Schools

Bridgewater Students Graduate From RVCC

Close to 1,300 graduates including those from Bridgewater, Martinsville and Raritan were awarded associate degrees and certificates.

BRANCHBURG, NJ — Close to 1,300 graduates were awarded associate degrees and certificates from Raritan Valley Community College during the commencement on May 13.

Thomas H. Kean, who served as Governor of New Jersey from 1982-1990, Chairman of the 9/11 Commission and President of Drew University, delivered the commencement address and received an honorary degree during the ceremony.

The program featured RVCC student commencement speaker Joseph (Joe) Hamilton of Fanwood, formerly of Bridgewater.

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Hamilton is a married father with a toddler and stepson who first started his college journey at RVCC 10 years ago after graduating from Bridgewater-Raritan High School. Hamilton struggled academically and didn’t know what he wanted to study.

After taking a break for several years, Hamilton says his life and priorities changed when he met his now wife who had a young child. He decided education was really his passion, so he returned to RVCC. His grades improved dramatically, and Hamilton even made dean’s list his past two semesters at RVCC. Hamilton plans to continue his studies and eventually teach high school social studies or science.

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Thomas Valasek of Clinton, Professor of Communication & Film Studies, delivered the faculty commencement address. Valasek, who is retiring after 48 years with the College, has taught classes in three different academic departments and has been instrumental in developing RVCC's Communication Studies and Film Studies programs.

His academic achievements include Princeton Mid-Career Fellowships and international research exchanges and a J. William Fulbright Fellowship to the Czech Republic. His books include The Confident Speaker's Handbook and Frameworks: An Introduction to Film Studies. Valasek has served as an academic Department Chair multiple times and as Interim Dean of Faculty.

The other graduates speaking during commencement included Jenna Douglas, Juan Prada-Ojeda and Kristine Bulava.

Bulava, a resident of Basking Ridge who came to the US from Latvia to work as an au pair, delivered a welcome to the graduates. She recently was named a 2017 Newman Civic Fellow by Campus Compact for her service learning work, and she was honored by the New Jersey Council of County Colleges as one of the state’s top community college students during its annual Phi Theta Kappa Day celebration.

The General Business major has organized fundraising events for the hungry and displaced as Vice President of Scholarship and Service for the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. As President of RVCC’s Enactus club, she taught disadvantaged youth how to operate a small business.

Jenna Douglas of Bridgewater, a graduate of Bridgewater-Raritan High School, introduced Governor Kean. The Social Science major, who is enrolled in RVCC’s Honors College, has excelled academically at RVCC and has been named to both the president’s list and dean’s list. Douglas served as a Student Ambassador and a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and the Rotaract Club. She also traveled with Rotaract to Nepal in January to distribute donated school supplies and engage in community projects.

Juan Prada-Ojeda of Hillsborough, a native of Colombia, is an Engineering Science major who started his education at RVCC taking English as a Second Language classes. Prada-Ojeda, who is graduating Summa Cum Laude, introduced the faculty speaker.

Prada-Ojeda is a Galileo Scholar and member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society who has received several awards including the Vincent Bodino Math Achievement Award and the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) Mentor Award. He was a member of the College’s Cross Country team.

This year’s class includes the first cohort of 11 students graduating from the Somerville Academy for Liberal Arts (SALA), a partnership between Somerville High School and RVCC. Launched in fall 2013, the Academy offers students in grades 9-12 the opportunity to earn both a Somerville High School diploma and an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts from RVCC.

Students in the full-time program take classes at both their high school and at RVCC. The graduates will be transferring to a number of prestigious four-year colleges and universities including Tufts University, Drexel University, the University of Massachusetts and Drew University.

