Stockton News - Feb. 23, 2024 - University Relations & Marketing

Stockton News - Feb. 23, 2024

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

Board of Trustees Approves New Chief Academic Officer

The Board of Trustees approved the hiring of Michael A. Palladino as the University’s next provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at its Feb. 21 public meeting.

Following an extensive national search, the University announced Palladino as the top candidate in December. Palladino, who is currently vice chancellor for Academic Affairs at Bloomfield College of Montclair State University, will begin his new role at Stockton May 6.

The provost and vice president for Academic Affairs is the chief academic officer at Stockton, providing leadership to the University’s more than 160 undergraduate and graduate programs and 700 faculty members.

“I truly could not be happier to be joining this wonderful university community. I was very impressed with the search process that brought me here. It demonstrated the care and commitment that faculty and staff have for each other and for our students,” Palladino said.”The breadth of involvement across the university clearly signaled how steering academic affairs successfully requires collaboration and partnership with all areas of the institution.”

📰 In the News: The Press of Atlantic City

Scholar Discusses Pathways to Peace in Middle East

As the war between Israel and Hamas rages on, it’s difficult to see an end to the conflict. But the status quo is untenable, said Saliba Sarsar, the co-founder, president and CEO of the Jerusalem Peace Initiative.

“Much is at stake and indecision is costly for all concerned,” said Sarsar, who spoke to a group of about 40 Stockton students, staff and faculty on Feb. 22 during a lecture titled “Pathways to Peace: Discussing Israeli-Palestinian Relations” at the Campus Center Theatre. “While the obstacles in the way of progress to peace are numerous and real … these must not delay or prevent the search for opportunities and positive outcomes.”

Sarsar, who was born and spent most of his early life in Jerusalem, began his talk with a harrowing story when he was 11 of his Christian family’s escape from the fighting during the 1967 Six-Day War in the Middle East.

FRAME-WORTHY

Multicultural Center Celebrates 1st Birthday

“I cannot believe that it has already been a year – time really flies when you are having fun and making an impact while doing so.”

Mo Keane, the graduate coordinator for the Proud, Resilient, Educated Peers (PREP) Team, welcomed everyone into the Multicultural Center’s lounge for the center’s first Birthday Bash on Thursday, Feb. 22, complete with balloons, a photo booth, cake and toasts to the future.

Shavie “Va” Lee, a sophomore in the Psychology program, talked about first meeting Jovin Fernandez, director of the Multicultural Center, and how her infectious positivity managed to get him out of his shell. Since the center’s opening, Lee has been in the lounge helping support programming, manning the front desk and helping students find resources, earning him the nickname “Mayor of the MC.”

📸 View more photos on Flickr.

SPOTLIGHT ON: KIMONI YAW ANAJI

Kimoni Yaw Ajani, assistant professor of Africana Studies, hosted a book signing for his recent publication, “The Afrikan Revolution in Ayiti: Libète ou Lanmò, Freedom or Death?” on Feb. 15 in the Multicultural Center.

Ajani, who had been working on the book for three years, noted it was originally based on the research he conducted for his dissertation, which he defended in 2021 — a culmination of six years starting in 2017.

The publication is an Afrocentric re-examination and interpretation around the historiography of the revolution in Ayiti, which is the indigenous name for the island of Haiti. According to Ajani, the book provides an in-depth study highlighting several significant Afrikan epistemological and cosmological aspects that led to freedom. These aspects include, but are not limited to, the persistence of Afrikan complementary forces in Ayiti, Vodou/Vodun and Afrikan cosmology, Afrikan combat traditions, such as Tire Machèt, and the numerous Afrikan languages, personalities and roles that emerged from the growing numbers of Afrikans brought to Ayiti as a result of the European slave trade. Ajani calls for building communities on the best of Afrikan epistemological foundations and reclaiming Afrikan history.

WHAT'S TRENDING @ #STOCKTONU

whats trending feb. 23. 2024 Instagram: Students travelled to Ghana with the Africana Studies program for “a spiritual journey to walk in our ancestors' footsteps,” said Donnetrice Allison, professor of @africanastu and @stocktoncommstudies.

