Class of 2024 Commencement

Graduation Diploma Application

1) Review your Degree Audit (found in the Lion's Den) for accuracy. Should you have any questions regarding your degree audit (incorrect major, outstanding requirements, etc.), please contact your Academic Advisor or the Advising, Counseling and Transfer Services department at ACTS@raritanval.edu.

2) Complete the Graduation Application by clicking on the link below:

https://lionsden.raritanval.edu/launch-task/all/rv-graduation?terms=Graduation&roles=rv-academic-student%2Crv-staff

Without filling out the graduation diploma application, your degree will not be granted. All students must submit a graduation application regardless if you plan to attend the ceremony or not. You need to do this ASAP, the sooner the better. The deadline for spring graduates is April 14, 2024. The deadline for summer graduates is August 4, 2024. However, summer graduates interested in attending the May commencement ceremony must apply by April 7, 2024.

If you fail to apply by the graduation date listed, your degree may not be conferred until the next diploma date. I suggest not waiting until the deadline and completing the process as soon as possible. 
 

Name Pronunciation: If you have concerns about the pronunciation of your name please email Dean Patrice Marks at Academic.affairs@raritanval.edu with subject line “Name Pronunciation” and include in the body of the email your name and a phonetic spelling. Example: Raul Gonzalez: rah-OOL gon-SAH-les  The deadline to submit this request is Friday, May 3, 2024.

Prior to the Ceremony:

Disability Accommodations: If you or your guest require disability related accommodations or arrangements, please contact the Center for Accessibility and Inclusive Education by phone at 908-526-1200 x8534 or by email at caie@raritanval.edu.

Gown, Cap & Tassel: Available at Grad Fest on Wednesday, May 1.  For more information, see Grad Fest below.

Honors: Honors regalia will be given out to graduates at Grad Fest.  If you receive a medallion, stole or cord; these are yours to keep.  Since spring grades are not yet final, honors have been based on GPA and grades at the end of the fall 2023 semester.  Transcripts will reflect the appropriate honors once grades are final.

Tickets: Graduates will receive two tickets for guests who will have a seat in a general admission guest seating area. Tickets will be distributed at Grad Fest along with your cap and gown.  Additional guests may attend by bringing lawn chairs to a designated area. The entrance gate will open at 9:00 am. No pets or helium balloons are allowed on the Soccer Field. Drones are not permitted on campus.
 

VIDEOS to watch prior to the Ceremony:
     How to wear your cap and gown
     Graduation Day Procedures

The Ceremony:

When: Saturday, May 11, 2024 at 10:00am

Where: RVCC Soccer Field. Click here to see campus map. Graduates should park in Lots 1, 2, 8, and 9 while guests are directed to park in Lot 5.  Cars with passengers with physical disabilities will be allowed to drop off guests at the Arts building across the road from the Soccer Field before parking in Lot 5. The ceremony is a rain or shine event, so please plan accordingly.

Time: The ceremony will begin at 10:00 am. The ceremony will last approximately two hours.  Graduates should arrive by 8:30 am and report to the Gymnasium in the Physical Education Building.  Bring your cap, gown, tassel and hood. 

Graduates will be marching from the Gymnasium to the Soccer field and several times across the field itself. Please wear appropriate shoes.

Photography: A commercial photographer will take pictures of each graduate receiving his/her diploma. The college receives no money from any purchase, and you are under no obligation to purchase the pictures.

Live Streaming: The ceremony will be streamed over the internet and can be accessed by clicking here.

Reception: Following the ceremony, you and your guests are invited to a reception at the Basketball Courts next to the Soccer Field.

Celebrate: See below for various social media ways to celebrate how proud you are of earning your degree!  #RVCCGrad

After the Ceremony:

Video: After the Commencement is aired at 10am, you will be able to rewatch the event.

Diploma: Graduates will receive notifications from RVCC via their personal and school emails once their diploma has arrived on campus. Graduates will have the option to have their diploma mailed or picked up in person. Those instructions will be sent at a later time.

Transcripts: Graduates wishing to order their official transcript as proof of graduation should confirm that all grades and graduation information is posted by checking their unofficial academic transcript through Lion's Den prior to ordering their transcript.

