Student Director

SIENA STUCKI

Hello fellow Honnerds! I am Siena Stucki and I am rerunning for the position of Student Director of the Honors Program. Along with being your current Student Director, I am also the Secretary for Quidditch Club and the President of Marine Tech Society. Before I was Student Director, I was Director of Outreach for the Honors Program and loved telling prospective Honors students about our great program. My experience at Stockton has been an amazing one thanks to the community that is the Honors Program. If it weren’t for Honors, I wouldn’t have the friends I have now and wouldn’t know all of the dedicated and amazing people in this program. I am hard working and very devoted to this program. I have many great ideas for the upcoming year and I look forward to feedback from students as to what you would like to see come out of your program. The Honors Program has done so much for me and if re-elected I would love the opportunity to give back and once again be your Student Director.

Student Assistant Director

KRISTINE DUONG

Hello, my name is Kristine Duong. I am a junior biology major, from central Jersey and would be honored to be re-elected as your 2014-2015 Honors executive board assistant director. As the current Assistant Director I have taken on many responsibilities as well as actively assist every other chair on the eboard. My main goal for the new year is to come up with new ideas to create a stronger community within the program, and provide more benefits for the students that work so hard to stay here. The honors program created a home for me within Stockton, it has given me an environment for learning and service, opportunities unique only to us, and better friends than I could have ever imagined. I really want to give back to Honors and lead it with enough gusto and passion to create a program that students can really come to appreciate. Please vote for me for the next assistant director.

Event Directors

ONESTIE JACKSON AND LULU SCHMIDT

My name is Onestie Jackson (left) and I am a sophomore criminal justice major in the five year BA/MA program. I would love to be your events co-coordinator along with Lulu Schmidt (right). In my year in the honors program I have noticed that there isn’t much intermingling within the program with other classes. I am not familiar with most students in other classes and I hope to change that. I believe I am a fun and driven person who, with the help of Lulu, will plan events throughout the next academic year that will help foster relationships and help us gain a sense of community. Aside from living in honors housing and attending meetings, there should be more opportunities to get to know one another so we can depend on each other and build more relationships. I am friendly and open to ideas, so don’t be afraid to share your thoughts. Thank you!

Lulu Schmidt: As a future Events chairperson, I look forward to working with the Honors Program and coordinating interesting and exciting events for the program. I’d like to see the honors students get involved and to foster a sense of community and friendship among them through participation in events such as Pizza & Pong, the Gift Exchange, etc. I am very excited to reach out to the current Events chairpeople in order to receive their advice, ideas, and successful events of the past. I would like to work with them, as well as my current co-coordinator Onestie, on incorporating the program’s past successes into more successful events of the future. I would definitely like to brainstorm new program event ideas as well, and work to make them just as successful as the events that have worked in the past. Overall, I am open to event ideas from the program members and am dedicated to providing quality events for the honors students to enjoy and bond over, and hopefully we will create a stronger honors community through these events as well.

Public Outreach Director

NANCY WRAGA

Hello! My name is Nancy Wraga, and I am currently a sophomore in the Honors Program, as well as the current student Director of Outreach. I would like to be reelected as Director of Outreach because I am dedicated to informing potential honors students about the program’s aspects and benefits. I have tabled at multiple Open Houses since being elected, and have been asked various questions by potential freshmen and transfers. As Director of Outreach I will continue to try to help expand the honors program as well as help my fellow executive board members and all members of the honors program.

Community Service Directors

CASSIDY TROY AND KATE VOLPE

I want you to imagine a lake: perhaps Lake Fred if you want. Now I want you to picture someone throwing a pebble into it. Can you explain to me what happens to the water the instant the pebble hits it? Mother Teresa once said, “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” This quotation shows that we have the power to cause an entire lake to ripple by the throwing of a tiny stone. Similarly, I think a stone needs to be thrown in the metaphorical lake of the Honors Program. I think there needs to be a change in the now-stagnant waters.
So some ideas: I want to help everyone make that change by having a goal for the entire Honors Program. I want to have service projects readily available and maybe even work for some causes/ organizations. I am going to do my best. I am open to input and other ideas because I know that this is a very broad one so far.
Some easy passive projects I have been thinking of:
1. Collecting can tabs for the Ronald McDonald House. The funds generated from recycling these aluminum tabs helps offset the House’s expenses.
2. Collecting bottle caps for “Caps of Love,” an organization based in Florida that uses the money from recycled bottle caps to pay for children who are disabled and cannot afford
wheelchairs.
Maybe we can incorporate the “Class Cup” idea with these two things.
One idea leads to another. One pebble can lead to the rippling and rising of so many potential possibilities for changes. Maybe we could call it “Set the Stone for Service,” like set the tone, get it?

