Galloway, N.J. — Stockton University students were honored for their academic achievements, leadership and positive impact on the community at the second annual Rising STAR Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, April 14.

The Rising STAR Awards Ceremony is hosted by the Student Transition, Access and Retention (STAR) branch of Student Affairs, which encompasses the offices of Career Education & Development, Military & Veteran Success Center, Academic Achievement Programs, Student Transition Programs, Cultural Engagement Ospreys and the Educational Opportunity Fund program.

The complete list of awards and honorees:

Academic Achievement

The Academic Achievement Programs office oversees Stockton's retention and equity initiatives. Its mission is to bridge equity gaps in student engagement in endeavors like study abroad, internships, undergraduate research and service learning to promote student success for all students.

The Academic Achievement Programs office recognized students from the First Ospreys, Sankofa (S.O.U.L.), TogetHER and Success Scholars programs. 

Awards presented:

• Sankofa (S.O.U.L.) Award: Alexander Delacruz, Jason Diggs and Richard Galeana Galan
• TogetHER H.E.A.R.T. Award: Lovena Agyei and Shaianne Allen
• First Osprey E-Board Excellence Award: Hannah Binetsky, Jasmine Contreras, Paige Kohlhase, Laura Leonel, Amanda Tague and Karrington Tibbs
• First Osprey Above & Beyond Award: Charlene Maycott
• Academic Achievement Award: Alexandrea DiMond, Audrey McGowan, Jennifer Perez, Roy Somers and Angelina Victor

First Ospreys honorees: Hannah Binetsky, Paige Kohlhase, Laura Leonel, Charlene Victoria Maycott, Amanda Tague, Amanda Vargo, Elizabeth Vega Alva and Karington Tibbs.

Sankofa honorees: Alexander Delacruz, Jason Diggs, Richard Galeana Galan, Shane Moore, Nasir Terry and Turhan Welch.

Success Scholars honorees: Karina Gonzalez, Kenya Henry-McClain, Deyalith Maldonado-Mercado, Audrey McGowan, Jennifer Perez, Saira Desai, Jasmine Contreras, Coortez-Perez Yaniris, Alexandra DiMond, Tyler Skurat, Roy Somers, Angelina Victor, Cheyenne Way-Hawkins and Brian Wagner.

Career Education and Development

The Office of Career Education & Development connects Stockton students and the professional world. The office partners with campus departments to deliver workshops, networking events, and its signature bi-annual Career and Internship Fair. Career Ambassadors play a frontline role in that work, engaging students and helping to extend the office's voice.

The Career Education & Development office honored students and staff champions who supported the professional development of Stockton students throughout the year.

Awards presented:

• Career Ambassador of the Year: Gianna Balut
• Career Champions: Erin Flynn, Steve Radwanski, Brian Pluchino, Parth Thakkar, Tara Marsh and Mariana Smith
• Marketing Leaders: Daisy Haines and Lauren Sommers
• Professional Excellence: Bryan Guardado Castro and Jaylin Gonzalez
• Career Ambassador honorees: Jaylin Gonzalez, Daisy Haines, Bryan Guardado Castro and Lauren Sommers.

Cultural Engagement Ospreys (CEO)

The Cultural Engagement Ospreys Project is a competitive, year-long internship experience. Interns commit up to at least 200 hours of work each semester, attending weekly professional development sessions and participating in signature events, including the Deeper Spaces Retreat in the fall and the Career & Internship Fair and MLK Day of Service in the spring. The experience is associated with improved graduation rates and career outcomes.

The Cultural Engagement Ospreys (CEO) program recognized student interns for their work in designing, scheduling and promoting campus-wide engagement programming.

Awards presented:

• CEO Leadership Award: Joshua Corsentino
• CEO Visionary Award: Deesha Chokshi
• CEO Change Agent: Juan Castillo-Ruiz
• 2026 Chief CEO: Ter'ron Oglesby

CEO honorees: Anthony Aiello, Jamie Aleman, Castillo Ruiz Juan, Joshua Corsentino, Kamora Gill, Ter'Ron Oglesby, Zoë Phillips and Sabryia Banks.