Transcripts can be ordered through Parchment at Raritanval.edu/transcript. Please note: Official transcripts with degree notation and the graduation date for May 2024 graduates will not be available until May 18, 2024.  Degree notation and the graduation date for August 2024 graduates will not be available until August 24, 2024.

Still have Questions?

Email your inquiries to graduation@raritanval.edu

If you did not attend GradFest  (5/1) you will need to come pick up your commencement regalia and tickets.

Please come to the Enrollment Services office (Across from Advising, Counseling and Transfer Services) between the hours of 8:30 AM- 3:30 PM Monday-Thursday and 8:30-1:30PM Friday from 5/2-5/10).

An event to build excitement for commencement as the semester is drawing to a close.  It is designed to celebrate student achievement and increase momentum as a final push to finish strong.  It is fast becoming a nationwide practice across community colleges and universities to aid students in completing their commencement requirements.  Having everything in one place is a convenience.

In a centralized environment, students will have the opportunity to:

• check graduation status
• receive commencement tickets
• pick up regalia including honor awards
• rsvp for commencement
• meet with Transfer Advisors, Career Development, Alumni representatives, the Book Store, Finance and Financial Aid, to name a few.

The best part is that all of the important tasks and discussions will be taking place while graduates get a chance to reflect and celebrate their success with their fellow classmates while enjoying refreshments, door prizes, giveaways, and photos.

Wednesday, May 1, 2024, Cafeteria, 2:00pm – 6:30pm

Click here https://mainst.ai/49D8xQn to RSVP 

Questions should be addressed to graduation@raritanval.edu
 

When: Saturday, May 11 at 10 am. The ceremony will last approximately two hours. Gates will open at 9 am.

Where: Raritan Valley Community College Soccer Field, 118 Lamington Road, Branchburg, NJ. Click here to see campus map. Guests will be directed to park in Lot 5. Cars with passengers with physical disabilities will be allowed to drop off guests at the Arts building across the road from the Soccer Field before parking in Lot 5. It is a rain or shine event so plan accordingly. No pets are allowed with the exception of service animals.

Tickets: Graduates will receive two tickets for guests who will have a seat in a general admission guest seating area. Additional guests may attend by bringing lawn chairs to a designated area. The entrance gate will open at 9:00 am. No pets or helium balloons are allowed on the Soccer Field. Drones are not permitted on campus.

Photography: Designated areas will be available for guests to take photographs. In addition, the College has commissioned a professional photographer, Island Photography, to take individual photos of graduates with their diplomas. Graduates are under no obligation to purchase the photographs.

Live Streaming: The ceremony will be streamed over the internet and can be accessed by clicking here.

Reception: Following the ceremony, graduates and their guests are invited to a reception at the Basketball Courts next to the Soccer Field.

Disability Accommodations: If you or your guest require disability related accommodations or arrangements, please contact the Center for Accessibility and Inclusive Education by phone at 908-526-1200 x8534 or by email at caie@raritanval.edu

Kareem McKenzie, Commencement Speaker 

Kareem McKenzie, a New Jersey native who grew up in Willingboro, is a licensed counselor and former professional athlete who played 11 years as an offensive tackle for both the New York Jets and the New York Giants. His career with the Giants brought him two Super Bowl wins—Super Bowl XLII and Super Bowl XLVI—both Championship contests against the New England Patriots.

While a player, McKenzie also interned with the National Football League. In those roles, he assisted managers in understanding players’ perspectives better and offered insight regarding services provided to current and former players in the NFL.

After retiring from professional football, the graduate of Penn State, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Management, continued his education to prepare for his second career: as a counselor. McKenzie pursued a graduate degree, earning a Master of Education in Professional Counseling from William Paterson University of New Jersey.

During his career as a counseling intern and later as a counselor, McKenzie has provided his services to individuals and groups of all ages. He has worked as a member of a psychiatric treatment team, handling intake assessments, co-facilitating group therapy sessions for adolescents and adults, conducting individual therapy sessions, and advocating for patients.

McKenzie also has worked with the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of the New York Tri-State Area. He served as a spokesperson and a selection committee member for the RMHC African American Future Achievers Scholarship Fund, which offers scholarships to students in financial need who have demonstrated academic achievement, leadership, and community involvement.

A Nationally Certified Counselor, McKenzie is currently a Doctoral Candidate at Kean University, where he is completing his PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision.
 

