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July 2011
Stockton Home | Alumni Home
Stockton College Received the First Outright
$1 Million Gift in its History
The donors, who wish to remain anonymous, stressed the funds are to be used for the direct support of students facing exceptional financial hardships, according to Stockton President Herman J. Saatkamp, Jr. He said the gift will be invested by The Richard Stockton College Foundation in a permanent endowment and distributed in perpetuity to support need-based financial aid.
"The donors understand that some students face true personal sacrifice to attend Stockton and in extreme cases must decide between transportation, books and even food," Dr. Saatkamp stated. "The generosity of these donors enables us to help many students and their families on a permanent basis."
In addition to ranking as Stockton’s largest outright gift ever, the donation pushed the Foundation’s assets over the $14 million mark, according to Dr. Philip T. Ellmore, Chief Development Officer. "The Foundation’s assets have grown more than $11 million since 2003," he said. "This gift recognizes the momentum of our College and the fine work our students, faculty and staff are doing every day."
Over the course of the last several years, Stockton has seen a rise in the number and amount of major gifts from donors ranging from $25,000 to $500,000, President Saatkamp said. As these larger gifts arrive, it motivates others to consider how they can make a difference through their gifts to the College.
"The donors believe that making a difference in young people’s lives is very important, and their intent is to help students in need to achieve a college education through their gift," said
President Saatkamp. "This gift provides hope and opportunity to those who previously had neither due to their financial circumstances."
Visit Seaview Resort and Benefit from Locally Sourced Foods
Featuring Director of Food and Beverage, Alan Reynolds
Q: There’s been a growing trend among restaurateurs and the dining public across the country toward an emphasis on obtaining locally grown produce and other food items and creating menus around ingredients that are seasonally at their peak. Can you discuss how Seaview has incorporated locally sourced ingredients into the hotel’s restaurant menus?
A: Fortunately for Seaview not only do we live in the Garden State, we’re conveniently located in a coastal region with some of the most prolific fisheries on the East Coast. Seaview’s culinary team, headed by Executive Chef Sean Kinoshita, prides themselves on preparing menus inspired by the freshest, in-season produce and locally harvested seafood. In fact, for the last several years our culinary team has maintained an herb garden on site at the resort to ensure we have the freshest ingredients possible for everything from cocktail garnishes to desserts. There are countless items on our Grille Room menu and Main Dining Room menus that feature ingredients harvested the same day they’re served.
Seaview’s Seafood Buffet is the perfect example of obtaining the freshest ingredients for the best dining experience. Chef Kinoshita insists on day boat seafood, which is fish that has been caught fresh that day and served to our guests within 24 hours. There’s no need to import Sea Bass, we have excellent Sea Bass, scallops, clams , flounder and many other favorites just off the coast of New Jersey. Diners at Seaview are responding as well, gravitating towards the dishes that feature our best local produce in season throughout the Spring, Summer and Fall.
Click Here for More Information on the Return of the Seaview Friday Night Seafood Buffet!
STOCKTON COLLEGE ALUMNI: Click here to take advantage of EXCLUSIVE GOLF OFFERS with our
Stockton College Alumni Association Membership Program & Rates
Jay Adamczyk , `97
Sara Faurot Crowley, Director of Alumni Relations, sat down with Jay Adamczyk, who created and manages Jayski's Silly Season Site, a web site focusing primarily on NASCAR news and rumors. Adamczyk started the site after having difficulty finding news regarding the Melling Racing team and has since worked to get all the NASCAR news grouped together on his site.
1. I understand you created a website, www.jayski.com, that became so popular with NASCAR drivers and fans that ESPN purchased the site from you in 2007. Can you tell us more about the site and your current role in operating it?
I started the site as a page on August 26, 1996. Being an Ernie Irvan and NASCAR Winston Cup [now Sprint Cup] fan and having an Ernie Irvan page, some folks would send me info they knew about other teams. So I made a side page, called Jayski’s Silly Season page to cover other drivers and teams. I made a Silly Season Chart to track changes that would occur in 1997. The site took off and by 2000, I was able to quit my real job at the FAA Technical Center in Pomona, NJ and work from home doing the site. The site basically is news, rumors, stats, results, images of the cars, archives about NASCAR. I would guess it is about 3,000 pages now.
I pretty much work every day, sometimes as much as 20 hours culling information, doing stats, building pages, images and other ideas for the site. After working with small internet companies who housed the site for ad cost, I teamed up with Racing Champions [now Ertl] in 2000, then the Charlotte Observer [2001-2004] and then ESPN/Disney [2005-2007]. In 2004, I hired a business manager, Mark Garrow, who handled offers for the site and still handles advertising for the site in conjunction with ESPN. In April 2007, after months of negations, I sold the site to ESPN and signed a 9-year deal to run the site. By then I had brought two friends [Scott & Nancy] into the fold to help do some of the pages and take over in case something happened to me or I needed a break. ESPN also picked up their contracts, so the site is always being updated and nothing gets missed. Now, in 2011, I still work the site 2-3 weeks a month full time and when I am on break, still keep up with email and manage the site.
The site has less rumors then it used to as drivers sign longer term deals and the teams are larger, so less movement. Over the past 14 years, the site has had to adapt to the change in the sport and in the media, especially with the internet growing, Facebook, Twitter and more instant news than ever.
