Stockton News - Nov. 13, 2026
WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
Veterans Day Ceremony Honors Women in the Military
Stockton University’s annual Veterans Day Recognition Ceremony on Nov. 10 honored the service and sacrifice of women in the military — featuring active-duty service members and veterans who now advocate for others.
Coast Guard Lt. Victoria Castleberry, commanding officer of the cutter Angela McShan, and Lucy Del Gaudio, an Army veteran and the first Women Veterans Coordinator for the New Jersey Department of Veterans Affairs, reflected on the lessons they’ve learned and the challenges of being a woman in the military.
“A strong military is one that draws on the full talent, character and commitment of the nation it serves,” Castleberry said. “We stand on the shoulders of women who volunteered when few opportunities were available.”
Castleberry, who serves at the Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May, said despite coming from a long line of family members in the military dating to the Revolutionary War, she believes she’s the first woman to have become a service member.
Theatre Students Figure Out a New Way to Present a Musical
There are still some things to figure out about a new partnership between Stockton University and Hammonton’s Eagle Theatre.
But that’s all by design. It’s also part of a new show that will debut Nov. 12 to 15 on campus and at the Eagle on Nov. 21.
“The Figuring” is a new interactive musical written by Michael Uselmann and Alex Koceja along with Stockton Associate Professor of Theatre David Reiser and students in his Creative Project Development class. The show celebrates puzzles and problem-solving with an inventive “choose-your-own-adventure” experience where audiences help decide the order of the songs.
“We’re figuring out the show just as much as the audience is,” said Ellie Prendergrast, a senior Theatre major from Hackettstown who’s one of the actors.
And while this class has been developing productions for years, the fact that this year’s will be presented at the Eagle is something completely new.
Program Connects Future Educators With New Jersey's Top Teachers
Stockton University's School of Education launched Program to Practice, a new mentorship opportunity connecting future educators with some of New Jersey's most recognized teachers.
The initiative connects Stockton education students with County Teachers of the Year who can offer firsthand advice, share classroom experiences and provide guidance as students prepare to enter the teaching profession.
The program kicked off Nov. 11 with a panel discussion featuring 14 County Teachers of the Year from across New Jersey. Moderated by Stacey Culleny, co-chair of Stockton's undergraduate Teacher Education program, the discussion addressed balancing professional responsibilities, building relationships with students and preparing for the challenges of teaching.
Students then had the opportunity to ask questions and connect individually with the educators during a reception.
"This is a wonderful opportunity to learn from accomplished educators that have been acknowledged for their expertise and their exceptional practice," Culleny said.
David Fuentes, dean of the School of Education, said the initiative complements the guidance students receive from Stockton faculty.
STOCKTON UNIVERSITY ATLANTIC CITY
Nominations Open for 2027 Commencement Honors
Each spring, Commencement marks one of the most joyful and meaningful traditions in the life of our university, celebrating the hard work, determination and support that bring our students to this milestone.
As we look ahead to the 2027 Commencement, President Joe Bertolino invites the Stockton community to help make the occasion even more meaningful by nominating individuals to serve as Commencement Speaker or to receive an Honorary Degree or the Presidential Medal of Distinction.
Nominations are due by Dec. 10, 2026, and may be submitted through the Commencement Speaker, Honorary Degree and Presidential Medal Nomination website.
These honors recognize individuals whose achievements, leadership and service reflect Stockton’s values, inspire our graduates and strengthen their communities.
WHAT'S TRENDING @ #STOCKTONU
Instagram: We could tell you why, but we’d rather show you! Come and visit us on our gorgeous campus in the #PineBarrens 🌲🩵🦅
Facebook: #StocktonU in the fall looks like a campus in a national park.
TikTok: Should they stick to the orange ball or are we feeling the vocals.
FROM THE SIDELINES
Stockton Wins Season Opener 84-74 over Drew
The men's basketball team opened the 2026-27 season on Nov. 11 with an 84-74 victory on the road at Drew University. Stockton led for more than 34 of the game's 40 minutes, with 10 Ospreys scoring points in a balanced effort.
On a team with 10 newcomers, a trio of veterans led the way. Seniors Justin Harper, Eriq Campbell and Andrew Crawford scored 15 points apiece.
Crawford had a perfect shooting night as he went 5-5 from the field, including 3-3 from three-point range, plus 2-2 at the line. The point guard added four steals while Harper tied for game-high honors with nine rebounds.
Stockton will have 10 days off before hosting 2026 NCAA Tournament qualifier Gettysburg College at 2 p.m. on Nov. 21.
Volleyball Records 1,000th Win in Program History
The volleyball team finished the regular season with a pair of victories on Nov. 7 that extended the team's winning streak to eight matches. The Ospreys swept Drew (10-18) for the 1,000th victory in program history.
