Legislator-in-Residence Program
The Legislator-in-Residence program is designed to bring New Jersey lawmakers to Stockton programs to engage with the students and faculty and to share their experiences as legislators. By bringing their first-hand stories of the legislative process into the classroom, the legislators will provide additional insight to the subjects of the normal curriculum. At the same time legislators will benefit from engaging with students and faculty on the issues that affect their life in the academic community. Over the course of the program, the Hughes Center invites Republicans and Democrats.
Senator Vincent J. Polistina
Spring 2022
Senator Vincent J. Polistina (R) visited Stockton University on March 9 as the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy Legislator-in-Residence. Polistina was sworn-in Nov. 8, 2021 as the new state senator for New Jersey’s 2nd Legislative District in Atlantic County. He previously served from 2008 to 2012 in the New Jersey General Assembly. During his visit to Stockton, Polistina met with staff of the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism and the Coastal Research Center, visited with President Harvey Kesselman, got a tour of the Sara and Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center and interacted with student leaders, as well as students in Introduction to Public Policy and State and Local Government classes. Learn more.
Assemblymen John Armato and Vincent Mazzeo
Spring 2021
New Jersey State Assemblymen John Armato and Vincent Mazzeo, representatives from
the 2nd Legislative District, visited Stockton University on March 18 and 22 as Legislators-in-Residence. Armato
(D) served as a sergeant in the US Air Force, and was elected to the general assembly
in 2018. He sits on the Agriculture, Health, and Military and Veterans’ Affairs Committees,
and has sponsored 163 bills since being elected. Mazzeo (D) has represented the 2nd
Legislative District since 2014, prior to which he was the mayor of Northfield. He
is the chair of the State and Local Government committee, and also serves on the Labor
and Tourism and the Arts committees.
During their visit to Stockton, the legislators toured the William J. Hughes Center
for Public Policy and the F-wing Veterans’ Lounge, participated in virtual discussions
with the Lloyd D. Levenson Institute of Gaming, Hospitality and Tourism (LIGHT), had
a virtual meeting with the Coastal Research Center, and attended two online classes:
“Urban Environments” with Assistant Professor Dr. Christina Jackson, and “Small Business
Management” with Assistant Professor of Business Studies, Management Healthcare Administration
Dr. Christian Ehiobuche. They also had lunch with Stockton University President Harvey
Kesselman, Interim Provost and Executive Vice President Susan Davenport, and Executive
Director of the Hughes Center Dr. John Froonjian. Learn more.
Senator James Beach
Fall 2017
State Sen. James Beach (D), representative from the 6th Legislative District, visited Stockton University on September 26-27 as the Legislator-in-Residence. Beach toured the Campus Center before meeting with Jason Babin, director of the Office of Veteran & Military Services, and student veterans, who spoke about veterans services and health care. On the second day of his visit, the senator attended classes, including Tools for Social Change, taught by Adjunct Instructor Rona Whitehead; Introduction to Politics, taught by Assistant Professor of Political Science (POLS) Lauren Balasco; and Group Politics, taught by Assistant Professor of POLS Claire Abernathy. He also had lunch with President Harvey Kesselman and others members of University leadership. Beach paid a visit to the Coastal Research Center, where director Stewart Farrell and staff shared research on erosion along the New Jersey coast. He also toured the Stockton Polling Institute and the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy and met with Hughes Center Executive Director Sharon Schulman. Learn more.
Senator Loretta Weinberg
Fall 2016
State Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg (D) visited Stockton University on October 18 - 19 as the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy Legislator-in-Residence. She represents the 37th Legislative District in Bergen County and serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee. During her visit to Stockton, Weinberg took a tour of the Campus Center and toured the Sara and Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center. She met over lunch with Stockton President Harvey Kesselman, Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff Susan Davenport, Provost Lori Vermeulen, Schulman, other administration leaders and members of the faculty. The senator took part in Professor of Political Science Linda Wharton’s Women and the Law class; Assistant Professor of Political Science Jennifer Forestal’s Intro to Politics class; Professor of Economics Ellen Mutari’s Economic Inequality class; Adjunct Instructor and former Activist-in-Residence Rona Whitehead’s Tools for Social Change class; and Assistant Professor of Political Science Dan Mallinson’s Public Administration class. Learn more.
