Events & Workshops

Ripples from the Holocaust: From Zeilsheim to SCOSA

January 6 - December 1, 2025 | 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Zoom

During this program, Peppy will introduce us to her family’s life, while also intertwining important historical facts on the Holocaust. Some of the topics discussed will be: International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Death March, immigrating to America, finding family, the importance of teachers, Molly’s Pilgrim video, The Second Generation- Ripples From The Holocaust video, returning to Germany to find Hans Loeffler, Peppy’s response to October 7th, hearing Arnold Schwarzenegger speak about his family history (a father who was a Nazi), Journey of German Jewish Dialogue since 1994, and My Ethical Will - Having a will and its importance. This course will take place on the first Monday of every month in 2025.
Click on the event title to register.

C’mon Let’s Get Happy: Blue Zones of Happiness & The Happiness Project

Older Adult Series

January 21 - April 15, 2025 | 11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Zoom

Join Peppy and Gina to delve into happiness. Happiness is something we all search for. Everyone wants to be happy. Happiness is an active process. Happiness is not something we can buy or acquire. How do we know what happiness is? Have we experienced it? How can we identify it and make it part of our lives? To answer these questions, we will use Dan Buettner’s book, The Blue Zones of Happiness: Lessons from the World’s Happiest People, (2017), author Dan Buettner explores how personal choices, culture, good health, and geographical location help promote happiness. We will also use Gretchen Rubin’s 10th Anniversary Edition of The Happiness Project (2018); “One of the most thoughtful and engaging works on happiness to have emerged from the recent explosion of interest in the subject.”
Click on the title to register.

Winter 2025 Retirement Planning for Today

Older Adult Series

January 29 - March 3, 2025 | 6 - 9 p.m.

See the description for location options

Louis Barberio and Michael McClelland Learn how to manage investment risks, use new tax laws to your advantage, make informed decisions about your company's retirement plan, and adjust your estate plan to function properly under the new laws. This course will be given in two informative and entertaining sessions! The cost is $59, and you can bring one guest. One workbook per paid registration will be provided.
Choose from one of the locations below. The course will take place on all dates from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

1/29 and 2/5/25 - Stockton at Atlantic City (Room 311)
1/30 and 2/6/25 - Stockton Galloway Main Campus (Campus Center MR 5)
2/24 and 3/3/25 - Stockton at Hammonton (Room 301)

Click on the title for registration info! Please email fionna.janson@stockton.edu with any questions.

Winter 2025 Rejuvenate Your Retirement

Older Adult Series

January 29 - March 3, 2025 | 2 - 4 p.m.

See the description for location options

In this course, you will learn how to maintain and increase the benefits of your current retirement plan by discovering new ways to stay mentally, physically, and socially active, as well as learn about important financial topics such as reducing taxes, assessing investment risk, planning for health care needs, and planning your estate. This course will take place over 2, 2-hour long sessions.

Choose from one of the locations below. The course will take place on all dates from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

1/29 and 2/5/25 - Stockton at Atlantic City (Room 314)
1/30 and 2/6/25 - Stockton Galloway Main Campus (Room F-245)
2/24 and 3/3/25 - Stockton at Hammonton (Room 301)

Click on the title for registration info! Please email fionna.janson@stockton.edu with any questions.

Blind Boys of Alabama

Saturday, February 1, 2025 | 7:30 p.m.

Stockton PAC

In the seven decades since the Blind Boys of Alabama first began singing together, America has witnessed a World War, the civil rights movement, and the Summer of Love; the moon landing, Vietnam, and the fall of the Berlin Wall; JFK, MLK, and Malcolm X; the invention of the jukebox, the atomic bomb, and the internet. Through it all, the Blind Boys' music has not only endured, but thrived, helping both to distinguish the sound of the American south and to push it forward through the 20th century and well on into the 21st.
SCOSA has a limited number of tickets for Atlantic County Residents aged 60 +; any other attendees $25
Click on the event title to register.

SILL: Artificial Intelligence Unlocked: Intermediate AI

Older Adult Series

February 5 - 26, 2025 | 10 - 11 a.m.

