With Thanksgiving less than a week away, and to mesh with the holiday spirit, Stockton held a dinner for students, faculty, and staff members to share a meal and memories before break. This year’s dinner marked the 41st dinner held in the history of Stockton, and took place in the Event Room on November 20.

Students had the option to invite any faculty or staff member to accompany them to the event, receiving up to two free tickets. The menu included traditional turkey with stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, and mashed potatoes, but also included alternative dietary options for keto, halal, vegetarian, and other diets with apple and pumpkin pies for dessert.

Guests were given a program made by the American Jewish Committee (AJC), which contained a Unity Prayer written by Rabbi Noam E. Marans (AJC Director of Interreligious Affairs), quotes and poetry from various renowned speakers and authors about unity in America, and the history and identity behind the American tradition of Thanksgiving. The program also included words of gratitude that everyone at the dinner joined to recite:

Marcia Bronstein, Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Atlantic and Cape May Counties, and member of the Bridge of Faith, served as the speaker. She stated during her speech: “Thanksgiving reminds us of what it means to be American. […] Generations came to this country seeking safety, justice, and a better life. We honor that legacy by standing together across states and backgrounds, and a commitment to America’s ideal of religious freedom.”

Brian K. Jackson, Vice President for Community Engagement, served as the Master of Ceremonies for the event. Among the speakers were representatives from Student Senate, Executive Board members of the Campus Religious Council and various religious clubs on campus, and representatives from the AJC and the Bridge of Faith, a community group from Atlantic City that unites people from different faiths, mainly from the Christian, Jewish, and Muslim beliefs. Student Satya Byers provided an impressive musical performance, beautifully singing “Imagine” by John Lennon and “At Last” by Etta James.

Dr. Terricita Sass, Stockton’s Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff, took to the podium to deliver the opening remarks, speaking on behalf of President Joe, who was unable to attend due to travel. She stated, “We are intertwined in each other’s lives when we come onto Stockton’s campus. Tonight is about impact. It is about people who show up for one another; in our classrooms, in our offices, in our residence halls, in our labs, and all the places in between. Every person here was invited because someone took the time to say, ‘You made a difference for me.'”

For the Faculty and Staff Member of the Year Awards, the recipients were Sarah Faurot, Director of Alumni Relations; and Dr. Marcia Fiedler, Assistant Professor of Jewish Studies. The awards were presented by Student Senator Mia Torres and Hillel President Taryn Megronigle.

All the guests made special connections over dinner, enjoying the food and getting to know each other. At the end of the dinner, the guest at each table with their birthday closest to Thanksgiving had the option to take home the flower centerpieces, which added a beautiful, natural charm to the venue.

Kamelea Saitova, an Honors Student studying Visual Arts, attended the event for the first time, stating, “The Thanksgiving event was really great! There [was] free food, nice people around, and it was an opportunity to learn more about what Stockton has to offer. The singer that came on stage and sang Imagine by John Lennon was wonderful as well, and so long as you meet someone with a friendly face, you’re bound to have good conversation! It’s a great way to express gratitude and find new community in humble and refreshing ways. I’ll definitely come back next year!”

Some feedback echoed among Stockton’s community was that the event wasn’t very widely advertised; many students and faculty had no knowledge of the dinner occurring. The Ospreys hope to know more about the beloved tradition in future years so many more can come and share this special moment with the community.