Educational Opportunity Fund

The Educational Opportunity Fund is a state-wide program that opens the door to higher education for low-income residents who are motivated and capable but may lack the financial means or academic preparation to attend college on their own. At Stockton, EOF students receive academic and personal advising, tutoring, some financial assistance and wraparound support services across both campuses. The program supports supplemental instruction, leadership development and innovative educational initiatives designed to carry students through to degree completion, while working alongside other financial aid sources to make college more affordable.

Staff members of the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) in both Galloway and Atlantic City honored their graduating students with awards, certificates and stoles.

Awards presented:

• Valedictorian – Atlantic City: Abby Crawley and Galloway: Julia Daino
• Spirit of EOF – Atlantic City: Ruth Ovil and Galloway: Genesis Rincon
• EOF Advocacy and Service Award – Atlantic City: Kayleigh Henry and Galloway: Brayan Guardado Castro
• EOF Trailblazing Leadership Award – Atlantic City: Nasir Terry and Galloway: Leilani Moreno Solano

EOF honorees include: Horace Adams, Shayla Adams, Nasif Ahmed, Emon Ahmod, Karishma Arora, Santos Aviles, Kamran Awan, Angelli Bautista, Jessica Bikhit, Danae Brooks, Nevaeh Cabrera, Mariley Caraballo Vargas, Mariela Cholula-Lopez, Brionaa Conyers, Elizabeth Craton, Abby Crawley, Kiara Crespo, Christella Dabel, Julia Daino, Milan Davis, Daniela Contreras, Samantha Delfino, Tyler Demartino, Alexis Derry, Kallyse Douglas, Souleymane Doumbouya, Skyler Dredden, Marae Espinal, Edwin Feria-Serna, Devon Fernandez, Aury Franco Lopez, Emely Gil-Lopez, Madison Gonzalez, Arissa Gonzalez, Nerlie Gourdet, Ariel Graziano, Kayleigh Henry, My'Air Henry, Samantha Hernandez, Ariana Hernandez, Sangida Huda, Fatma Hussaein, Sanzida Jahan, Juanita Jimenez, Victorious Johnson, Jada Jones, Maria Lopez-Bautista, Rocio Lucero, Emelia Mayorga, Dourna Moise, Sebastian Montano, Edward Monte, Leilani Moreno Solano, Sabrina Morocho, Grace Munoz Jauregui, Allison Nunez, Dhikrat Odutayo, Arek Ohanian, Piero Olazabal, Ruth Ovil, Amiesa Paasewe, Abhiyah Paily, Fahmida Prova, Krista Rasiul, Shakila Riaz, Genesis Rincon, Jamal Rivera-Hands, Brianna Rogers, Citlalli Roman-Sanchez, Manuel Rubio, Nora Saleem, Maria Sanchez, Abigail Schmitt, Alexandra Schmitt, Nilela Scott, Myana Sims-Vega, Tatyana Smith, Kennedy Smith, Michael Stearle, Nicholas Teixeira, Ashley Vargas, Kiara Vasquez, Deven Vazquez, Dayanara Villanueva Abundis, Alexis Waters, Celina Wever, Shayanna Williams, Tykia Williams, Mahasir Zaman, Huzaifa Zikria, and many more.

Military & Veteran Success Center

The Military & Veteran Success Center supports students who are military-affiliated. Their continued service to not only our country, but also their responsibility in the classroom, proceeds to shine. Each year, they are honored in a coining ceremony to commemorate their continued achievements.

