Democracy Cafe – Post Election Results

On Thursday, November 10, 2016, Stockton’s Democracy Cafe hosted a Post-Election election result forum and discussion. The event was open to any and all community events interested, including students, faculty, and members from around the local Galloway community. The panel was hosted by Professor Claire Abernathy of the political science department, who was both the main speaker and the moderator. The event also featured a collection of faculty members who specialized as advisors regarding economic, international affairs, and homeland security experts.

The panel opened with Professor Abernathy discussing the electoral college results, and how the voting came down to key matchups in Pennsylvania and Arizona. She then discussed the election results in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, followed by a discussion about how key voting demographics affected the results. Discussion focused on how not only the percents mattered, but also the voter turnout.

After the discussion on the voting results, Professor Abernathy turned to the audience with a variety of questions for them to answer. Students answered the questions, with a variety of different answers from the students in attendance. Finally, the panel ended with the opportunity for students to voice their opinions to the group. One student in particular gave a rather moving speech about his heritage as a son of Latino immigrants, and how this year’s election proved both disheartening and frightening to him.

As the panel concluded, Professor Abernathy handed out a civic service test for students to take home, and encouraged students to be the change they wanted to see in the world.

Presidential Debate Watching Party

This past Monday, September 26th, I attended the Presidential Debate Party to watch the presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton discuss issues that are important to Americans. The event was held in the Board of Trustees room in the Campus Center and there was a decent turnout. Snacks, including popcorn and soda, were provided to those who attended the event. Before the debate officially began, the event coordinators welcomed everyone and offered bingo boards to people who wanted to play. In order to win bingo, the participants had to match the words or phrases on the bingo board verbatim to statements that were made by the candidates during the debate. For instance, if Donald Trump mentioned the word Florida in his address, the participant could cross the box with the corresponding word off on their bingo board.
In the debate, the candidates mostly centered their discussions around the topics of prosperity, direction and leading America. These debates are extremely significant for Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton because they must try to attract additional support from undecided voters for the upcoming election as well as voice their presidential goals. Throughout the course of the night, there was a lot of disagreements between the candidates on particular issues such as taxes, crime, race relations and the economy among others. As the debate went on, many people at the event started cheering or laughing when Trump and Clinton quarreled or insulted each other. The dynamic of the two candidates made the debate very interesting to watch, even for people like me who are not really into politics.
Overall, I am happy that I went to this event and watched the debate along with many other students. Hearing the reactions of people with many different political views while watching the debate definitely made me more interested and engaged in the conversation.
Although I have never sat down to watch a presidential debate before, I am glad I took the time to attend this debate party. I look forward to attending the next presidential debate party in the near future.

Honors Elections, November 2015

Student Director

SIENA STUCKI

SienaStuckiHello 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

KristineDuongHello, 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

OnestieJacksonLuluSchmidtMy 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

NancyWraga_f15Hello! 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

Cassidy Troy PictureI 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?

KateVolpeHi, 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

ZealKamdar_f15Hello 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

KaitlynDoyle

FrancescaDeVitoHello 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

RebeccaClaxtonMy 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

AmyBrennanHi! 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

WilheminaKennedyHello, 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.

Blog Post Fourteen – The Honors Program

After being accepted into the Richard Stockton College, I wanted to continue challenging myself by applying for the Honors Program the college offered. I could not have been happier the day I found out I had been accepted into the program. Over the summer, I was welcomed into the Honors Family through the Honors Experience. It was a great time to meet new people, become adjusted to the campus, and learn some useful background information about adapting to freshman college life. When I arrived on campus, my first semester freshman seminar, Honors Life of the Mind, played a large role in getting used to college life. I became closer to my classmates, as well as, to the faculty involved in the program.

As I have continued my time here, I have realized the Honors Program has a lot more to offer than I had initially taken into consideration. I have frequently been using the Honors Center and talking to the upper classmen that are usually there. Also, although, my schedule conflicts with the Honors Program monthly meetings, I receive valuable email notifications about the different events the Honors Program is either hosting or involved in, such as the Day of Scholarship, Celebration of Creativity, and other fun events, such as the game night. As I continue my time here at Stockton, I hope to learn even more about the Honors Program and the wonderful students and faculty that are a part of this family.

