Since its founding, Stockton has distinguished itself with a rigorous liberal arts education. General Studies courses specifically designed by faculty to cultivate students’ intellectual curiosity, higher-order thinking and interpersonal skills form the core of the academic experience. 

As one of the first students in the Digital Studies degree program, Dalton Culleny ’25 credits the problem solving, design and collaborative skills he learned at Stockton in helping him fulfill his childhood dream to become a Disney Imagineer.

“The collaborative work we did in Digital Studies courses, blending technical and creative communication skills, prepared me to thrive in the fast-paced global environment at Walt Disney World Imagineering,” said Culleny, who now lives in Orlando. “Digital Studies was the launchpad that gave me the tools and versatility I needed.” 

In 2022, the University launched a Bachelor of Arts in Digital Studies, a rapidly growing and hands-on program at the intersection of digital communication studies, digital visual arts and computer information systems.

The interdisciplinary approach ingrained in the Digital Studies curriculum is essential for modern digital pathways, said Jung Lee, program chair and professor of Instructional Technology. 

“I saw the need for a jack-of-all-trades – a digital generalist. When a company is building an app, they need a coding person, a graphic designer, a technology specialist. But they also need someone who can communicate across those areas,” she said.
 
“So many career opportunities exist at the intersection of art, design and technology,” added MeNa Ko, a Digital Studies teaching specialist who joined Stockton in 2025. “We are trying to cultivate a generation of digitalists. Every student that comes to our program ends up exploring something completely different. But fundamentally, technology and design are about human interaction.”

“A program like this could not exist at another school,” continued Ko, who also facilitates a weeklong video game development “Game Jam” each semester that brings together students across disciplines at the University.

 

“Digital Studies is a great example of the practical and applied aspects of liberal arts, and how we are modernizing our liberal arts roots not only for today’s careers but to help prepare students for career opportunities that don’t yet fully exist,” said Michael Palladino, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. “We produce better designers, biochemists, entrepreneurs and health care workers because of the general studies foundation rooted at Stockton.” 

Mary Kientz, associate professor and chair of the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) program, says there is a direct tie from the liberal arts foundation students receive at Stockton to their success in the curriculum and in their career. 

“Having a strong liberal arts background strengthens them as students. Coursework in psychology, sociology and anthropology is important because we deal with people across the lifespan, and work with individuals with mental health and physical issues,” Kientz said. “We also need them to be strong in writing, critical thinking and problem solving.”

Between the liberal arts foundation and hands-on MSOT education, 100% of Stockton’s students have passed the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy for the past three years and are highly sought after for employment, she said.

Occupational therapy practitioners work with people of all ages, from infants to older adults, who have conditions that are mentally, physically, developmentally or emotionally disabling. They help these clients develop, recover or maintain the skills needed for daily living and working.

“Occupational therapists are looking at the entire person,” she said.

An updated Activities of Daily Living Suite on campus resembles an apartment so students can practice working with clients in a homecare setting, including teaching them how to maneuver from a medical bed to the shower using a walker.

Students use their problem-solving skills by collaborating with each other and community partners, designing and 3-D printing adaptive equipment for children at Atlantic County Special Services School.

“It’s one thing to design a pencil holder and another to do it for a real child,” Kientz said.

“One skill that has made me more well-rounded as a student and future health care practitioner is the ability to keep an open mind,” said Madeline Corbett ’24. “In health care, it is important to listen to many different opinions, from colleagues to clients. At Stockton, I have taken a variety of courses that required thinking outside of a health care lens, including writing, social sciences and sustainability.”

The Linwood resident, who is in her final semester of the MSOT program, said the teamwork and collaboration skills she learned in her foundational courses take on new meaning now. 

“Since OTs work on many interprofessional teams, many of the assignments I complete in the MSOT program, including the high-stakes case studies, are with a partner or group. This is vital because, many times, you will be treating a patient with at least one other professional, and you will need to properly communicate and coordinate care,” Corbett explained. 

The MSOT program started at Stockton in 1999 and received its third 10-year reaccreditation from the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education in December.