Coining Ceremony: Marissa Baggstrom, Paige Baney, Madeline Bankes, Devonee Bencosme, Gianni Bennett, Kelvin Berrio, Adrienne Biscardi, Debbie Brister, Vanesa Brown, Joel Castro-Reyes, Dashawn Causey, Madelynn Clemenko, Emma Coldsnow, Ryan Connelly, Ciara Cook, Sophia Cooney, Kimberly Czerwinski, Taylor Dawson, John Neil Dela Pena, Jeffrey Delafuente, Nicholas DiGiovacchino, Octavia Doogah, Chad Dunn, Kayleigh Durante, Gianna Frohman, Danicza Garcia, Lauren Giummarra, Joshua Gonzalez-Alegria, Stephanie Griffin, Briana Harmon, Nathaniel Harris, Matthew Hoops, Sofia Irizarry, Nicole Jeske, Jared Johnson, Hailey Kane, Bogdan Kustro, Tyrell Lewis, John Louis, Pedro Marcelo, Roberto Marques, Elizabeth Marrano, Oscar Marrou Tonkovic, Colin Martin, James Martinez, Luis Martinez, Anselmo Martinez-Pita, Daniel McCarthy, Kimberley Mcclaire, Maximillian McLeod, Gage Molinaro, Bibiana Montez-Osorio, Santino Morano Teles, Ariann Munoz, Iman Nasim, Timothy Ney, Yan Pavlov, Jorge Penagos, Joel Perdomo, Miguel Perez, Ricky Pham, Nickota Phillips, Nicole Raebig, Caleb Ritchie, Jaylah Rolle, Kelsie Ross, Kaleigh Ruggiero, Sierra Rutnik, Tashaan Scott, Sierra Sigmon, Michael Smalling, Kenneth Smith, Nicole Strain, Tiffany Suarez, Lee Temple, Sujan Thapa, Connor Tuzeneu, Natalia Velez, Jasmin Vu, Syniah Washington, Monica Wiest, and Olivia Wood.

Student Transition

TALONS are trained student leaders who guide new Stockton students through one of the most critical periods of college life — the transition into their first semester. They breathe life into orientations for first-year students, transfers, military and veteran students, EOF participants and Success Scholars, and then continue to mentor new students through first-year seminar courses throughout the fall.

The Student Transition Programs office honored the TALONS (Transition Activity Leaders of New Students) cohort with awards, certificates, and stoles recognizing their impact on new student orientation and retention.

Awards presented:

• TALONS Team Player: Jessica Gibbs
• TALONS Rookie of the Year: Desiree Snyder-Minter
• TALONS High Impact Practices Award: Kayla Lavecchia
• Head TALONS Recognition: Lacey Wilson, Emma Kearney and Jonathan Baez

TALONS honorees: Jonathan Baez, Chloe Brauner, Mikayla Brown, Davinia Brito, Desha Chokshi, Qimmaya Dawson, Samantha Flatten, Jessica Gibbs, Kelianna Gritsipis, Keira Kpoto, Leon Lai, Kayla Lavecchia, Romina Maguina, Emma Kearney, Brianna Nguyen, Favour Owowo, Mashrur Pasha Pantho, Virginia Perez Santiago, Briana Puli, Sther Ramirez Marrero, Marisa Riley, Tiana Rosario, Desiree Snyder-Minter, Marliza Thomas, Isabella Steelman, Jada Umoh, Lacey Wilson and Chadesha Sessoms.

The following students were honored across all programs at the 2026 Rising STAR Awards Ceremony:

Adams Horace; Adams Shayla; Ahmed Nasif; Ahmod Emon; Aiello Anthony; Aleman Jamie; Allen Shaianne; Arora Karishma; Aviles Santos; Awan Kamran; Baez Jonathan; Baggstrom Marissa; Baney Paige; Bankes Madeline; Banks Sabrya; Bautista Angelli; Bencosme Devonee; Bennett Gianni; Berrio Kelvin; Bikhit Jessica; Binetsky Hannah; Biscardi Adrienne; Brauner Chloe; Brister Debbie; Brito Davinia; Brooks Danae; Brown Vanesa; Brown Mikayla; Cabrera Nevaeh; Caraballo Vargas Mariley; Castillo Ruiz Juan; Castro-Reyes Joel; Causey Dashawn; Chokshi Deesha; Cholula-Lopez Mariela; Clemenko Madelynn; Coldsnow Emma; Connelly Ryan; Contreras Daniela; Contreras Jasmine; Conyers Brionaa; Cook Ciara; Cooney Sophia; Coortez-Perez Yaniris; Corsentino Joshua; Craton Elizabeth; Crawley Abby; Crespo Kiara; Czerwinski Kimberly; Dabel Christella; Daino Julia; Davis Milan; Dawson Taylor; Dawson Qimmaya; Dela Pena John Neil; Delacruz Alexander; Delafuente Jeffrey; Delfino Samantha; Demartino Tyler; Derry Alexis; Desai Saira; Diggs Jason; DiGiovacchino Nicholas; DiMond Alexandrea; Doogah Octavia; Douglas Kallyse; Doumbouya Souleymane; Dredden Skyler; Dunn Chad; Durante Kayleigh; Espinal Marae; Feria-Serna Edwin; Fernandez Devon; Flatten Samantha; Franco Lopez Aury; Frohman Gianna; Galeana Galan Richard; Garcia Danicza; Gibbs Jessica; Gil-Lopez Emely; Gill Kamora; Giummarra Lauren; Gonzalez Madison; Gonzalez Arissa; Gonzalez Karina; Gonzalez Jaylin; Gonzalez-Alegria Joshua; Gourdet Nerlie; Graziano Ariel; Griffin Stephanie; Gritsipis Kelianna; Guardado Castro Bryan; Haines Daisy; Harmon Briana; Harris Nathaniel; Hassan Mohammad; Henry Kayleigh; Henry My'Air; Henry-McClain Kenya; Hernandez Samantha; Hernandez Ariana; Hoops Matthew; Huda Sangida; Hussaein Fatma; Irizarry Sofia; Jahan Sanzida; Jeske Nicole; Jimenez Juanita; Johnson Victorious; Johnson Jared; Jones Jada; Kane Hailey; Kearney Emma; Kohlhase Paige; Kpoto Keira; Kustro Bogdan; Lai Leon; Laing Najmah; Lavecchia Kayla; Leonel Laura; Lewis Tyrell; Lopez-Bautista Maria; Louis John; Lovena Angyei; Lucero Rocio; Maguina Romina; Maldonado-Mercado Deyalith; Marcelo Pedro; Marques Roberto; Marrano Elizabeth; Marrou Tonkovic Oscar; Martin Colin; Martinez James; Martinez Luis; Martinez-Pita Anselmo; Maycott Charlene Victoria; Mayorga Emelie; McCarthy Daniel; Mcclaire Kimberley; McGowan Audrey; Mckelvey Mikayla; McLeod Maximillian; Moise Dourna; Molinaro Gage; Montano Sebastian; Monte Edward; Montez-Osorio Bibiana; Moore Shane; Morano Teles Santino; Moreno Solano Leilani; Morocho Sabrina; Munoz Ariann; Munoz Jauregui Grace; Nasim Iman; Ney Timothy; Nguyen Brianna; Noh William; Nunez Allison; Odutayo Dhikrat; Oglesby Ter'Ron; Ohanian Arek; Olazabal Piero; Ovil Ruth; Owowo Favour; Paasewe Amiesa; Paily Abhiyah; Pasha Mashrur Pantho; Pavlov Yan; Penagos Jorge; Perdomo Joel; Perez Jennifer; Perez Miguel; Perez Santiago Virginia; Pham Ricky; Phillips Nickota; Phillips Zoë; Prova Fahmida; Puli Briana; Raebig Nicole; Ramirez Marrero Sther; Rasiul Krista; Riaz Shakila; Riley Marisa; Rincon Genesis; Ritchie Caleb; Rivera-Hands Jamal; Rogers Brianna; Rolle Jaylah; Roman-Sanchez Citlalli; Rosario Tiana; Ross Kelsie; Rubio Manuel; Ruggiero Kaleigh; Rutnik Sierra; Saleem Nora; Sanchez Maria; Schmitt Abigail; Schmitt Alexandra; Scott Nilela; Scott Tashaan; Sessoms Chadiaha; Sigmon Sierra; Sims-Vega Myana; Skurat Tyler; Smalling Michael; Smith Tatyana; Smith Kenneth; Smith Kennedy; Snyder-Minter Desiree; Somers Roy; Sommers Lauren; Stearle Michael; Steelman Isabella; Strain Nicole; Suarez Tiffany; Tague Amanda; Teixeira Nicholas; Temple Lee; Terry Nasir; Thapa Sujan; Thomas Marliza; Tibbs Karington; Tuzeneu Connor; Umoh Jada; Vargas Ashley; Vargo Amanda; Vasquez Kiara; Vazquez Deven; Vega Alva Elizabeth; Velez Natalia; Victor Angelina; Villanueva Abundis Dayanara; Vu Jasmin; Wagner Brian; Washington Syniah; Waters Alexis; Way-Hawkins Cheyenne; Welch Turhan; Wever Celina; Wiest Monica; Williams Shayanna; Williams Tykia; Wilson Lacey; Wood Olivia; Zaman Mahasir; and Zikria Huzaifa.

More photos from the ceremony

View more images on Flickr