Stockton College Named Among Best for Vets; Holds Veterans Day Ceremony

One day after The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey was named one of the best colleges for vets, speakers at its Veterans Day Ceremony had a message for vets in attendance: Few things in life are more important than getting an education.

“Nothing is more important in the life of the country than what is being offered here at Stockton,” Keynote Speaker Noel Koch, former Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for the Office of Wounded Warrior Care, said.

On Monday, Stockton College was named to the “Best for Vets: Colleges 2015” listing by Military Times, an organization comprised of the Army Times, Navy Times, Air Force Times and Marine Corps Times.

It’s one of the smaller institutions on the list, Stockton College President Herman Saatkamp said on Tuesday.

“Stockton is very proud and it’s an honor for us to be listed each year as one of the most veteran-friendly institutions in the nation,” Saatkamp said.

It placed 22nd on the national list and was one of three four-year colleges from New Jersey to make the list, along with Rutgers University, which placed third and Monmouth University, which was 95th.

Koch called Stockton College a “haven of hope,” and urged vets to bring their friends back to college so this generation can prosper the same way previous generations have.

He pointed out that after World War II, the G.I. Bill enabled many veterans whose families were not wealthy to go to college. When they graduated, “the American economy exploded.”

Koch quoted Janet Yellen, the chair of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, who recently said that the median annual earnings of a full-time worker with a four-year bachelor’s degree are 79 percent higher than the earnings for someone with a high school diploma.

He added that the wage premium for a graduate degree is even higher.

“Going to school and making a living is hard, but you can do it,” Koch said. “It’s not the hardest thing you’ve ever done.”

Saatkamp said that during the recession only those with bachelor’s degrees saw an increase in job growth.

Stockton’s Veteran Affairs program began in 2008 and has grown to serve over 400 veterans and active-duty service people who are furthering their educations in preparation for the workforce.

“Today’s veterans are young, old, from all cultures, gay/straight, immigrants and citizens,” Tom O’Donnell, Assistant Dean of Students/Veteran Affairs at Stockton, said. “All veterans are committed to serving this country in every way” - in battle or dealing with other threats.

He credited Stockton’s student veterans with helping make the program so successful, and introduced Nelson Gonzalez, president of the Stockton Student Veterans Organization (SVO). Gonzalez urged those gathered to think of veterans’ sacrifices on more than just one day of the year.

Dr. Anthony Macchiavelli, West Point graduate and medical director of AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, spoke of the thousands who have died in battle and the many living with horrific injuries.

He quoted President Barack Obama as saying that “we’re losing more troops to suicide than to combat,” and said there is a military suicide every 18 hours.

Mental health and family support are big issues that must be addressed, along with homelessness among returning veterans, Macchiavelli said. He is active with AtlantiCare’s Military Employee Resource Group HONORS, which address the needs of the military and veteran communities.

The day’s events included ceremonies in front of the Campus Center, at Independence Plaza and in Veterans Park. Stockapella, a student a cappella singing group, sang and student Brielle Lord played Taps.

Other speakers included Major Glen T. Battschinger of the U.S. Army and Stockton alumni serving in the military.

Steve Gilroy, an alumnus, Navy veteran and former president of the SVO, said it’s important to have perspective in today’s society, when the media seems to over-emphasize the threat to the average person of things such as ebola.

Paulo Henrique, who joined the military after graduating from Stockton, is with the National Guard in West Orange, NJ and also works for the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office.

He said a leadership class taught by Assistant Dean O’Donnell “took me out of my shell” and inspired him to become a contributor on campus and beyond.

He urged the students present to take advantage of Stockton, saying, “It’s OK to ask questions here.”

Information for this post and the attached photo were provided by Stockton College.