This year, Day of Service was held on Saturday September 12th. Day of Service is run by the Service Learning Office. Students volunteer to spend the day learning about service projects and ways to get involved on campus as well as in the surrounding community. Students were expected to attend the event from 8am to 4pm. Students were grouped into four different teams – red, blue, green, and purple. Throughout the day, each group traveled from one planned destination to the next. At each destination there was either a service activity to complete or a service learning informative session.

The first destination that my group attended included both an activity and an informative

session. We learned about Covenant House in Atlantic City and all the ways to mentor and socialize with the individuals who reside there. Then we learned about how Campus Kitchen prepares food on Mondays at Atlantic High School Commercial Kitchen and then distributes it to families in need who live transitionally in local hotels. Finally we ended with an activity involving Books Without Borders where we packaged up donated books to send to libraries in Africa.

At our second destination we learned about volunteer opportunities in our community and had in depth debates about controversial topics. We learned about The Petey Greene Foundation Tutors – who tutor in education programs in prisons and jails. Tutors provide individualized assistance and model helpful study habits to prisoners – transportation is available to and from the prisons. At this station we had the chance to register to vote. We also were asked to take a poll on whether we thought The Death Penalty should be illegal and if we thought police had the right to search our phone and personal belongings after being arrested. After we polled our opinions we had a group discussion about our answers which fostered public speaking and comfortability with peers.

Finally we learned about The Green Dot program at Stockton which is run by the Wellness Center. The Green Dot program raises awareness to make the campus safer.

Everyone should do say of service! It’s a fun and easy way for students to get acquainted with the service learning office and what they do. Students will leave Day of Service with loads of information that will help them get involved at Stockton and in the community.

Walking into the sign language club’s initial meeting, the executive committee introduced themselves to everyone in the room in sign language. This club is interesting in the fact that it is not just about community work, but actually learning the language of sign. Anyone can join this club, from students whose major requires the knowledge of sign language (speech pathology & audiology), to anyone who is genuinely interested in the language. Two deaf people and an interpreter attended the meeting which was very interesting because it was the first time the club has had deaf people participate in the club. It was nice to be a part of that change for the group.

The president of the sign language club told us her background of sign, and how she has been affected by this language. She is fluent in sign language, and the executive board is very confident in their skills of sign as well. The first meeting eased us into the language, teaching the alphabet, and a series of expressions. Then, each person was invited to sign their name and have the others guess their name, which was a fun activity to get us comfortable with the beginnings of sign language. Occasionally, the interpreter would step in and show more casual ways of signing the expressions the executive board taught us, which made the meeting more engaging and interesting.

Next, the committee set out delicious cookies and went over dates that are important to the functioning of the club. Once every month, the club goes to the Hamilton Mall to have a coffee chat with deaf people in the community. Coffee chat just means that we talk with these people and learn more about sign language. Another event that the club goes to every year is touring Gallaudet University, which is a private university dedicated to teaching deaf students and teaching about deaf studies. Located in Washington D.C., this university is unique because it is the only all deaf university in the nation. The sign language club’s initial meeting has made me excited for my future as a Speech Pathologist and learning about the language in depth.

Stockton has so much to offer, movies twice a week, shows that come here as well as shows that our own students put on.  All the different clubs and activities and sports games that you can join or go to, it’s easy to stay busy and meet new people if you just get out there and participate.  But with all the running around from the clubs to the classes to the homework to work to finding time to eat and hang with friends, sometimes a person just wants to get away from it all; at least I do every now and again.  And unlike the colleges in the middle of the city, or the ones that are so big they could qualify as a mini town, Stockton has something that fits me perfectly when I need to do just that.

We are lucky enough to be in the middle of a natural park reserve, which means beautiful trees and different trails that can take you anywhere.  When things get to be too much, I like to turn my phone on silent and just get lost in the trails with a friend.  We can just walk for hours breathing in the crisp autumn air, watching as the sun sets over Lake Fred with the bright colors from the sun’s goodbye reflecting off the still waters.  A finally goodbye to the day as the cool moon takes over the sky with her cloak of darkness like a favorite blanket a child would pull over her head when she wanted to feel safe and just lay in the total darkness.  Only this blanket is riddle with little wholes that can make pictures or lead you home if you look at them the right way.

With the moon as our light to guide us through the nature trails of Stockton (and a flashlight at hand just in case) we will walk for hours, listening to the rustle of the dry leaves in the chill breeze or the animals scampering around and the bugs singing the songs of the night.  It’s a whole different world, walking those trails at night, and when I’ve had a stressful day or week, getting lost in that world refreshes me and puts a genuine smile back on my face.  The feeling lasts long into the next day, I know I can handle anything that is thrown at me.  And if for a moment I forget that, all I have to do is go back to the peaceful trails and look up at the clear night sky as the stars wink down at me to remember again.

