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Stockton Foundation Gala Returns Home to Campus

The ������ý Foundation’s Scholarship Benefit Gala returned to the University’s Galloway campus for the first time in 20 years on April 26 and lit up the Campus Center with energy and purpose.

Nearly 500 alumni, donors, faculty, staff, parents and friends made a lasting difference for Stockton students. Through their support, the event raised more than $330,000 toward scholarships, helping to provide meaningful financial assistance to students pursuing their academic and professional goals.

“This homecoming was more than symbolic — it was an important reminder of why we support Stockton,” said Brigid Callahan Harrison ’88, chair of the Stockton Foundation. “When we empower students, we’re investing in the future of our communities. The impact of this evening will be felt for years to come.”

President Joe Bertolino shared that sentiment. “Every day at Stockton, I see firsthand how our students are lifted by a community that believes in them, supports them and stands by them,” he said.

“Scholarships do more than ease financial burdens; they open doors to life-changing opportunities. They allow a student to say yes to an unpaid internship, to focus fully on academics, or to become the first in their family to walk proudly across the commencement stage. When we invest in our students, we are investing in future leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers who will shape the future of our communities — and our world.”

The evening’s festivities showcased the heart of Stockton’s academic and creative community through hands-on experiences led by the University’s talented students and faculty.

Guests enjoyed tastings with Stockton’s sustainability farm and sparkling wine pairings with students from Hospitality, Tourism and Event Management. They challenged themselves with a “Beat the Polygraph” activity hosted by the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences and viewed nanoscale images through an atomic force microscope. Guests also explored the “Science of Strength” with the Exercise Science program and took part in competitive learning games created by the School of Education.

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‘Anne Frank Tree’ Sapling Planted to Remember Gail Rosenthal

Irvin Moreno-Rodriguez had spent a lot of time thinking about the best way to memorialize his mentor and friend Gail Hirsch Rosenthal. 
Rosenthal was the director of the Sara and Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center at Stockton from 1991 until her death in October 2023.

“The more I thought about it, the more I thought about not just a memorial on campus, but a living memorial,” said Moreno-Rodriguez, who succeeded Rosenthal as the center’s director in 2024. “Something that could provide comfort and serenity. Something that could provide an environment for students to remember and to learn.”

He also remembered how Rosenthal was devoted to teaching the story of Anne Frank, whose diary written during her time hidden from the Nazis in Amsterdam has become one of the most well-known accounts of the Holocaust.

“I had heard of the work of the Anne Frank Center USA and their Sapling Project, and I just thought a tree grown from the chestnut tree Anne saw outside a window of the Secret Annex and mentioned in her diary would be perfect,” Moreno-Rodriguez said.

The Sapling Project began in 2009 as an effort to preserve the original tree in Amsterdam by gathering and germinating chestnuts and donating the saplings to organizations dedicated to Frank’s memory. Earlier this year, Anne Frank Center USA approved Stockton as only the 18th location of a sapling in the United States, and the tree was planted in a courtyard on campus during a May 20 ceremony.

Other saplings have been planted at such well-known places as the U.S. Capitol and Liberty Park in New York City next to One World Trade Center. But Anne Frank Center USA CEO Lauren Bairnsfather wants the trees to have a larger role than just being a remembrance.

“I like that we have trees at places of historic significance. I think that’s wonderful,” she said in an interview earlier that month. “But I want to be sure that we’re putting them in places where they become a part of an institution’s identity. Where we know that people will go out and have a space for contemplation.”

The tree at Stockton is the centerpiece of a proposed new outside courtyard for students to gather to study or take a break from classes.

“We plant this tree with a hope that it will also inspire students, faculty, staff, visitors and all members of the Stockton community to believe in Anne’s message that mankind is inherently good in the face of adversity and especially the horrors of the Holocaust,” said Leo Schoffer, a former member of Stockton’s Board of Trustees and the son of Sara and Sam Schoffer.

Schoffer addressed a crowd of more than 200 people at the ceremony, including Holocaust survivors, Egg Harbor Township elementary school students and members of Rosenthal’s family.

Rosenthal’s daughter Toby, a Communication Studies instructor at Stockton, said with a laugh that her mother “would have both loved and hated this beautiful morning because her name kept coming up.”

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Arcuri Fund Winners Focus on Vulnerable Communities

Two Stockton students received the Arcuri Wharton Pre-Law Fund Award on April 25 during the annual Political Science Faculty Spring Reception.

 Junior Damaris-Anne Spring, of Willingboro, is a Sociology and Anthropology major. Spring wants to pursue law because of her passion for advocacy and justice, especially regarding health care disparities within marginalized communities. Spring’s goal is to become a medical malpractice attorney who fights for those who have been wronged by negligent health care systems.

Between 2023 and 2024, Spring participated in an internship with the Maternal Health and Birth Equity Community-Based Social Research Collaborative at ������ý. During her internship, Spring examined the intersections of maternal health, race and socioeconomic class.

Junior Dhikrat Odutayo is a Political Science major with minors in Literature and Global Studies. Odutayo plans to become a prosecutor and focus on representing cases that involve vulnerable populations, in hopes of contributing to a more just and equitable legal system. Odutayo currently serves as secretary of Minorities in Law and also volunteers at her local community’s food pantry.

