Stockton News - Oct. 13, 2023 - University Relations & Marketing

Stockton News - Oct. 13, 2023

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

20th Annual Symposium Celebrates Civil Rights, Social Justice

Following an emotional statue unveiling in Atlantic City, Stockton continued paying tribute to civil rights icon Fannie Lou Hamer with the 20th annual Human & Civil Rights Symposium in the Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, Oct. 10.

This year’s symposium included a performance of gospel songs by the Stockton Freedom Singers, led by Beverly Vaughn, professor of Music; a video compilation of previous symposiums; poetry recitation by Stockton faculty and a keynote address by California’s first Black Secretary of State, Shirley N. Weber.

Weber’s address emphasized how much Hamer and her legacy informs how she serves the people who elected her to office. Weber, a daughter of former sharecroppers in Arkansas, said that the people who most inspired her were the people who embodied Hamer’s hope for a better tomorrow.

📸 View more photos on Flickr.

Holocaust Survivor Who Fled to Bolivia Shares Family Story

“¿Puedes hablar Español?” (“You speak Spanish?”)

Irvin Moreno-Rodriguez, then an undergraduate student, looked at the Holocaust survivor who asked him that question — an unassuming Polish man eating lunch with his wife who asked the question with perfect Spanish diction.

Moreno-Rodriguez, like students usually are, was nervous. He was just invited to attend a luncheon by the Sara & Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center (HRC) that was co-sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Atlantic and Cape May Counties. Moreno-Rodriguez felt intimidated being surrounded by people who all had harrowing stories of the Holocaust, but he soon found himself sheepishly saying, “¿Si?”

“Ah!” Mike Kleidermacher said emphatically as he pulled out a chair. “¡Bienvenido!” (“Welcome!”)Moreno-Rodriguez never forgot Kleidermacher’s warmth or his incredible story of how his family escaped World War II by settling in Bolivia, a landlocked South American country.

Now the assistant director of the HRC, Moreno-Rodriguez was able to help tell Kleidermacher’s story to students at ¡Jallalla! (Cheers!) — the closing program for Hispanic Heritage Month in the Multicultural Center on Oct. 11.

More than one year after the legalization of recreational marijuana, New Jersey residents say the smell of weed has permeated public spaces and even their homes, according to a Stockton Poll released Oct. 11. But few said they are bothered by the smell, and most seem reluctant to criticize others for using legal weed, the findings show.

📰 In the News: New Jersey 101.5, Insider NJ

STOCKTON UNIVERSITY ATLANTIC CITY

Stockton Professor Donates Fannie Lou Hamer Statue to A.C.

Thanks to the donation of a Stockton professor, the legacy of civil rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer has been permanently enshrined in the place where she changed history.

An over-7-foot-tall resin statue of the woman who fought for voting rights for Black Americans was unveiled Oct. 10 during a ceremony at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. The hall was the site of the 1964 Democratic National Convention where Hamer made history by giving testimony in opposition to an all-white Mississippi delegation.

“It’s going where it belongs,” said Patricia Reid-Merritt, a Distinguished Professor of Africana Studies and Social Work, before the ceremony. “For all the great things and contributions that Fannie Lou Hamer made to the civil rights struggle, what she is known for is that speech in Atlantic City. It’s a tribute to her legacy and Stockton’s efforts to uplift her legacy.”

📰 In the News: New Jersey Stage

Paint-a-Pumpkin at 'Second Saturdays' Oct. 14

Second Saturdays in Atlantic City are a series of family-friendly events, hosted by Stockton University Alumni Relations, held on the second Saturday of every month at Stockton Atlantic City.

Bring your imagination and we'll provide the rest! Fall is the season for all things pumpkin - pumpkin spice, pumpkin seeds and pumpkin painting! Whether you're inspired to turn your pumpkin into a ghoul or a unicorn, join us for this fun, festive activity from 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, Oct. 14 in the Fannie Lou Hamer Event Room.

A light lunch will be provided following the activity. Register here.

*There is a fee of $5 per pumpkin. Families are welcome to paint one together or individually.

FRAME-WORTHY

🎉 Ospreys Celebrate at University Weekend

Campus came alive Oct. 5-8 for University Weekend with many events and activities, including the University Weekend parade, street fair, Ospreys on Tap, Talon Trot 5K and Fun Run, an esports gaming experience and more.

Students, faculty, staff, alumni and families came out to enjoy the Stockton celebration and show their University pride.

WHAT'S TRENDING @ #STOCKTONU

whats-trending-oct-13 Facebook: How many times have you walked the beach and wanted to learn more about the sea creatures you saw, the coastal habitat where shorebirds run from crashing waves, how the tides work, where to catch fish and more?

Instagram: Ospreys on campus 🍂Tell us how your semester is going in the comments.

