I went and saw the play Private Eyes on October 11th performed by students here at Stockton. I personally thought the show was magnificent. I thoroughly enjoyed all the characters and the twists and turns that the plot took. There weren’t many people there, but the actors were still very enthusiastic and put their all into it.

I went and saw this with two of my friends and they also really enjoyed it. We all didn’t see a whole bunch of the surprises coming and we didn’t even want to leave during the intermission. They play was hilarious too, we laughed at all the jokes, even some of the unintentional mistakes, like when the match box bounced out of the tray. The best part about any of the mistakes were that the actors remained professional through and through and were not even phased by anything slightly out of place.

Not only was the script well written and performed, the stage and costumes were amazing. They all looked the part and the stage was brilliantly set up. I’ve seen many plays and the Experimental Theater looks like a professional stage and they certainly treated it like one. They had limited props on the stage and that just brought the focus back onto the cast members much more. Especially at the end, where it’s just the two of them on stage without any props what so ever.

As convoluted and confusing as the plot was, there were the ever so slight indicators that brought forward the true plot. I won’t spoil anything for anyone in case they get the opportunity to see this play elsewhere, but you won’t get such a great cast or performance as I did here. Next chance you get to go see a play performed here, take it. The actors here are well work the few dollars they charge to go see them in their prime.

On the night of March 19, 2012, the magical story of Cinderella began to unfold as only a ballet can tell it.  This occurred at the PAC, and the Russian National Ballet Theatre performed the stunning ballet in three acts.

The ballet begins with what seems to be the two ugly stepsisters fighting over a piece of fabric that they get dirty and blame on Cinderella.  The Stepmother believes them and brings out her wrath on Cinderella while the Father is passive.  Because she is in rags and her Stepmother really only cares for the stepsisters, Cinderella cannot go to the ball at the Prince’s castle.  However, the Fairy Godmother comes with the Fairies of the Seasons to cheer up Cinderella, and then she gives her glass slippers and a gown.  After catching the Prince’s eye at the ball, she must leave at midnight and leaves behind a glass slipper.  The Prince comes to her home to find who fits int he glass slipper, and the stepsisters try to fit into it with no avail.  The Prince sees that Cinderella fits and loves her despite her rags.  They than get married and live happily ever after.

This ballet was even more beautifully done than Dracula had been.  The costumes were brilliant, many covered in sparkles and shine.  The Prince and Cinderella were easily distinguishable in their sparkling white outfits.  The Fairies of the Seasons each had colors that matched their seasons, and the Fairy Godmother stole attention with her dark purple attire and glitter.

The set was just as wonderfully done.  When the seasons did, the lights changed with it.  The chandeliers flashed in time with the chimes of the clock for midnight, and there were just enough props to add realism to it.

The dancing and characters were of course phenomenal.  The Stepmother was played by a man to make the character even more hysterical and obnoxious.  The man who played the Jester could easily make anyone laugh, and the woman who was Cinderella danced and played her part gracefully.

All in all, this was my favorite PAC performance so far.  As a dancer for 15 years, watching things like this really excite me, and I thoroughly enjoy them!  For any ballets next semester, I will be the first one signed up to go!

As a member of Gospel Choir, I have come to know many people and support them however I can.  I did this when I went to NAACP’s Open Mic night on February 15th and participated to support my Gospel Choir brother.  Practice was canceled, so all of Gospel Choir could go out and show their support for NAACP, for our own David is the president.  The Open Mic was at the Coffee House by Dunkin Donuts in the Campus Center.

At Open Mic night, everything was welcome.  There were rappers, interpretive dancers, singers, piano and ukulele players, a capella singers, poets, etc.  All of the acts were very well done, and some people even went up a few times!  One guy sang and played the ukulele, something I thought I’d never see.  Several members of Gospel Choir also sang a selection while another played the piano for them.

