Stockton News - Jan. 24, 2025
WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
Stockton Community Gives Back to Local Community
By 10 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 20, nearly 900 volunteers – which included Stockton University students, faculty, staff and alumni, as well as local community members – hit the ground running to join the various service projects hosted in memory of the late civil and social rights champion the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The service projects, ranging from craft projects that will line the halls of local schools, hospitals and senior living communities to packaging hygiene and wellness kits for local rescue missions, were available on the Galloway, Atlantic City, Hammonton and Woodbine campuses.
"We have a big array of our campus clubs and organizations participating and hosting these projects," said Taylor Coyne, coordinator of Service-Learning for the Stockton Center for Community Engagement and Service-Learning (SCCESL). "Whether it be benefitting or assisting senior living facilities, local hospitals, animal shelters or other organizations, this is a great effort from our Stockton community and surrounding communities.”
The annual day of service, which celebrates 21 years on campus, is a beloved staple and tradition for the Stockton community, as evidenced by the continued support of the student organization Stockton Circle K.
📰 In the News: CBS3, The Press of Atlantic City, Downbeach.com
Bjork Library Earns National Excellence Award
Stockton University’s Richard E. Bjork Library was one of only 34 higher education facilities across the country to receive a 2025 Library Excellence in Access and Diversity (LEAD) award on Wednesday, Jan.
22 by Insight into Diversity magazine.
The annual award honors academic library programs, policies and initiatives that encourage and support inclusive excellence and belonging across their campus and surrounding community.
Insight into Diversity is the nation’s largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education and is a leader in recognizing inclusive excellence in higher education through its awards.
“This achievement is a testament to our commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for all,” said Cheyenne Riehl, Stockton’s student success librarian. “This award reflects the hard work and dedication of our entire library team and our shared vision of serving as a resource and advocate for all members of the Stockton community.”
Riehl said equity and inclusivity are ingrained in the library’s daily practices. For the award, Stockton submitted specific examples of how library staff support underrepresented communities, authors and researchers. Highlights included the efforts of the library’s outreach team, particularly their monthly cultural and heritage celebration displays, Riehl said.
“These thoughtfully curated exhibits, presented both physically and digitally, shine a spotlight on underrepresented authors, works and topics, further promoting awareness and diversity within our collections and programming,” she said.
STOCKTON UNIVERSITY ATLANTIC CITY
Five Casinos to Light Up Yellow for International Holocaust Remembrance Day Jan. 27
The Sara and Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center is partnering with the Casino Association of New Jersey to light up Atlantic City yellow on Monday, Jan. 27, to commemorate International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Five of the city’s nine casinos — Caesars Atlantic City, Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Atlantic City, Resorts Atlantic City, Ocean Casino Resort and Tropicana Atlantic City — will change their outside lighting to yellow at dusk as part of a nationwide awareness campaign that includes the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education.
Yellow symbolizes Holocaust awareness because it was the color of the Star of David badges Jews were forced to wear by the Nazis during the Holocaust. Several other national locations, including the Empire State Building, Niagara Falls and Philadelphia International Airport, are also taking part in the commemoration.
Irvin Moreno-Rodriguez, the director of Stockton’s Holocaust Resource Center and a member of the New Jersey Commission, first approached Mark Giannantonio, the president and CEO of Resorts and the president of the casino association, with the idea earlier this month. Giannantonio is a Stockton graduate who took a Holocaust and Genocide Studies class while attending the university. He committed Resorts to take part. Several other properties have also committed to participate.
“During this light-up campaign, we would like to pay tribute to all the victims of the Holocaust and to ensure that the lives of those who survived the Holocaust are never forgotten,” Moreno-Rodriguez said.
“By joining this campaign, Atlantic City casinos are physically reminding all of us of the importance of Holocaust education and the Center's mission to commemorate the Holocaust and combat antisemitism and other forms of hate.”
FRAME-WORTHY
🍪 A sweet start to spring semester
President Joe Bertolino welcomed students back to campus with cookies Jan. 22.
WHAT'S TRENDING @ #STOCKTONU
Instagram: New semester, new goals! 🙂↕️📝
Facebook: Welcome back, Ospreys! There's snow place like #StocktonU.
FROM THE SIDELINES
Stockton Returns to Action at Gotham Cup; School Records Broken
The men and women’s track and field teams returned to action for the first time in more than a month by competing in the Gotham Cup on Jan. 17 at the Ocean Breeze Track & Field complex. The men’s team broke one school record and finished eighth or higher in four events. The women also broke one record and posted the top finishes by NCAA Division III competitors in five events.
Carson Latham took six tenths of a second off his own school record in the 200m and finished sixth out of 77 sprinters (22.21 seconds). The time ranks ninth in NCAA Division III thus far. Latham also placed 11th out of 28 in the 60m Invitational race (7.02 seconds).
Kayla Kass broke the school record and finished second out of 21 runners in the 500m (1:17.99). Kass knocked nearly three seconds off the previous mark of 1:20.09 by Cierra Granger in 2017 and placed second behind only an NCAA Division I competitor from NJIT.
The teams head to upstate New York on Jan. 25 to compete in the Nazareth University Challenge Cup.
