The New Jersey Office of Emergency Services recently awarded Richard Bendel the 2023 Prehospital Educator of the Year. He has served the community since 1973 as a dedicated public servant. Currently, he holds the NJOEMS EMT Course Coordinator position for the RCBC EMT Program. 

When asked what this award means, Bendel responded, “It’s so rewarding because I enjoy teaching and interacting with the students, especially when you see that lightbulb go off.”

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.

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.

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. 

Jennifer Welwood, a native of Medford, New Jersey, lacked access to proper guidance and financial resources, preventing her from understanding the importance of higher education.

Upon completing her high school studies, she worked at a standard job. However, she soon realized that this position was unlikely to offer her the growth she needed to achieve her goals and reach her desired destination. “Ultimately, I wanted better for myself, and getting a degree was the only option, no matter where or in what.”

The Criminal Justice program at Rowan College at Burlington County blends professional law enforcement experience, the compassion of social services and classroom theory to give students a thorough understanding of the scenarios they will face in their future careers.