I also sang, after needing lots of encouragement from my Gospel Choir people, for I really do not like singing alone in front of people.  I sang Shark in the Water by VV Brown a capella. It was very nerve racking at first, but I eventually got very into.  People were clapping along to the beat, hooting and hollering, and really just getting into the performance.  The applause I got was huge, and everyone really think I sounded amazing.  I really supported NAACP then!  Gospel Choir also said welcome home.  They were definitely glad to have me.  I was so loud that my one friend at Gamer’s Club on the second floor could hear me.  That was definitely interesting.

All in all, going to events and participating yourself is the most fun, for it builds the most memories and friendships.  Next Open Mic night, I’m there.  Will you be?

Remember to vote! Check for an email on November 30 with a link to the ballot. You will have until December 4, 12 noon to vote. Only one ballot per Honors student, please!

Student Director

William Goodheart

Hey guys! I am Bill Goodheart and I am your current Student Director. This is the end of my second year on the Executive Board and I am hoping that it is not my last. As you all may know, I work well with others and I am not one to make decisions without taking into account the thoughts of my peers. I try to keep myself involved in planning the events and helping out with the projects in Honors.  Please vote for me for Student Director!

Student Assistant Director

Matthew Widjaja

As we move forward, we must begin to transition this program to our Freshmen & Sophomores. Yes, we made headway by finally updating the constitution so everybody knows what we’re responsible for, but this moment is greater than describing how this weird pirate ship is run. We need to think differently and make the eBoard more accessible. Upperclassmen, we must begin working with our underclassmen, so they have the same ambition & confidence we have and so that one day, our underclassmen can be their own captains of this pirate ship and lead this program forward. I’m running for a second term because I want to improve this collaboration so that our future students can move this program forward. I need your help to finish what we began. Thanks.

Events Co-Directors

Jessa Hernandez and Sage Mitchell

Hello, my name is Jessa Hernandez, I am a freshman and I am running for the position of director of events. I am organized, able to plan out events, and am willing to create and plan fun times. Currently I am treasurer of the Residence Housing Association and work toward creating and initiating events that the entire community can get involved in, like building battles and a holiday movie night in the TRLC. I am also involved on the special events committee of the Stockton Entertainment Team and have helped organize events there as well. I have had numerous learning experiences and am ready to apply what I’ve learned to this position as well. I wanted to run for this position because I believe I can put a new spin on the position by keeping the events upbeat and advertising the events more throughout our honors community. So I hope you vote for who you think is best for the position, whether that is me or my opponents. Thank you for your consideration and I hope you vote for us.

To me, being the Director of Events is about being organized and proactive while also thinking creatively about fun events. I know I am qualified for this position because I am organized and I can plan ahead to book rooms for events, plan reasonable dates and times for different events. More importantly, I know I would be able to collaborate with the rest of the executive board to come up with fun and engaging events that will bring the Honors Program closer together as an academic family. I am proud to be a part of this program, and I think being Director of Events and planning new activities for the program would be a good way to give back to the program.

Public Outreach

Nicole Vancil

Hello my name is Nicole (Nikki) Vancil and I am applying for the Out Reach position.  I was co-captain of my color guard my senior year where we placed third overall at Championships.  I was also the head of my school’s wardrobe department for the school play where my costumes got first place at the South New Jersey Theater Awards.  In these two positions I had to know how to keep people professional and in line, how to manage time and keep organized, delegate tasks, and be able to adapt when something goes wrong (which it always does) without missing a beat.  With experience in these positions and the abilities that I learned from them I believe that I will be perfect for the Out Reach position.  Thank you for your time.

Community Service

Cherise Edwards

Hey fellow Honors students, my name is Cherise Edwards and I am currently running for the community service executive director position on the Executive Board. I am a sophomore and an Accounting major, Economics minor. I am also currently an Honors LLC Resident Assistant in E-Court. I want to listen to what the Honors program as a whole would like to see as far as community service opportunities are concerned. I know many of you have the Service Learning component and I want to try to help everyone achieve their goals of two service projects per semester. These service projects will still be beneficial to the Honors students who have to reach certain goals with hours of volunteer work. I want to create better opportunities for the Honors program. I plan on advertising the community services events in a way that they will be successful. I just want to give the Honors program opportunities to continue their community service, doing projects that they love.

