Raritan Valley Community College awarded associate degrees and certificates to about 1,190 graduates at its commencement Saturday, May 19, on the college’s soccer field.
Dr. Greg Olsen, a research scientist and entrepreneur who was the third private citizen to orbit the earth on the International Space Station (ISS), delivered the commencement address and received an honorary degree during the ceremony.
After training for five months at the Yuri Gagarin Cosmonaut Training Center in Moscow, Dr. Olsen launched on a Russian Soyuz rocket TMA-7 on Oct. 1, 2005, performed more than 150 orbits of the earth and logged almost four million miles of weightless travel during his 10 days in space.
After a career as a research scientist and entrepreneur, Dr. Olsen now serves as president of GHO Ventures in Princeton and makes speaking engagements to encourage children especially minorities and females to consider careers in science and engineering.
The program also featured RVCC student commencement speaker Maribel Santos of Somerville. Santos immigrated from Ecuador in 2004. A high school junior at the time, Santos obtained her GED in 2006. After attending her older sister’s RVCC commencement in 2007, Santos was inspired to get a college education.
She enrolled at RVCC, first taking ESL classes to improve her English. Santos thrived at RVCC and was named a Galileo Scholar. Her other accomplishments include founding and being president of the Biology-Chemistry Club, serving as vice president of RVCC’s chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, and being named to Phi Theta Kappa’s New Jersey All-State Academic Team. Santos graduated with an associate of science degree in science and mathematics, pre-medical professional. This fall she will attend Smith College on a full scholarship. She plans to enter the medical profession, focusing on either research or surgery.
Brandyn Heppard, who has been teaching philosophy at RVCC since 2009, delivered the faculty address. ’’Away from the classroom, Heppard is also a performing artist (singer, keyboard/guitar player and percussionist). As a performer he has shared stages with several Grammy Award-winning acts, including the Black Eyed Peas and Kanye West, as well as Wyclef Jean, Cee Lo Green, Common, Robert Randolph and Julian Marley.
RVCC’s main campus is on Lamington Road in Branchburg. Serving Somerset and Hunterdon County residents for more than 40 years, the college offers more than 90 associate degrees and certificates. RVCC @ Bridgewater offers technical, trade, credit and non-credit courses.
Local graduates are listed below. Use this key for degrees: Associate of Arts (A.A.); Associate of Science (A.S.); Associate of Fine Arts (A.F.A.); Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.).
From &From Manville:
Jessica Pacheco Andrade, AA – Liberal Arts, ;
Russell James Anile, AAS – Food and Beverage Mgmt, ;
Brenda J. Bickar, Certificate, Medical Assistant;
Stephanie Marie Bowen, AA – Liberal Arts;
Kristin Brown, AA – Liberal Arts;
Rebecca Marie Burke, AA – Education Transfer (K-12);
Charles R. Burkoski, AA – Criminal Justice;
Carrissa D. Chapkowski, AAS – Nursing;
Dawn M. Colucci, AAS – Accounting;
Tanya M. Cruz, Certificate Achievement – Cosmetology;
Seann F. Erhart, Certificate – Computer Network – Trad;
Seann F. Erhart, Certificate – Computer Support;
Carmen Sofia Glenn, AA – Education Transfer (K-12);
Claudia Garces-Soares, AAS – Accounting;
