Pictured (l to r) are Dennis Weiss, Abby & Dr. Robert Fine, Dr. Matthew Bonnan, award recipient Radha Varadharajan and Dr. Herman Saatkamp. Photo by Lew Steiner.

Dr. Robert Fine, M.D., a graduate of Stockton College in 1975 and a leading expert on the treatment of pancreatic cancer, presented a free public lecture today at Stockton (Friday, April 26) about the most recent advancements in the fight against the disease.

Dr. Fine, the Herbert Irving Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of Experimental Therapeutics at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, talked about the role of scientific investigation in advancing treatments for previously intractable medical conditions. Dr. Fine specializes in caring for patients with pancreatic cancer, neuroendocrine cancers, untreatable tumors and brain tumors. His research is focused on developing new experimental therapies.

Fine and his colleagues have developed a new gene therapy for pancreatic cancer and a P53 peptide therapy for mutant P53 cancers, which have been patented and hold great promise as new treatments for cancer.

At the event it was also announced that the School of Natural Sciences and Mathmatics will award the first Dr. Robert L. Fine Award for Student Research to Stockton junior Radha Varadharajan, majoring in biology with a minor in Chemistry and Anthropology. The award was made possible by a gift from Dr. Fine.

Gerry Matthews (center) with his Stockton Ospreys' squad.

Richard Stockton College (2-0) gave head coach Gerry Matthews his 515th career victory as the Ospreys defeated Farmingdale State (1-1) 78-58 in the championship game of the Stockton Tip-Off Tournament.

With the win, Matthews surpassed former Princeton coach Pete Carrill’s all-time record for coaching victories in New Jersey men’s college basketball. Matthews, in his 27th year at Stockton, now has a career record of 515-217.

He has guided Stockton to two NJAC championships apiece in three different decades (1980s, 1990s, 2000s) and his Osprey teams have never had a losing season.  Matthews ranks among the top 20 active Division III coaches in winning percentage (.704) and victories (515).  The dean of the NJAC, he has led Stockton to 13 NCAA Tournament berths, highlighted by two Final Four appearances (1987, 2009), and 14 20-win seasons.

The Ospreys wasted little time in taking the early lead as they opened up a 22-15 advantage. Stockton then stretched that margin by finishing on a 29-5 run to take a commanding halftime advantage at 41-20. Josh Blamon  scored 15 of his team-high 20 points during the first half and the Stockton defense held Farmingdale State to just 8-24 (33.3%) shooting, including 1-12 (8.3%) from three-point range. Stockton cruised down the stretch to prevail 78-58.

Tournament MVP Kevin Johnson controlled the play from his point guard position, tossing in nine points, dishing six assists and grabbing four rebounds. Johnson committed just one turnover in a total of 60 minutes played as he steered the Ospreys to the two wins over the weekend.

Stockton will begin the NJAC season on Tuesday evening as they take on Kean University in the nightcap of a men’s/women’s doubleheader. Game time is scheduled for 8 pm. — Carmella Shillito

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Richard Stockton College of New Jersey hosted its annual Professional Achievement Awards on Saturday, Oct. 6, as part of its Homecoming 2012 festivities.

The Professional Achievement Awards are presented to Stockton alumni in recognition of significant professional achievement in a specific field or endeavor. The factors considered by the selection committees are professional achievement in a nominee’s field, industry awards and special recognitions received, and service to Stockton College and the Community.

Stockton president Dr. Herman Saatkamp Jr. (pictured above) introduced this year’s recipients and Stockton executive vice president and provost Dr. Harvey Kesselman presented the awards.

“One of the most important developmental stages of colleges and universities is when you reach the point to where you’re known by the success and distinction of your alumni, and that’s what today is about,” said Saatkamp. “It is a wonderful feature for Stockton to have such distinguished alumni, each one working incredibly hard and having achieved a great deal in their particular areas of expertise and who, from my point of view, still love Stockton.”

This year’s recipients were Kevin M. Cathcart (School of Social and Behavioral Sciences), Amanda Charney (School of Health Sciences), Jeanne DelColle (School of General Studies), David R. Hughes (School of Business), Mark C. Marrone (School of Education), Sharon Sergeant (School of Graduate & Continuing Studies), Lew Steiner (School of Arts and Humanities) and Eric Stiles (School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics).

Click the video below to see the presentation, or click here for more.

The Atlantic City Boys and Girls Club and the Usry Daycare Center in A.C. will both benefit from the CRDA Capital Development Grants.

ATLANTIC CITY — The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA) approved during its recent board meeting a total of $250,000 in Capital Development Grants to five applicants.  The board also approved preliminary plans to institute a “Leadership Development Program,” and gave preliminary approval for the Margaritaville-at-Resorts casino project.

The grants were for a variety of projects ranging from outdoor play and recreation areas for youngsters (and the young at heart), improved lighting at Historic Gardner’s Basin, technology and equipment for Atlantic Cape Community College’s English as a Second Language program, and land acquisition to expand a community garden. Recipients include the Atlantic City Boys and Girls Club and the Usry Daycare Center, the Atlantic City  Historical Waterfront Foundation, Atlantic City Housing Authority, Atlantic Cape Community College and the Way of Holiness Temple.

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Atlantic City native Ruth Wyand will perform April 15 at Dante Hall.