New Executive Board, January-December 2013

Please join me in congratulating our new Executive Board:

Student Director:

Bill Goodheart

Student Assistant Director:

Matthew Widjaja

Events Co-Directors:

Jessa Hernandez and Sage Mitchell

Public Outreach Director:

Nikki Vancil

Community Service Director:

Cherise Edwards

Peer Mentoring Director:

Zahara Ayub

Fundraising and Finance Director:

Kristen Valenti

Freshman Class Representative:

Matt Zivi

Sophomore Class Representative:

Mary Kate Fitzpatrick

Junior Class Representative:

Chris McManus

Honors Executive Board Candidates 2012

Remember to vote! Check for an email on November 28 with a link to the ballot. You will have until Nov 30 to vote. Only one ballot per Honors student, please!

Student Director

William Goodheart

My name is Bill Goodheart and I am a sophomore here at Stockton and I currently hold the position of Peer Mentoring Advisor. I believe that I am best for the position of Student Director because I have dedicated myself to the Honors Program. I am very well organized, I am good under pressure, and I have experience being on the Executive Board. Being the Peer Mentoring Advisor, I have grown to be personable and cooperative with the many of the students in the program. When I joined the program a little over a year ago, I didn’t know that I was becoming a part of a family, and a successful family at that. I will strive to see the continuing success of the program until my graduation in 2014 as Student Director or not. I am not running for this position for myself, but for the whole of the Honors Program.

Assistant Director

Sage Mitchell

My name is Sage, and I’m from Wharton, New Jersey. I’m a freshman in the Honors Program, and I’m running for the position of Assistant Director. I think I would be good for this position because as a freshman, I have ample opportunity left in college to help improve the Honors Program. Though this is my first year in college, I have a solid grasp of how the program works, and I have ideas on how to improve it. If elected, I intend to work closely with the rest of the Honors Board, as well as everyone in the program to help everyone get through their college years a little easier.

Matthew Widjaja

Dear team, (no I’m not here to report another dead computer)

I am Matt Widjaja, and I am running for Assistant Student Director for two reasons. First, I know I have what it takes. I am the geek who is respectful of the past, mindful of the current, and dedicated towards a stable future program. I have the experience of being in this program long enough to know what works and what doesn’t work. I want to prepare the Executive Board, Program’s Communication, and Computer F244-2 for the future, not because it’ll be easy, but because it’ll be hard.
Second of all, I know you have what it takes. I want to hear what you feel and think about this program, because if you don’t express your thoughts, no one will ever know and nothing will change. I’m doing this because I love all of you and this program so much. Without this fantastical community, I would not be as successful as I am today. I know I’m in the Sophomore class, but I promise to represent you, irregardless of your class, major, housing preference, and Mac vs. Windows preference (yes I just said that). We need to remain protective of the foundation our upperclassmen & alumni left for us, while being fearless to build upon its successes. And you can bet all your flex dollars that I will represent this program until the very end.
I am Matt Widjaja, and I would be honored to represent you as the Assistant Student Director of the Honors Program.

Events

Jaime Kinter

Hi kids, Jaime Kinter here! And I want you to vote for me for Events Coordinator Chair. I’m a sophomore here at Stockton and my goal as Events Chair is to make your semester as fun and eventful as possible. With the help of just a simple check mark on the ballot next to my name, you can make this a possibility. Events such as our Dodge ball Tournament and Pizza and Pong night will test your hand eye coordination as well as your teamwork skills. A night of Quizzo and a Scavenger Hunt will show off your skills in what truly makes you an ‘Honors’ student. I’d love to make the following semesters as wonderful as possible and hope that you agree that choosing me as Events Coordinator would make that a possibility! (:

Public Relations

Ben Peoples

My name is Michael Benjamin (Ben) Peoples, and I am running for the position of Public Relations Chair. I am a member of the Hughes Center Steering committee, Political Engagement Project, Student Senate, and several other organizations on campus. If elected I plan to use my connections in the several administrative offices around campus to further the goals and requests of the Honors Program as a whole. I also hope to be able to go out into the community and inform students considering Stockton College of our Honors Program.
Thank you, Michael Benjamin (Ben)  Peoples

Community Service

Momina Ayub

My name is Momina Ayub and I am re-running for Head of Community Service. I’m running for this position because I have lived in Galloway and the area around Stockton my entire life and I feel as though I can really help everyone find areas that they would really love to use as service projects or get hours from. As Head of Community Service, I have helped organize our most successful blood drives at Stockton thus far and because of those efforts, we now have two Spring Blood Drives rather than just one. I work closely with the volunteer office in ARMC so I am able to help process Honor Student applications so we can all volunteer quicker and get more out of our experiences.  I also know about volunteering at nursing homes and at the senator’s office and can thus help others who want to do that. I am very organized and I have experience in leading so I know I will be able to handle the responsibility of organizing future Blood Drives and other events as well as finding a balance that works for those individuals who are involved with service hours and those with the Service Projects. I am re-running for this position because I truly think I can provide more volunteer opportunities for Honor Kids and make the service requirement of the honors program less stressful.  I have a lot of ideas that I feel will help keep everyone on top of their hours and projects along with ideas of things the whole Honors Program can do together as service. I  hope to provide more opportunities to volunteer and let the community and Stockton as a whole really acknowledge the Honors Program for the wonderful program it really is.

Peer Mentoring

Zahara Ayub

Hi everyone! My name is Zahara Ayub, and I would like to run for the position of Peer Mentoring chair. Since I am a sophomore, I know how the old peer mentoring system worked, and I will try to bring back the best aspects of it, as well as incorporate things that have evolved with the new system. As we all know, it is not mandatory for upperclassmen to sign up to be a mentor, and now it is not required for mentees to regularly meet with their mentor. I will work to make it so that there are at least some required meetings throughout the semester. This is important because some of the freshmen will not know about all of the aspects of registration. If someone can explain the important things to them, like CAPP evaluation, I am sure that the process will be way less stressful for them. If they don’t have to meet with their mentor, they may not even realize that they had questions to begin with. Giving the option of meeting with a mentor allows many to dismiss the service since “they don’t have to do it”. I have also been thinking of a fun event that can be worked out with the events coordinator, where mentees and mentors compete in teams in some sort of game. This would create a stronger integration among the freshman and the upperclassmen, as well as a fun event where everyone can become comfortable with their mentor/mentee. I truly do care about the Honors Program, and I wish to see it develop into an even more accomplished program than it already is. In my experience, the peer mentoring program is a life saver for freshman (Hi Katie Baker! :D). It is a helping hand from someone who cares and wants to help freshman assimilate into the Program, but also into the Stockton community. It’s hard to adjust to college, and this program offers a friend to incoming freshman right of the bat. I want to be able to give back to the program by helping others in the position I once was in.

Kimia Kheirkhah

Hi! My name is Kimia Kheirkhah, I am a freshman and I am running for the position of peer-mentoring.  I am very outgoing and I’m always in a fun happy mood (as most of you can tell).  I love making new friends, meeting new people and helping everyone out.  My mentor this year was Bill and he really helped me get a firm grasp on what my major requires and the options I had with exploring different academic experiences.  When I found out I could run for the same job, I instantly knew this was the job for me.  I told one of my friends “I want to be the mother hen to all the little baby chicks coming in as freshman next year!”  And I do.  I feel like being as outgoing as I am, I’ll be able to easily make the incoming freshman feel welcome and comfortable.  I’m also very organized so that will help me stay on top of things.  Since I truly care about people and am interested in helping them, I’ll take my time getting to know the freshman and making sure that they are settling in alright into our friendly Stockton environment.  It’s important for me to have the next group of Honors students feel as though they have guidance and don’t feel lost.  Even though I’d be matching up the freshman to their mentors based on majors and academic interest, I’d be following up on making sure they have been able to maintain contact and getting the guidance they need.  The most important thing to me is making sure there is a strong connection, not just between the mentor and the mentee, but between everyone in the honors program.  Even though I had an amazing mentor, I have learned countless more things from all the honors upper classmen in the Honors Program and I would like the incoming freshman to feel like everyone in the honors program can help them.  This is because we each have our own specialty, interest, and something unique to offer; no one person can know everything. I hope you guys support my vision for the incoming freshman and my goals.  A vote for me is a vote for a connected and united Honors Program.  Thank you.