Ronald Tyson, Faculty Commencement Speaker

Ronald A. Tyson is an Associate Professor of English, and has been teaching at Raritan Valley Community College for 20 years. He received his B.A. in English from City College-City University of New York, and his M.A. in Literatures in English from the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, Rutgers University-New Brunswick.

Professor Tyson is a native Harlemite and still considers New York to be his home, even though he has been living in New Jersey for 30 years and in Monmouth County for nearly 25 years.

His academic interests include Composition/Rhetoric Theory, Colonial and 19th-Century American Literature, U.S. History, African American Literature and Culture, African Diaspora Studies, American Ethnic Literature, and U.S. Popular Culture. In his recent scholarly work, Professor Tyson has been looking at the relationships between myth and history as related to African American literature and culture.
 

Jordan Barge, Student Commencement Speaker

Jordan Barge completed an Associate of Science in Criminal Justice from RVCC in December, graduating Summa Cum Laude as a member of the Honors College. She is receiving the Academic Award for Criminal Justice. Barge now attends John Jay College of Criminal Justice, where she is studying International Criminal Justice and working as a Peer Career Educator in the Career Center.

While at RVCC, Barge, an EOF student and Student Ambassador, served as President of the Criminal Justice Club and Vice President of Leadership and Service for the Orgullo Latino Club. 
She received the Cento Amici and Raritan Promise scholarships, as well as the President's Volunteer Gold Service Award and the annual Service Learning Leadership Award.

Barge also has gained valuable experience interning for several organizations and groups, including the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office (Sex Crimes Unit), the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office, NJ Courts (Criminal Division), and the RVCC Achievement Center.

This summer, she will be attending the Monmouth County Police Academy and serving as a Special Law Enforcement Officer Class 1. Barge will be interning this fall with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, a federal law enforcement agency.
 

Click here to view the Commencement Program

Honors listed in Commencement Program

Graduation-with-honors designations are based on the student’s grade point average (GPA) as follows.

• Summer 2023 and Fall 2023 Graduates – GPA at the end of the Graduation term.
• Spring 2024 and Summer 2024 Graduates – GPA at end of the Fall 2023 Semester

After all final degree audits are reviewed and degrees and certificates are formally posted to students’ RVCC student records the official academic honors will be awarded.

For questions about the names listed in the program email graduation@raritanval.edu

ACADEMIC AWARD RECIPIENTS
The following graduates of the class of 2023-2024 are being recognized for their outstanding academic achievement.

To view the Academic Awards Ceremony click here.

Occupational Therapy Assistant
Nicole Adams

Graphic and Interactive Design
Anjelica Alpizar

Interior Architecture and Design
Amanda Alves

Engineering Science
Madeleyn Andrade Cajamarca

Biology
Giovanni Anzalone

Criminal Justice
Jordan Barge

Environmental Science
Emma Barrett

Interface Design & Web Development
Eric Brown

Accounting
Jacqueline Chafey

Early Childhood Education
Rachel Clerkin

Computer Programming
Daniel Corritore

Information Systems & Technology
Karun Dani

Game Art
Isabella Reinn Dela Pena

Social Media Specialist Certificate
Ruby Dennis

Paralegal Studies Certificate
Daniel Errico

Automotive Technology
Michael Hernandez

Theatre
Shelton Hightower

Liberal Arts
Courtney Hoffman

Social Sciences
Jana Jirackova

Music
Ollie Johnson

Mathematics
Damian Juth

Environmental Studies
River Mariman

Computer Science
Chateaubriand Markos-Saad

Visual Arts
Elizabeth Mathes

Supply Chain Management Option in Business Management
Maira Mendonca

Environmental Control Technology
Angus Morgan

Exercise Science - Option in Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation
Shari Nyce

Engineering Science
Olivia O'Donnell

General Business Option in Business Administration
Stacy Richards

Medical Laboratory Technology
Ariana Robinson

Paralegal Studies
Enid Rolon-Doyle

Medical Assistant Certificate
Geetanjali Samlall-Sohan

CPA Education Requirement Certificate
Matthew Shamy

English
Anthony Stoto

Nursing
Michele Tokar

Exercise Science
Bradley Walton

Education: P-12
Kelly Zona