Stockton News - July 31, 2025
WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT
Stockton’s EOF Program Creates Family Legacies
Throughout her time at Stockton, Leilani Moreno-Solanohas made a name for herself as an Admissions Ambassador, a member of the Stockton Women’s Rowing team and a sister of Chi Upsilon Sigma National Latin Sorority.
The Egg Harbor Township resident credits all of this to the New Jersey Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF), a state program created to ensure meaningful access to higher education for those from backgrounds of economic and educational disadvantage.
This sort of support begins in the Summer Academy, a five-week summer residential program to prepare students for their first year through a combination of academic instruction, personal development and community building.
The academy helped Leilani at a pivotal moment in her life, leading her to become an instructional assistant for this year’s academy.
Participating in the Summer Academy also allows her to keep a helpful and watchful eye on Andrew, who smiled shyly as his sister described her “excitement, joy and happiness” at seeing her brother grow up.
Stockton Police Department Swears In Nine New Officers
The 鶹ý Police Department swore in nine new officers and recognized others for their outstanding service in a ceremony July 29 in the Campus Center Event Room.
Stockton President Joe Bertolino shared his pride at how each of the new officers decided to take an oath to serve, protect and lead with integrity in their new roles on campus.
“You are joining a department that is not only skilled but deeply committed to building trust, showing up with empathy and forming relationships across our campuses and our region,” Bertolino said. “You’re not just enforcing the law, but you’re helping shape the kind of community we all want to live and learn in.”
Bertolino also recognized Stockton Chief of Police Tracy Stuart, saying “the department has thrived under her new leadership.”
Retired Chief Glenn Miller echoed his praise for both Stuart and the department, encouraging the new cohort of officers to continue helping her move the department forward.
Businessman Salmon to Receive Awards at Hughes Center Honors
Longtime businessman, educator and politician Edward H. Salmon will receive the Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award and the Civility in Politics and Government Award for his contributions to New Jersey public life at the Hughes Center Honors on Nov. 13, 2025.
Other honorees include Christina M. Renna, the president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Southern New Jersey; Cassie Iacovelli, the former executive director of MainStreet Hammonton; Jessica Ramirez ’98, an attorney at D’Arcy Johnson Day and a New Jersey District 32 assemblywoman; and Vlad Vasvlyk, a 鶹ý junior Political Science major.
The Hughes Center Honors are awarded for professional excellence and a commitment to public service, civility and bipartisanship that reflect the life and career of Ambassador William J. Hughes, who served as U.S. ambassador to Panama and as a U.S. congressman for 20 years. The awards program is sponsored by the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at 鶹ý.
FRAME-WORTHY
K-12 Teachers Get ‘Hands-on, Feet-wet’ Instruction on Climate Change
As Stockton Marine Science Professor Mark Sullivan pried open the mouth of a juvenile needle fish to reveal its pointed teeth, a couple of the teachers gathered on the Graveling Point Beach yelped in surprise.
“Oh, I did not expect that!”
That was just the reaction Sullivan and Stockton Education Professor Kim Lebak had hoped would come from this group of kindergarten to 12th-grade teachers participating in a “hands-on, feet-wet” workshop as part of the university’s Climate Change Learning Collaborative (CCLC).
For the second straight year, the collaborative, established through Stockton’s Southern Regional Institute and Educational Technology Training Center, has held a series of free workshops to help teachers incorporate New Jersey’s climate change learning standards into their lesson plans.
In 2020, New Jersey became the first state to integrate climate change curriculum across multiple teaching areas, including science, social studies, world languages and the arts. Stockton received a $600,000 grant from the New Jersey Department of Education earlier this year to fund the workshops.
📷 View more photos on .
WHAT'S TRENDING @ #STOCKTONU
: Alumni and friends joined Professor Steven Shaak to learn about butterflies 🦋 and how to create more habitat for them.
: Ever wondered what our young alumni are up to after graduating? Meet Devon Raab who graduated in 2021, or have a cup of coffee with her at @dooziesplace ☕️☀️
: Did you know a number of 鶹ý alumni are published authors?
