Spring Break Takes Students Around the World
Galloway, N.J. - Spring break can be a time to relax.
But for some Stockton students, it’s a time to get busy, going to conferences, taking on alternative spring break community service projects, or traveling for academic study trips.
Here’s how some Stockton students and faculty spent Spring Break
Give Kids the World
Stockton students in the Alpha Phi Sigma (Criminal Justice Honor Society) took an alternative spring break to Give Kids the World in Florida.
Led by Criminal Justice professors Christine Tartaro and Joshua Duntley, the 15 students volunteered at the resort, which hosts children with life-threatening illnesses and their families who are assisted through the Make a Wish Foundation. The students worked as concierges, shuttle drivers, talent show coordinators and dining hall servers.
Student groups represented included: Criminal Justice/Alpha Phi Sigma Honor Society, DPT, Nursing, Stockton Track Team, Stockton Honor’s Program, and Criminal Justice Dual Degree, History, Biology, Biochemistry, Education, Physics, and Literature.
For two participants, the trip is also a chance to give back to the resort that granted
wishes to their own family members who were fighting cancer at the time and now doing
well. Josh Duntley's daughter and freshman biology major Brandon Cunha's sister were
both with recipients.
Sharing in Colombia
Students from the School of Health Sciences visited Escuela Colombiana de Rehabilitacion in Bogota, Colombia to exchange research presentations with the students there.
They also had the chance to tour a coffee plantation and learn traditional Colombian dances and games.
Veterans Travel to Greece
The Stockton Student Veteran Organization (SVO) went to Greece for Spring Break. The 19 participates spent 12 days touring Athens,
Nafplio, Sparta, Olympia and Itahki where they toured Sparta Theatre and learned about
the ancient Olympic games. The trip is linked to a course on Homer's Odyssey designed
specifically for veterans.
Japan Study Tour
Thirteen students, many who are taking the Japanese Art and Culture course,went with Professors Kate Ogden and Hannah Ueno to Tokyo, Japan. They toured the Tokyo National Museum, the Station Gallery, Shinto Shrine and the region.
Habitat for Humanity Helpers
The Office of Event Services and Campus Center Operations and the Office of New Student and Family Programs, in collaboration with other offices, sponsored 51 students and staff for Alternative Spring Break.
The group travelled on community service trips to Cabarrus County Habitat for Humanity in Concord, N.C. and Mon County Habitat for Humanity in Morgantown, W.V. where they learned some new buildings skills and helped families get a home.
Let’s Dance
Professors Beau Hancock and Caitlin Quinn Pettinger brought 18 dance students to
the annual American College Dance Association conference.
A work by Stockton guest artist, Robert Moses Kin, called The Supplicant, was chosen to be highlighted in the culminating Gala Concert. The work was selected
for excellence and received spectacular feedback from professionals in the field.
The students were thrilled to represent Stockton and demonstrate the strength of the
Dance program.
Students also performed their own works and Pettinger and Hancock performed and led
master classes.
Thailand Trip
Student Hanna Anderson participated in the Bamboo Project Surin Elephant Village Project
in Thailand where she participated in agricultural and building projects, and visited
with children in the local schools in the village.
The Surin Project aims to improve the living conditions of captive Asian elephants by providing economic sustainability for their owners through responsible volunteer tourism. The project works alongside the Gwi community in the Surin Elephant Study Centre in the village of Ban Tha Klang in the Surin Province in North East Thailand.
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Contact:
Diane D’Amico
Director of News and Media Relations
Galloway, N.J. 08205
Diane.D’Amico@stockton.edu
609-652-4593
stockton.edu/media