FROM THE SIDELINES

Stockton Athletics Inducts 2023 Hall of Fame Class

Stockton Athletics inducted its 2023 Hall of Fame class at a banquet held on Oct. 6 in the Campus Center Event Room of the Galloway campus. The inductees included Nick Bologno '15 (men's lacrosse), Jared Lewis '18 (men's track & field), Sasha Williams '18 (women's basketball) and the 1985 Softball Team.

After Bologno, Lewis and Williams were inducted, the evening concluded with the induction of the 1985 Softball Team, which won the ECAC championship to earn the first postseason title of any kind by any Stockton team. Val Julien, who was an assistant coach in 1985 and later served as head softball coach for 29 years, spoke first and then brought first baseman Abby Roessler to the stage to speak on behalf of the team.

Roessler called it "surreal" that team members could be together 38 years later and said of the 1985 season, "We had the time of our lives." Roessler was one of 10 players from the squad who were in attendance as well as three siblings of the late Chris "Scrapper" Ross, the team captain who Roessler called "the heart and soul of our team."

Men's Soccer Team Ties TCNJ 0-0

The men’s soccer team extended its unbeaten streak to four on Oct. 11 with a 0-0 tie against The College of New Jersey at G. Larry James Stadium. The game was Stockton's third in five days.

Stockton goalkeeper Brady Bartletta made five saves and recorded the seventh shutout of his freshman season. Aiden Hoenisch and Joseph Carbone led the Ospreys with four shot attempts apiece.

The teams each made some dangerous forays into the box but could not capitalize on any of their opportunities. TCNJ generated eight corner kicks while Stockton notched six corners in the match.

Stockton Deals Ramapo its First Loss

The volleyball team dealt previously unbeaten Ramapo College its first loss of the season 3-2 in a five-set thriller on Oct. 10. The teams alternated set wins, with the Ospreys taking the first, third and fifth frames.

Kate Louer and Nicole Palmer led Stockton with 12 kills apiece, with Louer adding 10 digs. Ashley Carkhuff chipped in with nine kills and a season-high 18 digs.

Regan Mendick dished 27 assists and added six digs and a match-high four aces. Aubrey Rentzel notched a double-double of 16 assists and 12 digs.

🗓️ View the full schedule of upcoming athletic events here.

🕊IN MEMORIAM

Gail Rosenthal The Office of Human Resources shared the following message on Oct. 13:

It is with great sadness that we share the loss of Stockton family member Gail Hirsch Rosenthal, director of the Sara and Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center, who passed away this morning.
Gail joined the Holocaust Resource Center in 1991, beginning her more than three decades of leadership at the university.

Gail's connections to the local community and Holocaust survivors were instrumental in helping the Center grow. The Center began as a single closet housing oral histories of local Holocaust survivors. Her significant work with countless community supporters helped the Center expand to its current size. The original room, now called the Gail Hirsch Rosenthal room, opened in 1990.

"Gail was an unparalleled Holocaust educator, mentor and friend, and she will be dearly missed," said Irvin Moreno-Rodriguez, assistant director of the Holocaust Resource Center. "Gail Rosenthal positively impacted the lives of a great number of Stockton faculty, staff and students, including my own. As an undergraduate student and as my director, Gail taught me that one person can always make a difference. Stockton's campus treasured Gail as a role model, and I urge all to remember Gail by being kind to one another."

Rob Gregg, dean of the School of General Studies, said, "It is almost impossible to calculate how much Stockton, the Holocaust Resource Center, and the community have lost with the passing of Gail Rosenthal. There is so much to be said, but I will just mention one thing. Almost no week went by without Gail calling up to ask for assistance in helping a student, whatever their background, who was going through difficulties, financial or otherwise. She was a beacon of light for these students, guiding so many, protecting and nurturing them all, and helping so many to reach their destinations successfully."

Michael Hayse, associate professor of Historical Studies, worked closely with Gail, sharing: "Gail's passing has left a chasm in the Stockton community that cannot be filled. Anyone who knew her was struck with the depth of her kindness and the compassion she had for everyone. She cared. Above all, she poured her expansive and compassionate soul into the Sara and Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center and its mission. The Holocaust Center, which she grew and strengthened through years of tireless effort, will be her most enduring legacy."

Please keep Gail's family in your thoughts, including her daughter, Toby Rosenthal, a member of the Communication Studies faculty, and her colleagues in the School of General Studies and Holocaust Resource Center.

Members of the Stockton community are invited to share memories, stories and messages in the memorial book available in the Holocaust Resource Center.

Please also read comments from President Joe Bertolino. Services are planned for Sunday, Oct. 15, at 10 a.m. at Beth El Synagogue, 500 North Jerome Ave., Margate, NJ. An obituary will follow.