I am so grateful that Stockton has these little escape routes, these little trails that go nowhere in particular; they help me keep my stress at bay.  I realize that not everyone will agree or even understand but that’s ok because they have their own happy places and things they can do here at Stockton, just like I have.  People get lost in their music, a good book, their art, or a good game.  Me?  I get lost in the woods surrounding Stockton, and there is where I lose all my stress and worries, and there is where I gain serenity and a giddy disposition.  Thank God Stockton has that, I would go stir crazy if this college had nothing like that.  So when the white walls of my small dorm become too much, I know where to go to get away and breathe again.

As another long lecture was completed during Welcome Week 2015, our building and the rest of the freshmen class of 2015 headed off to the event of all events during welcome week, the Osprey kick-Off. Coming into this event, my friends and I had no idea of what to expect, but we were welcome to a wide array of fun activities waiting for us. This event was like the pep rallies we used to attend in high school, but with much more to do to keep students occupied. The kick-off had blasting music that each student there could dance along to or just sing along. Each activity at the kick-off was designed to keep students involved and doing something, including constant volleyball games and a teddy bear making station. There was also a station where staff made tropical drinks for students to drink, which was delicious!

The first station we went to was bear making, where little bear skins were stuffed with cotton to make a comfy companion. The next station, my personal favorite, was poster buying. Each table had different categories of posters, from comedy to music to famous movies. It was a poster heaven. Needless to say, more than one poster was bought that day from the comedy section. The next portion of the Osprey kick-off was playing volleyball in teams. Fun and friendly, these games gave a chance to meet new students on campus and bond with the class of 2019 Stockton Ospreys. Finally, the last portion of this amazing gathering was the photo booth, where our class could remember all of the fun we had on this day. Just grab a group of friends, go in the machine, pick a border, and take four pictures!

Overall, this day was complete success on several levels. Students were preoccupied with fun activities that applied to them, not just ice breakers. Also, students got to meet fellow classmates and socialize with them before the start of school in a fun, interactive way. Honestly, the Osprey-kick off was my favorite part of welcome week and I wish I could relive the whole event again.

Stockton University’s 2015 Welcome Week included an event based on the reality television show, The Amazing Race. This event, hosted by Stockton’s Entertainment Team (SET), took place in the Campus Center Event room on Monday, August 31st. As students arrived, they formed teams of four, and were given a sealed envelope with their team name on it. As soon as everyone was seated, including my team, “Is Butter a Carb?” a SET team member began giving out the instructions. They began by allowing teams to open the envelope, and explained that there was a clue sheet inside. The objective of the game was solve the riddles, in order, as fast as possible. Whichever team made it back with the majority of the tasks completed would win the treasure hunt. The prize for first place was tickets to Six Flags: Great Adventure, and Hurricane Harbor.

After the rules were fully explained, the countdown began, and the teams were off to their first locations. The clues were scrambled to ensure that groups did not rush to the same locations at the same time. As teams deciphered the clues, and went from station to station, they came across detours, such as locked doors. They also encountered road-blocks, which consisted of tasks that teams had to complete before they could move on. A few of these challenges included playing the game Kan-Jam, doing 30 push-ups, and stacking cups as fast as possible.

As the time neared 9:45, groups rushed back to the event room to hear the results. Many teams finished close to 25 tasks, but a select few finished either 37, or all 38 clues, claiming the top spots. Even though they didn’t win one-million dollars, like on the Amazing Race, teams still had a great time meeting new people, and learning how to navigate the campus. Overall, the event was a very successful part of Welcome Week 2015.

On September 16^th and 17^th, Stockton hosted a Get Involved Fair for students. The event housed tables for many of Stockton’s clubs and organizations in the galleries of the A-J academic wings. The center of the event (a.k.a. the table with a directory for the locations of all the clubs and free soft pretzels) was located in the atrium between D-wing and C-wing. The Get Involved Fair’s main table also had a list of all of Stockton’s clubs and free goodies (like portable Frisbees and post-it notes) for those who visited. Once students found and located the club(s) they were looking for, they got involved!

Passers-by were awarded the chance to meet representatives from different clubs and join organizations that they found interesting (and don’t forget the chance to get free stuff!). The plethora of clubs and mingling students in the hallways made the academic wings seem much livelier than usual and gave students (or at least me) a good feeling about the community here at Stockton. I truly enjoyed seeing everyone chatting, sharing information, and becoming a community with each other. Of course, all the free pens, t-shirts, and bags were certainly a plus. If only there were more interesting clubs that didn’t all meet at 4:30 on Tuesdays…

Once students had completed a tour of the fair, they had the chance to fill out a survey on the event. Questions such as whether clubs were easy to find and what improvements could be made for next year helped the staff of the event to hear directly from students what they did or didn’t like about the fair. After completing the survey, students were given one last free prize: a stick-on pocket/phone stand for the back of a cell phone. Overall, the Get Involved Fair did its job; it allowed students to get involved in the many organizations and opportunities that Stockton has to offer.

On Thursday, September 24th, I attended a Circle K service project called Project Linus, an organization that provides teddy bears, blankets, and pillow cases to sick children in need. On this specific night for about an hour, a small group of Circle K members got together to sew teddy bears that will be donated to the organization.