Facebook: Brianna Nguyen 26', credits the supportive community as to why she was able to #ChooseStockton.

FROM THE SIDELINES

Stockton Reaches NJAC Championship for Fifth Straight Year

The men’s basketball team got off to a great start and led for the entire game on the way to a 91-77 victory over Montclair State on Wednesday, Feb. 21, that propelled the Ospreys into the NJAC championship for the fifth straight year. The win was Stockton's 11th in a row over the Red Hawks.

Five Ospreys scored in double figures for the balanced offense, led by Tayvon Gaither with a team-high 21 points plus a career-high seven assists. Jalen Collins shot a perfect 9-9 from the field and scored 19 points.

Rynell Lawrence contributed a season-high 15 points followed by EJ Matthews-Spratley with 14 markers and DJ Campbell with 13.

🏀 Read full coverage of Wednesday’s game here.

📢 The team will host a NJAC conference playoff game vs. TCNJ at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24, in theSports Center. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students, seniors and children. For NJAC tournament information and Livestream links, visit here.

Men’s Lacrosse Wins Season Opener 15-7

The men’s lacrosse team jumped out to an early lead and pulled away for a 15-7 victory over DeSales University on Feb. 21. Colin Hopkins led the Ospreys with four goals in the season opener for both squads.

Stockton wasted no time getting on the board, potting three goals in the first 2:34 of the contest. Hayden Smallwood hit the net 55 seconds in on an assist from freshman Alex DeLierre. It was the rookie's first career point.

Hopkins followed 1:52 later for his first of the night with a helper from Liam DiFonzo for his first point as an Osprey. Smallwood tallied the third score from Connor Albrecht for a 3-0 margin.

🏸Read entire game coverage here.

'ROLE' CALL

Amy Swan joined Stockton as Director of Government Relations, effective Feb. 10. Swan has extensive government experience, most recently serving as Chief of Staff for the Assembly Majority Leader, where she led initiatives related to legislation, constituent relations, communications and cultivating relationships with elected officials.

In her new role, Swan will assist the Vice President for Personnel, Labor & Government Relations in advocating for Stockton’s funding priorities through increased strategy development and focus on outreach and coordination with local, state and federal government representatives. These efforts will promote our goals and support the economic vibrancy of southern New Jersey.

Swan earned her Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration with a double minor in Marketing and Psychology from Rutgers University – Camden.

OSPREY NOTES

FAFSA Priority Deadline Extended to April 1

The FAFSA has changed and it is available! Due to delays in the availability of the 2024-2025 FAFSA as well as the number of open issues the U.S. Department of Education is facing with the application, we have extended our institutional priority filing deadline. Please encourage your students to file their 2024-2025 FAFSA by April 1 to be considered for all programs with limited funding, including Federal Work Study.

Students can file at fafsa.gov by logging in with their FSA ID. For more information on the updates to the 2024-2025 FAFSA as well as helpful tips and tricks, visit stockton.edu/fafsa

Spring 2024 Issue of Celebrate Diversity Digest Released

The Spring 2024 issue of the Celebrate Diversity Digest, a newsletter dedicated to showcasing the campus community's work to make Stockton a welcoming and inclusive community for all, is now available online.

In this issue, expect to read articles that tug at the heartstrings — like the wholesomeness found at the now-year-old Multicultural Center, an inspirational success story that chronicles a teenager's journey from Philly to becoming a doctoral candidate, and much more.

Presentation Deadline Approaching for Celebration of Scholarship & Teaching

Those interested in presenting at the Celebration of Scholarship & Teaching on April 25 need to submit their applications by Friday, March 1. The event will take place from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. in the Campus Center and C/D Atrium. To learn more and submit your application to present, visit here.

Read the SCOSA March Newsletter

Read the Stockton Center on Successful Aging (SCOSA)'s March newsletter for interesting upcoming events and newly added programming.