Here is a list of Bridgewater, Martinsville and Raritan graduates:

First NameLast NameDegreeMajorCity
Brian Abbott Associate of Applied ScienceGeneral Business Bridgewater
Eunice AbogadoAssociate of Applied ScienceNursingRaritan
Raymark Abogado Associate of ScienceGeneral Business Raritan
PeytonAdams Associate of Arts Liberal Arts - Social Science Bridgewater
MichaelAlbright Associate of Applied Science Game Development Bridgewater
Michael Alesandro Associate of Arts Liberal Arts- Communications Raritan
DanelAllen Associate of Applied Science CIS - Programming Bridgewater
MayuraArya Associate of ScienceInfo Systems & Tech TransferBridgewater
KerianneAsea Associate of Science General BusinessMartinsville
Juan Avella VillaAssociate of Science General BusinessRaritan
NeelamBandukda Associate of Science General BusinessRaritan
JosephBanz Associate of Science General Business Bridgewater
ChelseaBarber Associate of Arts Liberal Arts Bridgewater
ElizabethBarrett Associate of Arts Liberal Arts - Social ScienceBridgewater
DominickBatkowskiAssociate of Applied ScienceCIS - NetworkingBridgewater
ChristopherBehan Associate of Science Sci & Math - Computer ScienceBridgewater
AshleyBellaran Associate of Science General BusinessBridgewater
KyleBiffen Associate of Arts Criminal Justice Bridgewater
AlecBolstad Associate of Science General Business Bridgewater
LidyaBorchert Associate of ArtsLiberal Arts - BusinessBridgewater
DiderotBrunache Associate of Science General Business Bridgewater
MeabelleBrunache Associate of Science Health Science Bridgewater
JasonBurdi Associate of Science Digital Media, Film StudiesBridgewater
JennaCalo Associate of ArtsLiberal Arts - CommunicationsBridgewater
AshleyCardoso Associate of Applied ScienceNursing Bridgewater
ChristopherCarle Associate of Science General BusinessBridgewater
BenjaminCarlsen Associate of Science Engineering ScienceBridgewater
YaniraCastaneda Associate of ArtsLiberal Arts - Social ScienceBridgewater
YosethChaves Salazar Associate of Science General Business Bridgewater
Jordyn Christ Associate of Science Health ScienceRaritan
EmmaCoady Associate of Applied ScienceNursing Bridgewater
MichaelaCoen Associate of ScienceGeneral BusinessRaritan
MariaCorella Associate of Applied ScienceNursing Raritan
ChristopherCummins Associate of ScienceGeneral BusinessBridgewater
Michael Curry Associate of Science Sci & Math - BiologyBridgewater
AveryCzernikowski Associate of Science General Business Bridgewater
Daniel Dacey Associate of Science General BusinessBridgewater
Christian Dahl Associate of Arts Liberal Arts - Social ScienceBridgewater
MarissaDeroba Associate of Arts Liberal Arts - Social ScienceBridgewater
Samantha DextrazeAssociate of Arts Education: P-5 (AA)Raritan
DesireeDiaz Associate of Applied ScienceHealth Information Technology Raritan
SeanDiettmann Certificate of Completion Computer Support-Cert of Compl Bridgewater
Sean Diettmann Associate of Science Info Systems & Tech TransferBridgewater
MaryellenDonnelly Associate of ScienceGeneral BusinessBridgewater
JennaDouglas Associate of Arts Liberal Arts - Social Science Bridgewater
MichaelFarner Associate of Arts Liberal Arts Bridgewater
WyattFerguson Associate of Arts Liberal Arts Bridgewater
BreanneFiber Associate of Arts Liberal Arts - CommunicationsRaritan
StaceyFiedler Certificate Paralegal StudiesCertificate Bridgewater
Eric Finn Associate of Arts Education: P-5 (AA)Bridgewater
JessicaFisherAssociate of Applied ScienceNursing Martinsville
JosephFlores Associate of Science General BusinessBridgewater
HannahFord Associate of Science Sci & Math - BiologyBridgewater
MichaelFortunato Associate of Science Digital Media, Film StudiesMartinsville
MeghanGaglione Certificate Early ChildhoodCertificate Raritan
