RCBC 2021 Commencement Program
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You did it! You finished strong, and you didn’t back down from adversity. RCBC Barons! Procession – Pomp and Circumstance National Anthem President’s Greeting – Dr. Michael A. Cioce Introduction of Dignitaries Student Speakers – • Nicole Angelica Ceballos Gonzalez, Valedictorian • Rebekah Feinberg, President’s Award Winner • Jazzrein Robinson, President’s Award Winner • Katie DiVito, Nursing Graduate Faculty Recognition – • Professor of the Year Award, Thursday ceremony only. • Announcement of Faculty Emeritus, Friday ceremony only. Keynote Speakers – • Joe Rizzo, RCBC Criminal Justice Instructor • Lavett Ballard, RCBC Alumna and Artist • Dr. Jennifer LeComte, Director of Rowan Integrated Special Needs Center and faculty member of Rowan’s School of Osteopathic Medicine (SOM) • Dr. Danielle Cooley, Chair of the Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine’s (SOM) Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine • Dr. Neely Hackett, Superintendent of the Willingboro School District • Congressman Andy Kim Presentation of Candidates Recessional VALEDICTORIAN | Nicole A. Ceballos Gonzalez A first-generation college student, Nicole Ceballos Gonzalez came to America from Panama just four years ago and settled in Mount Laurel to work as an au pair. Through her host family, she learned of Rowan College at Burlington County, and soon after enrolling, she took off in her studies. Her increased confidence trickled into all areas of her life. She earned a spot on the Dean’s List after her first semester and received the RCBC Education Award, the RCBC International Students Award, the RCBC Music Award and the Promise and Possibilities Foundation’s “I am a Promise Award.” She joined the worship team at her church (Marlton Assembly of God) and became a Sunday school teacher. She also started serving people in need throughout the Camden community. Ceballos Gonzalez has immersed herself in RCBC extracurriculars, such as the jazz ensemble, the concert band and the string ensemble. As a member of the RCBC education club, she had the opportunity to participate in Read Across America at the Benjamin Banneker Preparatory Charter School in Willingboro. Because she is bilingual, she read to the students in Spanish. As an immigrant, a student of color and as a student coming from a low- income neighborhood, Nicole wants to use her experiences and education to help younger generations achieve their goals. That’s why she chose to study music and inclusive education at RCBC. As for her future plans, she is transferring to Rowan University this fall to pursue a degree in inclusive education. She hopes to become a special education teacher or work with students from different minority groups. She also plans to pursue a graduate degree in speech pathology. PR ESIDENT’S AWARD | Rebekah Feinberg Rebekah Feinberg has accomplished a great deal over the past two years at Rowan College at Burlington County. She earned the college’s prestigious Vincent J. Sollimo scholarship for chemistry after participating in a research project in which she focused on sanitation efforts on Mars. She’s clocked in over 300 community service hours at Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge. And she even spoke with the college’s President Dr. Michael A. Cioce and faculty members at a recent Facebook Town Hall. Feinberg has been an active RCBC Service-Learning Scholar over the past two years and has volunteered at the college’s food pantry and blood drives. Perhaps what’s most impressive about her, however, isn’t what she’s achieved up to this point, but instead what she aims to accomplish in the future. After she completes her 3+1 Biology degree at Rowan University, she hopes to be accepted into Cooper Medical School to ultimately become a cardiovascular surgeon. As for the message she would share with fellow graduates, Feinberg says she would emphasize the importance of self-discipline and self-motivation, as evident by our current circumstances of living through a pandemic. PR ESIDENT’S AWARD | Jazzrein Robinson For Jazzrein Robinson, Rowan College at Burlington County offered the perfect chance at a comeback. After struggling to gain her footing during her high school years, she realized she needed to enter college with a fresh start. Robinson did more than prove herself over the past two years. She changed her way of thinking. Instead of turning people away, she embraced new friendships and overcame her social anxiety. She grew emotionally, mentally and spiritually. As a women’s soccer recruit, Jazzrein earned a full scholarship to attend RCBC in fall 2019. During her time at the college, she joined the Black Campus Ministries conference, which allows hundreds of students country- wide to worship, celebrate and reflect; she led small group discussions at Intervarsity at RCBC, a group that provides a way to explore spirituality; and she’s an active member in a college ministry called