Assemblyman Troy Singleton
Spring 2016
Assemblyman Troy Singleton (D) visited Stockton University on Tuesday, March 1 as the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy Legislator-in-Residence. Singleton, of Palmyra, was first sworn into the New Jersey General Assembly on November 21, 2011, filling the unexpired term of Jack Conners. He represents the 7th Legislative District. While at Stockton, Assemblyman Singleton met with student veterans and members of the Student Senate, and took part in Assistant Professor of Political Science Daniel Mallinson’s State and Local Government class, and Assistant Professor of Political Science Claire Abernathy’s Introduction to American Politics class. Singleton also took a tour of the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy, talked to Daniel Douglas, director of the Hughes Center, and his research team about the center’s current projects, and met with Sharon Schulman, Chief University Relations and Marketing Officer. Learn more.
State Senator Joe Kyrillos
Fall 2015
New Jersey State Senator Joe Kyrillos (R) visited Stockton University on October 13 - 14 as the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy Legislator-in-Residence. Kyrillos has represented the 13th District in the New Jersey State Senate since 1992. During his campus visits, Senator Kyrillos met with students in Instructor of Hospitality and Tourism Management Studies Christina Cavaliere’s Economics of Tourism class; Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Catherine Tredick’s Ecological Principles class; Assistant Professor of Political Science Daniel Mallinson’s State Government class; Associate Professor of Economics Oliver Cooke’s Intro to Macroeconomics class; and Professor of Political Science Linda Wharton’s Civil Liberties class. He also met with members of the Student Senate and students at the Stockton Polling Institute. Kyrillos took tours of the Hughes Center and the University’s Coastal Research Center in Port Republic. Associate Professor of Political Science Michael Rodriguez gave the senator an overview of the Washington Internship Program. Stockton Interim President Harvey Kesselman also met with Kyrillos and conducted a tour of the Campus Center. Learn more.
Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove
Spring 2015
Assemblywoman DiAnne C. Gove (R) visited Stockton University on April 7 - 8 as the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy Legislator-in-Residence. DiAnne C. Gove represents the 9th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly. A former mayor of Long Beach Township, Gove has served in the Assembly since 2009. She sits on the Assembly’s Higher Education and Military and Veterans Affairs committees. While at Stockton, she met with student veterans and members of the Student Senate, took part in a Civic Engagement class and toured the university’s Coastal Research Center in Port Republic. The assemblywoman also met with faculty and staff involved in the Hughes Center’s iCivics project. Additionally, Gove met with students at the Stockton Polling Institute, and participated in classes on public policy and methods for teaching mathematics. She also met with President Herman Saatkamp and other administrators and faculty. Learn more.
State Senator Jim Whelan
Fall 2014
New Jersey State Senator Jim Whelan (D) served as Stockton’s Legislator-in-Residence on September 30 and October 29. Jim Whelan has represented the 2nd Legislative District since his election on January 8, 2008. During his campus visits, Senator Whelan took a tour of the Stockton Polling Institute and met with researchers from the Coastal Research Center, student veterans and the Student Senate. He also visited classes taught by Dr. Donna Albano, associate professor of Hospitality and Tourism and Management Studies; Dr. Bill Quain, associate professor of Hospitality and Tourism Management Studies; Dr. Michael Rodriguez, associate professor of Political Science; and Dr. David Carr, professor of Political Science. Learn more.