HernanGalan Associate of Applied ScienceParalegal StudiesBridgewater
JohnnyGarcia Associate of ScienceGeneral BusinessBridgewater
MeyerGershater Associate of Science Sci & Math - Gen Sci Pre HlthBridgewater
Kristin Golas Associate of Science Sci & Math - ChemistryRaritan
StevenGorski Associate of Science Sci & Math - BiologyBridgewater
SaahilGovani Associate of Science Info Systems & Tech TransferBridgewater
Ryan Granaghan Associate of Science General BusinessBridgewater
Crystal Guo Associate of Science Engineering ScienceBridgewater
Samantha Harris Cert of Profes CompetncyCosmetologyBridgewater
Samantha Harris Cert of Profes CompetncyCosmetologyBridgewater
SydneyHarris Cert of Profes CompetncyCosmetology Bridgewater
AndreHeredia Associate of Arts Criminal Justice Bridgewater
DanielaHernandez Associate of Arts Criminal JusticeBridgewater
Linda Hofacker Associate of Applied ScienceHealth Information TechnologyBridgewater
NicholeHoflund Associate of Applied ScienceNursing - PNADBridgewater
KevinHongAssociate of Arts Liberal Arts - Communications Bridgewater
Chloe JenAssociate of ScienceSci & Math - Gen Sci Pre HlthBridgewater
KarinaJimenez Associate of Fine Arts Fine Arts - Visual ArtsBridgewater
TristonJimenez Associate of Applied ScienceOphthalmics Bridgewater
Forrest Keigler Associate of Applied ScienceElectric Utility TechnologyBridgewater
MargaretKeller Associate of Science Business Administration Bridgewater
JessicaKnolmajer Associate of Arts Liberal Arts - Communications Bridgewater
DillonKowal Associate of Science Engineering ScienceBridgewater
DillonKowal Associate of Science Physics Bridgewater
LauraLastella Associate of Applied ScienceNursing Bridgewater
ClaireLeger Associate of Fine Arts Fine Arts - Graphic DesignBridgewater
ThomasLeighty Certificate Computer SupportCertificate Bridgewater
JulianaLevonaitis Associate of Applied ScienceNursing Raritan
Haley LongoAssociate of Fine Arts Fine Arts - Graphic DesignBridgewater
Thomas Longo Associate of Arts Liberal Arts - Social ScienceBridgewater
DustinLopez Associate of Arts Criminal Justice Bridgewater
LeeLuftman Associate of Science Health Science Bridgewater
Gabrielle AnnMagsino Associate of ScienceGeneral BusinessRaritan
Rajiv Mahajan Associate of ScienceInfo Systems & Tech TransferBridgewater
Matthew McClelland Associate of Science Sci & Math - MathematicsBridgewater
Matthew McClelland Associate of SciencePhysics Bridgewater
Matthew McClelland Associate of Science Engineering ScienceBridgewater
Dayna Melnick Certificate Paralegal StudiesCertificate Bridgewater
Milena Milodanovic Certificate Paralegal StudiesCertificate Raritan
Adam Minarovich Associate of ScienceSci & Math - MathematicsBridgewater
VeronicaMoser Associate of Applied ScienceNursing Bridgewater
TylerNicholas Associate of Applied ScienceCIS - Programming Bridgewater
GiovannaNoe Associate of Science Sci & Math - Environmental Sci Martinsville
Giovanna NoeAssociate of Science Sci & Math - BiologyMartinsville
LiamO'BrienAssociate of ScienceSci & Math - Computer Science Bridgewater
Amanee O'NealAssociate of Arts Liberal ArtsRaritan
KirstinOjala Certificate Dental AssistingCertificate Bridgewater
Princess AngelOpidaAssociate of Applied ScienceNursing Raritan
KristenOringer Associate of ScienceSci & Math - Computer Science Bridgewater
PeterPadula Associate of Science General Business Martinsville
DavidPan Associate of Science General Business Bridgewater
Roshni Parekh Associate of Science Health Science Bridgewater
ShivaniParekh Associate of Science General BusinessBridgewater
Parth PatelAssociate of ScienceSci & Math - Gen Sci Pre HlthRaritan
Eric Pernini Associate of Science Engineering ScienceRaritan
Daniel Philipsheck Associate of Applied Science NursingBridgewater