Fundraising

Maryse Biernat

Hi, my name is Maryse Biernat and I am running for the Fundraising Chair. I am currently a first semester sophomore. I am running because I feel that more can be done with this aspect of our program and I have some ideas that will utilize other campus activities to reach these goals. I am organized and responsible and can fully be trusted with this position. I hope to make use of events such as welcome week and the homecoming weekend in order to raise some more money. One tentative idea is to have some students giving henna tattoos for a couple of dollars during welcome week. I also want to increase our sales of the retro t-shirts and to come up with some other designs that will appeal to the general Stockton community. Finally, I want to work with the Community Service Chair to start raising some money that will be donated to charities. All of these ideas are meant to make the program more visible on campus and to bring in funds that can be used for more events and to contribute to the community.  Any suggestions, ideas, or criticism will be taken into consideration for any future fundraising events. Thank you for taking time to read this and please vote for me!

Junior Class Representative

Brittany Strevell

I would like to be the class representative for the Class of 2013 because I am very in-tune with the needs and opinions of other Honors students in my class. I am friendly with all of my fellow Honors juniors and would be more than happy to take the time to listen to their concerns. I care a good deal about all of my friends in the Class of 2013 and would work whole-heartedly to voice their opinions loudly to Professor Rosner and the Honors Advisory Board and to work towards the implementation of any policy changes that they desire.

Sophomore Class Representative

Eddie Horan

Hey, sophomores!  I decided to run for the position of Class Representative because I wanted our class’s voice to be heard so that its issues could be discussed.  Of course, with the number of our classmates running for positions on the Board, it seems that making our presense known will not be an issue.  At any rate, should you have a problem or suggestion, I would like to be the one to whom you tell it: you can rest assured that I will relay any and all sophomore-related issues to the Honors Executive Board in a calm, friendly, and grammatically correct voice.  This process, we must recognize, is a two-way street: I would like not only to keep the Board abreast of your issues, but to keep you in the know about the Board as well.  If you elect me, this is sure to happen.  As the only candidate for the position of Sophomore Class Representative, I sincerely hope that you will choose me to represent you.

Freshman Class Representative

Randy Weible

My name is Randy Weible, and I am from South Jersey. I am currently enrolled as a Freshman in the Honors Program here at Stockton College. I am running for the position of class representative because I believe that it is very important for our class to get involved with the executive aspects of the Honors Program. Because this is our first year, we as freshman have the potential to shape and improve the program for future years. I have already attended several Honors meetings this semester, in addition to an Honors Advisory Board meeting. As class representative, I plan to attend future Honors and Advisory Board meetings and speak on behalf of the entire Freshmen Honors Class, addressing problems and concerns specific to our class. It is understood that these meetings do not fit into everyone’s busy academic schedule, and so it is my plan to represent the class at these meetings, getting answers to questions and delivering the necessary information back to my peers. In addition, I hope to work closely with the upperclassmen, in improving certain aspects of the Honors Program for the years to come.