Stockton University Galloway Campus (Room TBD) & Zoom

By the end of this workshop, you will have a deeper understanding of artificial intelligence, including its practical applications, ethical challenges, and societal implications. Together, we will explore how AI connects technology, science, and human behavior, equipping you with the knowledge to critically evaluate its role in your life and community. This intermediate-level course will demystify complex AI concepts such as neural networks and machine learning, highlight its transformative potential, and provide tools to navigate the evolving landscape of AI with confidence and curiosity. You'll leave better prepared to make informed decisions about how to engage with these powerful technologies responsibly and effectively. It is not necessary to take Introduction to AI.

Erin O’Hanlon is a teaching specialist focusing on education and human development at Stockton University. She also partners with the New Jersey Child Welfare Training Partnership to educate child welfare and protection workers, as well as the Stockton Center for Successful Aging. Erin lives in New Jersey with her partner, Charlie Keys, and their four sons.
Click on the event title to register. Tuition for each four-session SILL course is $45. Courses are FREE for residents 60 years old or older, who live in Atlantic County.

SILL: Exploring Art, Wellness, and Technology Resources Online: Digital Literacy Tips and Techniques

Older Adult Series

February 6 - 27, 2025 | 1 - 2 p.m.

Zoom

In this four-part workshop series we will explore arts, wellness, and culture in the digital landscape! Learn to navigate virtual museums, access music, e-books, wellness information, and more online. Engage in hands-on activities and discover practical tips for staying safe, creative, and confident while exploring the digital world.

Cheyenne Riehl is the Student Success Librarian at Stockton University's Richard E. Bjork Library. In this role, Cheyenne focuses on developing and implementing programs that enhance accessibility, engagement, and research skills with a particular emphasis on supporting nontraditional students, underserved populations, and students of all different abilities, ensuring equitable access to academic resources and personalized support.

Click on the event title to register. Tuition for each four-session SILL course is $45. Courses are FREE for residents 60 years old or older, who live in Atlantic County.

SILL: Intro to Adolescence: Milestones and Myths of the Teenage Years

Older Adult Series

February 7 - 28, 2025 | 2 - 3 p.m.

Zoom

Adolescence is a period of development that rivals the speed and intensity of growth in the first few years of life. This course will present an overview of current research on psychological and brain development during the teenage years. Topics of focus include brain and cognitive maturation, social cognition, and risk-taking. We will explore the importance of social contexts in each of these processes and ways that caring adults can support the teens in their lives.

Kaite Yang is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Coordinator of the Childhood Studies Minor at Stockton University in New Jersey. She earned her Ph.D. in Psychology at Princeton University, A.B. in Anthropology and Psychological and Brain Sciences from Dartmouth College, and served as an AmeriCorps volunteer at the Upper Valley Haven in Vermont. Her research examines gender and depression across the lifespan, social hypersensitivity, and multicultural learning and pedagogy.
Click on the event title to register. Tuition for each four-session SILL course is $45. Courses are FREE for residents 60 years old or older, who live in Atlantic County.

Comfort for Dementia Caregivers: A Grief Workshop

Friday, February 7, 2025 | 12 - 2 p.m.

Galloway Campus, Campus Center Meeting Room 3

This workshop is for anyone who is grieving the death of a loved one with any type of dementia or neurocognitive disorder. The two-hour session will describe how losing someone with dementia can be different from other losses. Coping strategies will be highlighted and all group members will have the opportunity to share their experiences with one another.A Valentine’s Day activity will be presented. All are welcome to attend. The workshop will be led by Dr. Christine Gayda, Associate Professor of Psychology at Stockton University and New Jersey Licensed Psychologist. She is a group facilitator for SCOSA’s weekly Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group on the Galloway campus. Dr. Gayda recently published Neurological Disorders:Casesfrom a Biopsychosocial Perspective, Revised Preliminary Edition with her colleague Dr. Rebecca Mannel, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy. Click on the title to register!

Heart with Handle Basket

Older Adult Series

Saturday, February 8, 2025 | 10 - 11 a.m.

Swan Bay Folk Art Center

One 10” heart shaped basket will be completed in the class. Fee: $27
To register, call Niki 609-652-0366

Tour of Poetry

Older Adult Series

February 15 - January 22, 2025 | 12 - 2 p.m.

Otto Bruyns Public Library of Northfield

During each session of this monthly program, an established poet will read original work, present an engaging lecture, and encourage participants to write & share something of their own. Participants will have an opportunity to have their poetry included in the Tour of Poetry Anthology.
No Registration Necessary.
For those that can't attend in person, you can view via Zoom | Passcode: 080608

Players and Playwrights

Older Adult Series

Saturday, February 15, 2025 | 1 - 4 p.m.

