Stockton News - March 14, 2025 - University Relations & Marketing

Stockton News - March 14, 2025

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

Chickens, Churches and WWII: Study Tour Reveals Layers of History

To the naked eye, it is unclear what kind of history the land beneath a local Hispanic church, a Wawa and a Wal-Mart held.

It’s only when shoulder-to-shoulder with a second-generation Holocaust survivor that the indelible mark of families and individuals who fled religious and ethnic persecution in Europe became clear to Stockton students on a March 5 excursion.

The study trip that covered most of the McKee City section of EHT was a collaboration between the Sara and Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center at Stockton, Professor of History Kameika Murphy’s course, “Museums and the Display of Diversity,” and the Greater Egg Harbor Township Historical Society.

Before the trip began, the group of 12 students were introduced to the Holocaust Survivors of South Jersey Project, which documents and honors the lives of survivors who settled in South Jersey. This tour focused on the local McKee City poultry farms, of which 70% of the survivors who settled in South Jersey opened and operated throughout the 1950s and 60s.

📸 See more photos on flickr.

University Hosts K-9 Explosives Detection Training

For the second consecutive year, police K-9 units from all over New Jersey gathered at Stockton on March 12 to obtain certification in explosives detection.

Stockton Police Chief Tracy Stuart completed the certification with her K-9 partner Freya. Officers from the Bayonne Police Department and the Morris, Passaic and Monmouth County Sheriff’s Offices also participated in the event, which was hosted by Region 15 of the United States Police Canine Association.

Area High School Singers Fill Performing Arts Center with Music

The walls of Stockton's Performing Arts Center shook as 11 local high school choirs took over the mainstage for Stockton’s annual High School Choral Day on Monday, March 10.

Organized by the School of Arts & Humanities, the annual event has brought together hundreds of high school students to showcase all they have learned and worked on in their respective choirs for over 20 years.

The participating choirs were eclectic. They ranged from small groups, such as Woodbury Junior and Senior high school’s eight singers, to large, like Southern Regional High School’s choir of more than 60 students. Some were all in concert black, while others sported jeans and letterman jackets emblazoned with their school colors.

Julie-Ann Green, a faculty member for both Stockton and Chartertech High School for the Performing Arts in Somers Point, has been a part of the program since its early beginnings and has high praise for it.

“One of the great things about today is that these high school students are getting a chance to see choirs with different experiences, and it also bridges the gap and shows them what happens after high school with two of our current Stockton students performing solos for them,” Green said.

FRAME-WORTHY

Community Resource Fair Supports Stockton’s Vision

The Military and Veteran Success Center and the Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning (SCCESL) hosted the fourth biannual Community Resource Fair on Thursday, March 13, in the Campus Center Event Room. The fair included workforce development and nonprofit organizations, social and community programs and counseling and mental health services and more. More than 40 organizations offered advice to attendees, including the American Red Cross, the Atlantic Center for Independent Living, AVANZAR, the Center for Family Services, the Community Food Bank, the New Jersey Department of Military and Veteran Administration and South Jersey Legal Services attended.

“Offering events like this to our community directly addresses Stockton's vision of being committed to the positive development of southern New Jersey,” said Heather Swenson-Brilla, the supervisor of Community Programs and Engagement Assessment for SCCESL. “Our goal is also to connect on- and off-campus support resources for students to help them create a stronger network and build resiliency so that they can meet their goals while at Stockton and after they graduate.”

📸 See more photos on Flickr

WHAT'S TRENDING @ #STOCKTONU

Facebook: Name one of your favorite #StocktonU classes.

X: The second half of March is full of lights, music and action at the @StocktonPAC!

Instagram: #WomensHistoryMonthis your reminder to pick up the phone & a call a woman who inspires you ❤️🥲

Your favorite lake's online... have you given @lakefred1969 a follow yet? 👀

FROM THE SIDELINES

Nine Ospreys Collect USTFCCCA All-Region Honors; Styer Sets School Records

Nine track & field competitors earned a total of 16 All-Metro Region honors from the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) for the 2024-25 indoor season. To qualify, competitors needed to post a mark that ranked in the top five in the region in an individual event or top three in a relay.

Five of the nine Ospreys produced multiple all-region accolades, including a pair of Stockton competitors who earned three all-region awards apiece. Elaina Styer led the way with all-region recognition in three individual events, the 60m hurdles, pentathlon and high jump.

Styer recorded the top performances in the Metro Region in the pentathlon and high jump (1.66m). The sophomore set school records in the pentathlon (3,628 pts) and 60m hurdles (9.03 seconds). Styer will compete in the pentathlon at the NCAA Division III Championships today, March 14.

The additional Ospreys recognized include Kayla Kass, Ahmad Fogg, Emma Petrolia, Kayla Sullivan, Emma Conroy, Amanda McNally, Maddy Valasek and Eva Morrison.

