In summer 2024, twelve RCBC students became student models. In 2025, six more Barons joined, appearing in campus marketing materials.
Each student also took the time to sit down and tell their story. Where they came from, their life at RCBC, and where they’re going after, they divulged it all. Read on to learn more about each student in this Q&A format.
Jiya Bhatt
Why did you choose accounting as a career pursuit?
“My dad and my sister, they're both in commerce and business. I saw my sister doing that while she was growing up, so I was like, ‘Well, this really is my thing.’ I wanted to be really specific and not do business and stuff like that, so I'm like, let's stick with accounting.”
How have you found your classes here at RCBC?
“There were some that were really, really hard for me, econ, microeconomics, and statistics. But the faculty of each three of the courses were really, really amazing. There's Instructor Dan Summers for econ. I loved taking his classes. And I had Assistant Professor William Whitfield for stats. He's amazing too. He's a great teacher, and he helps us as much as he can on his part. There was Assistant Professor Crystal Bourne, Assistant Professor Jessica Gicking-Aspden. They were lovely too. There was Joan Newsome for my accounting. So, I love all the faculty. They're really, really sweet. I like that.”
What were your first impressions of RCBC?
“I loved RCBC. The Student Success Center, I'm like, ‘What is this place?’ The big screen and everything. Plus, the people were also very helpful. I met Bhagya[sree Barman]. She was also a model here. I met her and she toured us around the school and everything. It was really fancy.”
Have you used any student services?
“I did go to the testing center. I did miss one of my tests, so I was there for the testing center. And I have been keeping in touch with my advisor lately. They're lovely too.”
Which clubs and organizations do you belong to?
“I'm the president of the International Club. I am involved with the Business Club, the Student Government Association, the Human Resources Club, and the Phi Theta Kappa Club. And I'm also a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. I want to be the president of the Phi Theta Kappa Club, too, or just be one of the officers.”
How does participating in all of your activities enhance the college experience?
“I have made so many friends around campus. There's always somebody that I know on the campus that I'm like, ‘Oh, hey,’ and everything. Plus, I love being involved with RCBC because it's like, I don't know how to explain it, RCBC has given me a lot of opportunities. So, I feel like I just want to give it back. As cliché and cringe it sounds, I just want to give it back to the college. I absolutely love interacting with new people, faculty, people, everything.”
Kristal Thompson
You are a health sciences major, but will soon be a dental hygiene major. How does that work?
“So, first I started my prerequisites here at RCBC, and I've been doing them for the past year, but I have already CAPed courses for my high school because I knew I was going to RCBC. And then when I started here, I only had to do one year of prereqs, and I applied for the dental hygiene program, and I got it on my first try.”
Could you discuss the College Accelerated Program (CAP)?
“CAP is a program where you can take courses in high school that can transfer over to RCBC, and it's a cheaper alternative. I'm so happy I did it. I took a lot (of classes), because I tried to CAP everything I possibly could, just in case. I CAPed my Englishes, my sciences, my biology, anatomy, and physiology. Just anything I possibly could, because I knew I would probably need it in the future.”
What made you choose dental hygiene as a career path?
“Dental hygiene was actually something I thought I could do. I really thought I would be able to enjoy that career, unlike other things I thought I wouldn't be able to enjoy. So that's what led me to the direction of dental hygiene. And then I just started doing more research on the career, and I actually fell in love with it.”
You’re in the New Jersey Student Tuition Assistance Reward Scholarship (STARS). Can you talk about that?
“So, if you graduate in the top 15% of your class, you get your tuition covered for your classes. It doesn't include certain things, like materials and stuff, but it does cover the tuition of the class. So it's very helpful. It pays for a lot. It changes a lot, because my bill would be way higher. It takes a lot off tuition, stress off your parents, stress off you, if you're working. It's really great. I'm glad I have it.”
If someone was on the fence about attending RCBC, what would you tell them?
“I would tell them it's really great... I think it's a really great school, especially with opportunities like CAPing, like I said. If you have the opportunity, I would say take it. There are many opportunities here. The 2+2, the 3+1. There's also a lot of help available, including resources you can reach out to. So I would definitely recommend it.”
