Office of Public Relations

Pomona, NJ 08240

 

 

Stockton College Spring Graduates to

Receive Degrees at 34^th Commencement Exercises, on Sunday May 7

 

Senator Robert Menendez, Edward H. Salmon,

Miles Lerman to Deliver Speeches

 

For Immediate Release

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Contact: Tim Kelly

Stockton Public Relations

(609) 652-4950

 

 

 

GALLOWAY Twp., NJ The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey will conduct Commencement Exercises for its 34th four-year class on Sunday May 7, 2006 in the Sports Center on the campus here.

 

There will be two separate ceremonies for different divisions of the College. All Masters candidates, Arts and Humanities and Professional Studies candidates will take part in a 10:30 a.m. ceremony. All General Studies, Natural Science and Mathematics, and Social and Behavioral Science candidates will participate in a ceremony at 2:00 p.m.

 

Admission tickets are distributed to each graduate. See your graduate to obtain a ticket to the event.

 

A projected total of approximately 1,055 spring undergraduate candidates will participate. There will also be approximately 55 graduate degrees awarded in Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Instructional Technology, Business Administration, Education, Nursing, and Physical Therapy. The Masters candidates will also take part in a special Hooding Ceremony, 8:30 a.m. in the Performing Arts Center.

 

Faculty Grand Marshal will be Mary Lou Galantino, Professor of Physical Therapy. Senator Robert Menendez will be the keynote speaker for the morning commencement for degree candidates in the Arts and Humanities and Professional Studies divisions of the College, as well as the masters degree programs. At the 2 p.m. afternoon commencement for candidates in General Studies, Natural Sciences and Mathematics and Social and Behavioral Sciences, Edward H. Salmon, Founder of Salmon Ventures, Ltd., will deliver the keynote talk.

 

Miles Lerman, a driving force in the founding of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council, and who led the effort to raise $190 million to build the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. will receive an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree and share some of his thoughts during the afternoon ceremony.

 

The Valedictorian for the afternoon ceremony is Rebecca J. Bandomer, who grew up in Marlton and is a graduate of Cherokee High School. At Stockton, she successfully maintained a perfect 4.0 grade point average while pursuing her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. For four years, she has worked in the Counseling Center and Learning Access Program on campus, helping to accommodate students with special needs. During her junior year, Ms. Bandomer completed a semester-long internship in which she looked at feedback and recognition programs within the Sands Casino Hotel in Atlantic City. She is a member of Psi Chi, the National Honor Society for Psychology, a Certified Peer Educator and a member of the Campus Hearing Board. Ms. Bandomer has become involved in the Crohns and Colitis Foundation of America, in which she has worked to increase awareness about gastrointestinal diseases. In the fall she will be attending graduate school to obtain a masters degree and certification in school psychology. In her free time, Ms. Bandomer enjoys traveling, reading about different cultures, scrapbooking, and singing.

 

Morning Valedictorian is Melanie R. Gross of Margate. Upon entering Stockton, Ms. Gross received the presidential Scholarship and the Edward J. Bloustein Distinguished Scholar Award. While attending Stockton, she has pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree with a specialization in graphic design and a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education. She will be receiving her education degree and certification in the Fall of 2006. Throughout her years at Stockton, she has maintained a 4.0 grade point average and earned over 160 credits. She was featured in the 2004 and 2005 editions of Whos Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges and has received several Stockton Foundation Scholarships. After graduating with her two degrees, Ms. Gross plans on teaching at the elementary school level and working as a freelance graphic designer. Her other interests include spending time with family and friends, dancing, singing, playing ping-pong and watching Broadway musicals.

 

Robert Menendez has represented New Jersey as a member of the U.S. Senate since January of this year, having previously served since 1992 as a member of the United States House of Representatives. Born in New York City, he grew up the son of immigrants in Union City.  A product of New Jerseys public schools and the states universities, Menendez has served as a school board member, a mayor and state legislator. He rose to become the third highest-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives before taking office in the Senate in 2006. Elected by his colleagues in 2002 as the Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, Senator Menendez became the highest-ranking Hispanic in Congressional history.  He previously served as Vice Chairman of the Democratic Caucus and has led key task forces on Education and Homeland Security.  He serves on the Senate Committees on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Energy and Natural Resources; and Budget.  Senator Menendez was awarded a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Peters College in Jersey City, and a law degree from Rutgers University.  He currently lives in Hoboken and has two children, Alicia and Robert.

Edward H. Salmons national firm, Salmon Ventures Limited, provides professional consulting services to utilities, industry, government and education, particularly in the water, energy and communication industries.  Prior to his founding of Salmon Ventures Limited, he served as Vice Chairman of AUS, Inc., and President/Chief Executive Officer of AUS Consultants.  A worldwide market research and consulting company, AUS Consultants provides regulatory, governmental and technical assistance to utilities, industry, government and educational institutions. Dr. Salmon is the recipient of a Doctorate of Education degree from the University of Delaware.  He earned his Master of Arts degree from Rowan University and his Bachelor of Arts from Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania.  Dr. Salmon has held the position of President of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities; Commissioner on the Governors Task Force on Communications/Information Technologies and services; Vice President of the National Association of regulatory Utility Commissioners; member of the New Jersey General Assembly; District-wide Director, department chair, teacher and coach in the City of Millville Public Schools, Freeholder Director of the Cumberland County Board of Chosen Freeholders; and Mayor of Millville. A member of various corporate and governmental boards, Dr. Salmon devotes time to a number of charitable concerns.  He is married, has grown children and six grandchildren.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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