Volleyball is the first sport in which Stockton reached 1,000 wins. The program's overall record stands at 1,000-544 for a .647 winning percentage in 52 intercollegiate seasons since 1975 for an average of just over 19 wins per season.
NJAC Semifinals
The team was edged 3-2 by Kean University in a thrilling NJAC Tournament semifinal on Nov. 12 at The Sports Center. The No. 2 seed Ospreys won two of the first three sets, but the No. 3 seed Cougars overtook Stockton in the last two frames.
The Ospreys finished the season with 21 victories, reaching the 20-win mark for the fifth straight year.
🦅 Athletics News and Upcoming Game Information🦅
STOCKTON SITES & CENTERS
Stockton and SCOSA Well Represented at International Research Conference
Stockton faculty, students and alumni presented research at the Gerontological Society of America's Annual Scientific Meeting, held Nov. 4-7 in National Harbor, Maryland. The international conference brought together more than 4,500 participants from approximately 50 countries to explore resilience in aging science, research and education.
Stockton alumna Riya Goyal ’25, now a doctoral student at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, presented research comparing artificial intelligence and human performance in dementia-related literature reviews. Her co-authors included Stockton student Tasnim Raisa and professors Helen Wei and Christine Ferri, director of the Stockton Center on Successful Aging (SCOSA). Goyal was also recognized as a recipient of the society's Emerging Scholars Travel Stipend.
Psychology student Yater Henry presented research on personality traits and brain activity, alongside student co-authors Riya Patel and William Klein and SCOSA Assistant Director Jessica Fleck.
SCOSA founding director and Professor Emeritus Dave Burdick presented research on Careers in Aging Month initiatives and was recognized for his service to the society's Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education committees.
Assistant Professor of Psychology Hannah Wolfe also presented research examining minority stress and resilience among older LGBTQ adults, co-authored with Assistant Professor Colleen Kase and students Emily Fania and Wendy Martinez.
StarWound Brings Music, Poetry and Dialogue to Stockton
The Noyes Museum of Art of Stockton University shared highlights from an Oct. 27 performance by StarWound, a pop-music and spoken-word trio from Athens, Greece, at the Campus Center Theatre.
Presented as part of the Stephen Dunn Visiting Writing Series, "Interiors Project" combined music, poetry, dance and spoken word to explore social perceptions of mental illness. The performance featured original lyrics developed in collaboration with East Coast poets, including Stockton Creative Writing Professor Cynthia Arrieu-King.
The Stephen Dunn Visiting Writing Series is sponsored by Murphy Writing, Stockton's School of Arts and Humanities, the Noyes Arts Garage and the Literature program, with additional support for StarWound from the Dean C. and Zoe Pappes Interdisciplinary Center for Hellenic Studies.
OSPREY NOTES
It’s FAFSA time!
The 2027-2028 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available now at fafsa.gov.
The FAFSA is a student’s application for all federal, state and institutional need-based financial aid programs. All students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA each year.
Please encourage your students to file their 2027-2028 FAFSA early to avoid missing any deadlines. Learn more at stockton.edu/fafsa.
Students who identify as a New Jersey Dreamer will not complete the FAFSA. They will complete the NJ Alternative Application for Financial Aid at hesaa.org.
Financial Aid is here to help. Anyone who needs assistance with their application for financial aid can schedule a FAFSA Completion appointment with our office. Students can make an appointment at stockton.edu/contactfinaid.
UPCOMING EVENTS
🖼️ Art Exhibits hosted by the Noyes Museum of Art
Nov. 13: Council of Black Faculty and Staff 42nd Annual Scholarship Awards Dinner & Dance, JOURNEY Former Lead Vocalist STEVE AUGERI
Nov. 14:Veterans Day Concert: Bay Atlantic Symphony
Nov. 16:'Polish & Poise: The Etiquette Experience'
Nov. 17: Third Annual Taste of the Garden State,‘Manifest: Thirteen Colonies: A Semiquincentennial Conversation'
Nov. 19:42nd Annual Student, Faculty, & Staff Dinner
Nov. 20: Comedian Mike Goodwin at PAC
Nov. 21: Arturo O'Farrill and his Afro Latin Jazz Quintet at the PAC
Nov. 23: Money Matter$ Workshop: Financial Literacy 101
Nov. 26-27: Thanksgiving holiday break
Dec. 3: Board of Trustees Meeting
Dec. 3–5: Fall Choreography Project
Dec. 4: Annual Pre-Kwanzaa Celebration
Dec. 6: BFA Senior Exhibition: Meet the Artists Reception, Seth Kibel & The Kleztet at PAC