ATLANTIC CITY — Singer/songwriter/guitarist and roots-music specialist Ruth Wyand will be performing a show called “Journey Down An American Music Highway” on Sunday, April 15, starting 2pm at Stockton College’s Dante Hall, 14 N. Mississippi Avenue in Atlantic City. The concert benefits the Cape-Atlantic Marine Corps League.

Wyand is originally from the Venice Park section of Atlantic City. She draws on American roots music to frame her lyrics and demonstrate her strengths as a guitarist, songwriter and vocalist.

Tickets are $20. A meet-and-greet will follow at the Tun Tavern — about two blocks over and adjacent to the Atlantic City Convention Center — with free parking, reduced priced drinks ($1 glasses of wine, $2 pint drafts and $1 off mixed drinks) and half-priced appetizers.

Tickets can be purchased by going here or by calling (609) 347-2167.

From left, N.J. Senate President Steve Sweeney, Past AC Chamber President Ken Calamo, and current AC Chamber President Joe Kelly at the annual installation event at Stockton on Jan. 23.

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP — The Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce held its annual installation meeting Monday night, Jan. 23, at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey’s new Campus Center. The core issue of the meeting was the Chamber’s recommitting itself as an advocate for local businesses and to help reinvigorate the area’s struggling economy.

Click here to see a photo gallery of the installation.

Senate President Stephen Sweeney addressed the Chamber members prior to the installation. This year’s installation included Chamber of Commerce Chairman Sam Young of Tilton Fitness. A special award was given to Janice Johnson of Prudential Fox & Roach Relators for outstanding volunteerism.

Others in attendance included Chamber President Joe Kelly, Past Chamber President Ken Calamo, Atlantic City Alliance President Elizabeth Cartmell, Kenneth Calemmo of Cooper Levinson Law Firm and Superintendent of Brigantine Schools Bob Previti.

ArtC, the headquarters for the arts in southern New Jersey, is teaming with the Noyes Museum of Art and the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey to present a series of photography workshops featuring keynote presenters John Russo and Seth Resnick.

Discover the secrets of commercial photography success and learn new techniques in composition, lighting, editing and more, with the best and brightest photographers of all levels from all over the region.

Seth Resnick

The workshops will take place at Stockton’s brand new Campus Center on Wednesday and Thursday, April 4-5. Go here for a schedule of events or call the Noyes Museum of Art at (609) 652-8848 to reserve tickets.

John Russo is among Hollywood’s most sought-after photographers. He has trained his lens on giants such as Jeff Bridges, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Will Smith, Sophia Loren and many others. His images are often seen on the covers of top magazines. He has two books of portraits, About Face and 100 Making a Difference. A native of Ventnor, he is a graduate of the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey and lives in Beverly Hills and Montecito, Calif.

John Russo

Seth Resnick is one of North America’s most respected photographers. His work been published in 2,500 prestigious publications, including National Geographic. A co-founder of D-65, the educational resource for digital photography, he also consults to manufacturers, software developers and agencies. He is a Photo District News Most Influential Photographer, a Canon Explorer of Light, a member of X-rite Colorati and a consultant to Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom. He teaches and lectures around the world.

There will also be a special meet-and-greet at 8 pm, after Resnick’s presentation. The fee is $10 and includes coffee, soft drinks and desserts, and it should draw an interesting mix of photographers, artists and students.

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP — The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey will host an inspiring photography exhibit called Claiming Citizenship: African Americans and New Deal Photography from Jan. 11-Feb. 28, on the first floor of the college library (E-Wing of the main campus).

The exhibit is made possible by grants from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, and is free and open to the public.

The exhibit portrays African Americans claiming economic, cultural and recreational opportunities created by the New Deal. Additional display cases highlight how other minorities experienced American life in the Great Depression of the 1930s.

The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey received the first outright $1 million gift in its history this week.

And this money isn’t for a fancy new wing with naming rights. Instead, the donors, who wish to remain anonymous, stressed the funds are to be used for the direct support of students facing exceptional financial hardships, according to Stockton President Herman J. Saatkamp, Jr. He said the gift will be invested by The Richard Stockton College Foundation in a permanent endowment and distributed in perpetuity to support need-based financial aid.

“The donors understand that some students face true personal sacrifice to attend Stockton and in extreme cases must decide between transportation, books and even food,” Dr. Saatkamp stated. “The generosity of these donors enables us to help many students and their families on a permanent basis.”

ATLANTIC CITY — The future of Atlantic City’s Dante Hall of the Performing Arts was shrouded in mystery for quite some time, but on Thursday, June 9, it was announced that the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey’s non-profit corporation — Stockton Affiliated Services, Inc. (SASI) — and St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church of Atlantic City reached a lease agreement on June 8, enabling the college to utilize the historic facility.

The agreement, signed by SASI and St. Michael’s, goes into effect immediately and will run through May 2014. According to a release, the college, area civic and business leaders see the agreement as a first step in developing an arts district in Atlantic City.

“Stockton is delighted to have played a role in helping to re-establish Dante Hall as a crown jewel for an arts district in Atlantic City,” says Stockton president Dr. Herman J. Saatkamp Jr. in the release. “This is the type of public-private-community engagement partnership that will benefit our students, the region and its people. I look forward to the college providing its internal resources, support and knowledge of the performing arts to help Dante Hall thrive.”

The lease agreement is $100 per month or $1,200 annually. SASI, a New Jersey non-profit corporation, will administer the building including scheduling, programming and marketing. It will also provide outreach to community groups wishing to utilize Dante Hall.

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