Honors Elections, November 2014

Student Director

SIENA STUCKI

SienaStuckiI’m Siena Stucki and I’m running for Director of the Honors Program. Currently I am the Director of Outreach on the Honors Executive Board, and I am also the Secretary for the Quidditch Club and the Public Representative for Marine Tech Society. I’ve gone to many different Honors Events and have gone to all the Open Houses since my appointment to represent the Honors Program. I’ve truly enjoyed meeting new perspective students and telling them how much the Honors Program has benefited those in it. The Honors Program is where I have met some of the most dedicated and passionate people at Stockton and I really love being involved in this program. I’m running for Director now because I would greatly like to represent the Honors program in a new way. I’m very responsible, devoted, and have exciting ideas to help further the success of this program. Given the chance, I would like to lead the Honors Program and give back to the Honors community as its director. However, if I am not elected I would very much enjoy being the Representative for the Class of 2017.

Student Director

SHANNON BLEY

ShannonBleyHello my fellow Hon-nerds! My name is Shannon Bley, and I am a sophomore here at Stockton. This year I am running for the Student Director position of the honors program. I am currently one of the co-directors of Fundraising and Finance as well as the treasurer of the quidditch club. In the past, I also served as the Chairman of Community Service in the Freehold FFA chapter and treasurer in my scuba diving venture crew. Though the Student Director position may require a lot of work, I am fully prepared to take on this responsibility. As Student Director, I would work hard to complete all of the tasks that the position requires, and go above and beyond to do all that I can for the honors program and for the students within the program. I am able to maintain an optimistic, upbeat attitude even during the most stressful situations, and am always trying to come up with new, creative ideas for the clubs that I am a part of.
I have been in love with the honors program ever since the Honors Freshmen Experience in 2013, and having the opportunity to work with the E-board over the past year has been extremely rewarding! I am very active in the honors program, being sure to attend as many meetings and activities as I can fit into my schedule. My goal is to continue working with the E-board to improve the program and to solve any problems that may arise, as well as make it more fun than it already is! (Is that even possible?) Thank you for your time, and happy voting!
If I am not elected as the Student Director, I would gladly take on the position of Class of 2017 Representative.

Student Assistant Director

KRISTINE DUONG

KristineDuong

Hello, my name is Kristine Duong. I am a sophomore biology major, nineteen, from central Jersey and would be honored to be elected as your 2014-2015 Honors executive board assistant director. Right now I hold the chair for the Director of Finance; I am the historian for the Stockton Quiddich club, and, for those who went on SOAR, a dedicated TALON. Now I would like to tell you all a story. This is a spiel I often give at open houses or to incoming freshmen. Stockton was not my first choice and I really didn’t think that it was the school for me, but, I was wrong. I will never regret my decision to come here and there is no doubt in my mind that 90% of the reason I came to love this school so much was because of the honors program. This program has given me so much; 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.

Events Directors

ERIN SCHERMERHORN AND ANTHONY THAWLEY

Schermerhorn_ThawleyHello,
Our names are Anthony Thawley and Erin Schermerhorn. We are both sophomores in the Honors Program, co-running for Director of Events. We are Honors Mentors, as well as Counselors for the Honors Overnight Experience in the summer. We have had the opportunity to work with the current Director of Events, Jessa Hernandez, in planning other events, such as the Honors Oblong Plastic Holiday Hunt (AKA the Easter Egg Hunt), the Holiday Party, and the End of the Year BBQ. Therefore, we have experience in the process of planning events for the Honors Program. Anthony is one of the Honors Freshman Resident Assistants, which makes him accustomed to planning events and advertising for them. Erin has gotten a job working in the Campus Center, which gives her the connections to expedite the process of booking and planning events. Some plans we have for future Honors Events include, a scavenger hunt, a movie night, and others, in conjunction with the traditional Honors events. We would really appreciate it if you voted for us and gave us the chance to expand the Events that are hosted by the Honors Program. Thank you.

Public Outreach Director

NANCY WRAGA


NancyWraga2My name is Nancy Wraga, and I am running for the Outreach Chair. As a freshman, I feel I have the time and motivation to grasp a challenge such as this and learn even more about the Honors Program as I discover ways to reach out to potential Honors students. I am willing to use the best of my ability to help improve the Honors Program in any aspect as well as have more people well-informed about the program as a whole. I hope to be a part of the Honors Community in as many ways as possible, starting with assisting in the executive board.

