Rowan College at Burlington County alum Chimere Nicole Haskins has won International Mrs. USA 2023, her second nationally recognized title, after winning Mrs. New Jersey America in 2020.

Growing up in Trenton, Haskins found her passion for helping and connecting with others. She began her journey in cosmetology, a career of 20+ years, and soon after, she began running her own salon styling looks for models and pageant queens alike. 

Beverly Sweeney, a native of Burlington County, has been attending Rowan College at Burlington County (RCBC) since 1972. After graduating high school, she earned her nursing license and discovered her passion for caring for children. She enrolled at RCBC and completed her associate degree in early childhood education to work full-time with children.

“Why settle?” - RCBC President Dr. Michael A. Cioce

Abby Crawley is a communications student who graduated from the Burlington County Institute of Technology and is now a Rowan College at Burlington County Baron. Growing up in a working-class family, Abby’s career goal is to be a social media manager. As an intern in the college’s marketing and communications office, Abby shared her own perspective and that of other first-gen students. November 8 is National First-Generation College Celebration Day.

As a child, Bret Weeden never considered joining the military or moving to New Jersey. However, when he learned that his family was about to be evicted from their home in Philadelphia, he knew he had to change and start anew.

Shortly after, Weeden relocated to New Jersey and resided with his sister in search of a fresh start for his upcoming phase in life. He aimed to forget all the poor choices and hardships he had faced due to lack of guidance from his family and was keen on living in a safer locality than the Kensington area of Philadelphia.

Amanda Hartman, a recent addition to the RCBC Strategic Marketing and Communications team, bravely shared her personal story as a military dependent and veteran, along with the challenges and obstacles.

Having a father in the Army, Hartman moved around a lot at a young age – starting with her birthplace in Montana, Arizona, Texas, Utah and Germany, all before age 15. Unfortunately, her father became injured while stationed in Germany, and his mental and physical disability weighed on him, ultimately leading him to take his own life. 

Erkan Batti, originally from Turkey, completed his nursing associate degree program at RCBC in 2006. During his time at RCBC, he was actively involved and valued the hands-on approach of the program. When he enrolled, he knew the college's excellent academic reputation and supportive environment.

Various RCBC faculty and staff truly impacted his career, but he mainly spoke highly of Former Instructor Janet Briggs and Assistant Professor Joyce Rittenhouse.