Galloway, N.J. – Stockton University students from six different departments and programs were recognized for their academic excellence, leadership and impact at a ceremony on April 14.

The Rising STAR Awards Ceremony is a new event, spearheaded by the Student Transition, Access and Retention (STAR) branch of Student Affairs. STAR encompasses many student support offices and programs, including the offices of Career Education & Development, Military & Veteran Success Center, Academic Achievement Programs, Student Transition Programs and the Educational Opportunity Fund program.

According to Ana Edmondson, assistant vice president for STAR, by combining all student-recognition celebrations under the Rising STAR umbrella, she and the teams that make up STAR can honor the “rising stars of Stockton.”

“I may not know each of you personally, but I do know what it feels like to sit where you are,” Edmondson said, referencing late study nights and balancing multiple deadlines. “I see you, I get it, and I’m so deeply proud of what you all accomplished.” 

During the ceremony, student speaker Jayden Hamlet, recipient of the Sankofa Champion Award, reflected on the many opportunities he experienced as an undergraduate student. Highlights included travelling and presenting research at conferences, studying abroad in Ghana, and hosting programs like a campus-wide drum circle.

For Hamlet, getting involved allowed him to find mentors who supported his growth and development and gain a community of peers.

“My time at Stockton was full of community building and engagement and sharing new ideas and creations with the campus so that more new ideas and creations can flow,” he said.

Interim Vice President of Student Affairs William Latham urged the students to remember two principles: expertise and authenticity.

“We want to honor and celebrate those who had their journey, but we also want you to recognize that these programs built two principles that will stay with you for the rest of your life,” Latham said. “Expertise comes from the roles and experiences you had in these organizations, and authenticity comes from the love, failures and achievements you had in the process.”  

The complete list of awards and honorees:

Career Education and Development

Staff members of the Career Education and Development office recognized two students and a department for their efforts in supporting the professional development of Stockton students. 

• Professional Excellence Award: Kisleidy Urena
• Career Ambassador of the Year: Jaylin Gonzalez
• Career Champion Award: Alumni Relations 

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Cultural Engagement Ospreys

Yesenia Pacheco, coordinator for STAR, presented four students with awards following their work in designing, scheduling and promoting the third annual Empowered Leadership Conference.

• CEO Leadership Awards: Rowena Adeclat and Andrew Simoes
• CEO Visionary Award: Catherine Allen
• CEO Change Agent: Jenna Samiz 

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Military and Veterans Success Center

Michael Barany and Ashley Jones of the Military and Veterans Success Center presented challenge coins and cords to the graduating seniors who are a part of the community of military-connected students on campus.

Barany, director of the MVSC, explained that challenge coin presentations are a military tradition that symbolize connection, strength and the bonds that they share.

“Tonight, we’re not just honoring their academic achievement: we’re also saying thank you for what they have given to our campus community and our country,” Barany said. 

Graduates: Connor Adams; Yousaf Afzal; Jocelyn Aguilar; Kylee Alvarez; Malik Alverio; Michelle Arana; Jessica Badger; Kayla Bieniakowski; Karla Blanquera; Isabelle Boyer; Melvin Bravo; Marcus Bridgers; Jennifer Chavez; Olivia Collucci; Blake Cronin; Katherine Cupo; Daphney Deravil; Alexis Dimenza; Misty Downs; Samuel Driscoll; Ryan Elkner; Gabriel Fisher; Deazia Franklin Alexis Frias; Marc Galati; Avery Garlic; Olivia Gonzalez; Deborah Gunter; Tyler Hodsdon; Colby Hunter; An Khuc; Paul Kline; Katelyn Koller; Eugene Laielli; Kaitlyn Lemoine; Urick Lewis; Nicholas Ligameri; Jasmin Martinez; James Martinez; Kelsea Martinez; Dustin McDonnell; Kelley McGuckin; Andrew Mitchell; Adam Monteith; Juliana Morell; Karley Murphy; Erica Nelson; Ernest Oravsky; Melissa Ortiz; Siddheya Patade; Parth Patel; Akash Patel; Nicholas Pellegrini; Michael Prusik; Jessica Rafalko; Andrew Rafter; Corinne Reed; Sofia Rossi; Emily Schadt; Mary Sepp; Christian Simpson; Rachel Soucier; Leianne Teresa; Kaylyn Ullman; Bryan Vasquez; Aidan Winters; Kylie Yannacone; and Theresa Zawrotny. 

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Student Transition Programs

Prior to presenting the students with awards, certificates and stoles, Candace Mitchell, director for Student Transition Programs, shared data that demonstrated the impact that this year’s cohort of TALONS (Transition Activity Leaders of New Students) had on new students.

