Mount Laurel – Rowan College at Burlington County will celebrate more than 500 spring graduates over two ceremonies on Thursday, May 16, with keynote speeches featuring keynote addresses by Gov. Phil Murphy and Phillies Broadcaster Gregg Murphy.
“It’s time to celebrate the hard work and accomplishments of Rowan College at Burlington County graduates,” said RCBC President Dr. Michael A. Cioce. “Within one year of graduation, more than 95% of RCBC alumni have jobs, working toward their bachelor’s degree or serving in the military, and there’s no doubt that members of the class of 2024 will have similar success.”
This year, the college will hold two ceremonies outside on the quad. The proceedings will be live-streamed on the college’s YouTube channel, accessible through rcbc.edu. More details are available at rcbc.edu/commencement.
- The Liberal Arts ceremony will be at 10 a.m., featuring a keynote address from Gregg Murphy, from the Phillies Radio Network, and RCBC President’s Award Winner Aislynn Fait. Fait, who never attended school before RCBC, flourished here with a 3.8 GPA as a Service-Learning scholar and as part of a student delegation that traveled to New York to work with young leaders worldwide to help develop solutions to global problems.
- The Health Sciences, STEM (Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics and Adult Basic Education ceremony will be at 2 pm featuring a keynote address from Gov. Phil Murphy and President’s Award Winners Joseph Vercillo (Health Sciences) and Taiwo Adekunle (STEM).
Vercillo, who returned to college in his late 30s, is a nursing student from Canada who volunteered with the Moorestown Fire Department.
Adekunle pursued her passion of becoming a fashion designer after immigrating from Western Nigeria. Restarting her education in a new country and culture, Adekunle became a campus leader, student researcher and entrepreneur who is establishing herself in the fashion industry.
The college will share longer versions of the students' stories each day this week.
“RCBC students have incredible journeys and stories to share, and I look forward to hearing them all,” Cioce said. “I’m also eager to hear from Governor Murphy, who championed higher education during his term, and Gregg Murphy, a Mount Laurel native and cancer survivor, who is part of the soundtrack of our summer with the Phillies.”
The college reduced the number of spring ceremonies from three to two this year with the addition of December ceremonies last winter to celebrate students who completed their degrees in August and December.