Hi, my name is Kate Volpe, and I’m running for Director of Community Service.
I was really inspired by the reflection session with Dr. Lanier. If you went, you know that community service came up a lot, more than any other topic. After the reflection session, I tried to think of service projects that fit all the criteria we seemed to want: something fulfilling; something the whole Honors Program could work on together; and something that attacks the root cause of a problem. I came up with a few ideas: raising money to purchase rainforest acreage through the Earth’s Birthday Project; sponsoring a local family with school-age children and buying them needed items throughout the year (school supplies, a Thanksgiving turkey, Christmas presents, etc); and holding a Christmas-themed 5k to raise money to give local, underprivileged kids a Christmas to remember. I have many other ideas as well, which I think the Honors Program could create together, mostly focusing on visiting Veterans’ homes and nursing homes on a regular, weekly basis.
In the end, these are just jumping-off points. My goal, in running for Director of Community Service, is to work as a team with all of you to create something we can all be proud of, that we can point to and say “this is what the Stockton Honors Program is:” a program of generosity, integrity, and intelligence that makes a real difference in our community and in the world.

Peer Mentoring Director

ZEAL KAMDAR

Hello my name is Zeal Kamdar and I am running for Peer Mentoring Director. Since I already have the experience of being in this position I feel like I can add a lot of value to my position and go above and beyond in fulfilling all my responsibilities. I remember how important of an impact my mentor had on me as an incoming freshmen. Students relate to our upperclassmen at a level that we can’t find with professors or parents. I believe I have the leadership skills and experience to make a new environment feel comfortable for all of the freshmen. I want to show the prospective students that the honors program is all about comradery and giving back. The fellowship among honors students is key to the success of the honors program. As the peer mentor director I will ensure that this fellowship will be shared not only among people in the same year, but also among people of different years.

Fundraising and Finance Directors

KAITLYN DOYLE AND FRANCESCA DEVITO

Hello everyone, for those of you who don’t know us, I am Kaitlyn Doyle and I am Francesca Devito and we are co-running for Finance and Fundraising. I believe we are perfect for the job because I have been fundraising director for a year so I have plenty of experience and Francesca has fresh ideas to bring to the program. I am also a dedicated member of other clubs on campus such as Quidditch and Active Minds. I put everything I have into the clubs and programs that I am involved in and I would love to have the opportunity to be an officer of this club for another year.
I believe that I would be a good addition to the Finance and Fundraising position
along with Kaitlyn because I believe I can help come up with fun new ways to create
fundraising opportunities. I believe that although I am not as experienced as Kaitlyn that I can help make positive contributions to this position. As well, I also believe I can help the Honors Program become a stronger program and provide new ideas for the Honors
Program as a whole. That being said, I would love to be given the chance to prove that I am the right person for this job, and have the opportunity to be awarded this position.

Class of 2017 Representative

REBECCA CLAXTON

My name is Rebecca Claxton. I’m a Junior Math major at Stockton, and I am running for Class
of 2017 Representative. Currently, I am President of the Math honor society Pi Mu Epsilon, Vice President of Math Club, Treasurer of Active Minds, and Head of Referees for Quidditch. So I’m well-versed in the workings of executive boards. However, I have really hoped to get to be on the Honors e-board for a while because I want to be as involved in the Honors Program as possible. This program has been such a great opportunity for me, and it has allowed me to meet all of the best people in my life. So I am very excited for all the events to come and can’t wait to be a part of making it even better.

Class of 2018 Representative

AMY BRENNAN

Hi! My name is Amy Brennan, and I am running for the Class of 2018 Honors Program Representative. I am currently a Sophomore here at Stockton working towards my Bachelor’s, and eventually Master’s, Degree in Social Work. I am minoring in Childhood Studies and want nothing more than to be able to work with children to ensure their health, happiness, and safety. I am very involved here on campus as a member of the Residental Hearing Board, Alpha Lamda Delta Honor Society, and the Honors Program while I am also a CARE Peer Mentor. I am very much looking forward to giving back to the Honors Program, as I have gained so much from being a part of it. I will work to the best of my ability to make sure everyone’s voice is heard, and that my class feels represented in their opinions, concerns and questions about any aspect of the Honors Program. I hope to help ensure everyone’s satisfaction with their Honors’ Experience!

Class of 2019 Representative

WILHEMINA KENNEDY

Hello, my name is Wilhemina Kennedy and I am a biology major with a concentration in biotechnology. As the Class of 2019 Representative, I seek to be the voice of my fellow freshman, to speak out on their behalf when conflict arises or a concern or suggestion is brought to my attention. I consider my position a full time, 24/7 responsibility so that I may be a person that walks with integrity and leads by example. I wish to be a person that radiates amiability, that all my classmates can feel comfortable approaching at any given time. In everything I do, I give my 110%. My diligence, accountability, and hardworking nature is sure to carry out throughout my term as the Class of 2019 Representative for the Honors Program.