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Atlantic City, N.J. — Since ������ started its Master of Social Work program more than 15 years ago, nearly 750 students have graduated with the skills necessary to address social, emotional and behavioral issues in society.

Now, students in the university’s most popular graduate degree program will benefit from a $100,000 fund established this week by Senator Bill and Ginny Gormley, of Margate, and Lee and Sandra Levine, of Longport.

The fund will provide annual scholarships to students, and $25,000 will support the annual MSW Engaged Learning Trip to Washington, D.C., where students meet with members of Congress to advocate for legislation impacting the social work profession.

“I’m delighted to donate this money, especially now when there is such a mental health crisis. We’ve got to support social workers. They’re needed now more than ever,” said Ginny Gormley, who has an MSW and worked for years in the field in New Jersey government, the judiciary and the medical community. “My MSW has served me very, very well over the years. It takes you a lot of places, and so we want to help prepare more people for this important work.”

Bill, a former longtime New Jersey State Senator, agrees support for social work is important, especially in Atlantic City, where ������’s Master of Social Work program is based. He said he’s been especially moved by his wife’s work drafting revisions to the juvenile justice code that established the Family Court in New Jersey and developing alternative programs for court-involved youth in southern New Jersey.

“Ginny and I want to be the seed capital. ������ is producing people with a great, long-term interest in social work, and they are already providing services in Atlantic City,” he said. “You need as many people as possible in areas like this, helping the people of Atlantic City.”

������ President Joe Bertolino, who also holds a Master of Social Work degree, thanked both families for their generosity.

“I often say that an MSW really sets you up to do a wide variety of things. It’s a degree that allows one to pivot in a lot of different situations,” he said. “You are helping us do the work that needs to be done, and I thank you for the legacy you are building.”

Dan Nugent, the executive director of the ������ Foundation, praised the Gormleys for providing money specifically to give students the opportunity to go to Washington, D.C., and gain experience lobbying Congressional leaders.

“When you get a call from the Gormleys, they’ve always got a new idea about how they and their friends can provide resources to benefit our students and faculty,” Nugent said. “On behalf of the students who will benefit from this and the patients and clients they will serve, we want to say thank you to the Gormelys and the Levines.”

The ������ Foundation is dedicated to supporting ������ by providing scholarships, funding academic programs and enhancing the student experience. Through the generosity of donors, the Foundation helps remove barriers to student success. For more information about the Foundation and how to support students, visit stockton.edu/foundation.

-- Story and photos by Mark Melhorn