Harvey Kesselman, EdDPresident, Stockton University |
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The INSIGHT Into Diversity Giving Back Award honors college presidents and chancellors who go above and beyond their everyday duties to give back to their institutions and communities. President Kesselman was nominated by colleagues and selected by INSIGHT Into Diversity as a 2016 Giving Back Award recipient for his dedication to promoting diversity and inclusion and encouraging community service both on his campus and in the surrounding community.
Civic Involvement
Co-chair of the New Jersey Campus Compact, a national coalition of college presidents committed to fulfilling the civic purposes of higher education; member of the New Jersey Governor’s Panel on Affirmative Action Policy Development, New Jersey Commission on Higher Education’s Committee of Experts on Campus Sexual Assault Issues, and New Jersey Office of Hispanic Affairs Advisory Committee; founding member of Operation College Promise, an education, policy, and research project that supports student veterans
Promoting Community Service
Kesselman has been instrumental in providing funding and other resources for Stockton University’s Days of Service, held every year on Martin Luther King Jr. Day and a Saturday in September. Students receive college credit for their community service, which is tied into more than 100 courses — a program Kesselman initiated in his previous position as provost.
Community Support
Under Kesselman’s leadership, the Stockton Center for Community Engagement launched an ongoing, campus-wide food drive. In 2014 alone, with the help of students, faculty, and staff, the university donated more than 1,170 pounds of food to local food pantries.
Supported Initiatives
Educational Opportunity Fund, a program designed to meet the educational and financial needs of students whose potential may not be reflected in their grades and whose economic background makes it extremely difficult for them to pursue a college education without financial aid
Nomination Excerpt
“Kesselman’s extraordinary commitment to and profound understanding of higher education’s culture and history are always linked to accountability, assessment, and transparency. He is first and foremost a listener. He is an engaging, motivational speaker, equally at ease, respectful, and caring [of] people from all walks of life. [He] is also a strong advocate for shared governance and has implemented several initiatives at Stockton to engage and empower faculty, staff, administrators, and students — along with the university’s board of trustees — to engage in best practices to propel the mission of the university. … Time and time again, he has distinguished himself as a doer, a founder, and a solid [and] unwavering voice of trust and compassion for others.”
