Two Hillsborough residents recently graduated from Centenary College in Hackettstown.
Nicole Forsythe earned a bachelor of fine arts degree, and Michael Stephenson a bachelor of arts degree.
Koko Tanimoto Kondo, one of the youngest Hiroshima A-bomb survivors and an internationally recognized peace advocate, was the keynote speaker. Ms. Kondo received her associate in arts degree from Centenary College in 1966, and her bachelor of arts degree from American University in 1969.
At the moment the bomb was dropped at 8:16 a.m. on August 6, 1945, she was an eight-month-old infant at home less than one mile away from the hypocenter of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, the first of two atomic bombs used during World War II. She grew up amid the destruction of her town and saw the long-lasting effects that radiation poisoning had on its citizens.
As a child, Kondo was heavily influenced by her father, the Rev. Kiyoshi Tanimoto. He was instrumental in helping rebuild the city and promoting a message of peace. He created the Hiroshima Maiden Project, which assisted young girls who had become disfigured from the attack. He worked with the Moral Adoption Project, which raised funds in the United States to build orphanages in Hiroshima for war orphans.
Degrees were awarded to 429 graduates, including 133 bachelor of arts, 24 bachelor of fine arts, 151 bachelor of science, 13 bachelor of social work, 27 master of arts, 6 master of education and 62 master of business administration.
* * *
Four local graduates were awarded diplomas at the Berkeley College commencement ceremony April 24 at the Prudential Center in Newark. Among the 2,300 graduates were more than 200 international students and 120 military and veteran graduates.
Receiving diplomas were:
Amanda Marcincavage of Manville, a bachelor of science in fashion merchandising and management, with honors;
Jessica Miller of Hillsborough, a bachelor of science in fashion merchandising and management;
Cuong Nguyen of Hillsborough, a bachelor of science in financial services, with honors; and
Patricia Vasquez of Belle Mead, an associate in applied science in fashion merchandising and management, with honors.
Christopher Rodriguez, director of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security, delivered the commencement address and received an honorary doctor of laws degree.
* * *
Hillsborough Township residents were among those earning master’s degrees from the University of Scranton (Pa.) at its graduate commencement on May 30.
Hillsborough residents earning degrees were:
— Ashish S. Shah, a master of business administration degree with a major in operations management;
— Katherine M. King earned a master of science degree with a major in human resources, and
— Matthew M. Mosko gaining a master of science degree with a major in reading education.
Col. James F. Cummings, M.D., ’88, director at the Department of Defense’s Global Emerging Infection Surveillance and Response Systems, was the principal speaker. He also received an honorary degree. Dr. Cummings told graduates to “know yourselves, be true to yourself, follow your passions,“ and to “go and set the world on fire.”
* * *
Charles R. Fenwick of Hillsborough received his bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Western New England University in Springfield, Mass., on May 16 in the Alumni Healthful Living Center on campus.
* * *
Gabriela Perez of Hillsborough graduated in May from Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. She earned a bachelor of arts in journalism.
* * *
William J. Kretz III, a resident of Hillsborough and graduate of Immaculata High School, graduated cum laude from the University of Richmond on May 10.
William graduated with majors in both chemistry and mathematics and was a member of both Pi Mu Epsilon (mathematics) and Sigma Pi Pi (chemistry) honor societies. He also received a departmental honor from the University of Richmond’s chemistry department and the Junior and Senior Research Achievement Awards.
William will continue his studies at Cornell University, where he will pursue his PhD in chemistry while serving as a teaching and research assistant.
* * *
To have a graduation announcement printed, email words and photos to Managing Editor Gene Robbins at grobbins@centraljersey.com.