Justice Sandra Day O’Connor Gives Inaugural Presentation of The Pappas Visiting Scholar Series

Justice Sandra Day O’Connor (Ret.)

Justice Sandra Day O’Connor (Ret.), the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, told nearly 3,000 people attending her presentation at Stockton College on March 24 that “we have to teach civics” so young people know how to be engaged citizens.

“Democracy is not a spectator sport,” is one of her oft-quoted maxims. She said she started iCivics.org, a web site with lessons and games that teach young people how government works, to get them involved.

Justice O’Connor was the inaugural speaker for The Pappas Visiting Scholar Series at Stockton. Justice O’Connor was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1981, and served until 2006. She was awarded the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, by President Barack Obama in 2009.

Thomas Wilner, who successfully represented Guantanamo detainees before the Supreme Court in 2004 and 2008, served as moderator for Justice O’Connor’s presentation in the Sports Center. Wilner is the head of Shearman & Sterling’s International Trade & Investment Practice in Washington, D.C.

President Herman Saatkamp thanked Justice O’Connor in his welcoming remarks, noting, “She makes a limited number of these appearances and we are so pleased and honored that she agreed to come to Stockton.”

“Tonight’s event is made possible through the generosity of Dean and Zoe Pappas,” President Saatkamp continued. “Dean Pappas, a member of the Stockton College Board of Trustees since 2006, and his wife, Zoe, established The Pappas Visiting Scholar Series to allow Stockton students, faculty, staff and community access to outstanding visiting scholars. It is important to note that the Stockton community is blessed with this extraordinary opportunity because of the
generous, philanthropic support of Dean and Zoe Pappas. Their support is example of the amazing impact of philanthropy and we are pleased to recognize and thank them for making such an important difference on our campus.”

Audrey Wolfson Latourette, J.D., Distinguished Professor of Business Law at Stockton, introduced Justice O’Connor and Thomas Wilner.

“When Justice O’Connor entered Stanford Law School, only 1 percent of law students were women,” said Professor Latourette. “Her appointment to the Supreme Court and her subsequent performance on the court, according to Stanford law professor Kathleen Sullivan, ‘changed the landscape for women lawyers forever.’ ”

”Now we can relax and talk,” said the justice when the introductions were over. She told stories in response to questions from Wilner, ranging from growing up on a ranch with no telephone and no electricity, to being at the top of her class at Stanford Law and not being able to get one job interview.

Justice O’Connor said she thinks women’s rights are progressing, but “there’s no easy answer” to the problems of having a career and raising children. "Just hang in there," she said to working women. "It's worth it at the end of the day.”

She said she was glad when Ruth Bader Ginsburg was named a justice and added, “It’s very satisfying to me” to see three women on the Supreme Court now.

Students were able to interact with Justice O’Connor at several times during the day. Mico Lucide, 22, a Political Science major from Galloway taking pre-law courses, said: “It was incredible to have that experience of virtually a one-on-one conversation with her.” He added that such an event is important to Stockton, which is “really rising in recognition.”

Dean Pappas, who is vice chairman of the Board of Trustees, and his wife, Zoe, donated $1 million to establish The Pappas Visiting Scholar Series. It is designed to bring noted scholars and thought leaders to Stockton for classes, workshops and public events.

President Saatkamp and Provost Harvey Kesselman, executive vice president of the college, presented Justice O’Connor with an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degree. "I am very honored indeed," she responded.

25th Annual Pinelands Short Course Brings 400 to Campus

Dr. Jamie Cromartie, associate professor of Entomology at Stockton, shows recently collected specimens to Pinelands Short Course participants.

South Jersey’s Pinelands National Reserve is home to unique people, plants and animals, and contains aquifers that are the source of fresh water for the region. The 25th annual Pinelands Short Course at Stockton on March 8 featured 36 presentations by experts illuminating the Pinelands’ culture, history and ecology.

The daylong event drew 400 people to hear experts on topics such as the southern pine beetle, climate change in forest ecosystems, wildlife habitat restoration, native bees and other insects of the Pinelands, the Jersey Devil, butterflies and moths of the Pinelands, owls of New Jersey, the Pine Barrens Byway, the Kirkwood-Cohansey Aquifer system and the Bass River State Forest.

Experts hailed from Stockton, the New Jersey Pinelands Commission, Dartmouth College and Kean University, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the state Park Service, the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, the Ocean County Cultural and Heritage Commission, along with hydrologists, historians, musicians and nature photographers.

“Stockton is distinctively suited to host this event, as our campus is in the Pinelands National Reserve and our Environmental Studies program is one of the oldest and best in the nation,” said President Herman Saatkamp. “The college also protects and manages 1,500 acres of forestlands under New Jersey’s first comprehensive forest management plan on public land.”

