Ģ��Ƶ News - May 2, 2025 - University Relations & Marketing

Ģ��Ƶ News - May 2, 2025

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

Ģ��Ƶ to Provide Free Parkinson’s Disease Speech Therapy

The Speech and Hearing Clinic at Ģ��Ƶ will provide free therapy to people with Parkinson’s Disease through a five-year grant from the Parkinson’s Voice Project in April.

“Parkinson Voice Project is proud to partner with Ģ��Ƶ to help individuals with Parkinson’s across the state regain and retain their speech and swallowing abilities,” said Samantha Elandary, founder and CEO of the Texas-based nonprofit.

Parkinson’s Disease is the world’s fastest growing neurological disorder and the second-most prevalent brain disease in the United States.

There are SPEAK OUT! centers in 28 states throughout the country with the goal to make SPEAK OUT! Therapy accessible to every American. Parkinson Voice Project chose Ģ��Ƶ as New Jersey’s SPEAK OUT! Therapy and Research Center.

The nonprofit will provide $50,000 in cash plus free training for all of Ģ��Ƶ's faculty and students over a five-year period through the center, which will be located at the university’s existing clinic at 10 W. Jimmie Leeds Road in Galloway, all New Jerseyans will be able to receive in-person and remote speech treatment at no cost. The center will also provide research and clinical opportunities for Ģ��Ƶ students.

“We are just over the moon with the excitement and the possibilities of this,” said Kelly Maslanik, a clinical specialist in Ģ��Ƶ’s Communication Sciences and Disorders program. She will run the center with Assistant Professor Michelle Swartz. They hope to start seeing patients this summer.

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Art Students’ Murals Celebrate Aviation’s Future at A.C. Airport

Two seniors in Ģ��Ƶ’s Visual Arts program were recently selected out of dozens of entries to display their artwork in the Atlantic City International Airport terminal.

Evan Carr, of Bloomfield, and Laura Randall, of Galloway, submitted their proposals to a mural competition that the airport hosted as part of their course “Design for Community Partners” with Professor of Art Hannah Ueno. The artwork was unveiled in a ceremony at the airport on April 25.

“We are honored to partner with these students to bring their visions into our terminal, transforming our airport into not just a place of departure and arrival, but a place of expression and connection,” said Stephen Dougherty, executive director for the South Jersey Transportation Authority, which operates and manages the airport.

The theme of the murals is “The Future of Aviation.”

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Arcuri Fund Winners Focus on Vulnerable Communities

Two Ģ��Ƶ 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 Ģ��Ƶ. During her internship, Spring examined the intersections of maternal health, race and socioeconomic class. She also serves as Team Lead at Ģ��Ƶ Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning.

JuniorDhikrat Odutayo, of Newark, 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.

FRAME-WORTHY

Ģ��Ƶ Foundation Gala Returns Home to Campus

The Ģ��Ƶ Foundation’s Scholarship Benefit Gala returned to the university’s Galloway campus for the first time in 20 years on Saturday, 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 Ģ��Ƶ 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 Ģ��Ƶ,” said Brigid Callahan Harrison ’88, chair of the Ģ��Ƶ 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.”

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WHAT'S TRENDING @ #STOCKTONU

: April • a month of outdoor classes, a leadership conference, day trips, visiting monks, yoga on the lawn and so much more.

: Don't think twice, its alright 🎸at the Bob Dylan Fest last week!

Your favorite lake's online... have you given a follow yet? 👀

FROM THE SIDELINES

Gmitter and Avagnano Earn NJAC All-Conference Nods

A pair of baseball players all-conference recognition from the New Jersey Athletic Conference for the 2025 season. Juniors Nick Avagnano and Joe Gmitterwere voted to the NJAC Second Team.

Avagnano and Gmitter earned all-conference honors for the first time after helping Ģ��Ƶ to a 19-19 record, including seven NJAC victories.

Gmitter had a tremendous inaugural season at Ģ��Ƶ after two years at Mercer County College. The first baseman batted .405, ranking fourth in the NJAC and eighth in Ģ��Ƶ history for a single season. He tallied 60 hits—second in the league and fifth all-time at Ģ��Ƶ—with 27 hits coming in NJAC play.

Gmitter led the team and ranked fourth in the conference with 44 RBI, including 23 in NJAC games. He topped the Ospreys with 18 multi-hit games and posted a .991 fielding percentage, committing just two errors in 217 chances.

Avagnano batted .373, led the team with 44 runs and six home runs, and tied a school record for runs scored. He was hit by a pitch 16 times and led the team in doubles (12), slugging (.599) and on-base percentage (.471). Avagnano started all 38 games and played five positions without an error in 172 chances.

Three Ospreys Earn All-NJAC Honors in Women’s Lacrosse

Three women’s lacrosse players all-conference recognition from the New Jersey Athletic Conference for the 2025 season. SophomoreMadison MacGillivrayand junior Gina Marotta were selected NJAC First Team, while seniorLilly Alessandro was chosen NJAC Second Team.

