Meditation Room Moved Next to the Multicultural Center

In addition to hanging out at the Multicultural Center, perusing for books and supplies in the bookstore, and picking up mail in the Mail Room, students now have the option to enjoy a quiet moment in the new Meditation Room in F-012.

The Meditation Room was previously neighbors with the Food Hall at the Nest in N Wing, where it provided a quiet space for students to meditate, pray and silently reflect on their days on campus. The room change makes the space more accessible and easier to find on the Galloway campus.

The Muslim Student Association (MSA), which utilizes the space for their five daily prayers (Salah), celebrated the opening of the new space last September.

Hamza Mourad, a Biology major and religious chair for the MSA, began the celebration by introducing the crowd to the concept and importance of saying “Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim” or “In the name of God, the merciful and compassionate.”

“Anything we do (as Muslim students) begins with ‘Bismillah,’” Mourad explained. “Everything with value begins with it: when we’re about to eat food, drive our cars, or enter rooms like this one. This is a very exciting day, and we look forward to what will happen in the future.”

Craig Stambaugh, then-assistant vice president for Engagement and Community Development for the Dean of Students, and Dianne Stalling, then-associate director of Student Development, helped support the MSA in creating the new Meditation Room. Both were impressed by the students and the leadership that they demonstrated. 

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Largest Crowd to Date at Hispanic Heritage Month Flag Raising

Last year’s Hispanic Heritage Month Flag Raising was special as it was the first event coming out of the Cultural Heritage Awareness Month Planning (CHAMP) Committee, spearheaded by Jovin Fernandez, director of the Multicultural Center.

In her remarks, she noted her pride at being able to stand before the crowd as part of the 12% of Latinos who have earned a master’s degree and soon to be part of the 2% who have earned a Doctorate degree. She hoped that current students would seek to do the same.

“I can promise you it's well worth it because education is something that can never be taken from us,” Fernandez said. “We can pay for vacations, we can pay for nice shoes and all these other things, but all that stuff is just material. The more that you can invest in yourself is the best investment that you can ever make.

“As Latinos, we have so much to be proud of and so much that we have accomplished, despite what society and some public and political figures may say about us,” Fernandez said. “We’ve made great strides, but we must not lose sight of the work that is ahead and of the hearts and minds that still need to be educated and changed so that when they see us, they really see us for the greatness that we hold and the rich culture that we have.”

Ana Edmondson, assistant vice president for Student Transition, Access and Retention, echoed those sentiments, comparing a student’s college journey to that of a mariposa (butterfly).

“Although you grow wings to fly high and transform into the beautiful leaders in your communities and see the world from a broader perspective and wider vision, your eyes remain the same, and what that tells you is to never lose sight of why you started, where you came from, your goals and your dreams,” Edmondson said. “My advice I'd like to leave you with: Do not box yourself into a space where you cannot grow, and do not allow others to limit you either. Be present, show up, seek mentors and follow wise advice.”

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LGBTQ+ Flag Raising Reaffirms Stockton’s Commitment to Inclusivity

Last year’s annual flag raising for LGBTQ+ History Month in October was one full of emotion, joy and support for the LGBTQ+ individuals both part of and beyond the Stockton community.

President Joe Bertolino reminded attendees that their presence on campus is not only valued but mirrors his own experience as a gay undergraduate student.

“I started my career in higher education 33 years ago, and at that time, I was advised as a residence hall director that there was a gay glass ceiling: if you were out, then you could forget ever becoming a dean or a vice president, let alone a president,” Bertolino said. “To the naysayers in 1990: I want to share that this is actually my third presidency. My husband, Bil, is the vice chancellor of the Rutgers University system, and together, we smashed that ceiling.

“I share that with you because I want you to know that no one can tell you that being who you are will hold you back. Be authentic. Be honest. Be you and celebrate that. We take pride in our diverse identities and are committed to creating a space where students can authentically be themselves and explore their identities. As long as I am the president of this institution, I will make sure that every student is seen and that they feel that they belong here in our community.”

Bertolino was introduced by Marques Johnson, associate dean of students, who acknowledged the people who made it possible for students to have a welcoming and inclusive campus. 

Kae Durrell, the first Black president of Pride Alliance, encountered adversity early on but persevered.

“I lived in a household that wasn't accepting. They would say I was a bad influence because I'm the oldest and I'm teaching them the wrong things. They wanted me to be an example, but in reality, me coming out, being who I am, and still figuring out myself is the best example I could ever give to my community. I want students to know that they can love whoever they love, no matter how others feel.”

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Panel Urges Students to Use Critical Thinking on Middle East Conflict

Nearly all of the approximately 200 people who gathered in the Campus Center Event Room on Oct. 25, 2023, agreed that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is an emotional and difficult issue to talk about.

But a panel of four Stockton faculty members said to the crowd of mostly students that it’s important to discuss such a contentious issue, develop your critical thinking skills about it and, most importantly, help create a “community of care” on campus going forward.

“I want to challenge all of you to consider what that looks like for you and to exercise respect for each other in this room,” said Tina Zappile, associate professor of Political Science and the moderator for “The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A Conversation with Faculty.”

