Office of Public Relations

Pomona, NJ  08240

 

American Foundation for Greek Language and Culture to Mark Endowment for Hellenic Studies Center at Stockton College of N.J.

 

$300,000 gift to fund first stage of interdisciplinary center

 

 

For Immediate Release

June 30 ,2003

 

Contact:   Tim Kelly

                  Stockton Public Relations

                  (609) 652-4950

 

POMONA, NJ The American Foundation for Greek Language and Culture (AFGLC) entered into a unique relationship with The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, with the recent announcement of The Colleges new interdisciplinary center for the preservation and study of the Greek culture and language.  The Foundation has endowed Stockton with $300,000 to begin funding for the center.

 

A ceremony to mark the occasion will took place last week in the Ssports Center on the Pomona Campus. The event will also had historical significance as the last formal presidential ceremony in the administration of longtime Stockton President Vera King Farris.  Dr. Farris, who served the college since 1983, was  recently succeeded by Herman J. Saatkamp Jr.  Dr. Saatkamp is the former Dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Professor at Indiana University / Purdue University at Indianapolis.

 

Farris downplayed that aspect of the event and preferred to focus attention on the opportunity the endowment would bring to Stockton students.

 

Hellenic culture has contributed much to the development of civilization, she said. This center will be one of the first of its kind in the nation to help preserve, protect and study that culture in areas such as literature, history, philosophy, art, and many other contributions to society.

 

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Dr. Farris added that the College faculty, students and staff would also look forward to expanding its relationship with the local Greek community in helping to establish the Center. This has been one of our strongest and most loyal constituencies over the years, and this is a natural progression of our friendship, she said.

 

Representatives of the American Foundation for Greek Language and Culture expected to be in attendance at the ceremony will include Foundation President Chris Tsokos, and Dr.Peter Yiannos, President/ Director of the Tri-State Executive Committee.

 

The Foundation is a non-profit public educational organization headquartered in Tampa Florida, where it has established the first major interdisciplinary center for Hellenic Studies at The University of South Florida.  It aims to establish other such centers throughout the nation.  Stockton is among the select few institutions targeted for centers in the United States. In addition to the center at University of South Florida, there is one at the University of Missouri, St. Louis.  Internationally, the Foundation has established Centers in Athens, and Bogot, Colombia. Stockton will be affiliated with the Tri-state regional center headquarters for Hellenic Studies covering the states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.

 

Each center consists of five professorships, endowed in perpetuity, covering Language and Literature, Philosophy, History, Culture, Byzantine History and Orthodox Religion. Stocktons center will be a partnership with the AFGLC the Onassis Foundation, and a variety of other groups and institutions to help fund lectures and provide materials for the classroom and media center.  Outside sources will also be explored for funding from grants.

 

Stocktons center will initially include the Greek Language and Literature and Greek Culture components. Demetrious Constantelos, the Charles Townsend Distinguished Professor of History and Religious Studies and Research Scholar in Residence at Stockton will serve as the centers first honorary director.  He is a resident of Linwood. Constantelos has been instrumental in the development of Stocktons existing Greek studies program.

 

Some of the plans for the center call for lectures, study trips to Greece, and scholarships for deserving students.

 

 

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