2. How would you describe your career path to fellow alumni?
My career path was quite odd, not normal at all. I went to Ocean City High School [1976-1978] and then Middle Township High School [1978-1980], taking two years of Graphic Arts at Cape May County Vo-Tech [with the great Paul Lamach]. After working at McDonalds and Quinn-Woodbine Bookbinders, I joined the Air Force in 1982 where I was an air craft mechanic until I got out in 1986. While in the Air Force I took college courses and got my first Associates degree in Aviation Management. I went back to school once I was back in NJ at Atlantic Community College for Hotel Casino Management and took a craps dealer class. I received my second Associates degree in 1986 and worked two years as a craps dealer at Ballys. Following that, I received an offer from a friend to work at Aerotek as a technical recruiter / office manager and did that job from 1988-1992 in four states. I returned to NJ in 1992 and went back to ACC for computers and received my third Associates degree. In the summer of 1993, I worked as an intern at the FAA, which led to an entry level computer job at an FAA contractor. I started at Stockton for my BSCS and received my degree in 1997. One of my programming classes required us to develop and post a ‘homepage’ on the internet and to learn html, this got me interested in websites and doing the NASCAR ones, later that year. Also, while at Stockton, I took a finance class with professor Frank Thomas, who is still a friend to this day. By then I had started the Jayski website and it was slowly taking off and doing well. I also started a new contractor job as a journeyman programmer at the FAA and worked there doing programming, database work, networking and testing until Dec 1999 when I left to run the website full time.
3. On a personal note, what is your favorite thing to do on your days off?
I do not really have a full day off. Even when Scott or Nancy are running the site, I still keep up with email and do other aspects of the site and watch over the site as a manager to make sure nothing is missed. But my wife and I [married since July 2007], like to go out and dine, go to the movies and plays. Do day or weekend trips, or just relax around the house.
4. What is it about your work that most excites you?
Being my own boss and knowing thousands of people come to my site for their NASCAR information and enjoy my passion for the sport.
5. How have you been able to make a difference at work?
Some folks tell me the site changed the way others reported on NASCAR and made the sport more aware of the online world. And many news sources use the site to see what the hot topic is and what folks are talking about. Teams and race tracks use the site to get their announcement out to the public. Plus I link many other NASCAR sites, so I think the site helps fans find other avenues of information for the sport.
6. What specific achievements in your career are particularly meaningful?
I have a NASCAR Charity page which covers events drivers, teams and NASCAR have to help others. And I have been involved Victory Junction, a camp in North Carolina for kids with different ailments / diseases. I also spearheaded a campaign a few years ago to help start and support their computer lab, called Jayski’s Computer Lab. So that is cool. I like to be more behind the scenes, not a big public person. Not big on solicitations but rather donate time and resources as I see fit. Plus the site helps support four households now.
7. Do you have any advice for skills needed to play a leadership role in your industry?Treat others how you want to be treated, do not say anything in an email you would not say to a persons face, be ethical and fair, be considerate to those who you work with and who work for you. Do not worry about something you have no control over
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: DR. CLIFFORD WHITHEM
Dr. Cliff Whithem is the kind of faculty member whose commitment and dedication extends beyond the college campus.
Whithem, a professor of Hospitality and Tourism Management Studies, came to Stockton in 2000 to be the founding Director of the College’s Hospitality and Tourism Management program. Before stepping down from this leadership position in 2010, Whithem helped the program grow from an initial class of 12 students to over 200.
“I knew it was important to develop the right curriculum for the HTMS program,” Whithem said. “We had to carefully create a technical, career-focused program within a traditional liberal arts curriculum.”
As director, Whithem maintained extensive academic responsibilities, including: creating course descriptions, developing internships, hiring faculty, scheduling courses, and recruiting students. At Stockton, he has chaired or served on over 20 committees, served as founding chair of the Advisory Council for the New Jersey Center for Hospitality and Tourism Research, created the Hospitality Management Society, and taught more than a dozen different courses, including classes in the School of Business as well as culture courses in the School of General Studies.
Whithem’s wide-ranging commitments have not been limited to on-campus activities. He has served as vice president of the Greater Atlantic City Region Tourism Council, and has been a member of the NJ Travel Industry Association, Greater Philadelphia Hotel and Lodging Association, and the Southern New Jersey Chefs Association.
Dr. Janet Wagner, Dean of the School of Business, speaks highly of Whithem’s dedication and commitment.
“One of the great strengths of Stockton’s HTMS program is the connections we’ve made with the community,” Wagner said. “Cliff has always been an impressive leader in this regard. He is always ‘out and about’ whether providing leadership to other HTMS programs, his efforts to support local hospitality and tourism businesses, or his dedication to finding internship opportunities for our students.”
One activity that has been particularly important for Whithem is his involvement with the Atlantic City Campus Kitchens Project , part of a nationwide hunger relief organization that brings together universities, high schools, businesses, restaurants, and community groups. The goal is to prepare and deliver meals to people in need, including low income families and those experiencing housing difficulties.
“People would be surprised by the number of homeless students at Atlantic City schools,” Whithem said.
Dr. Reva Curry, Executive Director of Community Partnerships, praised Cliff’s commitment to the organization’s efforts.
Save the Date: The Noyes Museum of Stockton
The Glass Ball Annual Gala
Saturday, September 17
Photo from the NYC Alumni Reception. For more pictures from the event, please click here
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