Basketball teams fall to Kean
The men’s basketball team slumped offensively in the first half and never caught up to hot-shooting Kean University in an 89-79 defeat on Jan. 22. With the outcome, the Ospreys slid out of sole possession of first place in the conference and into a four-way tie for the top spot.
EJ Matthews-Spratley scored a game-high 23 points to lead Stockton. Matthews-Spratley went 13-14 (92.9%) at the free throw line and added six rebounds and four assists.
The Ospreys outscored Kean 47-39 in the second half but trailed by double figures for most of the period. Although they got within six points twice in the last 1:05, the Cougars went 8-8 at the line to hold off Stockton 89-79.
The women’s team led by eight at the half, but Kean overtook the Ospreys in the second half and dealt them a 57-55 setback. The result left both teams and New Jersey City in a three-way for fifth place in the conference.
Both teams play William Paterson on Saturday, Jan. 25.
🦅 For more athletics news and upcoming game information, visit here.🦅
OSPREY NOTES
New Makerspace Unveiled
mak·er·space /ˈmākərˌspās/: a place in which people with shared interests, especially in computing or technology, can gather to work on projects while sharing ideas, equipment, and knowledge.
Student Affairs has made many modifications to its office within the past year, including a new makerspace open to the campus community at the Pop-In with the VPSA event from 3-5 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 29.
The renovated space features comfortable furniture, LEGO blocks of every size, puzzles and more.
The Student Affairs Makerspace was born from the interim vice president’s desire to engage in ideation and brainstorming in a tactile-forward environment. As someone who identifies as a “hands-on learner,” William Latham is excited to see how the division of Student Affairs will utilize the space.
“My vision for the Makerspace is to create an ecosystem of innovation and creativity that allows Student Affairs to design a dynamic experience for all students at Stockton,” Latham said emphatically.
Last Call: Volunteer for Stockton's Strategic Theme Working Groups
The Strategic Planning Steering Committee invites you to join us in shaping the future of Stockton University. Your voice and expertise are essential as we develop our next Strategic Plan. As we move into the next phase of the planning process, this is your last chance to volunteer for one of our Strategic Theme working groups. The Fall 2024 working groups have completed their work and laid a strong foundation by developing five key themes that will guide the plan. We are now seeking volunteers to support these themes and help bring them to life. If you are passionate about any of these themes and would like to contribute to their development, please complete this survey to indicate your preferences. The deadline to volunteer is fast approaching, so don't miss this opportunity to make a meaningful impact. The survey will close on Jan. 30.
It’s Time to Confirm Your Ospreys!
Welcome back, faculty! As the spring semester is about to begin, it's almost time to confirm your Ospreys!
Faculty are reminded to complete the Academic Engagement process by confirming student attendance/academic activity beginning after the add/drop period on Tuesday, Jan. 28. The Academic Engagement process is to be completed by Monday, Feb. 3. The Office of Financial Aid will use this information to make adjustments to student financial aid disbursements based upon each student's confirmed number of credits.
Each instructor will be responsible for confirming student attendance or participation in an academic activity. For online courses, faculty are reminded to include an assignment or discussion activity during the add/drop period so that the student's attendance can be confirmed.
The link to complete the Academic Engagement process can be found under the faculty tab within the goStockton portal.
For more information and a list of frequently asked questions, visit stockton.edu/academicengagement.
2025-26 FAFSA is Available Now
Attention faculty & staff! The 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available now at fafsa.gov. We ask that you please encourage your students and their families to not only complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA, but also utilize the resources and helpful information listed at stockton.edu/fafsa before they complete the application.
Any student or family member who needs assistance completing their section of the FAFSA is invited to attend one of two evening FAFSA Completion events hosted by the Office of Financial Aid this spring! Students and their family members will receive in-person assistance in completing their sections of the FAFSA during these events.
Please feel free to share the below registration links with your students. Please note that students will need to log in with their goStockton portal credentials to register.
March 1 is the deadline for students to complete the FAFSA to be considered for aid programs with limited funding for the fall 2025 and spring 2026 semesters.
Fun Fact Friday: 💗Today is a day to spread positivity and kindness because it’s National Compliment Day. The day was created by Kathy Chamberlin and Debby Hoffman in 1998 as a way for people to connect with each other and share some happiness with others. Even the smallest compliment can brighten someone’s day. A great way to celebrate is to go out of your comfort zone and compliment someone you don’t know - a cashier, barista or a passerby. You never know the impact it could have. And the best part is that compliments are contagious.
UPCOMING EVENTS
👩💻 Professional Development Opportunities
🎭 Winter Programming at the PAC
Now-May 3: 'Academic Visions: Southern NJ University and College Art Professors Showcase'
Jan. 28-29:🦅 Get Involved Fair
Jan. 29: Talon’s Birthday
Jan. 30: 🗺️ Study Abroad Fair
Feb. 1: 🎶 Blind Boys of Alabama, 🏀Stockton vs. Rutgers-Newark Alumni Basketball Reception
Feb. 1-28: Black History Month
Feb. 7: 🪭“Madama Butterfly” by the NJ Association of Verismo Opera
Feb. 15: Second Saturdays in Atlantic City - Rhythm of Africa