According to her, over 600 first-year students have considered applying to become one of the friendly faces new students meet during orientations and other on-campus programs, due to the many valuable interactions they had with their orientation leaders.

“The work that this team does matters and helps our students stay here and become successful, so let’s celebrate them today,” Mitchell said.

• Team Player Award: Marc Galati
• Rookie of the Year: Emma Kearney
• High Impact Practices Award: Courtney Combs

Head Talons: Aniyah Harris*, Andrew Simoes*, Ivanna Taveras* and Lacey Wilson.

Talons: Jonathan Baez; Davina Brito; Courtney Combs*; Allanah Docherty*; Marc Galati*; Jessica Gibbs; Teresa Guzman; Emma Kearney; Leon Lai; Kaela Ljungquist; Emmanuel Moreno Palomec; Brianna Nguyen; Favour Owowo; Mashrur Pasha Pantho; Virginia Perez Santiago; Marisa Riley; Tiana Rosario; Khushi Shah*; Isabella Steelman; Marliza Thomas*; Jacob Thompson; Jessica Vasquez; and Jazmyne Warner.

Graduate Assistant: Priya Parikh ‘23*

*These students are graduating this May. 

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First Ospreys

Ian Bouie, director of Academic Achievement Programs, presented first-generation students with awards and stoles while praising their initiative and gumption as the club grew and changed over the last two years.  

“They have done a phenomenal job and kept up the momentum, including attending conferences and hosting First-Generation Week on campus,” Bouie said. “They do a lot of great things, and I know that they will continue to.”

• E-board Excellence Awards: Nicole Brown; Jasmine Contreras; Laura Leonel; Karrington Tibbs; and Paige Kohlhase
• Above & Beyond Award: Brianna Sullivan

Graduates: Nicole Brown; Dean Cifelli; Crystal Luo; Faith Strina; Brianna Sullivan; Nathaly Yac Alvarado; Alexa Zambino; Ivanna Taveras; Zikra Naz; Sami Suleman; Melissa Zakora; and Jalea Wood. 

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Sankofa & TogetHER

According to Bouie, these retention initiatives targeting underrepresented populations underwent a transformation and became Living & Learning Communities, requiring that participants both room with and attend a required seminar with each other, leading to brotherhoods and sisterhoods being formed. These participants received awards, stoles and certificates.

• Sankofa Outstanding Uplifting Leadership (SOUL) Award: Aaron Casterlow
• Sankofa Champion Awards: Joaquin Feliciano, Jayden Hamlet and David Smith
• Faculty Excellence Awards: Kimoni Yaw Ajani (Sankofa) and Nordia Scott (TogetHER)

Graduates (Sankofa): Aaron Casterlow; Amlan Das; Joaquin Feliciano; Michael Innocente; Jayden Hamlet; Ty Lawrence; Aaron Manning; Nathaniel Manning; Dominick Mcpherson; Mohamed Metwaly; Joel Morales Bass; Samuel Quadri; Sean Ramos; Mehki Reed; David Smith; Sami Suleman; Devin Tetti; Xavier Tomlin; and Antoine Torres.

Graduates (TogetHER): Nana Akua Agyei-Sam; Francesca Ali; Sofia Angee; Serenity Aviles; Destanee Bright; Natalie Elyas; Jaala Howard; Zaneyah Hughes; Trinity Joly; Irena Jones; Makasia Kelly; India Little; Meerab Malik; Candice NeSmith; Shaniya Nichols; Krisha Patel; Mikaili Philbert; Axe Ramos; Jadziamary Serrano; Natalia Swanson; and Alicia Waith. 

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Success Scholars

Tom Itaas, associate director for Academic Achievement Programs, presented awards to faculty, staff and students for their work within the Success Scholars program. 

• Outstanding CHAMP Coaches: Laurie Griscom, Michael Smith and Kimberly Tucker
• Outstanding Success Scholar Student: Riya Goyal*
• Student Engagement Awards: Jayme Palmieri, Courtney Eggleston and Viola Gianna*
• Academic Achievement Awards: Luke Maguire, Juliana Hurst, Jose Uchillan and Michael Wiedemann
• Peer Mentor Awards: Carson Clemas, Imani Gardener, Julia Heath, Arti Kapoor and Gurtej Singh.

