Stockton News - Sept. 12, 2025 - University Relations & Marketing

Stockton News - Sept. 12, 2025

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

Board of Trustees Approves University’s New Strategic Plan

The Stockton University Board of Trustees unanimously approved Wednesday a new Strategic Plan to guide the institution’s priorities for the next three years.

The plan is organized around five themes: Cultivate a Community of Care – Belonging and Pride; Inspire Minds – Teaching, Learning and Scholarship; Empower Student Success; Anchor in Purpose – Serving the Region and Beyond; and Sustain Tomorrow – Stewardship and Innovation.

The themes are grounded in Stockton’s mission, values and Ethic of Care, which treats everyone with dignity, respect, kindness, compassion and civility, said Stockton President Joe Bertolino.

“Today marks an important milestone for Stockton’s future as we present our new Strategic Plan to the Board for their formal endorsement,” he said. “It offers a clear framework for each division and unit to create specific action steps designed to achieve our overall goals.”

The new Strategic Plan process started more than a year ago and more than 325 individuals served on planning committees with more than 1,000 members of the university’s extended community — including students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, business partners and friends — contributing to the effort through surveys, forums, events and feedback sessions.

The Board of Trustees also approved at its September meeting a new slate of leadership, elevating vice chair Jose Lozano to the new board chair, and appointing Timothy Lowry as vice chair and Mary Maples as secretary. Lozano, ’03 from Oradell, replaced Nelida Valentin ’86 as chair after Valentin served a two-year term.

Lozano serves as Senior Vice President for Strategic Business Partnerships at Hackensack Meridian Health, the largest health network in New Jersey with 18 hospitals, 500 patient care locations, 36,000 team members and the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. He is a New Jersey native who received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Stockton and a master’s degree from the University of Maryland, College Park.

Pictured: Jose Lozano '03

$500,000 Grant Funds Study of Iron-Rich Pinelands ‘Pond Gunk’

As she hiked through the woods toward the research site deep in the Pine Barrens, JesseDavis wondered what she had gotten herself into.

The Stockton Biology major spent the past few minutes traipsing through the woods, dodging ticks, mosquitos and frequent poison ivy plants to Harrisville, the site of a now-abandoned bog iron furnace during the Revolutionary War.

But Davis wasn’t there to marvel at the stone ruins that produced cannonballs and railroad ties in the past. She was more interested in “the pond gunk” growing at the site in the present.

The Lacey Township native and Stockton senior is part of a group working with Assistant Professor of Biology LaurenSeyler to study microbial growth at groundwater seeps in the Pine Barrens, specifically ones that produce iron.

In 2024, Seyler received a three-year, $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to study three bog iron sites in the Pine Barrens where huge collections of bacteria grow that either use iron as an energy source or respire it in the same way humans do oxygen.

PHOTO: Left, Stockton student Edwin Feria-Serna works with Juan Diego Chaparro Villarreal to label a sample of bacteria taken in Harrisville in the middle of the Pine Barrens during a field trip in late August.

FRAME-WORTHY

A Picture-Perfect First Day

Ospreys kicked off the fall semester with beaming smiles, selfies, high-fives with Talon and plenty of September sunshine.

📸View more photos on flickr.

WHAT'S TRENDING @ #STOCKTONU

Facebook: Make the most of your #StocktonU experience by attending events on campus, joining a student group and attending professors' office hours.

TikTok:What classes are you taking this semester?

Instagram: Being the first isn’t easy, but it’s powerful.

FROM THE SIDELINES

Stockton Sweeps Ursinus

Stockton University evened its overall record with a quick 3-0 sweep of Ursinus. The Ospreys cruised through the first two sets 25-15, 25-20 and then closed the match with a tight 25-23 win in the third frame.

Nicole Palmer spiked a team-high 14 kills followed by Kate Louer with 12 kills as the duo combined for 26 of Stockton's 36 kills. Louer added 10 digs for a double-double.

Regan Mendick also notched a double-double of 11 assists and 11 digs. Kristen Burton dealt a team-high 14 assists and Camille De La Torre contributed six kills.

Stockton used a 7-1 run to open up a 16-10 lead and take control of the first set. The Ospreys trailed 17-16 in the second stanza before closing with a 9-3 outburst.

Stockton Edges NYU 2-1

Stockton's Men's Soccer team snapped a 1-1 tie on a goal by Chris Krall in the 70th minute and edged NYU 2-1 in a game that was played at New Jersey Institute of Technology. The win was the second straight for the Ospreys.

Aiden Hoenisch gave Stockton an early 1-0 lead with a goal assisted by Ernst Louisius 18:24 into the game. The Ospreys kept the lead through halftime before NYU tied the match just 1:21 into the second half.

The deadlock lasted for over 22 minutes before Krall scored for the second consecutive game. The junior struck for the eventual game-winner with an assist by Kieran Sundermann with 20:59 left.

🦅 For more athletics news and upcoming game information, visit here.🦅

OSPREY NOTES

Time to Confirm Your Ospreys!

Welcome back, faculty! As the fall semester is underway, it's time to Confirm your Ospreys.

Faculty are reminded to complete the Academic Engagement process by confirming student attendance/academic activity.

The Academic Engagement process is to be completed by Wednesday, Sept. 17. The Office of Financial Aid will use this information to make adjustments to student financial aid disbursements based upon each student's confirmed number of credits.

Each instructor will be responsible for confirming student attendance or participation in an academic activity. For online courses, faculty are reminded to include an assignment or discussion activity during the add/drop period so that the student's attendance can be confirmed.

The link to complete the Academic Engagement process can be found under the faculty tab within the goStockton portal. For more information and a list of frequently asked questions, visit stockton.edu/academicengagement.

🎬 One-Click Break: Need a moment to relax? Float away with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Jellyfish Cam. These glowing, drifting creatures look like nature’s own lava lamps, and watching them is strangely addictive. 🪼✨