Peer Mentoring

Zahara Ayub

My name is Zahara Ayub and I am rerunning for the position of Peer Mentoring Director. During my term, the position was recreated. There were a lot more responsibilities incorporated into the job and success was shown through  dedication. Last semester,  I worked very hard on making sure that Honors Scholars Day was an excellent experience for the freshmen.  I’m proud to say that we had the most participation in the history of this event! A lot of people may not realize, but there is a lot of detail work that must  go  into the  planning of this  event to ensure that it runs smoothly.  Also, throughout the summer, I worked very tirelessly to follow through with my new event, “Mentor-Mentee Move-in Day”. I ran into a lot of roadblocks when coordinating this event, but in the end, it was successfully carried out. Mentors were able to move in early and help the freshmen move into their dorms. I am happy to say that since this event was such a success, it will now be a permanent event recognized annually by housing. Mentors and mentees have each benefited from participating in the events sponsored by this position. Every position on the e-board has its specific focus, and for this position, the focus is to make sure our freshmen integrate into our program, and ultimately the Stockton community.  The purpose of having mentors is to give each freshman a designated helping hand when making the transition to college life. This relationship between underclassmen and upperclassmen is detrimental to the structure of the Honors Program, and this position is a key factor in making that possible.  If you would reelect me, I will promise to continue working hard for this program.

Fundraising and Finance

Kristen Valenti

Hey guys. I’m Kristen Valenti and I’m running for Fundraising and Finance Director. While looking over all the possible eBoard positions, I felt my skills were best suited to take on the responsibilities of this position.  When I was in high school, I managed the band I played in for three years. Managing included keeping a close eye on the finances and publicizing via social networking sites and school various gigs and merch we had, in a sense the overall fundraising for the band. I thoroughly looked for the best options for each investment made and allotted money evenly so we were never in the red. In addition to this, I organized gigs with people to fundraise for charities, which were successful in their goals.   I believe with my experience I can effectively be Fundraising and Finance Director for the Honors Program.  If elected, I plan to take into account everyone’s suggestions for what to do with the money we have for our program. Thank you for your time.

Junior Class Representative

Chris McManus

Sophomore Class Representative

Mary Kate Fitzpatrick

Hello, I’m Mary-Kate and I am running for Sophomore class Representative. I feel that it is very important that everyone has an equal say in the decisions made for the program. With this said, each class should have the ability to have their opinions voiced. I am willing to listening and convey the issues and concerns of others in the sophomore class. I have experience in leading a large group from coaching; thus, I am able to balance multiple opinions so that almost everyone is satisfied. I am approachable, and anyone can express their opinions openly to me. This is why I would like to be Sophomore class representative.

Randy Weible

Good afternoon, fellow Honors Students! My name is Randy P. Weible, and I am running for the position of Sophomore class representative on the 2013 Honors Program Executive Board. For the past year, I have served as Freshman class representative on the E-board, representing the Honors Class of 2015 at Honors meetings, Faculty Advisory Board meetings, and executive board meetings, voicing the issues specifically related to our class in an attempt to seek resolution. The matriculation of our class in 2011 came during a time of many changes to the Honors Program at Stockton. Specifically, the implementation of the new Service-Learning system brought about a great deal of confusion early on in the Fall 2011 semester. Communicating these issues directly to Dr. Rosner and my peers on the executive board, I was able to bring these issues to light, and hopefully, work towards a resolution and aide in a smooth transition into this new system. To this day, members of my class still approach me with questions and concerns, and I continue to serve as a medium between members of our class and the Honors Program and as a source of information about the daily happenings of the Stockton College Honors Program. If reelected, I will continue to serve my class on the 2013 Executive Board, ensuring that our voices are heard, and that every member of our sophomore class continues to the enjoy the benefits associated with being a member of The Honors Program at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. Thank You.