Community Service Director

TORI NOVACK

ToriNovack

My name is Tori Novack, and I am running for Service Chairperson for 2015. Last year, I was the Class of 2017 Rep, so I got to see a lot of the inner workings of the executive board. I hope to plan many fun and exciting service events to help students in the Honors Program complete their requirements. Vote Tori for Service! (And yes, I am very organized and check my e-mail often.)

Peer Mentoring Director

ALLISON STILES

AllisonStiles

Hello. I am Ally Stiles and I am running for the Peer Mentoring Director position. I have experience in this position as I was the Co-Director last year. I am very organized and I love to help people. I check my email about fifty times a day, so you will definitely get a timely response from me. I have leadership experience from being an RA and President of RHA on the upperclassmen side. I am fairly familiar with the requirements of academics in this school, so I should have no problem answering your question myself or directing you to the place you need to go. I am dedicated to this program and I will enjoy the chance to make it even better through this position.

Peer Mentoring Director

ZEAL KAMDAR

ZealKamdarHello my name is Zeal and I am running for Peer Mentoring Director. From my experience, I remember how important of an impact my mentor had on me as an incoming freshmen. Getting another student’s advice influences a student more than anything our parents or professors could say. I feel as though we can relate to our upperclassmen at a level that we can’t find anywhere else. Being an honor’s student, we’re all extremely accomplished. For the new freshmen, meeting someone just as or even more accomplished makes the Stockton experience even more appealing. I believe I have the leadership and people skills to become an effective peer mentoring director. After being in many leadership positions is the past, I know I can make it a wonderful experience for the freshmen. More importantly, I have an outgoing and bubbly personality that plays an essential role in bringing a crowd together that would definitely help the newcomers feel right at home. 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 Director

KAITLYN DOYLE

KaitlynDoyleHi my name is Kaitlyn Doyle and I am a sophomore running for the position of Director of Finance and Fundraising. I think I would be great for the position because of my fervent dedication to every project I am involved with. I am also highly organized and I always check my emails. I’ve been a tutor for 3 years, which has taught me, not only how to deal with a variety of people, but it has also taught me how to manage my time efficiently. My goal is to become a more active student on campus, as I have become an active member of the Quidditch club. I really value my involvement with the Honors Program and would love to have the opportunity further it by getting involved with the Honors E board.

Class of 2016 Representative

GABRIELLA NAVARRO

GabriellaNavarroMy name is Gabby Navarro. I am a junior transfer student majoring in psychology with a minor in behavioral neuroscience. I want everyone to know that I am really dedicated to anything and everything I commit to. So trust me, this position on the e- board would be one of the highest priorities on my list. I am running for class representative of 2016, so I promise to represent the class of 2016 well. I am very outgoing so if there is ever a problem for any reason, I am here. I will make my voice loud and clear for the class of 2016. I also always check my EMAIL! Anyways, I am reliable and dedicated so I think I’d be a perfect fit to be class representative of 2016, so vote for me!!

Class of 2017 Representative

SIENA STUCKI OR SHANNON BLEY

Please read their statements for the Director position.

Class of 2018 Representative

VICTORIA MITCHELL

VictoriaMitchellHello fellow honors students! My name is Victoria Mitchell, and this year I am running for Class of 2018 Rep. Since arriving at Stockton, I’ve been interested in getting involved, and I believe that the position of Class Rep in the honors program is the best fit for me. Communication is my strong suit, and I believe that I can be an effective bridge between the Class of 2018 and the Honors E-Board. Those who know me can attest to the fact that I am a very open, outgoing person, and I put the highest amount of effort into fulfilling my responsibilities. I pride myself on putting others before myself, and I would love to use my skills to be the voice of the Class of 2018. If elected, I will look forward to being able to communicate with each and every member of my class. I hope to be able to represent the Class of 2018 this year and take on all the responsibilities of Class Rep. Thank you!