Stockton Inaugurates Bertolino as Sixth President

On Apr 15, 2024

Joe Bertolino was formally installed as the sixth president of Stockton University on Friday, April 12. The celebration was in keeping with the laid-back style of Bertolino, who welcomes being addressed as “President Joe.”

“My role, and my goal, here at Stockton is to build meaningful, impactful relationships. Relationships that strengthen our bond with the community; that enable our students to develop into engaged, effective citizens with a passion for lifelong learning; that bolster the positive development of New Jersey,” he said.

“To see individuals from every stage of my life here today is overwhelming and humbling. I am a product of my upbringing and the opportunities I’ve been afforded along the way. I honor those relationships by continuing to pay it forward,” Bertolino said to an audience of nearly 750 faculty, staff, students, alumni and community members.

“Today, I am charging all of you, all who are part of Stockton, to do the same for someone else. By building a community of opportunity, we provide the space and resources that enable our students, faculty and staff to grow, thrive and be a part of something bigger. No opportunity is too small, and no opportunity is too large. When we do certain things, or build certain relationships, we may be providing others with opportunities that we don’t even realize,” he said.

Bertolino brings more than 30 years of experience in higher education to Stockton, serving previously as president at Southern Connecticut State University and Lyndon State College in Vermont. He was vice president for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs at Queens College/City University of New York and dean for Community Development at Barnard College in New York.

Bertolino said in the months since becoming president on July 1, 2023, he has taken time to meet and listen to all of Stockton’s constituencies to shape his plans for the future.

“Our vision is for Stockton to become the college of choice in South Jersey. The first choice for prospective first-year and transfer students. The destination of choice for renowned faculty and academic trailblazers. The college of choice for partnerships with local and regional leaders in business. The first choice for donors, friends and supporters to contribute to our work,” he said.

“This spring, we will begin to write Stockton’s next chapter together through a comprehensive and thorough strategic planning process,” he said. “A key component of our vision is for Stockton to serve as a model for the future of higher education. We will be a destination campus, connecting our environmental resources in Galloway with our beachfront property in Atlantic City.”

Nelida Valentin ’86, chair of the Stockton Board of Trustees, presented Bertolino with the Presidential Medallion, which symbolizes the transfer of responsibility of the Office of President and the obligation to promote and maintain the values represented by Stockton University.

“Higher education is experiencing significant changes, and these come with challenges and opportunities. We are grateful to President Joe because he brings commitment to students and a wealth of leadership and experience to this role. We support and believe in his ability to advance Stockton into the future,” Valentin said.

Speakers also emphasized why Bertolino is in the right place at the right time.

“Joe’s selection as your new president serves as a significant professional accomplishment for him. It is meaningful and personal to him and our family because his mother, Eileen, was an alumna of Stockton, and it also has allowed him to finally return home to South Jersey to be with his family,” said Bil Leipold, vice chancellor for Enrollment Services and Experience at Rutgers University-Newark and Bertolino’s husband of more than 30 years.

“It became clear to me throughout the interview process and my first few months on the job that I was meant to be here,” Bertolino said, acknowledging his father, Joseph A. Bertolino Jr., and sister, Eileen Russell, in attendance. “Everything that has happened in my life, every opportunity that has been presented to me and every connection I’ve made along the way guided me here. Returning to my roots in South Jersey and serving the very institution where my mother earned her degree as an adult student very much feels like a homecoming.”

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