Domenic Buchanico, Education and Human Development

For Stockton University senior Domenic Buchanico, helping others has shaped his college experience and his future.

A resident of Somers Point, Buchanico will graduate with a degree in Education and Human Development, concentrating in Childhood Studies. He also minored in Childhood Studies.

After graduation, Buchanico plans to work with children, either in a school setting as a paraprofessional or in a recreation center supporting youth programs and activities. He hopes to apply what he has learned at Stockton to better understand and support children and adolescents.

“I’ve been incredibly passionate about helping others from a young age,” Buchanico said. “I’ve had a number of adults in my life – teachers, coaches and others – who left lasting impacts on me by showing how much they cared. I want to impact younger generations the same way those adults helped me.”

During his time at Stockton, Buchanico found meaningful opportunities through service learning. He volunteered with the Homework Completion Program at Buzby Homes Village in Atlantic City, an initiative run by the university’s Office of Community Engagement.

This experience led to a larger role when he was invited to join the Engagement Leadership Team, where he continued working with the program and helped build connections with the children it serves.

“Working with children at Buzby Homes Village gave me a new perspective on the world,” he said. “I learned invaluable skills and lessons, and it helped me understand how different their experiences with schooling are compared to my own.”

Buchanico said the sense of community at Buzby Homes Village made a lasting impression.

“The children are some of the kindest, most welcoming individuals I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing,” he said. “Working with them was the most rewarding experience of my life.”

His own life experiences have also shaped his academic interests. Buchanico said overcoming mental health challenges helped him grow and influenced his perspective on supporting others.

“It took me a long time to understand that it’s okay to ask for help,” he said. “Admitting that I needed help didn’t make me weaker – it made me feel stronger than ever.”

That perspective also guided his interest in the connection between exercise and mental health. After discovering the positive impact of exercise in his own life, he explored research and testimonials from others who had similar experiences.

“Exercise was a great escape during some of the most stressful moments in my teenage years,” he said. “It became an outlet to release negative energy.”

As he prepares to graduate, Buchanico said he will miss the relationships he built at Stockton, especially through the Office of Community Engagement and with faculty in the Education and Human Development program.

Outside of his academic and service work, Buchanico enjoys movies. He describes himself as a “huge movie nerd” and has watched over 1,300 films over the past four years.

Looking ahead, he hopes to continue making a difference in the lives of young people.

“Every child deserves to know that their life has value,” Buchanico said. “I want to be a positive presence in the life of every child I encounter.”