Stockton University represents much more to Olivia Bereza than just a place to take classes.
“It’s a place filled with opportunities that allowed me to explore, pivot and ultimately, find my niche,” said the Class of 2025 graduate.
Bereza spoke at the university’s morning Commencement ceremony at 9:30 a.m. on May 16 at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall. A second ceremony was held at 2:30 p.m. More than 1,800 Class of 2025 graduates received bachelor’s degrees.
Stockton President Joe Bertolino reminded the attendees that they are ready to go out into the world not only because of what they learned at Stockton but because of how they learned it — through questioning, collaborating, solving real problems and standing up for what matters. Bertolino mentioned his Ethic of Care, and he called on all of the students to show others dignity, respect, kindness, compassion and civility.
“Take those values with you and show up — in your workplaces, your communities, your families. And lead with compassion,” he said. “Listen deeply. Build connections. Stand firm in what you believe and stay open to what others have to share.
“Today, you leave with a degree. But you also leave with a responsibility — to give back, to lift others up, and to help build a world that is more just, more kind and more hopeful.”
Figuring out her way to give back to the world wasn’t always easy for Bereza. The Westwood resident, who finished her bachelor’s degree in Psychology in December 2024, originally thought she would major in Health Sciences, and even added a minor inHolocaust and Genocide Studies. She finally landed on Psychology and assumed therapy would be her calling.
But it was Stockton’s internship program at a mental health practice that revealed something unexpected.
“I didn’t want to be a therapist,” she said. “That realization was overwhelming. I had devoted so much time and effort to that goal that walking away felt like starting my entire journey over.”
But her coursework at Stockton, especially with Associate Professors of Psychology Mark Berg and Kaite Yang, introduced research as another possibility.
“Stockton gave me the confidence to change course, to embrace a new direction,” said Bereza, who now works as a research assistant in the Center for Stroke Rehabilitation at the Neurolinguistics and Brain Connectivity Lab at the Kessler Foundation in West Orange. “I wasn’t lost. I was supported, encouraged to explore and reassured that changing directions didn’t mean I had failed. It meant I was growing.”
The student speaker at the afternoon ceremony also spoke about facing adversity during her time at the university and how that helped her grow.
“Our story is one of challenges, opportunities, laughter, tears and, most importantly, success,” said Courtney Combs, a Bachelor of Arts graduate in Communication Studies. “Yet, despite the obstacles, we adapted, we learned and we grew. Stockton didn’t just teach us — it prepared us, shaped us and connected us to opportunities that would set our futures in motion.”
The Berlin resident also emphasized that attending Stockton taught her so much more than just the requirements to obtain a degree.
“College is about learning how to show up, how to push through self-doubt and how to recognize that we don’t have to fake it until we make it,” she said. “We step up, we learn and we excel.”
Commencement keynote speaker Dwight McBee, the chief patient experience officer at RWJBarnabas Health, reiterated how progress can be obtained through struggle. In his speech he took each letter of the word “struggle” to provide nuggets of advice to the graduates beginning with the letter “S,” which he said means “sway but never buckle.”
McBee told the students about the phone call he received from his wife when they found out their daughter had Rett syndrome, a rare, neurodevelopmental disorder.
“My storm became a hurricane,” said the 2015 graduate of Stockton’s Master of Business Administration program. “What I didn’t know was that God was moving me into position. My family’s greatest challenge is now our greatest source of strength. And my career in patient advocacy is now fueled by the storm.”
McBee is the first to hold his position at New Jersey’s largest academic health system. He is responsible for the advancement and integration of patient experience strategies and priorities to align them with RWJBarnabas Health’s mission, values and business goals. He also works collaboratively with facility and system leadership teams to develop and execute strategic planning of patient experience and patient engagement initiatives.
The Barnegat native and Southern Regional High School graduate in Manahawkin also spoke about how an osprey, Stockton’s mascot, is a “remarkable creature that embodies resilience, determination and has an unbreakable bond with home.”
“Ahead of you, storm clouds gather, and the winds begin to blow. And yet, my fellow Ospreys, this is not the moment to fold your wings. It is the moment to spread them wide,” McBee said. “It is time to fly. When you are on your way, just remember in your heart to say, ‘An Osprey always finds their way home!’”
The university graduated its first class of students with a Bachelor of Arts in Education and Human Development. The program is built on three minors at Stockton —Childhood Studies, Disability Studies and Gerontology.
At the morning ceremony, the university also presented Andrew “Tim” Kiniry a honorary Doctor of Public Service degree. Kiniry, of Buena, is a World War II Army veteran who served as a medic in the 45th Evacuation Hospital during the Battle of the Bulge and provided medical care to survivors of the Buchenwald concentration camp.
Over the years, the 103-year-old has frequently shared his stories as a witness to war through Stockton’s Holocaust and Genocide Studies programs. In December, he was presented with the National Order of the Legion of Honour, the highest order of merit awarded by France.
