A Message from President Harvey Kesselman

Here at Stockton, we are resolved to be a leader on issues surrounding diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice. As society confronts the social injustice crisis, we are committed to addressing it through a process of recognizing inequality, educating our students and community members about it and developing plans to eradicate it.

This issue of Stockton Now highlights members of the Stockton community who are driving forces behind positive change in society, health care and education. I am immensely proud of these current students and recent graduates. They exemplify the Stockton spirit of standing up for what they believe in and giving back to their communities.

Danielle Combs ’21, a political science major, has been an activist most of her life and is continuing to speak out against injustice as president of Stockton’s chapter of the NAACP as she prepares for law school.

Recent biology grad Qudratullah Qadiri ’20 took a near-tragic experience and turned it into fuel to drive his passion for health care. He looks to be a positive influence in the world of medicine, advocating for his future patients and helping sidelined athletes get back into the game quickly and carefully.

Doug Cervi ’02 is now spearheading New Jersey’s efforts to teach Holocaust education. As Holocaust survivors are passing on, Cervi’s role as the executive director of the New Jersey Commission on Holocaust Education becomes more vital for preserving history and helping future generations learn from the past.

In this issue you’ll also read about Stockton alumni who are contributing to COVID-19 relief in a variety of ways, including Frank Malatino ’10, ’15 who is assisting with a project to make open-source ventilators easier to access for medical professionals worldwide.

Speaking of worldwide, alumni who have broadened their horizons by studying abroad at Stockton share their advice and experiences with fellow Ospreys who may want to spread their wings globally.

I hope you enjoy reading this issue of Stockton Now. To our alumni and community members tackling the issues of racial and social justice head-on, I sincerely thank you for your courage and contributions. Positive, systemic change is up to all of us and I look forward to working with you on these important issues.