GALLOWAY, N.J. — On Sept. 18, Student Transition Programs hosted a screening of the documentary “Leading Change: Dr. Vera King Farris,” to highlight the impact of Stockton University’s longest serving president.

Dr. Vera King Farris, the third president of then Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, began her tenure in 1983, and would hold the role for 20 years until she retired in 2003. Her contributions to the university include—but are not limited to—introducing six master degree programs and overseeing the opening of the Sara and Sam Schoffer Holocaust Resource Center.

The screening began with introductions from Nana Otoo, Student Senate President and contributor to the film, and Dr. Terricita Sass, Executive Vice President & Chief of Staff, who brought the idea of the documentary to the office of the President.

“I was inspired by our flag raising events,” Sass said about her inspiration to create the documentary, “We thought about how we might share her story to the next generation of students.”

After the opening comments, the documentary began with a summary of Dr. Vera King Farris’ upbringing, growing up poor in Atlantic City, working towards her education until she earned her PhD in 1965.

The film focused on Farris’ contributions to the Stockton campus, and her ideals of maintaining excellence and access in higher education. Several statistics that she helped increase were the increase in student enrollment from 2,400 students to 6,400 students, increased admissions for minority students from 5% to 17%, and an increase in SAT scores from 890 to 1150.

The documentary featured many appearances from both current and former Stockton staff, including Brian K. Jackson, Dr. Ariane Hutchins, Dr. Darryl G. Greer, among others. They spoke about their experiences with Dr. Vera King Farris and the ways she inspired them. The faculty reflected on how she motivated her team, engaged with the wider Stockton community, and the innovations she brought to the college.

The end of the documentary featured comments from President Joe Bertolino, who emphasized the legacy that Dr. Vera King Farris had left at Stockton and the facilities that she had directly and indirectly helped to create.

Bertolino ended his segment with a message to Stockton students: “Stand up for what you believe in, and don’t be afraid to fight for it.”

At the end of the screening, visitors were allowed to ask a panel of students who helped with the documentary questions about the creation of the film. The panel included Jamiah Bailey, a Stockton senior who worked as a student interviewer, scriptwriter and B-roll videographer; Melanie Chin, a recent graduate who worked as a production assistant and researcher; and Nyla Johnson, a senior who worked as a student researcher. Nicholas Georgel, a professional services specialist at Stockton who served as the film’s editor, moderated the panel.

During the panel, the students reflected on the creation process of the documentary, including questions about their involvement in the documentary and what surprised them the most to learn about Farris.

“I’m surprised we don’t talk about her more,” Bailey said about what shocked her the most while working on the documentary, “I felt like I was doing a disservice to the community by not knowing who she is.”

When asked about what particular story about Dr. Vera King Farris stuck with them, Chin responded, “I was surprised to learn about her open-door policy… she remembered everyone, it’s nice to know that someone who is so involved will take the time out of their day to notice you.”

“The more I learned about her,” Johnson said in response to a question about what motivated her during the creation process, “the more I wanted to keep learning about her impact at Stockton.”

The Office of the President plans for future screenings of the documentary, along with a website in development that will allow for students to watch the documentary, which will be revealed in a campuswide email.