Stockton Celebrates a Decade as a University 

Ten years ago, on Feb. 18, 2015, Stockton University celebrated a transformative milestone — its transition from college to university status. The Campus Center Grand Hall was packed as students, faculty and staff gathered to witness the unveiling of the new name and logo. Amid cheers, rainbow confetti, and baseball caps tossed into the air, Stockton embraced its evolution while reaffirming its core mission: providing affordable, high-quality liberal arts education for students of all backgrounds. 

Stockton's identity, known as the "Stockton Idea," has remained steadfast since its founding — a commitment to individualized learning in a socially engaged, academically rigorous environment. Over the past decade, the University has continued to foster opportunity, especially for first-generation students, and expanded its impact across southern New Jersey. 

Just a year after becoming a university under the leadership of President Herman J. Saatkamp Jr., Stockton saw one of its own Mayflower students, Harvey Kesselman, inaugurated as its fifth president. Under his leadership, the University embarked on a period of rapid growth. In 2018, Stockton opened beachfront living and learning facilities in Atlantic City, expanded nursing resources in Manahawkin, and added two academic buildings in Galloway. The "Live, Work, Learn" program followed, offering students summer employment, discounted courses, and housing by the beach. 

Philanthropy has played a crucial role in Stockton's progress. In 2019, Alfred Engelberg, a prominent former New York attorney and philanthropist who grew up in Atlantic City, and his wife, Gail, made a $1 million gift commitment to start the Engelberg Leadership Scholarship Program (ELSP) that pays all college costs for a select group of students with connections to his hometown. The goal of ELSP is to encourage students to remain in Atlantic City and become its next community leaders after graduation. Later that year, Stockton received its largest donation to date: an $8 million pledge from John F. Scarpa to bolster academic offerings in Atlantic City and health sciences in Galloway. 

The COVID-19 pandemic tested Stockton's adaptability, prompting innovative approaches to education. Classes shifted online, and unique learning environments emerged. The sustainable campus farm became an outdoor classroom; dance classes practiced on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, and clinical experiences typically taking place in hospitals were simulated in the Scarpa Health Sciences Center. The School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics used Facebook Live to offer tours of the campus forest and surrounding coastal environments.  

In the wake of the racial justice movement, Stockton reaffirmed its commitment to inclusion. On June 19, 2020, more than 400 community members participated in a March for Justice — the first major on-campus event since the pandemic began. The University launched the Stockton Maple Project with a $410,000 USDA grant to promote sustainable agriculture and maple syrup production in South Jersey that same year. 

Stockton's momentum continued in 2023 with the opening of Parkview Hall, a 400-bed residential complex in Atlantic City's historic Chelsea neighborhood. The new Multicultural Center opened on the Galloway campus, fostering connection and belonging among a growingly diverse student body. The fall 2022 incoming class was the most diverse in Stockton's history, with 46% identifying as minority or mixed race. 

In summer 2023, Dr. Joe Bertolino became Stockton's sixth president, bringing a deep commitment to social justice, student success and educational access. As Stockton celebrates a decade as a University, it continues to grow while staying rooted in its founding ideals — a vibrant community where all students can thrive. 

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Stockton Establishes Community Advisory Board 

Stockton assembled community stakeholders for a new initiative emphasizing the University’s role as a regional Anchor Institution. According to President Joe Bertolino, the formation of a Community Advisory Board will create stronger partnerships with leaders who can provide strategic input into advancing Stockton’s mission and help Stockton to better engage and serve the community.   

“This diverse group of leaders will serve as a bridge between the University and the region, offering insight and guidance to advance shared goals and keep our finger on the pulse of community needs,” Bertolino said. 

The board will focus on five primary goals, including (1) Engaging with community stakeholders to help ensure University priorities contribute to the well-being of the community; (2) Sharing information to provide an understanding of local issues and opportunities; (3) Providing advice and recommendations to the University to support informed decision-making that positively impacts both the University and the region; (4) Creating relationships that enhance the educational experience, contribute to the vitality of the community, and support for the local workforce, and; (5) Empowering community members through educational opportunities, events and initiatives. 

“Establishing this community-based advisory board is one way Stockton is recommitting to its role as an Anchor Institution,” Bertolino said. 

In April 2016, the State of New Jersey designated Stockton University as an Anchor Institution. The decision recognizes Stockton’s impact on Atlantic City and the surrounding region, as well as its potential to contribute to and help stabilize the local economy. 

The President’s Community Advisory Board held its first meeting on Jan. 21, 2025,  at Stockton and will meet once a semester. 

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Students Partner with Police to Analyze Community Interactions 

A unique partnership between the Hamilton Township Police Department and a Stockton professor has given Criminal Justice students the opportunity to spark conversations on the effectiveness of local policing. 

Over the past year, Hamilton Sgt. Craig Clayton, a 2004 Stockton alum, has worked with Criminal Justice Professor Jess Bonnan-White to develop a quantitative study on the interactions between community members and local law enforcement. The results will be utilized to form policy briefs and suggestions for the police department. 