'ROLE' CALL
Matthew Birch joined Stockton’s Office of Global Engagement as the assistant director of International Student and Scholar Services. In this
role, he supports international students and scholars through immigration advising,
cultural programming, and student success initiatives. He is passionate about creating
a welcoming environment and helping international students thrive both academically
and personally.
Matthew has worked in international education for the past 20 years at institutions in both Florida and Japan. He holds a master's degree in applied linguistics & TESOL from the University of Leicester in England. Outside of higher education, Matthew has been a lifelong student of hip-hop and believes in its power to educate and inspire. He has created and taught original courses on deejaying, emceeing, and the history and culture of hip-hop. Last summer, he had an article published in "The English Connection" (KOTESOL) about how he uses hip-hop to engage students.
STOCKTON SITES & CENTERS
Annual Summer Course Highlights Pinelands Ecology, Culture
The ninth annual Pinelands Summer Short Course, co-hosted by the Stockton Center on Successful Aging (SCOSA) and the New Jersey Pinelands Commission, was held July 18 at Stockton’s Kramer Hall in Hammonton.
The program featured 17 sessions, ranging from “Prehistoric Life of New Jersey, Dig It! (Dinosaurs, Mammoths & Sharks, Oh, My!)” to basket weaving and “Paddling in the Pines – Batsto Lake from Industry to Ecology.” Each course encouraged participants to learn about, observe, respect and enjoy the Pinelands.
Local resident Ginny Palusky, who participated for the first time, said, “It changed my life. I am seeing new things in my environment each day. I am very grateful for the classes.”
A total of 111 attendees took part in the event, gaining insight into the region's natural and cultural history and supporting local Hammonton businesses during the lunch break.
📅 The next Pinelands Short Course is scheduled for March 7, 2026, on Stockton’s Galloway campus.
PHOTO: Presenter Jim Hansen with a little sidekick during “Wildlife of the Pine Barrens.”
Read the SCOSA August Newsletter
Read the Stockton Center on Successful Aging (SCOSA)'s August for interesting upcoming events and newly added programming.
FROM THE SIDELINES
Nick Juengert Announces Retirement as Women’s Soccer Coach
Stockton’s head women's soccer coach Nick Juengert his retirement after 22 years leading the Osprey program (2003-24). Juengert will leave Stockton at the end of the week with a record of 282-132-63 and a .657 winning percentage.
"It has been a pleasure to have worked for Stockton Athletics over the past 22 years," Juengert said. "I have met a lot of great people as well as student-athletes, and they all will be missed. I wish everyone the best in the future."
Juengert, just the second coach in the program's 36-year history, helmed Stockton women's soccer to a winning record in 19 of his 22 seasons. His teams reached double digits in victories 17 times, including 13 of his first 14 years on the Stockton bench. Juengert's 2007 and 2008 squads each finished with 18 wins, one off the school record.
Stockton Earns ABCA Team Academic Excellence Award
The Stockton baseball team for an ABCA Team Academic Excellence Award from the American Baseball Coaches Association for the 2024-25 academic year. The ABCA recognized 440 college baseball teams from all three NCAA divisions for their academic success.
Stockton earned the ABCA Team Academic Excellence Award for the fifth consecutive year. The recognition goes to programs coached by ABCA members that posted a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above for the academic year. Stockton was one of 168 NCAA Division III teams that qualified for the award this year.
On the field, Stockton won 19 games including three wins over nationally ranked teams during the 2025 season. Head coach Rich Gawlak relied on a nucleus of veterans consisting of 11 seniors and 11 juniors.
Pitching and defense were strengths, with the Ospreys finishing third in the NJAC in hits allowed per nine innings (9.67), fourth in fielding percentage (.965) and fifth in WHIP (1.59). Offensively, Stockton was fifth in the conference in on-base percentage (.408).
UPCOMING EVENTS
🖼️
Now - Aug. 1:
Aug. 1-3:
🎡 Aug. 3:
🎥 Aug. 14:
Aug. 15-16: Dinner Theatre Showcase
🍻 Aug. 21:
📚 Sept. 4:Fall Semester begins