Freshman Class Representative

Matthew Zivi

I enjoyed my high school years.  I had a tight group of friends, and spent my time with them, doing hw, and sometimes even working out.  But my main regret is that I didn’t get involved: didn’t do any clubs, didn’t go to any sporting events, and maybe went to a pep rally or two.  I was interested, but always had an excuse: freshman year, I was too new.  Sophomore year: a new job and a harder course load.  Junior year I worried about SAT’s and colleges, and senior year I wanted to take it easy.  But I now realize how much I missed, and don’t want to put myself through that again.   So I joined the honors program, not knowing what to expect; I’m glad I did.  The people are amazing, and I am constantly pushed and challenged.  I plan to contribute my time now to make up for all the years I missed in high school, and hope to make significant improvements to an already spectacular program.

On February 2, the Honors Program sponsored a Pizza and Pong night in the Campus Center for any Honors student to come hang out, have fun, and get to better know their fellow Honors comrades.

Free pizza and soda was provided to get some time to get a free meal, relax, and socialize with fellow honors students.  While that was all good and fun, team brackets were made up.  Everyone chose a partner, and the water pong was set up.  6 cups were arranged in a pyramid at each end of the table, filled with water, and each team was given 2 ping pong balls.  Eventually, the pong began!

Christina and I had never played before, and it was a blast!  Everybody was getting wet, and we were doing really well.  Of course, the upperclassman beat us, since they’ve probably done several of these pizza and pong events already.  Even so, it was a lot of fun trying to win.  Even when we were out of the bracket, we still tried to have a one on one match.  We never finished, but it was glorious nonetheless.

All in all, I found this to be a really nice Honors get together.  I would love to do more events like this, for it’s a great way to hang out with all the Honors kids.  This is way more fun than just being in the same classes.  Honors kids hanging out with Honors kids.  What could be more awesome than that?

The second of my ongoing service projects is helping out with the Rain Garden through Water Watch.  The Rain Garden by the Free to Be Center is used to collect water and prevent polluted runoff from leeching into other soil and water supplies.  The plants in the rain garden suck up the water in the garden, so that way it cannot collect pollution and carry it elsewhere.  This Rain Garden is in a low ditch area, so it can better collect the water.

Several trips have been made in order to weed the Rain Garden of weeds, tall grasses, etc. The first trip was merely to survey the garden and see what needed to be done.  The second trip was to weed, the third trip was to weed, and the fourth trip was to finish weeding.  However, on the fourth trip, the trip to weed became a mini Campus Clean Up as well.  We had a bag filled with garden gloves, and we used it to pick up things we found.  The most notable were many beer cans, chicken wire, a pot, a post, a white pipe, and several other things.  It was definitely  interesting.  Then when we finally made it to the Rain Garden, we got some of the biggest weeds ever out of the garden.

Taking some nice big weeds from the rain garden

Of course, there were some very large plots of crab grass as well, and with Megan Cohalan’s help, we were able to dig them out.

The biggest weed yet....

So now you can see that we really did some hard work.  Now all that needs to be done is some planting of colorful annuals, watering, and care taking.  Won’t you join us?

The first of my ongoing service projects is the Atlantic City Outreach with Stockton Christian Fellowship.  This usually occurs the second Saturday of every month, and usually about 20 of us participate to help the homeless and less fortunate.

The second Saturday of every month, Pastor Ray picks us up in the big tan van and takes us to his home, which is about five minutes off campus.  We form an assembly line to make a lunch of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a banana, cookies, and a water and put them into a paper bag.  Another group loads up socks and gloves, while another group makes hot food, which is usually a pasta dish of some sort.  After prayer and loading into the vans, we drive to Atlantic City and set up in a park. Those less fortunate than myself line up and get socks, a bagged lunch, hot food, and Bible literature if they prefer it.  For families with kids, we always try to give them a bit more, for children require a bit more care then adults do.  Once we are done giving stuff out, we always clean up the park and talk with the people for a little while before we leave.