“I ask that we are patient with each other as we work through our emotional responses to what we might hear from the panelists and the peers at our tables. … I want to challenge you to avoid shutting people down for showing their emotions,” Zappile added.

Lauren Balasco, associate professor of Political Science, began the discussion. As the coordinator for Stockton’s Global Studies minor, she talked about how this conflict has become a global event.

“Foundational to Global Studies, especially to those of us who teach such courses here at Stockton, is a commitment to — and understanding of — the diverse communities within our world, as well as the interdependence and interconnectedness of human societies.”

Balasco recognized how difficult it is to discuss the conflict: “I know that a lot of us feel pain and fear when terrorism and state violence prevail over human rights and humanitarianism.”

Balasco was followed by Ghaidaa Hetou, adjunct professor of Political Science, who provided the audience with some historical context of the conflict.

“History is important. It gives us a great background knowledge on how this event developed, knowing that the cycles of violence have gone on for centuries,” she said, adding that a lot of the conflict’s roots can be traced back to promises made by the British to create homelands for both Arabs and Jews in the region.

Associate Professor of History Michael Hayse, who’s a historian of modern Europe and the Holocaust, talked specifically about the most recent conflict, including the terrorist attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, and Israel’s response by bombing the Gaza Strip and blocking food, water and medical supplies.

“It is imperative that any discussion begin by recognizing the surprise attack on Israel as terrorism,” Hayse said. “Of course, there is a deeper and broader context to the attack and the war, including Israeli occupation policies in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.”

Hayse added that he takes strong issue with the responses to recent events that imply that Israeli policies and the plight of Palestinians in any way justify the Hamas militants’ brutal attack.

“But like many of you, I am distraught over the plight of Palestinian civilians who are victims of the Israel response,” he said. “In addition to those killed by Israeli military strikes, the blockade into Gaza threatens an even wider humanitarian catastrophe. … I stand with many other friends of Israel that an invasion of Gaza would bring only suffering and deepen the crisis.”

Hayse also said there have been horrific statements on both sides of the issue that have inflamed the situation.

“But we must resist the temptation to cherry-pick outrageous and extreme statements as representing either Israelis or Palestinians as a whole,” he said.

Using critical thinking to closely examine and discuss what we are seeing and reading about the conflict was one of the main talking points of the panel’s final speaker — Nazia Kazi, associate professor of Anthropology.

“A very strange thing happens in moments of heightened militarism in the United States where we are asked and we are ordered to switch off our brains,” she said. “I want to argue today that not doing that, that using our critical thinking skills is perhaps one of the greatest acts of compassion.”

Kazi detailed several stories that she said have not been reported by mainstream media that show a bias against Palestinians, and other stories about Palestinian peace efforts that have gone unreported. She urged the students to question why that is.

On-Campus Conference Expands, Full of Opportunities

“You see, the reality is that for as long as I can remember, I believed and thought that I was born to lose.”

As the keynote speaker for the April 5, 2024, Inclusive Leadership Conference walked across the stage, students in the Campus Center Theatre gazed at the man and the photo of his family projected on the screen behind him. The man – Ismail Amir – talked about how he was orphaned at age 11 and how the tragedies he experienced made him take life as it came and strive only for the family behind him.

However, Amir knew that his purpose included more, and he founded iAM Legend, LLC, where he conducts workshops and trainings that encourage students to take life by the reins and become active participants in their life journeys. According to Amir, taking control of his life meant first taking control of his mind.

He compared his mind to a bucket of water and negative thoughts to drops of black food coloring. Even a drop of the dye “corrupted” the bucket, turning translucent water into a murky brown – demonstrating the impact of negative thoughts.

“I never in a million years would have imagined or dreamed that I would have the opportunity to be a CEO or to run my own business,” Amir said, picking up a full pitcher of water. “You see, what has to happen in our lives in order for us to become CEOs is we have to find a way to begin to wash out these negative thoughts.”

As he poured the entire pitcher into the bucket, students were shocked to see how much water it took for the bucket to become translucent again. He encouraged students to consider ways to flush out negativity in their thoughts and reach their fullest potential.

“You were not born to be average. You were born to be different. You were born… to be legendary,” Amir told the audience of about 170 students.

Amir’s advice resonated with students Jasmine Burdett and Darshana Choksi.

“I like the part where he said to operate in your giftings because they're really pretty much placed inside of you, and you just need to talk to other people to find yours,” Choksi of Galloway said. “Really finding your own voice, motivating yourself and really getting involved that way is important, and it can be hard, obviously, so it's great that he brought the confidence out of everybody and really opened up that inner voice for us.”

The conference – created, organized and run by interns in the Cultural Engagement Ospreys program – featured a packed schedule of events and programs centered on diversity, equity and inclusion. 

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New Program Centers Indigenous Cultures and Identities

Students, staff and faculty on the Galloway campus gathered in the Campus Center Board of Trustees Room on Feb. 22, 2024, to celebrate and learn more about Indigenous culture.

