Stockton News - Sept. 6, 2024 - University Relations & Marketing

Stockton News - Sept. 6, 2024

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

Longtime Officer Tracy Stuart Sworn In as New Police Chief

It’s ironic that Tracy Stuart has spent most of her law enforcement career at a place in the middle of the Pinelands National Reserve.

Stockton’s new police chief isn’t a fan of the forest.

“I don’t care for the woods as a whole with all the bugs and things like that,” she said. “But I do love working here.”

The 53-year-old Ocean County resident was sworn in Sept. 4 by President Joe Bertolino as the university’s newest top cop.

“Congratulations Chief Stuart and thank you for accepting this important assignment to lead this important transition for the University,” Bertolino said at the swearing-in ceremony. “It certainly will not be easy, but from the get-go, you’re our person to lead, and we knew that right away.”

PHOTO: President Bertolino, right, gives the oath of office to Stuart as Stockton's new police chief on Sept. 4. Stuart is accompanied by her mother Cynthia and her mentor retired Stafford Township Police Chief Thomas Conroy.

Website Ranks Stockton One of Top LGBTQ+ Friendly Colleges

Stockton was recently named one of the top LGBTQ+ Friendly Colleges in the country by BestColleges.com.

Stockton was listed at No. 10 in the website’s 2024 rankings and was recognized for its Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Center (WGSC), which works with a number of LGBTQ+ student organizations, including the Queer & Trans People of Color Society and the Pride Alliance. According to the website, Stockton ranks among the best in the nation in efforts to support and provide academic, financial and social resources for LGBTQ+ students.

Laurie Dutton, the WGSC director, said Stockton has worked hard to foster a positive climate for the LGBTQ+ population. She’s thrilled and immensely proud of the ranking, which comes at a good time as the center is preparing to celebrate its 10th anniversary in March 2025.

STOCKTON UNIVERSITY ATLANTIC CITY

Leadership Program Enters Sixth Year, Welcomes Four New Scholars

When selecting recipients for a full-ride scholarship program that emphasizes professional and leadership development, Alfred Engelberg isn’t just looking for students with a 4.0 GPA – he’s searching for himself.

Before becoming a successful patent lawyer who fought for the underdog against extortive pharmaceutical companies, Engelberg was a young man with humble beginnings in Atlantic City who was trying to become the first in his family to graduate from college.

Thanks to a generous scholarship from the Marjorie & Lewis Katz Jewish Community Center, he earned his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Drexel University and eventually a law degree from New York University.

Now, Engelberg gets to make students’ academic dreams come true, just as the anonymous donor did for him.

PHOTO: Four new scholars have been accepted to Stockton's first-ever full-ride scholarship - Dickson Moreno, Yaisha Rios, Channon Wilson and Sage Rosenberg (not pictured) are the program's sixth cohort.

FRAME-WORTHY

Ospreys Soar Higher at Spirit Day

Ospreys soared into a beautiful September day, enjoying the many festivities of Spirit Day, which included canoeing on Lake Fred, a Spirit Walk around the track, a pep rally in the Sports Center, giveaways, music, a photobooth and much more.

📸 View more photos on flickr.

WHAT'S TRENDING @ #STOCKTONU

Facebook: Welcome back, Ospreys! 🦅💙 Have a great first day of classes!

Instagram: Dads of move-in 📦🔨🙌🏽

FROM THE SIDELINES

Stockton Athletics Announces 2024 Hall of Fame Class

Stockton has selected four individuals to comprise the 2024 Stockton Athletics Hall of Fame class. The group earned two All-American honors, nine all-region accolades, 23 all-conference nods and two NJAC Coach of the Year awards.

The 2024 honorees are Joey Afflitto (softball), Alicia Belko (cross country/track & field/field hockey), Cassandra Hrusko (cross country/track & field) and coach Tim Lenahan (men's soccer).

Afflitto (2009-12) was a two-time National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Region selection and three-time NJAC All-Conference honoree (2010 Second Team, 2009 & 2011 Honorable Mention). Afflitto holds school records for at bats (549), hits (191) and triples (28) in a career.

Belko (cross country 2016-17, women's track & field 2013-17, field hockey 2013-15) was a 2017 All-American in the 3000m steeplechase and the first women's two-time NCAA Cross Country Championships qualifier in school history. She earned a trio of USTFCCCA all-region honors (2016-17 cross country, 2017 outdoor track & field).