The Bridge. This youth group focuses on college students learning to live a “crossover culture.” It means the cross comes before culture or the importance of living in faith rather than falling victim to society’s norms and ways. Beyond her extracurriculars, Jazzrein earned Dean’s List in 2019, 2020 and 2021. She made the NJCAA All-Academic First Team with a 4.0 GPA for her 2019/2020 school year, and she’s a member of the Honor Society. Robinson will transfer to Bloomfield College this fall on an academic and athletic scholarship, where she plans to study elementary education. She hopes to teach fifth grade and take part in creating a curriculum that emphasizes life skills, such as holistic health, emotional intelligence, mindfulness and financial planning. 2021 ACADEMIC AWARDS ACCOUNTING DENTAL HYGIENE HU-FRIEDY Shorna Walden Danielle R. Barbato GOLDEN SCALER AWARD Irina Shilova ADDICTIONS DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL COUNSELING CERTIFICATE SONOGRAPHY HUMAN SERVICES ACADEMIC AWARD Kerriann Oriente ACADEMIC AWARD Christina House NyEsha C. Cintron EDUCATION ALL-USA AND Jeanne Yaeger LIBERAL ARTS ALL-NEW JERSEY Cana R. Patterson ACADEMIC TEAM ENGINEERING Adelaide A. Ababio John A. Meale MATHEMATICS Christopher Zacharko Jordan F. Jiosi ENGLISH AMERICAN SIGN Lesley R. George MUSIC LANGUAGE/DEAF STUDIES Nicole Ceballos Emily Pascual ENTERTAINMENT TECHNOLOGIES: VIDEO & PHYSICS ART DIGITAL MEDIA PRODUCTION Gabriel M. Taylor Nicole Willard-Moore Andrew R. Thomas POLITICAL SCIENCE BIOLOGY FASHION DESIGN Zakery Kirsch-Dziki Genesa D. Delva Sydney Boyle PSYCHOLOGY BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION FASHION PRODUCT Eleftherios Rigas Cheyenne Knight MERCHANDISING Adiel Y. Davis RADIOGRAPHY CANCER REGISTRY Emily R. Hiddemen MANAGEMENT GRAPHIC DESIGN & Nancy Ellor DIGITAL MEDIA SOCIOLOGY Ezmie Daids Zachary Bonto COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS GURENLIAN STUDENT SOUTHERN NJ DENTAL Nick J. Baratta LEADERSHIP AWARD HYGIENISTS’ ASSOCIATION Hristina V. Hadjieva AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE COMPUTER SCIENCE IN COMMUNICATION Johannah Stevenson HEALTH INFORMATION Shanna G. Vicari TECHNOLOGY CRIMINAL JUSTICE Nataliia Mazur SOUTHERN NJ DENTAL Lexi Reidenbaker SOCIETY AWARD HISTORY Irina Shilova CULINARY ARTS Lindsay Tyrrell Luz Aguilera Paz THEATRE HOSPITALITY Anthony Soto CYBERSECURITY Shannon P. Lydic Ayalah Gittler FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS AND OTHER AWARDS ATHLEA E. ALBERT INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ROWAN UNIVERSITY NURSING AWARD SCHOLARSHIP TRANSFER TRUSTEE Mariaisabel Mora Wei Shan Wu Mei SCHOLARSHIP Jennifer Rose Andrews ATHLEA E. ALBERT MARYANN TOUTANT Brigid Doherty NURSING SCHOLARSHIP MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP Grace Gerard Danielle Young Brittany Williams Gregory M. Zacharko BARBARA STEWART NEW JERSEY COLLEGIATE THOMAS DEGNAN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION CHEMISTRY AWARD Annaliesa Williams ASSOCIATION BUSINESS Abigail Cosper HONOR SOCIETY CIVILITY AWARD Iryna Boyko VINCENT J. SOLLIMO Kimmie N. Elrod Allison Burbage MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP Susan Farhat Rebekah Feinberg DELTA DENTAL Grace Gerard FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP Lydia Klimek VISIBLE WRITERS Regina Brewster Christopher Siatkowski CREATIVE WRITING Elisa Dumaine Shorna Walden SCHOLARSHIP Krauss Jordan Aeryn Merrill Julia Monaco NURSING ACADEMIC AWARD Isabella Petroski Erica Mattson WILMINGTON UNIVERSITY Haley Stuart PRESIDENT’S SCHOLARSHIP NURSING FACULTY Lorraine M. McKeown DOROTHY BRANDT CLINICAL EXCELLENCE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARD Jeanne Yaeger Dawn M. Doyle Logan Fugh DR. ROBERT C. MESSINA, JR. Paul McClernan AND MRS. JEAN MESSINA WILMINGTON UNIVERSITY RCBC FACULTY SCHOLARSHIP ASSOCIATION Kristen Ann Walter SCHOLARSHIP Joshua Pavelko FRAN R. PLISKIN TRANSFER SCHOLARSHIP ROWAN UNIVERSITY Bert A. Jordan, Jr. RCBC PARTNERSHIP SCHOLARSHIPS DENTAL HYGIENE Matthew M. Harris INTEGRITY AWARD Alex J. Oeser Hristina V. Hadjieva Mackenzie Rabinowitz Antonio Saladin HUMAN SERVICES CLUB Elizabeth M. Zimak SCHOLARSHIP Michael J. Anderson Tracy D. Adams, Jr. Nawfal Ahmad Alvin N. Alex Tracy M. Adams Saira Ahmad Brittany A. Alexander Zachary R. Aase Christina L. Adams -Sicard Sarah H. Ahmad DaVonne M. Alexander Dolsey A. Abadia Deborah A. Adams-Bey Haseeb S. Ahmed, Sr. Dina E. Spencer Oluwakemi O. Abarawa Ashley L. Adams-Causley Mohib S. Ahmed Emmisha G. Alexandre Gina M. Abate Elijah Addae-Basoah Sameer Ahmed Gregory Alexandre Ali J. Abbas Micah R. Addison Priscilla L. Aimable Ameera M. Alhakim Benjamin D. Abbaszadeh Octavia N. Addison Olubunmi T. Aina Carol A. Ali Andrew C. Abbonizio Tatianna L. Addison Faisal Ajiboye Charmaine Lynette Ali Anthony Abbott Samuel Adejumo Adria E. Akarman-Allen Sienna A. Ali Vincenzo R. Abbruzzese Oreoluwa S. Adeniran Anaheta Akbar Syedkhizer Ali Dema H. Abdallah Princes A. Adesiyan