2023 Winter Commencement

Adama Jones was an excellent high school student until the COVID-19 pandemic changed the world. After the pandemic, Jones could not see herself returning to high school. She courageously decided to disenroll and study intensively to earn her high school equivalency degree. 

She was a full-time college student within a month of stopping high school in her junior year.

“I had to believe in myself,” Jones said. “I was an honor roll student in high school and had a great rank and everything. So, dropping out of high school and taking my GED was the opposite of my reputation.

“I had to have the courage to leave that lifestyle,” she added.

Jones earned the President’s Award and will speak at Rowan College at Burlington County’s first-ever winter commencement for the STEM ceremony at 3 pm on Wednesday, December 20.

Jones is graduating with a 4.0 grade point average in Fashion Design while working toward her 3+1 bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. She works as an interior designer, preparing for a promotion. As a fashion designer, her work has been on the runway as part of RCBC’s annual fashion shows, Newark Fashion Week Festival and will be part of Atlantic City Fashion Week in February.

“RCBC definitely helped me with my technical skills. I knew how to sew. I knew how to make a mood board, but I think RCBC helped me mature my vision,” Jones said. “I feel that with my associate degree, I can enter the workforce now or into entrepreneurship with the skills I have.”

On campus, Adama was active in the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and clubs, including chess and crochet. 

“I think RCBC is very festive as a community college because most community colleges - they’re just classes, and that’s it. There’s not really a community based around it,” Jones said. “ I also like that RCBC is a community college because they’re not really inflated. They’re not fluffing up your experience in the sense that they’re not forgetting the academic part. They’re very proactive in making sure you’re on time with what you have to do.

“This is a very organized school, and they’re very involved,” she added.

With three goals in mind, Pamela Zahn conquered the odds and is now graduating with her Addictions Counseling Certificate. Zahn never let her past stop her from becoming the person she knew she would be. As a recovering alcoholic and drug addict for six years, she reflects on her past in a positive light and views it as a measure of how far she has come. 

Imprisoned for over three years, Pamela had plenty of time to develop her life goals. She is determined to utilize the lessons learned from her past as a sign that she is meant to grow and progress. After her release, Pamela spent a year getting acclimated to her new life and straight into her first goal of kicking her addiction for good. She continues pursuing that goal by staying sober and reminding herself to take things day by day, month by month. 

Pamela volunteers at the Friends of the Burlington County Animal Shelter and loves helping those without a voice. Volunteering influenced her choice of career path as well. But her animal advocacy doesn’t end with animals. She stepped into broader community volunteer roles, including Soles4Souls, an organization that collects secondhand clothing for good use, providing relief and empowering people to break the cycle of poverty.

Next up for Pamela’s community outreach was joining the RCBC Human Services Club, where she serves as the student organization’s president. As president, she works with other students to help provide food and continue outreach. Pamela introduced a new initiative, Power to the Period, providing women in need in Burlington County with feminine hygiene products.  

Her final goal was to return to college, and here she is! Pamela shared that RCBC was the perfect fit for her higher education because of its affordability, convenience and all of the assistance provided to students by caring faculty and supportive staff. As of December 2023, Pamela has accomplished much more than she could believe. She’s an honors student and Academic Award recipient, president of the Human Services club and a speaker at the first-ever RCBC Winter Commencement. 

Her long-term plans include completing her Addictions Counseling Certificate (SPC.HSA), and  In May, she will graduate with her Liberal Arts degree in Human Services (AAS.HUS). When asked how she stayed on track and motivated, Pamela said, “Everything happens for a reason. Just take things one step at a time.” 

Rahaf Alsharif’s journey has been one of immense courage and determination. Coming from a city in Syria, where fear was a constant companion, she faced unimaginable hardships. But despite all the odds, she pursued her dreams and achieved one of her most significant accomplishments: becoming one of Rowan College’s 2023 Winter Commencement Presidential Award Winners at Burlington County.
Alsharif will speak at RCBC’s Health Sciences Commencement at 1 pm on Wednesday, December 20, in Votta Hall.

From an early age, she was taught that “the walls have ears,” meaning you can’t trust who might hear what you say and disagree. The Syrian government was highly controlling of its citizens, causing fear among everyone. There were times she would open her front door and find bullet casings or have to hide her family out of terror that they would be harmed or killed. 

Alsharif migrated from Syria to the United States with her husband and their five children. Leaving behind family and friends is never easy, and the fact that they needed more understanding of the United States and the challenges they would face along the way adds to the difficulty.

“It was a dark time, but we escaped the war there. Even after escaping, I would cry and cry,” she said.

As a child, she strongly desired to become a nurse because of her inherent values and beliefs that motivated her to help people in need. However, she needed to learn and understand English before pursuing a nursing degree. Therefore, she enrolled in an English as a Second Language program at RCBC.

Now, Alsharif is in the process of graduating with an associate degree in nursing, where she is enrolled in clinical experiences and hands-on training from the RCBC faculty. 

“I care about people,” she said. “I get so excited to see patients, and it shows that this is where I am supposed to be.”

Moving to a new country can be a daunting and sometimes overwhelming experience. But Rahaf knows firsthand the challenges that come with such a life-changing decision. She encourages those who have also moved from their native country to America to keep pushing toward their dreams. With perseverance, she believes that anyone can achieve their dreams. 

“Don’t give up. It won’t be easy,” she said. “But following your dream will help you learn more about yourself.” 

Her tears of joy and beaming smile testify to this award’s meaning to her. She recalled trembling with excitement before submitting her application. 

In true form, she thanked her teammates and teachers, saying, “I felt many of my classmates would deserve it too, and I thank them for helping me through my nursing journey.”

Alsharif’s determination and resilience have helped her overcome all the obstacles, and her success is a testament to her unwavering spirit. She is a true inspiration to us all.