“I mean, frankly, the best part about it is that nobody else is doing this,” Clayton said. “I don't like being behind the 8-ball when it comes to how policing is done, and I think this puts the Township of Hamilton kind of ahead of the curve with that regard.” 

Through the project, both Bonnan-White and Clayton hope to expose Criminal Justice students to real-world implications that are difficult to explore in theory courses, and strengthen the relationships between Stockton, the local community and law enforcement.   

Clayton originally came up with the idea when he took a graduate course at Fairleigh Dickinson University in which he was tasked with creating a sample five-year plan for his police department. 

In his plan, he identified that the department lacked a way to quantitatively measure the satisfaction of an important stakeholder group: the community they serve. While ambitious, Clayton lacked the resources to create a sustainable way to collect the data necessary to accurately measure the public’s response and reactions to policing, and the project was put on the back burner.   

That’s where Bonnan-White stepped in. The two met during a session that Clayton gave during the NJ State Association of Chiefs of Police Command and Leadership Academy in 2024. Bonnan-White frequently audits the class as part of her research through the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences' Community-Based Social Research Collaborative. She told Clayton that a community survey was a great idea.   

Hamilton Township residents were asked to rate their satisfaction with their experiences interacting with law enforcement. 

Students in Bonnan-White's undergraduate service-learning course met with community members through various town and city hall meetings and collected 450 responses. Although she and the students were hopeful for a larger pool of data to work with, Bonnan White felt eager about the response the project has received so far. 

“We tried to show residents that this project isn’t just the police but comes from undergrads who are trying to learn how to be police officers, victim advocates, prosecutors and lawyers who want to hear what they all think,” Bonnan-White said. “The feedback we received in those community meetings was that they really enjoyed seeing Stockton students not just sitting on campus – they’re out doing all of these high-impact practices, and they valued seeing service-learning in this way.” 

Clayton expressed similar sentiments, saying the community members “lit up” upon seeing students at one of their scheduled coffee and doughnuts social hours. 

After collecting the responses, the analysis and research projects can begin in Bonnan-White’s graduate course, “Criminological Theory.” Utilizing the data, the graduate students will form policy suggestions that will be presented to the Township of Hamilton Police Department and the local community.  

Bonnan-White said she hopes the data will help her and police departments manage the public’s expectations and benefit community policing. 

Foundation Awards More Than $1.3M for Student Scholarships 

More than 800 students received more than $1.3 million in scholarships from the Stockton University Foundation in the past year. These students had the opportunity to meet and thank the donors who made this funding possible at the University’s annual Scholarship Recognition dinner on Feb. 27, 2025. 

“Tonight, we celebrate our students — their hard work, their resilience, and their drive to build a better future. We celebrate our donors — their generosity, their belief in education, and their commitment to making a difference,” said President Joe Bertolino. “Balancing school, work and life is not easy, but your hard work is paying off. Your time at Stockton is more than just an education, it is a transformation.”   

Finding the balance between work, home and school has been a challenge for Rubi and Bryanna Ortiz, but Stockton Foundation scholarships have allowed them to both chase their dreams. Rubi Ortiz is a Finance major with a minor in Cannabis Studies, and her daughter Bryanna, a first-year Environmental Science student. They shared a powerful story of perseverance with the audience of about 250 people. Rubi, who became a mother at 16, has worked tirelessly to provide a better future for her daughter. Now, the two attend Stockton together.  

“Our journey hasn’t been easy, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that there is no perfect path, only the one you make for yourself,” Rubi said.   

Rubi, 36, came to the United States as a child and overcame language barriers and discrimination, while Bryanna grew up navigating the challenges of having a father, Sgt. First Class Ivannhoe Ortiz, deployed with the U.S. Army National Guard overseas.  

They have excelled academically and beyond, Rubi as president of the Cannabis Ospreys Club and founder of her own cupcake business, and Bryanna, 20, as a member of Stockton’s Crew team and an aspiring environmental policy leader. 

Rubi was the recipient of the Daniel Barbera ’94 School of Business Scholarship and the Laurie McHugh Memorial Scholarship given to students in Stockton’s Cannabis Studies program. Rubi and Bryanna also both received funds from the Caesars Entertainment Endowed Scholarship, which benefits students who are employees of Caesars Entertainment or their immediate family members. Rubi’s mother and Bryanna’s grandmother worked for Caesars.  

“To the donors, your generosity does more than provide financial aid, it provides hope,” Bryanna said. “You give students like us the chance to pursue our dreams, build better futures, and create legacies that will last for generations.” 

Bertolino also highlighted the impact of donor generosity at the reception.   

"Your generosity is more than financial support, it is life-changing," he said, noting how scholarships enable students to take internships, gain hands-on experience, and focus on their studies without financial stress. 