Ronald Picado Associate of ScienceSci & Math - Computer Science Bridgewater
Matthew Picciurro Associate of Science General BusinessBridgewater
Emily Pinkerton Associate of Arts Education: 5-12 (AA)Bridgewater
Mehak Pirani Associate of Science General Business Bridgewater
Thomas Pires Associate of Arts Criminal JusticeBridgewater
ChristianPlaras Associate of Science Info Systems & Tech TransferBridgewater
SatyakrishnaPolavarapu Associate of Science Sci & Math - Gen Sci Pre HlthBridgewater
Sravanthi Polavarapu Associate of Science Sci & Math - Gen Sci Pre HlthBridgewater
TaraPrunty Associate of Arts Education: P-5 (AA) Bridgewater
JillPrusarczyk Associate of Science General Business Bridgewater
Lorren Rago Certificate Paralegal StudiesCertificate Bridgewater
Divya Reddy CertificateDigital Video Production Cert Bridgewater
BrianReid Associate of ScienceSci & Math - Gen Sci Pre HlthBridgewater
VincenzoRenda Associate of Arts Criminal Justice Bridgewater
Fortunato Riga Associate of Arts Criminal Justice Bridgewater
HoracioRivas Cert of Profes CompetncyAutomotive TechnologyBridgewater
Joseph Rojas Associate of Applied ScienceCIS - NetworkingBridgewater
JosephRojas CertificateComputer Networking & Security Bridgewater
JosephRojas Certificate Certificate - Comp Netw CISCOBridgewater
LisaRosati Associate of Applied ScienceNursing Bridgewater
SophiaRusso Associate of Arts Education: P-5 (AA)Bridgewater
AngelaSaggese Associate of Applied Science Nursing Bridgewater
AlbertSantelli Associate of Science General BusinessMartinsville
GouriSarabudla Associate of Applied Science Nursing Bridgewater
AlessandraSardella Associate of Fine Arts Visual Communication - AFA Raritan
DebraSchirripa Associate of ArtsLiberal Arts - Social ScienceRaritan
Keith Schroeder Associate of Science Physics Bridgewater
KeithSchroeder Associate of Science Engineering ScienceBridgewater
KeithSchroederAssociate of ScienceSci & Math - MathematicsBridgewater
EdwardSchwerdtfeger Associate of Science Sci & Math - Computer ScienceRaritan
CarlySemanchik Associate of Arts English Bridgewater
Kavita Shah Associate of ScienceSci & Math - Pre-Medical ProfRaritan
WilliamSheridan Associate of Science General Business Martinsville
Amber Siciliano Cert of Profes CompetncyCosmetology Bridgewater
ChristopherSlodziak Associate of ScienceSci & Math - Environmental Sci Bridgewater
SarahSparta Associate of Applied ScienceNursing Bridgewater
AnnStephenson Associate of Arts Education: P-5 (AA)Martinsville
BlakeStevens Associate of Arts Criminal Justice Bridgewater
JeromeSunga Associate of Science Respiratory Care Raritan
MeghanTereman Associate of Arts Criminal JusticeBridgewater
AliceThiongo Associate of Applied ScienceNursing - PNAD Bridgewater
Christopher Torres Associate of Arts Education: P-5 (AA)Bridgewater
KathyToye Associate of Applied ScienceParalegal StudiesRaritan
Joseph Triantis Associate of ScienceGeneral BusinessMartinsville
EdwardVadimski Associate of Arts Criminal JusticeBridgewater
JeanWall Cert of Profes CompetncyCosmetology Bridgewater
Jessica Wells CertificateMedical Assistant CertificateRaritan
SarahWhite Associate of ArtsLiberal Arts - Communications Bridgewater
EricWilliams Associate of ArtsLiberal Arts - Environ StudiesBridgewater
SandraWinters Certificate Paralegal Studies CertificateBridgewater
MariaWood Associate of Arts Liberal Arts - Communications Bridgewater
StephanieYupanqui Associate of ScienceHealth ScienceBridgewater
WassimZakkour Associate of Science Sci & Math - BiologyBridgewater
TatianaZalewski Associate of Arts Liberal Arts - Studio ArtsBridgewater
ValeriaZevallos Associate of Science General BusinessBridgewater

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