The award is named after two former Stockton Political Science professors — Alan F. Arcuri, who was known for his efforts in advising pre-law students and starting the pre-law program, and Linda Wharton, a former Pre-Law advisor. It provides the recipients with a stipend to cover the cost of a prep program for the LSAT exam and mentors for them as they apply to and attend law school. The endowed fund has given out a total of 29 awards since 2019, following the creation of the fund by Arcuri’s wife, Kris.

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Foundation Golf Classic raises more than $95,000

For Tatiana Shukovsky, a ������ý economics major from Estell Manor, the scholarships she received from the University’s Foundation last spring were life changing.

“This past January, I had to invest thousands of dollars into a new pair of hearing aids, which wiped out my savings meant for tuition,” she shared with attendees of the ������ý Foundation’s Golf Classic. “When I found out I was awarded two scholarships, I was beyond elated. The funds covered much of my tuition this year, lifting a huge burden off my family.”

Shukovsky’s story underscored the true impact of the annual Golf Classic, held on Sept. 19, 2024, at the Renault Winery and Resort. The event brought together alumni, community members and supporters, all committed to helping students like Shukovsky succeed.

 

This year’s Golf Classic introduced a new format with a morning “Early Bird Flight” and an “Afternoon Aces Flight.” Both groups came together at lunch for the Putt for Prizes contest, Tito’s Spirit Grab, and a 50/50 raffle. With 175 golfers participating, the event raised more than $95,000 to support scholarships and initiatives that help students overcome challenges and complete their degrees.

“The Golf Classic is more than just a tradition, it’s a lifeline for our students,” said Dan Nugent, Stockton’s vice president of University Advancement and the executive director of the Foundation. “This year’s new format and venue brought renewed energy to the event, and we’re deeply grateful for the community’s generosity.”

Golfers of all skill levels competed in Men's and Women's Closest to the Pin, Longest Drive and three Hole-in-One Challenges. Proceeds from the event contribute to more than $1 million in scholarships awarded annually, as well as vital student initiatives supported by the Stockton Fund and the ������ý Foundation.  

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Foundation Awards More Than $1.3M for Student Scholarships

More than 800 students received more than $1.3 million in scholarships from the ������ý 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.

“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 Stockton 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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Donation Creates Scholarship in Memory of Slain Son of U.S. Judge

The ������ý Foundation received a $100,000 gift on May 19 from the Daniel Anderl Judicial Protection Project to create an endowed scholarship for undergraduate students interested in studying privacy law, cybersecurity and criminal justice.

The Daniel Anderl Judicial Protection Project’s mission is to further the safety, security and privacy of members of the judicial community and their families. Three members of the project’s board attended a check presentation on campus with members of the Stockton community.

“Our organization understands that education is the best way to try and minimize the effects of threats upon judges and the way people view the judicial system,” said Jose Linares, a member of the project’s board and a former Chief U.S. District Judge for New Jersey. “We have to support education so that the voices of the reasonable drown out the voices of the unreasonable.”

The project honors the memory of Daniel Anderl, the son of U.S. District Court Judge Esther Salas and defense attorney Mark Anderl. Daniel was shot and killed in July 2020 just six days after his 20th birthday by an assailant targeting Judge Salas at their home. Mark Anderl was also seriously wounded in the shooting. The gunman, a former litigant and lawyer, found the judge’s personal information on the internet and came to the family’s door posing as a deliveryman.

After her son’s death, Judge Salas successfully lobbied the New Jersey Legislature and Congress to pass laws that prohibit the public disclosure of personal information of judges, prosecutors and law enforcement agents.

The project previously established an undergraduate scholarship at Rutgers University-Newark and at Seton Hall University’s law school. Rachael Honig, a member of the project’s board, said the organization wants to continue to expand by providing more scholarships all across New Jersey.

“We thought we were missing a big part of the state, so we were definitely looking for a school in the southern part of New Jersey that serves a student population that is in need of financial support,” Honig said. “So, Stockton was an obvious choice.”

University President Joe Bertolino thanked the project board members for the donation and mentioned how it will go a long way toward continuing to build a “community of opportunity” for Stockton students.

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University Foundation Raises $445,000 Through Ospreys Give

The ������ý Foundation raised more than $445,000 from more than 1,150 donors to support Stockton students and programs during the seventh annual Ospreys Give campaign.

The fundraising campaign took place from 1 p.m., Oct. 8, 2024, to 1 p.m., Oct. 9, 2024, and featured a variety of engaging on-campus events — including a kickoff party, games and gatherings — all aimed at fostering a spirit of philanthropy and encouraging participation. 

“I am immensely grateful for the support of our community during Ospreys Give,” said Stockton President Joe Bertolino. “Every donation, no matter the size, makes a difference in the lives of our students and helps us continue to provide a transformative educational experience.” 

For the second year in a row, Spencer’s and Spirit Halloween served as the lead sponsor and committed $250,000 to be unlocked as donor goals were reached throughout the campaign. 

New this year was an alumni and friends event at the Fox Den at Linwood Country Club. Other events included rides on the Talon Taxi where passengers could win money to donate to their favorite programs and a Punch-out Board where you could receive a prize with a donation.

Students who were seniors and gave $25 or more earned green honor cords to wear at graduation as a symbol of their commitment to philanthropy.

“I donated to Ospreys Give because the resources and scholarships I have received have allowed me to reach my senior year without financial stress,” said Andrea Sandoval, a first-time donor. “I wanted to give back so that other students are able to succeed and attend college with one less thing to worry about.”