Stockton Routs Drew 21-3; School Records Set

The women’s lacrosse team extended its winning streak to four with a 21-3 rout of Drew University on March 12. Osprey players broke three school records and reached two milestones during the blowout.

Isabella Marinello set school records with eight goals and 10 points. Marinello also became the seventh player in program history to reach 100 career points.

Julia Gibson scored five goals while Madison MacGillivray totaled four goals and four assists for eight points. Overall, 10 Ospreys recorded at least one point in the game.

Stockton scored four times in a span of 2:52 on the way to an 8-1 lead in the first quarter. The Ospreys extended to 14-1 at the half with a 6-0 second period, and they coasted to the 21-3 triumph.

The team will travel to Misericordia on March 15 for a matchup that begins at 1 p.m.

🦅 For more athletics news and upcoming game information, visit here.🦅

OSPREY NOTES

Experts Discuss U.S. Shipping Law’s Economic Impacts

A panel of distinguished experts and practitioners discussed trade policy, energy supply, national security and shipbuilding at an event earlier this month hosted by the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University.

The Jones Act, a law meant to ensure readiness for war and prop up American shipbuilding, requires all goods shipped between domestic ports to be carried by vessels that are U.S.-built, owned and operated. The purpose of the panel event was to discuss the broader impacts of the protectionist law and options to change it.

Panelists included Colin Grabow of the Cato Institute, the leading expert on the Jones Act; Paul S. Koffsky, former Senior Deputy Counsel of the Department of Defense, who provided a national security perspective; and Eduardo Bhatia, former President of the Senate of Puerto Rico, who shared how Puerto Rican citizens are affected by the law. Stockton senior Camille Benoit provided a student’s voice.

The panel was moderated by Rear Admiral Kevin Sweeney, former Chief of Staff to Secretary of Defense James Mattis.

Faculty, Staff Discount for Gala Available through April 1

The Scholarship Benefit Gala is coming home, being held at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, April 26, in the Campus Center. Join colleagues and community members for an unforgettable evening of gourmet food, live music, dancing and entertainment.

To show our appreciation for the difference you make at Stockton every day—we’re offering a special faculty and staff ticket price. Get your tickets for $175 with code FACULTYSTAFF at checkout through April 1.

2025-26 FAFSA is Available Now

Attention faculty & staff! The 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available now at fafsa.gov! We ask that you please encourage your students and their families to not only complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA by the below deadlines, but also utilize the resources and helpful information listed at stockton.edu/fafsa before they complete the application.

March 1 is the priority date for students to complete the FAFSA to be considered for aid programs with limited funding for the fall 2025 and spring 2026 semesters.

April 15 is the deadline for students who received the State Tuition Aid Grant (TAG) and/or the Stockton Promise in the 2024-25 academic year to complete the 2025-26 FAFSA at fafsa.gov or NJ Alternative Application for Financial Aid (NJ Dreamers only) at hesaa.org to be considered for state aid as well as the Stockton Promise in the 2025-26 academic year. Students who miss this deadline could miss out on thousands of dollars in grant funding!

Any student or family member who needs assistance completing their section of the FAFSA is invited to attend an evening FAFSA Completion event hosted by the Office of Financial Aid on Tuesday, March 25! Students and their family members will receive in-person assistance in completing their sections of the FAFSA during this event. Register for March 25 here!

One-on-one FAFSA Completion Appointments are also available every Wednesday and Friday in March and April. Students can register at stockton.edu/contactfinaid.

Please feel free to share the information on how to register. We want to assist as many students as possible.

Fun Fact Friday: 🫓 National Potato Chip Day, celebrated annually on March 14, honors one of America's favorite snack foods. This crispy, salty treat has been a staple in households for over a century, originating from an 1853 kitchen experiment by chef George Crum in Saratoga Springs, New York. What began as a thinly sliced fried potato has evolved into an industry worth billions, with countless flavors ranging from classic salted to unique varieties like dill pickle, barbecue, and even chocolate-covered chips. On this day, potato chip lovers indulge in their favorite brands, try new flavors, and even make homemade versions. Some snack companies mark the occasion with special promotions and contests. Whether you prefer kettle-cooked, wavy, or thin and crispy, National Potato Chip Day is the perfect excuse to enjoy a handful (or a whole bag) of this beloved snack. So grab your favorite chips and celebrate the crunch!

POLLING ALL OSPREYS

We’re almost one week into losing an hour thanks to good old Daylight Saving Time. Hopefully everyone is settling into their new routine. That brings us to last week’s poll question where we asked you how you felt about Daylight Saving Time: I love the later sunsets!, I wish we could cancel it or Did anyone ask the daylight if it needed saving? While 41.7% of you are all for canceling it, 58.3% are living for those later sunsets! 🌅 No one seemed to care to ask the daylight if it needed saving. Sheesh. Well, here’s to longer, sunnier and hopefully warmer days!