Hrusko (cross country/women's track & field 2013-17) was a 2017 All-American in the outdoor 1500-meter run and four-time USTFCCCA All-Region selection in cross country (2014, 2016) and indoor and outdoor track & field (2017).

Lenahan (men's soccer coach 1990-97) was a three-time NJAC Coach of the Year (1990, 93, 96) and posted a career record of 94-46-17 (.653 winning percentage) in eight seasons at Stockton, which is his alma mater. He was the architect of a major turnaround after taking over a team that posted a 2-15 record in 1989.

Stockton Edged 1-0 by Haverford

On Sept. 4, the field hockey team fell to Haverford College (2-0) by a 1-0 count. The Ospreys yielded a late goal with just 3:32 remaining that proved to be the difference.

Stockton goaltender Erika Roura gave her team a chance with 10 saves while Haverford held a 12-4 advantage in shots on goal and 19-7 margin in shot attempts. Roura's 10 stops were the second-highest total of her career.

Makayla Alessi contributed a defensive save and Carlee Thompson was credited with two of Stockton's four shots on goal.

The game was scoreless into the later stages of the fourth quarter. Stockton was assessed a yellow card with 7:03 remaining and Haverford capitalized on the advantage as Ileana Rodriguez scored on a penalty corner with just 3:32 on the clock to down the Ospreys 1-0.

Stockton heads south this weekend to play the University of Lynchburg (Va.) at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 7.

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

OSPREY NOTES

president joe addresses staff

Fall Faculty Conference Held Sept. 3; President Joe Addresses Staff Sept. 4

Fall Faculty Conference was held on Sept. 3, where several hundred Stockton faculty members gathered excitedly in anticipation of the upcoming fall semester. Faculty had the opportunity to reconnect and hear updates from President Joe Bertolino and Provost Michael Palladino, as well as Faculty President Michael Law. See more photos on Flickr from the conference.

On Sept. 4, President Bertolino hosted his Bi-Annual Address to Staff, sharing priorities and goals for the upcoming semester and academic year, including the Strategic Plan, stabilizing enrollment, campus climate, the Atlantic City campus, and more.

SCOSA Arts Exchange Unveiled Sept. 3

On Sept. 3, Gina Maguire, senior operations specialist at the Stockton Center on Successful Aging (SCOSA), and staff member Fionna Janson, officially unveiled the SCOSA Arts Exchange, a Free Little Art Gallery, located outside F227 at the Galloway campus.

“Visit the SCOSA Arts Exchange to see the current exhibit. If you see a piece you like, you can take it. If you enjoy creating art, leave a piece to share with others,” Maguire shared. "By having the SCOSA Arts Exchange, we hope to encourage intergenerational sharing of art. We often invite older adults to create art with SCOSA; we plan to ask students to do the same. Intergenerational art activities are special; they allow people to connect over creating."

If you have any questions about the SCOSA Arts Exchange, including how to get students involved, email Gina.Maguire@stockton.edu.

PHOTO: Back row from left to right, Gina Maguire, Laurie Stachowicz and Fionna Janson. Front row from left to right, Joan Salway, Maggie Gutierrez and Ginny Palusky.

Welcome back, faculty! As the fall semester has begun, it's almost time to Confirm your Ospreys!

Faculty are reminded to complete the Academic Engagement process by confirming student attendance/academic activity beginning after the add/drop period on Wednesday, Sept. 11. The Academic Engagement process is to be completed by Wednesday, Sept. 18. The Office of Financial Aid will use this information to make adjustments to student financial aid disbursements based upon each student's confirmed number of credits.

Each instructor will be responsible for confirming student attendance or participation in an academic activity. For online courses, faculty are reminded to include an assignment or discussion activity during the add/drop period so that the student's attendance can be confirmed.

The link to complete the Academic Engagement process can be found under the faculty tab within the goStockton portal.

For more information and a list of frequently asked questions, visit stockton.edu/academicengagement.

Fun Fact Friday: The first Friday in September is National Food Bank Day, and while the issue of hunger is not a “fun” fact, it is an important one. You can use this day as a reminder to make a donation to your local food bank, and also mark your calendars for next Saturday, Sept. 14 — where the Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ) and Stockton University Alumni Relations will host a Second Saturdays event to collect food for College Meal Kits.