2023 President's Annual Report

1

The Board of Trustees selected Dr. Anthony C. Wright as chair in August. Dr. Wright, a committed public servant, has over two decades of experience as a P-20 scholar-practitioner, academician, supervisor, administrator, policymaker and policy advisor. He first joined the board in January 2021. 

Lorraine Hatcher is a dedicated community servant who joined the Board of Trustees in August. Before joining RCBC, she held elected positions on the Riverside Board of Education and Township Committee and served on countless volunteer boards. She has served on numerous volunteer boards. Fun fact: She has officiated more than 600 weddings.

2

The college remembered Trustee Emeritus Ronald D. Winthers, who died in December. He was a trustee from 1991 to 2011, helping to support the strategic expansion of the college to Mount Laurel and Mount Holly. He served as board chair and earned emeritus status in August 2015, the same day the college celebrated its historic partnership with Rowan University. 

3

The college’s Baron’s Best Award has been relaunched as a semesterly honor given to members of the RCBC team who best exemplify the ideals of being an RCBC Baron - hard work, loyalty, innovation, community service and an endless quest to put students first. RCBC President Michael A. Cioce announces each semester’s recipient at the collegewide gathering so they can be recognized in front of their colleagues.

This year’s recipients: Jerry Gagliano, manager of Operations and Facilities, and Jean Yan, a cashier in Student Accounts.

4

The Aspen Institute, College Excellence Program, selected two college executives for a national fellowship to support new and prospective college presidents. RCBC President Dr. Michael A. Cioce was among 26 chosen for the Aspen New Presidents Fellowship. Dr. Karen Archambault, vice president of Enrollment Management and Student Success, was selected for the Aspen Rising Presidents Fellowship. RCBC was one of three colleges in the country with two fellows.

5 & 6

Former Philadelphia Flyer and current NBC Sports Analyst Scott Hartnell was one of 100 immigrants who became United States citizens at RCBC at a naturalization ceremony during Constitution Week in September. 

In the spring, the college held a separate ceremony to celebrate children who became American citizens.

7

The Program Pod, the flagship program of the RCBC Podcast Network, earned a Silver Paragon Award from the National Council of Marketing and Public Relations. It earned a Gold Medallion from the council’s District Office. Tune in at rcbc.edu/podcast! 

8

Give Kids A Smile Day  – This program provides free dental care for children ages 13 and under at the RCBC Dental Hygiene Clinic, including screenings, cleanings, fluoride treatments and sealants to protect 
permanent teeth. 

9

Route 38 sign – The college added a new digital sign at the Route 38 entrance to match the collegiate feel of the rest of the campus. The sign enhances branding and raises awareness of college programs and community events.

10

Helping ease the transition to college – To help students transition to college and improve their likelihood of success, the college added several supports to help new students adjust. The Brothers Achieving Excellence (BRAVE) program strives to empower and increase access to graduation by building a community with minoritized males. Boaz Matlack, who earned the college’s Civility Award before graduating in May, cited the program for helping become part of the RCBC community. The college also expanded its popular intramural sports program to summer for the first time. Finally, the college hosted a large barbeque celebration to welcome first-time students before classes resumed. 

11

Veterans support – The college opened the Center of Excellence for Veterans to improve veteran students’ retention and graduation rates. As part of this initiative, the center hosted several training seminars to help faculty and staff better support military-affiliated students. 

12 & 13

Career Services – The reinvigorated Career Preparation and Experiential Learning office is helping more students identify their career goals and begin a strategy to achieve them. A job portal, Handshake, makes it easier for students to learn about and apply for career opportunities, and participating in the First Destination survey will provide valuable data about the employment outcomes of RCBC graduates. The college exceeds national graduation and transfer rates benchmarks but has never had employment data.

14

Opportunity Fair – a reimagined format for job fairs that are more industry-specific and offers a wider range of positions and career services, debuted this year (in spring and fall) with 71 employers and 441 students attending either event. 

15

First Gen – Many RCBC students are the first in their families to attend college, which can pose significant obstacles in their educational journey. RCBC celebrated first-gen students with a week of events, including a movie, celebration, networking mixer and financial aid application workshops. The college also launched a chapter of Alpha Alpha Alpha, an honor society exclusively for first-generation students. 

16

Linking academics with career – RCBC strives to provide experiential learning opportunities, such as offering internships throughout the college to provide real-life career experiences to students. One intern, Jaida Owens, a graphics design major, earned a Medallion Award from the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations District 1 for a t-shirt she designed for the college’s Back to Your Future campaign. 

17

The National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship highlighted RCBC as part of its celebration of Entrepreneurship Week. Anthony Jones, a student and Air Force veteran, was a featured speaker because of the several businesses he has started. The college also hosted an entrepreneurship panel reaffirming its commitment to supporting student entrepreneurs. 

18

Fashion show at the mall – Lights, Camera, Fashion. The Cherry Hill Mall hosted this year’s Fashion Show, where students showcased designs they created throughout the semester. This opportunity is a perfect example of how students are provided with the proper tools and confidence to establish their career goals. These authentic learning experiences assist students in discovering their strengths and passions.


19

Academic Awards – The college reimagined Academic Awards to bring a greater focus on student achievement while adding a reception for students, family, faculty and staff to celebrate.

20 & 21

Diversity – As part of RCBC’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, the college conducted a collegewide survey that received response rates that exceeded what the college usually achieves. The entire report was shared with the college community and will be instrumental in crafting the college’s first DEI strategic plan. The college also held several outreach sessions to garner student input to supplement the survey. 

In May, the college hosted its first-ever Lavender Graduation Celebration to give LGBTQIA+ students and allies opportunities to connect one last time to celebrate their accomplishments and resilience in a safe space alongside RCBC employees, family and friends. The celebration recognized graduates’ achievements and provided all attendees with a cheerful summer sendoff, regardless of graduation status. 

22

Read Across America – For the first time since COVID, President Cioce and Barry ventured off campus to celebrate Read Across America at Moorestown’s Mary E. Roberts Elementary School. RCBC’s dynamic duo read “What Are Words, Really?” with the entire school before visiting several classes.

23

Graduation – The college celebrated the Class of 2023 with three picture-perfect commencements. More 
than 450 students participated in the ceremonies. The class earned nearly 1,500 credentials and included 1,100 unique students. Dr. Amber Ciccanti earned the Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award, and Pamela Mack-Brooks was the students’ choice for Professor of the Year. Student speakers included Valedictorian Madeline Armstrong and President’s Award Winners Taylor Fritz and Sarah Heil. Keynote speakers included Saxbys CEO Nick Bayer, RCBC Faculty Member Crystal Bourne and Dr. Ronald Klebacher, medical director of Virtua Emergency Services.

24

Mount Holly rejuvenation – A hidden jewel no more! The college redoubled efforts to shine attention on the Mount Holly Arts Campus and all of the arts programs housed there with new signage and cultural events such as the Taste of Nation, Black History Month Fashion Show in partnership with Atlantic City Fashion Week and the first-ever open house entirely based in Mount Holly.