Continuing Studies played a major role in this year’s Pinelands Short Course. “The Pinelands Commission came to us via Event Services,” said Robert McNeill, director of Continuing Studies. “Mariah Duffey was the department’s liaison and she coordinated the entire program from brochure design to working with the participants during the registration period.”

“This was truly a collaborative effort between Stockton and the Pinelands Commission,” McNeill said. “We had over 400 participants and all of those with whom I spoke commented positively about the campus, particularly the Campus Center.”

Presentations were held in Stockton’s Campus Center and the new Unified Science Center, both of which were designed to reduce energy use and impacts on the environment.

Congratulations to Stockton’s Men’s Basketball Team on NCAA Sweet 16 Run

The Stockton Men’s Basketball team celebrates after knocking out fourth-ranked Cabrini, heading to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament.

Stockton’s Men’s Basketball had an exciting NCAA Tournament run before their 10-game winning streak and outstanding 2013-14 season came to an end.

The NCAA Sweet 16 game in Amherst, MA on March 14 ended in an 88-81 loss to Morrisville State (NY). The game was tied 80-80 with 1:18 remaining but the Ospreys were outscored 8-1 the rest of the way. Josh Blamon led Stockton with game highs of 28 points and nine rebounds.

Although the defeat brought the Ospreys' season to a close, the campaign provided numerous highlights. Stockton won their seventh NJAC championship plus two NCAA Tournament games to reach the Sweet 16 and finished with 25 victories, their highest total since the 2008-09 season.

The Ospreys knocked off fourth-ranked Cabrini College 85-76 on March 8 on the Cavaliers' home court to advance to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16. Stockton, ranked 22nd, shot 54.4 percent from the field to win its NCAA tournament second round game, having bested Bowdoin College earlier. Prior to the game, Cabrini had been 70-1 at home since the start of the 2009-10 season.

Stockton was in the NCAA Tournament for the 14th time in school history and first since 2010. The Ospreys are 24-15 (.615 winning percentage) all-time in NCAA Tournament games. Stockton reached the NCAA championship game in 2009 and advanced to the Final Four in 1987. This season marks the eighth time in Stockton’s 14 NCAA trips that they have won at least two games in the national tournament.

The Ospreys are led by Head Coach Gerry Matthews, who earned his 500th career win in January 2012. Coach Matthews surpassed previous record holder Pete Carril (Princeton) for most wins in New Jersey college basketball history with his 515th win on Nov 17, 2012. Coach Matthews currently holds 534 wins, making him the winningest coach in NJ college basketball.

To read the Ospreys vs. Morrisville State game recap, click here. To learn more about Stockton Athletics, click here.

Center for Higher Education Strategic Information & Governance Holds Roundtable on College Value

Daniel J. Douglas, director of the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy, Rochelle Hendricks, New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education, President Herman Saatkamp, and Dr. Darryl G. Greer, senior fellow for the Higher Education Strategic Information and Governance after the Feb. 27 HESIG roundtable discussion on the topic of college value.

Stockton’s Center for Higher Education Strategic Information and Governance (HESIG), facilitated a roundtable attended by New Jersey's Secretary of Higher Education, three college presidents, business executives, community leaders, and elected officials on Feb. 27 to explore the topic of college value.

The roundtable discussion is part of a larger project, “Finding Solutions, Building Public Trust in an Era of Change,” which is supported, in part, by a grant from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) Center for Advocacy and Philanthropy to HESIG, as well as by the President’s Strategic Initiative Fund, and the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy.

Participants included: President Herman Saatkamp; Rochelle Hendricks, New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education; Dr. Ali Houshmand, president of Rowan University; Ronald Johnson, president and CEO, Shore Medical Center, Somers Point; Dr. Harvey Kesselman, provost and executive vice president of Stockton; Dr. Peter Mora, president, Atlantic Cape Community College; Richard Novak, senior fellow, Association of Governing Boards of Colleges and Universities (AGB), Washington, D.C.; Roseanne Kobialka, director of Organizational Development, AtlantiCare; Mayor Frank Minor of Logan Township, NJ;  Sharon Schulman, CEO of External Affairs and Institutional Research at Stockton;  Kris Worrell, editor of The Press of Atlantic City; Councilman Dan Bachalis, of Hammonton, representing Mayor Steve DiDonato; Superintendent Steven Ciccariello of the  Greater Egg Harbor School District; David Delizza, senior vice president and COO, Pennoni Associates, Inc.; Daniel Douglas, director of the Hughes Center for Public Policy and Dr. Darryl Greer.

The purpose of the project is to offer solutions to enhance college affordability and value, and especially to increase achievement for New Jersey diverse emerging student population. Roundtable participants provided candid advice about defining college value ("return on investment") in terms broader than economic payoff, such as employment and prospects for increased earnings over a lifetime.

“One of the group’s many contributions is that college-level learning should add to graduates’ ability to understand and connect goals and objectives in a work setting; to work collaboratively and to communicate effectively and confidently,” said Dr. Greer, Senior Fellow of HESIG.

