RVCC Celebrates 50 Years of Excellence
This month marks the 50th Anniversary of Raritan Valley Community College. Originally named Somerset County College, the institution welcomed the first 229 students on September 12, 1968 at the College’s temporary home: Green Brook High School. And, in May 1970, the first commencement was held for 75 graduates.
Meet RVCC’s “First Student!”
The College’s first student was Celeste Onka. When information about the College appeared in newspapers, the opportunity caught her attention as she liked the idea of a college offering 2 year degrees or Associate Degrees. One of the programs offered was Computer Science, which was rare as computers were just beginning to be launched in businesses. The knowledge gained at the College launched Celeste’s prosperous 42 year career during which she worked for notable companies like Hewlett Packard. Celeste was on the forefront of the computer generation. You can prepare for a great career in today’s emerging growth industries. Learn how now!
RVCC’s History of Growth and Opportunity
RVCC’s permanent campus was solidified when a 240-acre site in Branchburg was purchased in 1968. The College’s first building—the current Arts Building—housed all of the College’s operations. And, in 1973, students moved into new facilities that were on par with those offered by leading secondary education schools.
As the student population grew so did the campus with the construction of the College Center, Physical Education Building with a gym, pool and Fitness Center, Library and a 1,000-seat Theatre.
In 1987, the College was renamed Raritan Valley Community College when Hunterdon and Somerset County Freeholders approved co-sponsorship of the Institution. RVCC continued to flourish in the 1990s with the opening of a 100-seat Planetarium, a campus Child Care Center and Conference Center. Other additions include the Institute for Holocaust and Genocide Studies and the Paul Robeson Institute for Ethics, Leadership and Social Justice.
The next decade brought record enrollment, a new Science Center, Academic Support Center and the largest classroom building on campus—the West Building. The campus expansion continued with the opening of the Ray Bateman Center for Student Life and Leadership in 2014, the expanded Science Center in 2016 and the Workforce Training Center in 2017. The Workforce Center ushered in a new partnership with local industry to prepare highly trained workers in high demand fields.
The College has received national accolades for its service to the community, environmental stewardship and commitment to diversity.
The bar continues to rise at RVCC with its stellar faculty, innovative offerings, and top-notch, cost-effective education. Contact RVCC now!
Learn About RVCC
Raritan Valley Community College has been ranked the #1 community college in NJ by both BestColleges.com and Niche.com, and Zippia.com has ranked RVCC as the best community college in NJ for getting a job. As a leading state college in New Jersey, RVCC serves students locally from Somerset County and Hunterdon County, across the country and around the world offering top degree programs and the best local career training. For further information, visit www.raritanval.edu