While doing this project, I really connected with the people, for I recognize them as equal to myself.  There was even one man who sang and danced with us.  We all really had a great time connecting to the crowd and making their day a bit brighter.  While some would be really frightened to venture into Atlantic City and be with these people, but I am not.  I recognize them as people, and I will help them, for that is what humans should do.  Help one another.

J.R. Martinez, war veteran and a jack of all trades, spoke for free to any Stockton student who wanted to listen on February 16 in the PAC.  Winner of Dancing with the Stars and actor on All My Children, Martinez had come very far from his injuries in the Iraq War. This event was sponsored by the College’s First Year Experience, Office of Veteran Affairs and the Political Engagement Project.

When Martinez was just 19, he decided to go into the army to have free college after his term was done.  Then he was called to Iraq, and there his humvee hit a landmine.  The resulting explosion burned him and destroyed most of his face.  Ever since then, he has had many surgeries and fought through his ordeal.  He brought his story of recovery to many other recovering veterans, and then he began to act on All My Children.  Eventually he was called to do Dancing with the Stars and won.

Besides his difficulties in the war and what went on afterwards, Martinez spoke very lovingly of his mother and family.  Though he didn’t get to have the dream of football any longer, he became a stronger person after his ordeal.  Martinez also joked with the audience by throwing in little catch phrases like “Just sayin’ ” to give everyone a breather.

I thoroughly enjoyed this.  It did not even feel like 2 hours had gone by!  Because I am on the GI Bill, I got to hear of this before anyone else, and being able to see this man and hear his story really made a difference in my day.  I remember very clearly something he said. “Imagine this is $5 you are gonna save for later.  What I’m about to say may not have anything to do with what’s happening in your life now, but save if for later when you need it.”  I may need this some day.  And I am happy to have had the opportunity to hear this man speak.

On March 8^th I saw the movie Home presented by the Water Watch and Energy Saving group on campus.  The movie was amazing and eye opening.  The movie begins with how the world began.  Then the movie dives into the problems industrialization has caused to our Earth.  The movie hits on a wide variety of issues such as disforestation, soil degradation, and global warming.  It also talks about how we are causing ourselves to run out of fresh water, arable land, and all sorts of energy.  When the movie talks about the living conditions of cows used for meat, it made me consider trying to go vegetarian again.  Even though most of us know a little something about all of these issues, this movie hits you hard because it shows us the severity of the situation with a lot of facts to back it up.  Don’t fret though, because at the end the movie talks about how people are saving our planet right now, from re-planting the forests to using alternative energy.  Throughout the whole movie beautiful overhead views of a variety of landscapes of Earth are shows.  These images have amazing resolution and amazing beauty.  I think everyone should see this movie once Because we don’t have any time to be negative.  It’s up to us to write what happens next, together.

On March 8^th I attended Til Gay Do Us Part.  It was a gay marriage debate hosted by the Stockton Debate Team along with the College Democrats and the Pride Alliance.  The debate began with the host showing the audience facts from both sides about gay marriage.  Then the debate began between the two sides, which consisted of 2 students and a faulty member on either side.  It was an interesting debate but it wasn’t very fulfilling because most people on stage were for gay marriage, even the ones on the opposing side.  However, the opposing side did a good job of debating the opposite of what they believe, which is a sign of a good debater.  Then the floor was open to the audience to ask questions to the panel.  The audience too was mostly for gay marriage so all questions were directed to the opposing side, which was also technically for the same thing.  The audience ended up making up questions for the for gay marriage side just to add more perspective to the debate.  In the end I was glad with the outcome of the debate because it showed that most of our school is for gay marriage, which is a wonderful thing.  However I do know of people on campus that are against gay marriage, and it was sad that absolutely none of them were confident enough to come out and defend their side.