This being my first service project as a Circle K member, I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, I was very happy with the outcome. Because the event was so small, it ran very smoothly and provided a fun atmosphere in which we could have a good time while giving back to the community. We listened to music, and talked to one another the entire time. Everyone was very friendly, and inviting, making even the newest members feel comfortable. Although this is a mainly individual project, we did get the chance to work together, teaching one another how to sew, and helping those who ran into problems.

Overall, participating in Circle K’s service, Project Linus, was a great experience. It was a fun, easy way to give my time to a wonderful organization. I encouraged others who are willing to get involved on and off campus to join Circle K. This club provides a variety of opportunities to serve the community. As a student, I understand that it is often hard to find time to serve, but Circle K provides many service projects that do not require much time, such as Project Linus. I am excited for Circle K’s future projects, and hope to see more students get involved with this club.

On September 12^th, 2015, Stockton held its twelfth annual Day of Service. This event was highly anticipated because of its brand new format. In the previous years, The Day of Service consisted of picking one service project to work on for the entire duration of the event. However, this year, groups of participants rotated through four separate activities throughout different areas on campus. There were four colored teams that were assigned at registration to split up the massive amount of participants. To begin the day, guest speaker Todd Bernstein spoke about the event and how meaningful and fulfilling it is to serve. In fact, Bernstein was the person who started the Martin Luther King Day of Service in 1996. After a brief introduction, the groups were sent off on their separate ways to participate in the various number of projects and information sessions.

One of the most memorable service projects during the event was called “Books Without Borders.” This project dealt with organizing and packaging books to send off to libraries in disadvantaged areas of the world. This service project was very well-organized and many people participated in sorting through the immense collections of books. Another memorable moment was the information session on the Petey Greene Program. This section talked about a program that voluntarily goes into prisons to help tutor incarcerated persons. The information presented in this session gave a clear picture about what to expect upon participating in this program. Fortunately, many people showed interest and requested more information about this terrific organization.

At the end of the day, the groups were brought back together into the Campus Center Event Room for a reflection session to discuss the projects and their purposes. As an added bonus, all participants received a free t-shirt. Overall, The Day of Service provided participants with information on many service projects and organizations in the Galloway area. Hopefully, people will be more willing to volunteer on and off campus because of the information everyone received at this important event.

On the evening of Wednesday, September 23, the Stockton Entertainment Team, aka SET, hosted black light mini golf in the Campus Center Event Room. Many students gathered in groups outside the entrance in anticipation, some having been there half an hour before the event even started, or was set up. Everyone was told by the SET members to split up into groups of five, and then they picked a group name and were given a number and told to wait until their number was called to enter the mini golf. There were more than 30 groups waiting outside the room in the Campus Center lobby. While the students were waiting to play, the Stockton Entertainment Team had pizza available for everyone to enjoy.

Once the students entered the room, they were guided through the darkness and flashing black lights towards a podium where they were given glowing golf balls and golf clubs. There were ten holes total, each glowing in various neon colors with their own glowing, individual obstacles. The room itself was completely covered, floor to ceiling, in dancing green lights, while music playing in the background. Everyone that was wearing white or light colors glowed in the darkness. After the students made their rounds through all ten of the holes, they dropped their golf balls and clubs back where the started, and were able to pick up a snack of their choice from a table by the exit.

Overall it was an enjoyable and fun-filled night. Everyone had a great time playing all the mini golf holes, hanging out with friends and even making new ones.

Thursday, September 17, marked the last info session for the Admissions Ambassadors on campus. They are one of the groups that really caught my attention at the Get Involved Fair. Maybe it was because one of the ambassadors started yelling at my friends and me to join their group and to stop walking past them and not stopping to sign up. Maybe that was why it caught my attention. All I know is that I found myself and my friend at the info session Thursday night, not knowing what we would be getting ourselves into.

We arrived ten minutes early, so the ambassadors inside of L115 had us sit outside so that they could prepare for us to come inside. A little past 8 P.M., they let us inside, where they passed out applications and an ambassador bingo sheet. As an ice breaker and to get to know the ambassadors, the head of recruitment, James, had the ambassadors spread out through the room and we, the potential future ambassadors, had to go around asking the ambassadors questions on the bingo sheet. We had to write their name on the sheet if we had that particular thing in common with the ambassador. For example, one of the boxes on the sheets told us to find an ambassador from the same part of New Jersey as ourselves. I did find an ambassador from the same part of New Jersey as myself. He also happened to be from the same city, and we happened to have a friend in common as well. Such a small world. I managed to fill in a majority of the boxes on the sheet.

The ambassadors actually appeared to be very enthusiastic people. There weren’t that many of them in the room, but they still managed to bring so much energy into the room, that when the people sitting in the audience had to try and make more noise, they still managed to beat us. There was a lot of information given about the group and I’m really looking forward to possibly becoming an ambassador in the future. If not this year, then hopefully next year.