomfield students has been a hallmark of Marren’s work on the College’s Board of Trustees. “As a member of the Student Life Committee of the Board, I have worked with leaders of the student government and feel inspired when I can contribute to the enterprising thinking that many students display. I am also very impressed with President Evans’ Senior Leadership Team, an incredible group of people with a strong commitment to the mission of the school. Students are always at the center, and are supported by faculty who care about their lives,” she said.

Marren also established the Therese V. Marren Endowed Scholarship Fund in memory of her mother, and has supported other campus initiatives. Most recently, she learned about student interest in planning a spring formal and she stepped forward with her desire to help.

“I always love hearing students talk about their dreams, their wanting to create an authentic college experience. Such is the case with the spring formal,” she said. “The students needed funding to hold this event that is a typical part of the whole college experience. Unfortunately, not all students get to engage in these types of campus activities that encourage school spirit and student bonding. It’s fun to donate to something that will go directly to students for something they are passionate about. I am very happy to provide the funding that will ensure this exciting student life event that will create a lifetime of memories about their college days takes place for the students.”

Now retired, Marren brings over 20 years of experience in financial services institutions, as well as an extensive track record in higher education to her work on the Bloomfield College Board of Trustees. She began her career in law as an associate at Willkie, Farr & Gallagher in New York City. She then served as Senior Vice President and Corporate Counsel for Shearson Lehman Hutton Incorporated from 1986-88. She then took the role of Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for The Equitable Companies Inc.–now AXA Financial–a position she held until 1996.

A move to Gruntal Financial, LLC followed for Marren, who served as the company’s Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative and Legal Officer and Director until 2001. She has also worked as a Litigation Consultant for Transonic Systems, Inc. where she served on the organization’s Board of Directors, and in law firm client development training at Stackhouse Garber & Associates.

In the field of education, Marren has served as a trustee on boards at various levels, including a term as Board Chair of Nativity Middle School in New York. Concurrently, Marren served in various capacities at LeMoyne College from 1992-2005, including stints as Chair and Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees, and Chair of Academic Affairs and Student Development. She has served as a member of the Board of Trustees at Xavier High School in New York, as well as co-Chair of the school’s Presidential Search Committee. Also involved in teaching, Marren served as Adjunct Professor at Passaic County Community College from 2005 to 2013, and has also served as an Adjunct Professor at Montclair State University.

A graduate of LeMoyne, Marren received her law degree from St. John’s University and participated in Harvard University’s Advanced Management Program in 1990. She continued her studies by earning a CELTA Certification in ESL from Cambridge University in 2005 and a Certificate in Teaching English Language from New School University in 2008. She earned her final degree in 2011, a Master of Arts in Applied Linguistics from Montclair State University.