Stockton University News - August 2016

Dear Alumni and Friends,

Greetings from Stockton University! This summer, we wrapped up the Vision Tour with more than 200 alumni and community members in attendance at the final tour stop in Atlantic City, N.J.  Thank you for your continued commitment to being informed, involved and invested in the growth of our University. Here are a few highlights of other recent happenings at Stockton:


$22 Million in State Capital Improvement Funds Approved for Future AC Campus

Future AC campus

The $22 million in state Capital Improvement Funds earmarked for the planned Atlantic City campus were approved on Aug. 12. This is the largest CIF award in the State of New Jersey. 

The $22 million in state Capital Improvement Funds (CIF) earmarked for the planned Atlantic City campus were approved on Aug. 12. Governor Chris Christie and Secretary of Higher Education Rochelle Hendricks recommended to the state Legislature in June that Stockton be awarded the $22 million to support the future campus. This is the largest CIF award in the State of New Jersey.

It is expected that the state will sell these bonds sometime in October. Although we will not be using these funds until later in the project, the Capital Improvement Fund grant is the last piece of funding for the current project.

Stockton’s architects are working closely with architects at AC Devco to engineer all space configurations of the various facilities.

The campus will be located at the site of the old Atlantic City High School, at the intersection of Atlantic, Albany and Pacific avenues, with student residences overlooking the beach and Boardwalk.

The campus will include: a housing and student center on the Boardwalk for about 520 students; a parking garage topped by new offices for South Jersey Gas, with 879 parking spaces for use by the University, South Jersey Gas and the public; and an academic building to accommodate up to 1,800 students.


The Noyes Museum of Art Becomes Part of Stockton University

Noyes  joins Stockton

The Mr. and Mrs. Fred Winslow Noyes Foundation and The Noyes Museum of Art recently announced the transfer of ownership of the art museum and artwork, both formerly located in the Oceanville section of Galloway, to Stockton.  

The Mr. and Mrs. Fred Winslow Noyes Foundation and The Noyes Museum of Art recently announced the transfer of ownership of the art museum and artwork, both formerly located in the Oceanville section of Galloway, to Stockton.

The Noyes Foundation will continue to provide annual bequests to the University, primarily to support art acquisition.

Stockton initially will expand The Noyes Museum of Art of Stockton University’s footprint at Kramer Hall, and will designate a permanent location in the future. The Noyes Foundation retains ownership of the museum’s former Oceanville location, which is currently for sale.

The Noyes Museum has been an arts and culture icon in South Jersey since 1983, and Stockton is very excited to continue this tradition. Having a museum of this caliber adds great value to our students’ experiences and offers a number of opportunities to appreciate art and engage in cultural activities.

The Noyes Museum of Art was the vision of local entrepreneurs Fred and Ethel Noyes, who were avid art and antique collectors. Fred was also an academically trained artist who produced many works reflecting his love of southern New Jersey’s natural features. His art and personal collection of vintage bird decoys are part of the museum’s extensive collection of 19th- to 21st-century fine and folk art.


Stockton Master’s in Communication Disorders Program Earns Accreditation.

Comm Disorders accredition

The University’s Master of Science in Communication Disorders recently received accreditation from the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.

The University’s Master of Science in Communication Disorders (MSCD) recently received accreditation from the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.

“We are extremely proud of Dean Theresa Bartolotta’s team in the School of Health Sciences,” said Lori A. Vermeulen, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “The faculty at Stockton is very student-centered and this accomplishment is another manifestation of their passionate dedication to providing excellent opportunities for their students.”

“The Master’s in Communications Disorders program is already popular, receiving approximately 300 applications for 32 spots,” Vermeulen noted. “Its new full-accreditation status will likely make the program even more attractive to potential applicants.”

The MSCD program is fulltime and takes five semesters to complete over two years. Students receive a minimum of 400 supervised clinical hours at the Stockton University Speech and Hearing Clinic as well as in off-campus sites in educational and health care settings.

The School of Health Sciences will have expanded teaching spaces in the new academic building expected to open in Spring 2018, including a state-of-the-art simulation lab that will allow the students to participate in interprofessional clinical education experiences to prepare them for the changing health care environment.

“The extraordinary efforts of the faculty have led us to where we are today,”  Bartolotta said. “The council’s site team told us that we are ‘the premier program in the region,’ and I could not be more proud.”

Graduates of Stockton’s program have been successfully employed in schools, health care settings and private practices.


Stockton Students, Faculty Member Attend National Conventions as Part of Washington Internship Program

Students attend national political conventions

Nine Stockton University students and Associate Professor of Political Science Michael Rodriguez attended either the Republican or Democratic National Conventions as part of a two-week seminar program offered through The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars. 

Nine Stockton University students attended either the Republican or Democratic National Conventions as part of a two-week seminar program offered through The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars (TWC), and Michael Rodriguez, associate professor of Political Science at Stockton, served as a faculty leader for TWC at the Democratic National Convention.

Two Stockton students attended TWC’s Republican National Convention seminar, held from July 10 – 22, 2016 in Cleveland, Ohio, and seven Stockton students attended TWC’s Democratic National Convention seminar, held July 17 – 29, 2016 in Philadelphia, Pa.

The convention seminars are part of the TWC Campaign 2016 series, which combines formal instruction, panels, tours, site visits and fieldwork assignments. The program provides students the opportunity to experience the convention from behind the scenes, and to witness democracy in action at both the grassroots and national levels.

“This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for our students to experience and participate in the presidential nominating process and to learn from a series of featured speakers and instruction,” said Rodriguez, whose group in Philadelphia consisted of all seven Stockton students as well as eight students from other institutions.

“The conventions give students an insider’s perspective on the political process and a front row seat to history,” said TWC President Mike Smith. “This seminar is an immersion into the campaign world, giving students numerous opportunities to study the nomination process from start to finish. I can’t think of a more meaningful way to take part in political discourse.”

In 2008 and 2012, Stockton paid for one student to attend each convention.

“This year we raised sufficient funds to enable a number of students to go. Cost is quite high at $4,695 per student—but with internal funding support, we were able to get it down to $1,700 per student,” Rodriguez said.

In addition to attending the conventions, the Stockton students will take an independent study course with Rodriguez during the fall semester based on their experience and will participate in activities related to the 2016 presidential election.

I hope you enjoy reading this newsletter!

Harvey Kesselman
President, Stockton University