Guests River Webb and Claudia Haddad, members of the Nez Perce & Meskwaki (Webb) and Mi’kmaw (Haddad) Northeastern Woodland tribes, presented to the audience the ceremonial and educational role of being a 2 Spirit individual and displayed their traditional beadwork.

During their presentation, Webb—who had recently been given the title "International 2 Spirit Ambassador"—explained that the 2 Spirit identity is a contemporary word used to replace outdated and offensive terms. The identity, which has various roots in history due to the diverse array of different Indigenous/Native tribes, has existed forever.

“[2 Spirit] is a word meant to unify different nations - we all have our own words for 2 Spirit people in our languages, and their roles or descriptions might look different,” Webb shared. “People like us have existed and carried this role in our culture forever, as we are part of our culture. It's not a new identity, but this word, and the unity it provides for us between Tribal Nations, that is what is new, and what the word provides for us.”

For Webb, being 2 Spirit is how they identify themselves due to their gender identity, sexual orientation, spiritual role in ceremonies and cultural role as a knowledge keeper and educator.

They also spoke about the challenges of 2 Spirit people, including being discriminated against and/or murdered due to their identity, like what is being alleged in Oklahoma with Nex Benedict, a 2 Spirit high schooler who was bullied and assaulted a day before their death.

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SPACES Encourages Students to Create Community

Space is defined as the freedom and scope to live, think and develop in a way that suits one.

During the Feb. 7, 2024, welcome reception for SPACES—an initiative that works to advance belonging for Stockton University's increasingly global campus—Ellis Bonds '15 opened up about how the creation of different spaces on campus is important to the university experience for students like him and thanked Residential Life for supporting his growth on campus.  

“When I was a student here, I was still coming to terms with who I was and my sexual identity, so home was not a safe place for me to go at that time, unfortunately,” said Bonds, then-interim director for Residential Education.

“I was an EOF student, student senator, orientation leader, pledged for my fraternity freshman year, and became the Greek Council president later on in college. But all of those things wouldn’t have been possible if I did not have somewhere to live. Residential Life was the office that provided that space for me to be able to stay on campus all four and a half years and get to the finish line, but also have a space where I could just be myself, be free, and not have to worry about judgment from others.”

The significance of creating spaces and community was a common thread throughout the program. Student speakers Ter’ron Oglesby, Jaedyn Thomson and Juan Diego Chaparro all recounted their time at the program’s Deeper SPACES Retreat, a weekend-long trip for students that encourages them to engage in conversations on social justice and diversity.

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Military Rankings

Stockton Ranked Top 10 in Military Friendly Rankings

In Spring 2024, Stockton continued to be recognized for its outstanding outreach to military veterans, ranking No. 7 among small public schools nationwide in a new Military Friendly listing.

Stockton also was No. 1 among surveyed New Jersey schools in the small public schools category. It was the third year in a row that Stockton obtained a Military Friendly designation and the third year in a row that the school improved in the rankings. Stockton received the Gold award in 2023-24 and Silver in 2022-23.

The designation comes from the Military Friendly Schools survey, the longest-running and most comprehensive review of college and university investments in serving military and veteran students. The survey is sent out by VIQTORY, a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business that connects the military community to civilian employment and educational and entrepreneurial opportunities.

“This success lies with the dedication and commitment of Stockton's faculty and staff guiding military-affiliated students through their time at Stockton,” said Michael Barany, director of the Military and Veterans Success Center (MVSC) at Stockton. “The ‘students first’ approach of the center and partners in financial aid allows relationships to be built that are key to providing tailored support services and referrals to our on- and off-campus partners.”

Institutions earning the Military Friendly Schools Awards designation were evaluated using public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 1,800 schools participated in the 2024-25 survey and only 10 in the small public schools category were awarded a number ranking.

Barany said one of the highlights of Stockton’s program is the care provided to National Guard and Reserve students who faced activation and deployment in the past year. 

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Stockton Receives High Marks for Veterans in Military Times Rankings

Last fall, Military Times recognized Stockton as one of the top schools in the state and in the Mid-Atlantic for military service members and veterans.

Stockton was ranked No. 2 in New Jersey and No. 10 in the Mid-Atlantic region. The University was No. 141 out of 325 schools nationwide in the rankings, which were released on Nov. 6, 2023.

“On behalf of the staff of the Military and Veteran Success Center (MVSC) and our partners in Financial Aid office, we are honored and proud to have Stockton ranked again within the Military Times Best for Vets rankings,” said Barany. “This would not have been possible without Stockton's military-affiliated students, proving that they are not only exceptional learners but also dedicated students and outstanding contributors to their community.”

The Military Times is the trusted source for independent news and information for service members and their families. Each year, the organization sends a survey to colleges and universities across the nation asking about their programs for veterans. The survey results are then analyzed, along with public data about colleges and universities obtained from the Department of Education and Department of Veterans Affairs, and turned into an official ranking.

Stockton’s ranking was up from No. 189 in 2022, and Barany credits two new initiatives as part of that increase. He said a student club, Military-Affiliated Students of Stockton became active in April for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. The group was originally called the Student Veteran Organization but changed its name this fall to be more inclusive of veteran spouses and children of a veteran or service member.

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