Success Scholars: Alyssa Bernstein; Carson Clemas; Saira Desai; Courtney Eggleston; Imani Gardner; Viola Gianna; Riya Goyal*; Jose Hernandez; Juliana Hurst; Julia Heath; Aarti Kapoor; Luke Maguire; Alexa Merker; Daphne Noronha; Jayme Palmieri; Alexa Pasnicu; Eva Marie Pizzimenti; Samantha Scheidle; Charles Sher; Gurtej Singh; Sinla Tanriverdi; Niles Toomer; Jose Uchillan; Michael Wiedemann; and Eve Wilson.

*These students are graduating this May. 

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Educational Opportunity Fund

Staff members of the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) in both Galloway and Atlantic City honored their graduating class with awards, certificates and stoles.

“Today, we recognize not just the degrees that you’ve earned, but the barriers that you’ve broken and the futures that you are shaping,” Ana DeNise, director of EOF, said. “To our graduates: you inspire us and remind us why our work matters. You are living proof that when given access, opportunity and unwavering support, greatness will follow.”

• Valedictorians: Amta Azeem & Elijah Creagh (Galloway) and Nathaly Yac Alvarado (Atlantic City)
• First-Generation Trailblazer Awards: Milagros Palacios (Galloway) and Alani Connor (Atlantic City)
• Student Support & Advocacy Awards: Rhoa Maarouf (Galloway) and Emily Fernandez (Atlantic City)
• EOF Spirit Awards: Abriana Velez (Galloway) and Keidy Romero (Atlantic City)

Graduates: Jocelyn Aguilar (AC); Korey Allen (AC); Saphire Alvarado (Galloway); Gianna Andros (Galloway); Christian Armstrong-Thomas (Galloway); Andres Arteaga (Galloway); Sulman Awan (Galloway); Praise Barclay (Galloway); Katirah Barnes (Galloway); Jennifer Barralaga (AC); Azhani Best (AC); Marium Bhatti (Galloway); Kurtis Bonti (Galloway); Kayla Boyer (Galloway); Norma Brito-Torres (Galloway); Tamisha Bruce (Galloway); Aali’Yah Callaway (Galloway);Kimberly Canelas-Euceda (Galloway); Lesly Ceron-Diaz (Galloway); Joel Choudhury (Galloway); Payal Choudhury (Galloway); Alani Connor (AC); Gregory Copeland III (AC); Christella Dabel (Galloway); Brianna De Jesus (Galloway); Gwendelynne DeKnight (Galloway); Peyton Diefenbach (Galloway); Emily Fernandez (AC); Robert Fox (Galloway); Melanye Garcia Estrada (Galloway); Hadiya Gayle (AC); Joshua Gbaroye (Galloway); Jazlyn Graham (AC); Renee Guzman (Galloway) ; Chanel Guzman (AC); Abdul Hadi (Galloway); Alexis Hall (AC); Josiah Hamilton (Galloway); Christivens Jean-Paul (Galloway); Damelis Jimenez (AC); Jamar Johnson (Galloway); Jayonna Jones (Galloway); Karishma Karabi (Galloway); Deena Khan (Galloway); Julianna Kirsch (Galloway); Bangale Kromah (Galloway); Rhoa Maarouf (Galloway); Michaela Elyssa Macalalag (Galloway); Ahmed Malik (Galloway); Emma Martin (AC); James Martinez (AC); Anthony Mendoza (Galloway); Debani Mercado Feliciano (Galloway); Taylor Merrell (AC); Jose Morales Rivera (Galloway); Abrian Moran (AC); Zikra Naz (AC); Kendrick Norton (AC); Joehur Ovee (Galloway); Milagros Palacios (Galloway); Jade Pawlowski (Galloway); Karen Paz (AC); Nicholas Pellegrini (Galloway); Angela Portillo (Galloway); Eva Ramirez (Galloway); Carla Rodas Cajamarca (Galloway); Karen Rafael (AC); Rachel Rodriguez (AC); Numa Rodriguez-Rojas (AC); Eduardo Rojas (Galloway); Elisabeth Rojas (Galloway); Melissa Roman (Galloway); Keidy Romero (AC); Andrea Sandoval (Galloway); Khaliyah Sellers (AC); Martel Smith (Galloway); Paige Speece (Galloway); Ka’llure Standard (AC); Ipshita Tamjid (Galloway); Ivanna Taveras (Galloway); Cachary Tolentino (Galloway); Michael Torres (Galloway); Kyla Torrez (Galloway); Dontay Turner (Galloway); Fares Vasquez (Galloway); Destiny Vatthanavong (AC); Melvin Vazquez-Andujar (Galloway); Roberto Vega (Galloway); Abriana Velez (Galloway); Edely Vilorio (AC); and Alyssa Whalen (AC). 

– Story by Loukaia Taylor

– Photos by Lizzie Nealis

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