Rowan College at Burlington County Graduation Set for May 14

Rowan College at Burlington County’s first commencement under its new identity takes place on the new main campus in Mount Laurel on Saturday, May 14, 10 a.m.

Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and former RCBC student Gregory Pardlo will deliver the keynote speech at the college’s 46th annual commencement ceremony. More than 1,200 graduates will receive their degrees that day.

Nearly a quarter of the graduates will go on to Rowan University, almost three times as many as last year, the college said this week.

In June 2015, then Burlington County College entered into a historic partnership with Rowan University that created a path to a bachelor’s degree for about $25,000.

This year’s graduating class of 1,218 students range in age from 16 to 62. They will be earning 1,284 degrees and certificates, with 58 graduates earning more than one degree. More than 70 percent of the class earned at least a 3.0 GPA, bringing the class cumulative GPA to a 3.26. The Class of 2016 also includes 25 international students who hail from 21 different countries.

Cherry Hill’s Kevin Wright is the Valedictorian for this year’s class. He’s a stay-at-home dad who will graduate with highest honors and an Associate of Science in Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Originally from England, Wright moved to the United States in 1998 at the age of 27.

In his 30s, he learned he had dyslexia. Wright challenged himself and started taking pre-requisite college courses.

In his second semester at RCBC, he passed the GED test (now known as the high school equivalency diploma) at RCBC’s Willingboro Center.

Three weeks into his first semester at RCBC, he and his wife became proud new parents.

With encouragement from his RCBC professors, he decided to aim even higher and transferred to Thomas Jefferson University’s nursing program for his bachelor’s degree, which he will receive a month after getting his associate degree from RCBC.

This summer, he will start the University of Pennsylvania’s Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Program for his master’s degree.

Other standout stories among graduates include a student who participated in RCBC’s unique undergraduate research program and became published in a peer-reviewed national chemistry journal; a veteran who transitioned from infantryman to medic to dental hygiene major; twin sisters graduating from RCBC’s nursing program; an international student who decided to forego a free college education in her home country for an RCBC degree; and a student transferring to an Ivy League institution after earning her first degree from RCBC at the age of 38.

The Health Sciences Pinning Ceremony, which includes a symbolic candle lighting ceremony, pledges and pinning of the Health Sciences graduates, will take place on Thursday, May 12, 6 p.m., under the graduation tent at the Mount Laurel campus.

There are 139 Health Sciences graduates receiving associate degrees in nursing, cancer registry management, radiography, human services, diagnostic medical sonography, health information technology and dental hygiene.

Faith Atte, MSN, RN, a staff nurse with the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at Deborah Heart and Lung Center, and an RCBC alumna, will be the guest speaker.

Indoor, air-conditioned viewing locations are located in the college’s Briggs Road Center in rooms 115, 116 and 118 on the Mount Laurel campus. This year’s commencement tent will be located in Lot 6, adjacent to Laurel Hall. For those who are unable to attend, the ceremony will be streaming live online at rcbc.edu.

The attached image was provided by Rowan College at Burlington County: Rowan College at Burlington County's 2015-2016 Student Government Association (SGA) graduating officers celebrate their final days as RCBC students on the Mount Laurel campus.