State Senator Stephen M. Sweeney
Spring 2014
New Jersey Senate President Stephen M. Sweeney (D) completed two days as Legislator-in-Residence for the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton College during Spring 2014. Stephen M. Sweeney currently serves as the Senate President of New Jersey. He has represented the 3rd Legislative District since being elected in 2002. Sweeney interacted with students, professors and school administrators, and discussed with them a number of issues, including: Sandy recovery, college affordability, needs of South Jersey, jobs and the economy. Senator Sweeney spoke with students in the Introduction to Public Policy class with Dr. Michael Rodriguez, associate professor of Political Science, and also with members of the Student Senate and other student leaders. Sweeney also participated in discussions with Stockton experts including John Froonjian of the Stockton Polling Institute, and Sharon Schulman, CEO of External Affairs and Institutional Research for Stockton College. Learn more.
Assemblyman Brian Rumpf
Fall 2013
Assemblyman Brian E. Rumpf (R) served as Legislator-in-Residence at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey for the 2013 fall Semester. Mr. Rumpf has served in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2003, where he represents the 9th Legislative District, in which Stockton College is located. Rumpf visited the Stockton campus to lecture and meet with the college community on October 30 and November 14. Rumpf met with students, faculty, and staff members to learn firsthand about activities and programs at the college. He met with Robert McNeill Jr. to discuss continuing education with a focus on Stockton’s Center for Public Safety and Security. The legislator also met with Sharon Schulman, CEO of External Affairs and Institutional Research. Additionally, Rumpf lunched with members of the college Student Senate. The November 14 activities included a briefing from the Coastal Research Center, a visit to the Civic Engagement Living Learning Community class, and lunch with President Herman Saatkamp.
Assemblyman David Wolfe
Spring 2013
Assemblyman David W. Wolfe (R) served on February 28 and April 17 as the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy Legislator-in-Residence. David W. Wolfe is a Republican who has represented the 10th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly since 1992. Assemblyman Wolfe spent two days on the Stockton College campus engaging with students, faculty and staff. He participated in several classes, where he was able to share firsthand stories with students who are working with groups and individuals directly grappling with the aftermath of hurricane Sandy. Assemblyman Wolfe also participated in a briefing on the Levenson Institute for Gaming Hospitality and Tourism with Dr. Israel Posner, Executive Director. The discussion focused on recent bills in the State House that would legalize online gaming. Stockton College President Herman Saatkkamp hosted a discussion on Trenton issues important to Stockton with Assemblyman Wolfe. Wolfe also took a tour of the Stockton Polling Institute.
Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver
Fall 2012
New Jersey Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver (D) spent two days on the Stockton Campus as Legislator-in-Residence for the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy for the Fall 2012 semester. Speaker Oliver, an Essex County legislator, spoke in multiple classes, and met with faculty and staff to discuss social services, nursing, and community engagement. She enjoyed dinner with the Steering Committee of the Hughes Center and toured many Stockton facilities including the new Stockton Polling Institute. Sheila Oliver met with Chief Executive Officer of External Affairs & Institutional Research Sharon Schulman, President Herman Saatkamp, and Professor Ann Walker. Speaker Oliver participated in Professor Alan Arcuri’s Introduction to American Government class and Professor Deborah Corbin’s class on Government and Non-Profit Accounting. The Speaker also talked with members of the Student Senate, met with Executive Director of Community Partnerships Reva Curry and sat in on Professor Linda Wharton’s Civil Liberties Class.
State Senator Chris Connors
Spring 2012
Senator Chris Connors (R) served as Stockton’s Legislator-in-Residence in the spring 2012 semester. He represents the 9th District, which now includes Galloway Township. With Barnegat Bay and coastal issues important to his district, Senator Connors met with Stockton marine science faculty and staff during his visit. He is a graduate of Stockton College.
Assembly Majority Leader Louis Greenwald
Fall 2011
Assemblyman Louis D. Greenwald (D) was the Hughes Center’s first Legislator-in-Residence.
The Camden County representative visited during the fall of 2011. The Camden County
legislator is from the 6th District. He chaired the Assembly Budget Committee at the
time of the program. He became the Assembly Majority Leader in January 2012.
