Egg Harbor Township, N.J. — Spencer’s & Spirit Halloween has continued its annual commitment to the Stockton University Foundation by contributing another $250,000, bringing its contribution to $750,000 over the past three years alone.

Spencer’s & Spirit Halloween CEO Steven Silverstein presented Stockton President Joe Bertolino with a check for $250,000 this month while Bertolino visited the company’s headquarters in Egg Harbor Township. Silverstein spoke about the company’s commitment and enthusiasm for the college and its students.

He also shared that the company currently employs more than 100 Stockton alumni, about 15% of its total workforce, and has had more than 50 interns from the university.  

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with Stockton University and are humbled by their dedication to students and emphasis on ongoing education and career growth,” Silverstein said.

This year’s donation will benefit the Spencer’s & Spirit Halloween Endowed Scholarship at Stockton, the Summer Entrepreneurship and Business Academy (SEBA), the new Digital Studies Program in the William T. Daly School of General Studies, and additional School of Business education initiatives.

Bertolino emphasized the impact the company has on students, especially those who require financial aid and scholarships to fund their education.

“I can’t begin to tell you how important this relationship is and the impact that it has on our students,” he said. “I thank you so much for what you have done and for the partnership that we have.” 

Stockton senior Karishma Karabi was a recipient of the Spencer’s & Spirit Halloween Scholarship this year. The Computer Science major dreams of creating an app to help support the academic success and emotional well-being of her fellow students. 

“I want to thank you for believing in my potential and allowing me to continue to grow with this amazing community at Stockton University,” said the Egg Harbor Township resident. “The encouragement I received solidified my decision to stick with my major no matter any obstacle that I may face.”  

Bertolino also spoke about the financial support for SEBA, a week-long summer camp hosted by the School of Business in Atlantic City that lets high school students learn the basics of entrepreneurship. The camp culminates in a business plan competition judged by faculty, advisory board members and community leaders. 

“You are helping to provide students with an experience that allows them to learn and grow,” Bertolino said. “And every one of those students goes through that experience for free because your scholarship dollars are helping to cover that entire cost.” 

One of the beneficiaries of the SEBA donation is Jennifer Guemes, a senior at Camden County Technical School. Her team won the business plan competition this summer, and she credits SEBA with helping her select Stockton as her top choice for college. 

“I had a great time at SEBA. We were able to network with people around the area and learn new entrepreneurship skills,” said the Lindenwold native. “We were able to stay on the Atlantic City campus for a week. It was really fun, and it gave me an inside look at what being a Stockton student actually is.” 

Guemes said she was really happy to be able to meet the people that helped fund her ability to attend the camp and added that Spencer’s & Spirit Halloween seem like a cool place to work someday. 

John Bee couldn’t agree more. The Longport resident works as an analyst in the planning department at Spencer’s & Spirit Halloween, and is one semester away from earning his master’s in Business Administration from Stockton. He credits the university with helping him get his job at the university’s spring Career and Internship Fair.  

“I got an internship over the summer. That internship got me three credits for school and got my foot in the door here,” he said. 

Bee hopes to keep working his way up the ladder at Spencer’s & Spirit Halloween after he finishes his MBA. 

“It’s just such a great environment,” he said. “I’ve made friends, and it’s just somewhere you’re excited to come to work because you get to see people that you’re happy to see. You get to work for a great company that is doing great things.” 

The $250,000 gift was also used by the Stockton Foundation as a way to challenge Stockton alumni and the community to contribute during Stockton’s annual day of giving, Ospreys Give. Dan Nugent, executive director of the Foundation, said more than 1,150 donors participated this year, raising more than $445,000 in October. 

-- Story by Mark Melhorn, photos provided by Spencer's and Spirit Halloween