“Educators at all levels need to develop standards that lead to achieving the broad thinking skills required for college and non-college bound students,” Dr. Greer said. “In partnership with business, we need to help students throughout the educational process develop the abilities they need for the workplace and to be effective citizens.”

A second Roundtable on College Value will be hosted by New Jersey City University this spring.

A HESIG/Stockton scientific poll this spring will gauge public perceptions about college value. Additional information about HESIG, its expert Policy Steering Council, and the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy can be viewed at www.stockton.edu/hughescenter/hesig.   

Day of Scholarship Expands into Two Days with 100 Presentations

Dr. Lance Olsen, professor of Music, Beth Olsen, director of Grants Development, Dr. David Carr, professor of Political Science, and Provost and Executive Vice President Harvey Kesselman, while honoring Beth Olsen for her remarkable service to Stockton during the 14th Annual Day of Scholarship.

For the first time in its 14-year history, Day of Scholarship spanned two days to celebrate the growing scholarly activity of faculty, staff and students with nearly 100 presentations and poster sessions. The event held March 19-20 showcases distinctive research projects and collaborations between students, faculty and staff from all fields of study.

Dr. Harvey Kesselman, provost and executive vice president of the college, said that he was “captivated by the scope and diversity of the projects,” adding that the event is “not just impressive, it’s inspiring.”

Beth Olsen, director of Grants Development, welcomed guests with opening remarks and was honored during the event for her outstanding work in the Grants Office and with Service-Learning and Campus Compact. She is retiring in June.

Faculty, staff and students from all eight of Stockton’s academic schools delivered close to 100 presentations during the two-day event. Bringing together a diverse pool of talent, the event provides an overview of the projects that took place during the past year including grant-funded projects, internally funded projects, research endeavors, professional development, sabbaticals, study tours and academic achievements.

The topics included children and the Holocaust, various physical therapy studies, teaching abroad, student leadership in community engagement and digital learning curation.

To view the Day of Scholarship guide booklet for a list of projects and participants, click here.

Stockton Hosts Region’s Largest Science Fair

Steve Evert (right), assistant director of the Marine Science and Environmental Field Station, talks with a team of students competing in the Jersey Shore Science Fair held at Stockton on March 22.

Stockton hosted The Jersey Shore Science Fair, Delaware Valley’s largest science fair, on March 22. More than 700 students from Atlantic, Cape May, Ocean and Monmouth counties competed and were judged by experts in various fields.

Over 650 projects submitted by students in sixth through 12th grades were judged on criteria including creative ability, scientific thought/engineering goals, thoroughness, skill and clarity.

First, second, and third-place winners in 15 categories will go on to the Delaware Valley Science Fair April 1-3. Students who have participated at the Jersey Shore Science Fair at Stockton College have gone all the way to the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) and placed in previous years.

Stockton faculty, staff and students participated in judging and helped run the science fair, which was held in the Sports Center.

Stockton, Atlantic County Institute of Technology Partner to ‘Rock the Mainland’ This Summer

Suzé DiPietro, interim director of the PAC; and Interim Dean Lisa Honaker of ARHU at the Atlantic County Institute of Technology’s Performing Arts Center in Mays Landing, NJ.

The Stockton Performing Arts Center “Rocks the Mainland” this summer, presenting three concerts at The Atlantic County Institute of Technology (ACIT) auditorium in Mays Landing, NJ.

The ACIT Performing Arts Center is a 974-seat, state-of-the-art facility. The theater has all digital controls for the lighting, sound and fly (rigging) systems, as well as a motorized orchestra pit that goes from stage level to the basement. Listening assistance is available for patrons upon request.

"We thought it was time for a little summer fun on the mainland and we're delighted to introduce our friends and neighbors to ACIT's beautiful venue," said Interim Dean Lisa Honaker of Stockton’s School of Arts and Humanities.

The ACIT center offers free parking, making that more convenient than concerts held in shore towns, said Suzé DiPietro, director of Stockton’s PAC.

DiPietro said the Monday night concerts should be “an economic driver” for the area, since “800 people will be looking around for places to eat” in Mays Landing.

She said the partnership between Stockton and the Atlantic County Institute of Technology “speaks to the college’s mission of reaching out to communities and building relationships.”

For more information or to purchase tickets to the events, click here.

Stockton Softball Head Coach Val Julien reached 500 career wins as the Ospreys won both of their games on March 10 at the National Training Center in Florida. Julien, a 2008 inductee into the New Jersey Amateur Softball Association Hall of Fame, boasts the longest tenure of any coach in the league. Julien is in her 28th season as head coach and her career record stands at 500-477-2. Last season, Julien guided the Ospreys to a school-record 33 wins, the first time ever reaching the 30-win plateau, plus the program’s first New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) playoff berth since 2010 and fourth Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) title. 

For more information and statistics on Stockton Softball, click here.