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Conference Highlights Power of State Public Higher Education 

New Jersey’s public colleges and universities, including Stockton, are powerful engines of economic growth, generating $6 billion in activity and contributing $220 million in annual tax revenue, according to the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities (NJASCU). For every $1 million invested in these institutions, $16 million in economic activity is produced, supporting around 36,000 jobs across the Garden State. 

“These institutions not only shape the future of our workforce, but also act as a stabilizing influence,” said NJASCU Executive Director Jennifer Keyes-Maloney. “Now more than ever, they deserve the attention, resources and support to continue their essential mission.” 

Keyes-Maloney served as the keynote speaker at “The Power of Public Colleges and Universities: Preserving and Advancing New Jersey’s Higher Education Landscape,” a conference hosted by Stockton on Feb. 26, 2025. Approximately 90 state legislators, community leaders and higher education advocates gathered on campus to explore strategies for bolstering the state’s public institutions. 

Stockton President Joe Bertolino, who spearheaded the event, emphasized the urgency of collaboration among stakeholders. 

“Ultimately, we share a common mission: to ensure that our public colleges and universities remain strong, accessible and prepared to meet the evolving needs of our students, our workforce and our communities,” he said. 

Bertolino acknowledged the crossroads at which higher education currently stands—pressured by falling enrollment, shifting workforce demands and complex funding structures. Yet, he remained hopeful: “Our New Jersey public colleges and universities are engines for economic growth. We prepare thousands of students each year who fuel our workforce, lead our businesses and serve in our communities.” 

Panel discussions throughout the day explored higher ed’s economic value, its role in social mobility, alumni success, and legislative solutions. 

Vincent D’Alessandro of OceanFirst Bank emphasized the need to keep graduates in New Jersey. “Trying to find talent is an absolute battle,” he said. His bank has awarded $320,000 in scholarships to Stockton students since 2017. 

Stockton Economics Professor Oliver Cooke pointed to the financial impact of a college degree: “Individuals with a bachelor’s degree earn $66,000 annually, while those without earn $42,000. Continuing to invest in colleges and universities is something we have to do.” 

Ramapo College President Cindy Jebb and several alumni highlighted the transformative power of higher education, especially for first-generation students. 

“Statistically, I should not have graduated high school,” said Ramapo alum Juliana Londoño, who is now a therapist and author. Stockton’s Dave Sholler ’06 shared how the University helped him escape a cycle of poverty: “If we do not prioritize access for higher education, we will continue this vicious cycle.” 

In the final panel, Assemblywoman Heather Simmons emphasized expanding dual-credit programs and affordable options to keep students in-state. 

Bertolino summed up the core issue succinctly: “Access, access, access,” he said. “When our students graduate from an institution in the state of New Jersey, 85% of those students are going to stay in the state… they’re going to be your voters, your employees and your tax base.”

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School of Business Offers New Entrepreneurship, Accounting Degrees 

Stockton continues to adapt to an ever-changing business world by offering two new degree programs this spring semester — a Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship and a Master of Science in Accounting. 

The new programs highlight how the University’s School of Business embraces emerging industries and prepares students for future career opportunities as they join two other recent undergraduate offerings in Bachelors of Science in Hemp and Cannabis Business Management and Esports Management. Entrepreneurship will also be available as a new minor to students. 

“The Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship allows students to focus on business development, startups and innovation," said Warren Kleinsmith, dean of the School of Business. “The Master of Science in Accounting offers flexibility and real-world experience to students looking to further their education.” 

The Entrepreneurship program’s comprehensive curriculum covers essential topics such as commercialization, business planning, marketing strategies, global entrepreneurship, innovation and leadership. Students engage in real-world projects that allow them to apply classroom knowledge to practical situations.  

“To have a job is good; to create jobs changes the community,” said Assistant Professor of Business Management Monica Amadio, who’s also the chair of the Entrepreneurship Task Force. “Entrepreneurship drives economic growth and fosters innovation. The minor will also benefit students in other programs at Stockton who want to be business owners or have an entrepreneurial mindset.”  

Assistant Professor of Business Studies Christy Goodnight said the program is a deep dive into how to create and run a business and discusses the best ways to problem-solve. 

“If they have not started a business while in our program, they will walk away with all the tools to do so when they graduate,” Goodnight said.   

The new Master of Science in Accounting degree is the third graduate-level program offered by the School of Business. Stockton also offers a Master of Arts in Business Administration and a Master of Arts in Healthcare Administration and Leadership. 

Stockton’s new Accounting program is distinctive from other area institutions for many reasons, including a professional work experience and internship requirement, an alignment with the CPA licensure, two concentrations in forensic accounting and business analytics, and accreditation through the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, said Carla Cabarle, associate professor of Accounting and the chair of the program. 

She added that she’s especially enthusiastic about the program’s advanced courses in auditing, taxation, accounting information systems, cost accounting with a data analytics focus and financial accounting and reporting. 

Stockton will offer a traditional two-year program and an accelerated dual-degree program where a Bachelor of Science in Accounting major could earn their Master in Accounting with only one additional year of study.