Theresa Golden, AAS – Paralegal Studies;
Russell Matthew Grimm, AA – English;
Jackeline M. Hernandez, Certificate of Achievement – Cosmetology;
Gilda Patricia Gutierrez, AA – Education Transfer (K-12);
Takiyah Hodge, AA – Education: P-5;
Jennifer Leigh Hoffman, AAS – Nursing;
James J. Horsburgh, AA – Liberal Arts;
Patrick Leo Impellizeri, AAS – Law Enforcement;
Patrick Leo Impellizeri, Certificate – Corrections;
Natalia Isachenko, Certificate – Paralegal Studies;
Lauren Nicole Jankowski, Certificate, Medical Assistant;
Coryn C. Klementovicz, AA – Liberal Arts;
Jason Kreideweis, AA – Criminal Justice;
David Le, AA – Liberal Arts;
Caitlin A. Lincoln, AS – Health Science;
Alexander Maillard, AS – Business Administration;
Natasha Carol Marchick, AA – Liberal Arts;
Amanda Helyn Marcincavage, AA – Liberal Arts;
William J. Mazzucca, AA – Liberal Arts;
Lisa Marie Mustachio, AA – Criminal Justice;
Stephen P. Oram, AA – Early Childhood Education;
Jennifer Tiffany Perlman, AA – Liberal Arts;
Kim Richter, AA – Liberal Arts;
Dana Lynn Roberts, AAS Nursing ;
Derek James Sanchez, AS – Science and Mathematics;
Derek James Sanchez, AS – Engineering Science;
Jenna Marie Sanchez, AAS – Nursing;
Catherine M. Spinola, AA – English;
Angela Vinchur, AA – Liberal Arts;
Alexis Rae Weikel, AA – Education Transfer (K-12);
Travis W. Williams, AS – Engineering Science;
From Hillsborough:
Vincent Angelo Balancia, AA – Liberal Arts;
John Vito Bender, AS – Science and Mathematics;
Andrea L. Bierwirth, Certificate – CPA Education;
Antonio R. Blazevige, AA – Criminal Justice;
Joy Stephanie Bonet, AA – Liberal Arts;
Jennifer Marie Bryce, Certificate, Medical Assistant;
Michael Sean Byrne, AA – Liberal Arts;
Andrea Marie Cappelluti, AA – Liberal Arts;
Britney Lea Castano, AA – Early Childhood Education;
Katelyn E. Cohen, AA – Liberal Arts;
Ryan Kennedy Correll, AA – Liberal Arts;
Marrissa Eileen Cruz, AA – Liberal Arts;
Samantha Czechowicz, AS – Science and Mathematics;
Marissa L. Defeo, AA – Liberal Arts;
Kelli Jolene DePaul, AAS – Business Management;
Albert Joseph DeSanto, AA – Liberal Arts;
Kurt Joseph DiBenedetto, AAS – Electric Utility Tech;
Alla Dmytriieva, AA – Liberal Arts;
Timothy S. Dunham, Certificate – CPA Education;
Thelma Dzeuba, AS – Biotechnology;
Thelma Dzeuba, AS – Science and Mathematics;
Michelle Ellis, AA – Liberal Arts;
Michael D. Findeis, AAS – Accounting;
Mary Ellen Finnegan, Certificate Achievement – Cosmetology;
Veronica Gadhok, AA – Early Childhood Educ;
Steven A. Garlatti, AS – Business Administration;
Yamiley Gedeon, AS – Business Administration;
Jennifer Lynne Geiger, AA – Criminal Justice;
Morgan P. Geoghegan, AA – Liberal Arts;
Beatrice Ran Glezman, AA – Education Transfer (K-12);
Cathleen L. Goedde, AS – Biotechnology;
Jason John Gregor, AA – Criminal Justice;
Megan E. Gutschmidt, AA – Early Childhood Education;
Caitlin A. Halm, AA – Liberal Arts;
AnnaMarie Katheleen Helmacy, AA – Liberal Arts;
Daniel Hetherington, AAS – Business Management;
Joseph Emiddio Hoffman, AS – Science and Mathematics;
Paula Catherine Hoffman, AS – Science and Mathematics;
Christine E. Janokowicz, AFA – Visual Arts;
Matthew Jedziniak, AFA – Visual Arts;
Ashley N. Johnson, AA – Criminal Justice;
Teresa Juarez, Certificate Achievement – Cosmetology;
Amy Rose Julian, AA – Liberal Arts;
Candace B. King, Certificate – Medical Coding;
Stuart Kruze, AAS – Multimedia Comm;
Brian H. Lake, AAS – Nursing;
