Stockton University hosted its fourth annual Atlantic City Community Cleanup, with help from both students and staff to clean trash and reinforce their commitment to the community in Atlantic City.

On the morning of October 25th, volunteers were able to receive garbage pickers in O’Donnell Park and help clean up the city where Stockton has opened a campus since 2018.

Prior to the event, Vice President of Community Engagement Brian K. Jackson spoke about the cleanup and its effect on the local community.

“This event is unique in that it gives our students an opportunity to visit neighborhoods they’ve never seen before, and they get to meet residents of the city […].” Jackson said that Stockton felt this event is important for students because “[it] is important for residents to see the students.”

Jackson noted the results of the cleanup last year, which saw 400 participants help to collect over 300 garbage bags of trash, weighing close to ten tons. The office had set a goal for 300 participants to register this year.

The purpose of these events is to show that Stockton is a part of the Atlantic City community and remains dedicated to all the wards outside of Chelsea, Jackson said.

When asked about how the volunteers learned about the cleanup, many students at Stockton said they learned of the event through outreach groups like the Ducktown Community Development Center or posters and infographics displayed throughout the Stockton campuses. Some students said they were also present at last year’s cleanup event.

“I saw a lot of promotions in the main campus […] I wanted to join and help make the beach clean,” Taylor, a Stockton student, said about how she learned about the event.

The Community Day this year marks the fourth annual cleanup hosted by Stockton, which took place in the fall instead of spring like the previous three years. The change in time for the event occurred was done to allow students to volunteer during a less stressful time in the fall rather than late April. Volunteers are tasked with beautifying Atlantic City through a street, beach, and graffiti cleaning from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

The non-Stockton students present were able to learn more about the university at the admissions table set up during the Party in the Park event. Stockton had additional tables set up to provide information about resources available at the school, including the Noyes Arts Garage and the Atlantic City campus.

“This was a good way for me to learn about Stockton and what I could do there,” Talia, an Atlantic City High School student, said about her impression of the university based on the cleanup.

The Party in the Park that followed the cleanup allowed local vendors and food trucks to set up and sell merchandise, fostering a connection with local businesses and Atlantic City locals.

The Office of Community Engagement will continue to host events in November during hunger and homeless week, Jackson said, and he encouraged students to sign up for alerts to the office for future opportunities to volunteer.