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Politics & Government

Assembly Leader, Former Brick Council Leader to Participate in Legislator-in-Residence Program

Sheila Oliver will visit Oct. 16 and 17; David Wolfe will come to Stockton in the spring.

New Jersey Assembly Speaker Sheila Y. Oliver and Assemblyman David Wolfe are the next legislators who will participate in the Legislator-in-Residence program, the college announced on Monday, Aug. 6.

Oliver, an Essex County Democrat who represents the 34th Legislative District, will visit the college on Oct. 16 and 17 to share insights about state government with students, faculty, and staff, according to a release from the college.

Wolfe, an Ocean County Republican, will participate in the spring, the college said.

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Under the program, sponsored by the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy, members of the New Jersey State Senate and General Assembly are invited to Stockton’s campus to interact with students and faculty. It exposes Stockton students to real-world experience in public policy and issues of importance to New Jersey, said Daniel J. Douglas, Director of the Hughes Center. 

visited the campus as part of the program last spring.

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“Speaker Oliver is a notable figure as well as a vibrant leader in New Jersey,” Stockton President Herman J. Saatkamp said. “Her involvement with Stockton provides a tremendous learning opportunity for our students and a valuable professional experience for our faculty and staff.”

Oliver is the first African-American woman to lead a legislative house in New Jersey, and the second African American woman in the country’s history to do so.

She was sworn in as Assembly Speaker in January of 2010, and is serving her second two-year term as Speaker.

She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in sociology from Lincoln University and a Master’s in Planning and Administration from Columbia University. She has taught at several colleges and universities, and has extensive experience in nonprofit management.

“I look forward to participating in this program and speaking with different student groups while on the Stockton campus,” Oliver said.

Wolfe also has a strong background in education. He is a Senior Assistant to the President at Ocean County College. He serves on, and has chaired, the Assembly Education Committee, as well as the Legislature’s Joint Committee on the Public Schools. He also serves on the Transportation Committee.

The former Brick Township Council leader earned his Bachelor’s Degree in history from Westminster College and a Master’s Degree in education and guidance from the University of Delaware. He was first elected to the Assembly in 1991, out of the 10th Legislative District.

He has worked closely with the State Beach Erosion Commission, including as a former Chairman, and was a sponsor of a state Blue Acres project.

“My interests in the Legislature dovetail nicely with programs and interests at Stockton College,” Wolfe said. “I hope my time there will be mutually beneficial.”

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