All three earned NJAC honors for the first time after leading Ģ��Ƶ to 11 wins and the No. 4 seed in the NJAC Tournament.

MacGillivray started all 16 games and led the team with 45 goals, adding 13 assists for 58 points. She netted a career-high six goals vs. Lycoming on March 2 and grabbed 43 draw controls. She ranks fifth in the NJAC in goals per game (2.81) and 10th in points (3.63), improving to 3.60 goals and 4.20 points per game in league play.

Marotta started all 17 games and tied the school record with 74 draw controls. She led the team with 49 ground balls (tied for third all-time) and added 25 caused turnovers. She set school records with 13 draw controls vs. Drew and 10 ground balls vs. Marywood.

Alessandro started all 17 games, finishing second in draw controls (54), tied for third in ground balls (37) and fourth in caused turnovers (21). She ends her career second in Ģ��Ƶ history in ground balls (124) and third in draw controls (132).

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

STOCKTON SITES & CENTERS

Read the SCOSA May Newsletter

Read the Ģ��Ƶ Center on Successful Aging (SCOSA)'s for interesting upcoming events and newly added programming.

OSPREY NOTES

Ģ��Ƶ Model United Nations Attends Five-Day National Conference

Several Ģ��Ƶ students traveled to New York for the five-day National Model United Nations Conference (NMUN), where they had the opportunity to network with over 3,000 peers and were selected for two awards.

The 17 students, as part of Ģ��Ƶ’s Model UN, attended the conference April 6-10. During, Ģ��Ƶ’s Model UN represented the Arab Republic of Egypt and were involved in nine committees during the conference, including the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.

From that committee,Lindsay Grande and Skylar Ballin received the Best Delegate Award after being nominated by their peers at the end of the conference. Grande and Ballin are both dual majoring in Political Science and Criminal Justice, and prepared and researched the committee and Egypt’s role in global criminal justice reform throughout this spring semester.

Graduate Students Showcase Passion and Purpose at Annual Symposium

A total of 139 graduate students presented 71 projects during Ģ��Ƶ’s annual Graduate Research Symposium on April 25, filling the Campus Center Event Room with innovative research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and meaningful conversations.

Thirteen of the presentations were featured as part of the Master of Arts in Instructional Technology (MAIT) Capstone Expo.

The event showcased work from a range of programs — including Occupational Therapy, American Studies, and Data Science & Strategic Analytics — celebrating the academic achievements of students preparing to enter the workforce or continue in research.

“The research symposium is so important because students get to communicate and present the science, they’ve worked so hard on,” said Melissa Loreno, adjunct professor in the Data Science & Strategic Analytics program. “They’re passionate about these projects, and this is a chance to share that passion with the wider community.”

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Ģ��Ƶ Campaigns Win Multiple Marketing Awards

Ģ��Ƶ’s Office of University Relations and Marketing earned nine awards this spring for its work on a range of campaigns and initiatives that tell the university’s story.

Ģ��Ƶ’s winning entries were selected from more than 2,000 submitted by over 1,000 schools from all 50 states and several countries in the 40th annual Educational Advertising Awards.

Among the projects recognized, the Choose Ģ��Ƶ marketing campaign features current students and highlights their reasons for choosing to attend the university. The state-wide multimedia advertising plan increases awareness and promotes the distinctive quality and value of Ģ��Ƶ.

The special event planning for the April 2024 inauguration of President Joe Bertolino and the accompanying “Undercover Osprey” video each earned gold awards for creativity.

Financial Aid Office Helps Students Navigate FAFSA Process

The Office of Financial Aid hosted two Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Completion events sponsored by both the Compass Fund and the Office of Student Transition Programs this spring. The evening events were held on Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2025 and March 25, 2025 and gave current students an opportunity to receive one-on-one assistance in completing their FAFSA from counselors in the Office of Financial Aid. Read more .

Read the Spring 2025 Issue of Ģ��Ƶ Now

The cover story of this issue of Ģ��Ƶ Now highlights the Indigenous cultures spotlighted at Ģ��Ƶ this academic year, including a series of programming, art exhibits, panels, and conversations, culminating with the keynote speaker at the second annual Arts & Culture Summit.

Reading further, you’ll learn about Ģ��Ƶ’s student-run investment group, howMark Tesi'03 blends music and motion into a design career, why data drives our new Provost, and much more.

Fun Fact Friday: May 2 marks National Truffle Day, a delicious celebration of one of the most indulgent chocolate confections. Truffles are rich, bite-sized treats typically made from a smooth ganache center coated in chocolate, cocoa powder or nuts. Inspired by the rare and luxurious mushroom of the same name, chocolate truffles offer a melt-in-your-mouth experience perfect for any sweet tooth. Today is the perfect excuse to savor one (or several) of these decadent delights and share the joy with fellow chocolate lovers. Celebrate by grabbing some at your favorite candy hope or of course here is an if you want to make some at home.