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Mechanical engineering student Rooney Rasare was born in Kenya and moved to the U.S. when he was eight years old. His newly arrived parents decided to enroll at Raritan Valley Community College, where his dad studied human services and his mom studied finance. Both parents went on to transfer to Rutgers University and pursue their careers—while Rooney followed in their academic footsteps by enrolling at RVCC.

Rooney’s decision to attend RVCC was not only motivated by his family legacy, but also by finances and scholarship opportunities. He received the inaugural Pray Center Service Learning and Civic Engagement Scholarship at RVCC (a $2,000 award)—in recognition of his outstanding academic and service completed in high school that he continues to demonstrate at RVCC. 

During his time at Hillsborough High School, Rooney also received the Paul Robeson Youth Achievement Award, which recognizes outstanding high-achieving African American students in the areas of scholarship, athletics, the arts, and community service. Sealing the deal was the opportunity to attend the RVCC Honors College, a selective community of scholars who take smaller, seminar-style courses.

“It’s been a really good experience knowing that there are people who want to learn as much as I do and get to the level I want to reach,” says Rooney, referring to the RVCC Honors College. “I always try to challenge myself to find that one person who can push me to that academic level and also push me to a social level. Or sometimes I push them through,” says Rooney, a first-year student majoring in Mechanical Engineering Technology.

Pursuing an associate’s degree in engineering was a natural decision for Rooney, whose passion for the subject began in childhood.

“Whenever something was broken in the house, either my dad or I would fix it. I would be mainly on the electronic side, and he would be more on the hardware side, because he used to do a little bit of technical drawing engineering back in Kenya,” says Rooney. “A lot of those skills, I learned from him.”

Rooney decided to pursue mechanical engineering specifically, due to its collaborative nature. “I started getting interested in the idea of working in group setting where you can put out ideas on how to build things, and see it all come together,” he says.

After receiving his two-year degree in engineering from RVCC, Rooney plans to transfer to a four-year college in New Jersey. His eventual career goal is to work as an engineer in the automotive or aerospace industry.

Meanwhile, Rooney is keeping busy with a full course load at RVCC while also working part-time at a local fitness center, training in track, and staying involved in multiple campus activities. He’s a member of the Engineering Club, the Men of Color Collective, and the Orgullo Latino/Latin Pride Club, where he’s able to put his English/Spanish biliteracy to good use and socialize through various cultural activities. 

“The campus has a lot of study areas and places to talk and socialize with people, which is a very big aspect for me,” says Rooney. “I made it a goal to put myself out there as much as I could,” he says. “And so far I’ve gotten a great return for those efforts.”

Engineering Hopefuls: Become the Next RVCC Success Story!

Have you been researching the “best engineering schools in New Jersey near me?” Or maybe you’re wondering “what can you do with an engineering degree?”

Head over to RVCC’s STEM pathway page, which explores how to become an engineer and walks you through our various programs.

About RVCC

RVCC is ranked the #1 community college in NJ by WalletHub.com and Intelligent.com. The College offers more than 90 degree and certificate programs, along with small class sizes, affordable tuition, the best community college scholarships, and so much more. Apply today!