RCBC Student Who Enrolled At 11 Years Old Earns 2 Degrees

Leesa Hovius was home-schooled, so when she enrolled in Rowan College at Burlington County, she embraced the interaction with other students who shared her passion for music. It was quite an experience for an 11-year-old.

Yes, Hovius enrolled at Rowan College at Burlington County when she was 11 years old, making her one of the more than 1,000 students under the age of 18 who enroll at the college every year, according to the school.

She later enrolled part-time in one or two classes per semester which complemented her home instruction, while allowing her to work toward a degree, according to college officials.

“The flexibility in choosing classes is one of the best aspects of attending RCBC,” Hovius said. “One semester I may take three classes and another I may enroll in only one in order to explore my other interests, such as community service and traveling with my family.”

While attending Rowan College at Burlington County, Hovius visited five of the seven continents, according to the college. She still hopes to explore Antarctica and Australia.

Hovius could have earned her degree in music at the same time she graduated from high school in spring 2018. Instead, she chose to volunteer in her community and earn the Girl Scout Gold Award, a distinguished honor that must be completed by the end of high school.

She went on to graduate from Rowan College at Burlington County in December 2018. She went on to earn a second associate degree, this one in American Sign Language (ASL) /Deaf Studies, in spring 2019.

She most recently won the Faculty Association Scholarship and the Academic Award for ASL/Deaf Studies. Additionally. She is a member of Phi Theta Kappa and earned high honors, graduating with a 3.97 GPA. She has also been awarded several community scholarships, including the Rebecca Annitto Service Opportunities for Students Internship Award.

She plans to pursue one more degree at Rowan College at Burlington County, in hospitality and tourism management. Ultimately, she would like to share her love of music while working on a cruise ship, utilizing both her hospitality and ASL/Deaf studies degrees.