John F Scarpa Academic Center, Room 316

Players and Playwrights (P&P) is a collective of playwrights and readers (aka players) who meet monthly to read original plays. Performances are organized several times a year. Interested players and playwrights are invited to attend a meeting once before committing to join.
Click on the event title to register for FREE.

SILL: Why Study the Holocaust? - Part 1 (5 weeks)

Older Adult Series

March 5 - April 2, 2025 | 12:30 - 1:30 p.m.

Stockton at Manahawkin

Join Pearl “Peppy” Margolis as she discusses Why the Holocaust? Topics covered in Part 1: Defining Terms about the Holocaust, Prewar Jewish Life in Germany, Nazi Antisemitic Ideology and Propaganda, Nuremburg Laws, and Kristallnacht. This course will present participants with opportunities to: Increase knowledge of the content and context of the history of the Holocaust; Foster empathy for the victims of the Holocaust and other genocides; Engage in critical thinking to support thoughtful reflection on a range of societal issues; Make relevant and contemporary connections; and Compel action by examining the role and responsibility of individuals in a democratic society.
Click on the event title to register. Tuition for each four-session SILL course is $45. Courses are FREE for residents 60 years old or older, who live in Atlantic County.

SILL: American Criminal Justice System: An Insider's View

Older Adult Series

March 7 - April 4, 2025 | 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Stockton University Galloway Campus (Room TBD)

This course is an introduction to the various components of the American criminal justice system from a seasoned practitioner. The components include law enforcement and policing, courts and prosecution, community and institutional corrections, as well as the victims of crime. You will receive a trip through the criminal justice system using real life examples.
Professor Rick Mulvihill is a Tenured Instructor of Criminal Justice at Stockton University. He spent twenty-six years in local policing, including 13 years as chief. He was then appointed the Director of Public Safety for Atlantic County. Finally serving as a research director for the U.S. Department of Justice. He is a graduate of the New Jersey State Police Academy and the FBI National Academy. He holds both an B.A. and M.Sc .in Criminal Justice.
Click on the event title to register. Tuition for each four-session SILL course is $45. Courses are FREE for residents 60 years old or older, who live in Atlantic County.

SILL: (Re)Reading Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn though Percival Everett's James

Older Adult Series

March 7 - January 13, 2025 | 11:45 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.

Stockton University Galloway Campus (Room TBD)

Percival Everett's 2024 novel James reimagines Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) from the enslaved Jim’s point of view. The first class (March 7) will compare the two novels' openings. In the following weeks, we will complete part 1 (March 14), part 2 (March 21), and part 3 (March 28) of James along with selected readings from Huckleberry Finn.
Kristin Jacobson is a professor of American literature, American studies, and women’s, gender and sexuality studies and the author of two books, Neodomestic American Fiction and The American Adrenaline Narrative.
Click on the event title to register. Tuition for each four-session SILL course is $45. Courses are FREE for residents 60 years old or older, who live in Atlantic County.

36th Annual Pinelands Short Course

Older Adult Series

Saturday, March 8, 2025 | 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Stockton Galloway Main Campus

Saturday, March 8th, 2025 (9 a.m. - 3 p.m.) Stockton Galloway Main Campus | The Pinelands Short Course is a daylong Pinelands-themed educational event that is held each March and features presentations that explore the unique culture, ecology, and history of the Pinelands. The event also includes an exhibit gallery. The participant cost for attending the Pinelands Short Course is $60.00. This fee entitles each participant to attend one class during each of the four sequential educational sessions offered throughout the day. Educators can earn 4 Professional Development Credits. Click on the title for more information & registration!

Celtic Angels Ireland: A History of Ireland

Saturday, March 8, 2025 | 7:30 p.m.

Stockton Performing Arts Center

An evening of Craic (fun) Ceol (music) and Traidisiún (tradition). Get swept away in the enchanting harmonies of the Celtic Angels as they present an impassioned homage to their beloved Emerald Isle. This gloriously evocative journey will captivate audiences and have them clapping their hands, wiping their tears and stamping their feet. Immerse yourself in Ireland’s infectious influences across the Wild Blue Ocean to the Amber Waves of Grain and Beyond.

Click on the event title to register. SCOSA has partnered with the PAC to offer a very limited number of SCOSA sponsored tickets to those living in Atlantic County and are (age 60+); all others $28 per ticket.

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