Daniel Lasso, AAS – Electric Utility Tech;
Jessica Rose Latocha, AFA – Visual Arts;
Jacob Hunter Latocha, AS – Exercise Science;
Eric Lawton, AS – Digital Media/Film Studies;
Daniel Ledezma, AA – Criminal Justice;
Jessica Lindsay Leinbach, Certificate Achievement, Cosmetology;
Kyle Alan Lenkey, AA – Criminal Justice;
Rachel Hannah Lepinsky, AA – Education: P-5;
Clare Catherine Locatell, AA – Liberal Arts;
Jennifer Monica Lockhart, AA – Criminal Justice;
Christopher Robert Lukach, AS – Exercise Science;
Felicia M. Lynch, AS – Business Administration;
Michael Majchrowski, AA – Criminal Justice;
Jason Ian Makarevic, AA – Liberal Arts;
Susan C. Mayer, Elec Health Records Certificate of Comp;
Sandra Yuri Mbelli, AS – Science and Mathematics;
Charles McGinnis, AFA – Music;
Paul McGreevy, AA – Liberal Arts;
Mery Ann McNicholas, AA – Early Childhood Educ;
Kaitlyn Rose Meeks, AFA – Visual Arts;
Shikha Midha, AA – Education Transfer (K-12);
Kimberly Ann Morales, AA – Education Transfer (K-12);
Elizabeth Njoki Muigai, Elec Health Records Certificate of Comp;
Linda Ojeda, AA – Liberal Arts;
Shannon Mae Palzer, AA – Education Transfer (K-12);
Lauren Panciello, AA – Liberal Arts;
Caroline Paterno, AFA – Visual Arts;
Samantha J. Pendleton, AA – Liberal Arts;
Kristen Kelly Petersen, AA – Education Transfer (K-12);
Jessica Catherwood Pfeiffer, AA – Liberal Arts;
Thomas Pileggi, AAS – Automotive Technology;
Thomas Pileggi, AS – Business Administration;
Michael Portlock, AA – English;
Jason Anthony Przewoznik, AA – Criminal Justice;
Joe A. Quezada, AS – Business Administration;
Brittany N. Ramaglia, AA – Liberal Arts;
Melissa Ramirez, AFA – Visual Arts;
Patrick William Reddan, AS – Engineering Science;
Patrick William Reddan, AS – Science and Mathematics;
Jeremy M. Reynolds, AAS – Business Management;
Semon Rezchikov, AS – Science and Mathematics;
Daniel Garret Rhodes, AA – Criminal Justice;
Patricia A. Riehl-Kelly, AAS – Interior Design;
Carla Ann Roman, AS – Science and Mathematics;
Danielle Nicole Romanoskie, AFA – Visual Arts;
Diane Ruddock, Elec Health Records Certificate of Comp;
James H. Ruderer Jr., AAS – Nursing;
Randee S. Runyon, AAS – Paralegal Studies;
John Peter Russo, AS – Business Administration;
Helay-Benawa Samad, Certificate – Medical Coding;
Julie Michelle Schneebacher, AA – Education Transfer (K-12);
Robin Jayne Schwab, AAS – Nursing;
Kathleen Schwint, AAS – Nursing;
Kaylee Naomi Shvetz, AFA – Visual Arts;
Richa Singh, AS – Science and Mathematics;
Melissa Ryland Skrabal, Certificate – Web Developer;
Khadija Donata Solomon, AA – Liberal Arts;
Hillary Anne Stein, AA – Liberal Arts;
Chelsea Mills Steinberg, AFA – Visual Arts;
Chelsea Steinhauer, AA – Liberal Arts;
Barbara Su, AA – Liberal Arts;
Zainab Mohammad Syed, AA – Early Childhood Educ;
Yusra M. Syed, AS – Science and Mathematics;
John Tamanas, AS – Science and Mathematics;
Kristina Angela Taylor, AA – Liberal Arts;
Beena Bhanu Thomas, AAS – Nursing;
Christopher James Thompson, AS – Business Administration;
Amber Toifel, AA – Education Transfer (K-12);
Megan Nicole Troeller, AA – Criminal Justice;
Brittanie Vangeli, AA – Education Transfer (K-12);
Crista Ann Vizzoni, Certificate Achievement – Cosmetology;
Jessica Vos, AA – Liberal Arts;
Warren Glen Warren, AS – Web Developer;
Caryn D. Webb, Elec Health Records Certificate of Comp;
Genevieve Augusta Yhap-Zebro, Elec Health Records Certificate of Comp;
Karen Zervopoulos, AAS – Nursing;
