2023 Commencement

Majors that will walk on Wednesday, May 17 at 10 am.

• Accounting
• Advanced and Continuing Studies
• American Sign Language
• Art
• Business Administration
• Business Management Technology
• Business Technology
• Communication Arts
• Criminal Justice
• Education
• English
• History
• Human Services
• Liberal Arts
• Music
• Paralegal 
• Philosophy
• Photography
• Political Science
• Psychology
• Sound and Recording Engineering
• Theatre
• Video and Digital Media Productions

Majors that will walk on Thursday, May 18 at 10 am.

• Applied Technology Management
• Biology
• Biotechnology
• Chemical Engineering
• Chemistry
• Computer Engineering Technology
• Computer Information Systems
• Computer Management Information Systems
• Computer Networking Support and Servicing
• Computer Science
• Construction Management
• Cooking and Baking
• Culinary Technology
• Cybersecurity
• Electrical Engineering Technology
• Engineering
• Environmental Science
• Fashion Design
• Fashion Product Merchandising
• Fire Investigation
• Fire Science
• Graphic Design and Digital Media
• Hospitality and  Tourism Management
• Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Mathematics
• Mechanical Engineering Technology
• Physics
• Technical Studies

Majors that will walk on Thursday, May 18 at 1 pm.

• Cancer Registry Management
• Coding
• Dental Hygiene
• Diagnostic Medical Sonography
• Exercise Science Health and Wellness Promotion
• Health Information Technology
• Health Science
• Nursing
• Paramedic Science
• Radiography

Q. When and where should I show up the day up my ceremony?  
A. Please arrive 60 minutes ahead of time and park in any of the designated lots. Graduates are then meeting over at the side parking lot of Votta Hall where you will check-in. Your guests can make their way over to Quad to find seating.

Q. How much is my cap and gown?
A. There is no charge for a cap and gown, as long as you pick it up from the RCBC Bookstore between Monday, 4/24 and Monday, 5/1.

Q. Where do I pick my size for my cap and gown?
A. You will be fitted for your gown when you pick it up from the Bookstore.

Q. Will there be an on-campus commencement rehearsal?
A. No, there will be no on-campus rehearsal, but keep checking the Commencement website for updates.

Q. Where should guests and family park?
A. Recommended parking lots for guests are Lots 1, 6, 9 and 10.

Q. How will seating for the ceremony be set up?
A. Guest seating for all commencement ceremonies will be in the campus quad. Tickets are not required, but chairs will be set in pods of 4. Please note guests may not move chairs. Restrooms will be available in Laurel Hall and the Student Success Center.

Q. Will the ceremony be live streamed? 
A.  Yes!  Subscribe to our YouTube channel to get notifications about the live stream.

Q. What happens if it rains or there is bad weather the date of commencement?
A. In the event of inclement weather, that day's ceremonies will be moved to Friday, May 19.

Q. What are the accommodations for handicapped guests?
A. The ceremony will be held on the quad area, which is grass. There are sidewalks from the parking lots and all around the grass area, and there is handicapped parking available close to the quad. If you have a family member with limited mobility, there will be close drop off points for them, and there will be a paved seating area available if they can't maneuver onto the grass. Please note that the paved seating area is separate from the general guest seating area, and is limited to the person with limited mobility and one other person who may sit with them. The rest of your guests must sit in the general seating area.

Q. I’m not attending the ceremony, how do I get my diploma?
A. The Registration Department will email information about diploma pickup days later this summer.

Q. Are tickets required for guests to enter the ceremony?
A. Tickets are NOT required for any of the outdoor ceremonies.  If inclement weather forces the ceremony indoors, we will send out communication and instructions for ticket pickup.

When Nick Bayer founded Saxbys in 2005, he didn’t want it to be like any other coffee company. Over the years, Saxbys has found its true identity as a pioneering education and opportunity company fueled by great coffee and hospitality.

Since 2005, Saxbys, a Certified B Corporation, has grown from one corner cafe to a nearly 30-unit, Philadelphia-based business with a singular mission: Make Life Better. For Nick, making life better is achieved through bringing people together, whether as consummate Little League team captain, one of the Philadelphia Business Journal’s “Most Admired CEOs,” or through community building, meaningful workforce development and place making in Saxbys’ cafes.

From its cafes to its headquarters, Saxbys’ core values are imperative to the business and guest experience, especially as it launched and grew The Saxbys Experiential Learning Platform (The Saxbys E.L.P.). In 2015, in partnership with Drexel University, Saxbys opened the nation’s first entirely student-run business, in which the Student CEO earns full academic credit, a salary, and bonuses with full responsibility for the business’ Profit & Loss statement. In 2022, Saxbys opened its first community college cafe in partnership with Rowan College at Burlington County.

The E.L.P. emboldens the next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs by providing undergraduate students with dynamic, hands-on experience as a complement to traditional, in-classroom learning. In just seven years, the E.L.P has grown from one cafe to over 20, and is on pace to double its footprint by 2024. Beyond Saxbys, Nick holds a number of leadership positions in higher education and in the Philadelphia community.

He is currently the Entrepreneur in Residence at Cornell University–his alma mater–in their SJ Johnson College of Business. He is also an adjunct professor at Drexel University and the Executive in Residence at Temple University’s Fox School of Business. Nick serves on the Board of The Franklin Institute, the Community College of Philadelphia, Drexel University’s Close School of Entrepreneurship, and the Corporate Council for the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He also serves on the Board and Executive Committee of the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.

Nick has been named “Entrepreneur of the Year” by the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce, “Social Entrepreneur of the Year” by EY, and one of the “100 Most Powerful Business Leaders in Philadelphia” by the Philadelphia Business Journal. He resides in Center City Philadelphia with his wife Hally and his son Luke.

Crystal Bourne is an assistant professor of Mathematics at Rowan College at Burlington County who relates to students as an alum who started her educational journey at RCBC as an adult student.

After graduating with an associate degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences from RCBC, she earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Mathematics from Rutgers University in Camden in 2009 and was immediately selected for a full-time faculty position at RCBC.

At RCBC, Professor Bourne teaches math in a way that makes it relatable and easy to understand, which is something that motivated her to become a teacher. “It doesn’t have to be that hard,” is one of her favorite sayings.

Professor Bourne is currently the chairperson for the Mathematics Department. She is involved in many RCBC committees because she enjoys working with the students, faculty and administration. 

Her students often comment that her passion for math is evident and in 2019, she was selected for Professor of the Year. 

Dr. Ronald J. Klebacher has been part of the Rowan College at Burlington County community since 2018 serving as the medical director of the college’s Paramedic Sciences program via his role as medical director of Virtua Emergency Medical Services and Virtua Medical Transport. Dr. Klebacher has dedicated 40 years to public service devoted to caring for his community.

He began as a volunteer EMT for his local first aid squad, then graduated to become a paramedic working within Ocean County and also a police officer for the Lacey Township Police Department. After over a decade of service as a police officer and paramedic, Dr. Klebacher left to attend medical school at the Kansas City College of Medicine and Biosciences, graduating in 2001 with a Doctor of Osteopathy degree. He completed his residency in Emergency Medicine in 2005 from St. Michael’s Medical Center in Newark where he was chief resident.

After working in the Emergency Department for 12 years, Dr. Klebacher returned to Newark to obtain a fellowship in EMS and Disaster Medicine from Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in 2017. Dr. Klebacher maintains board certification in both Emergency Medicine and EMS/Disaster Medicine. A proud community college graduate (Ocean County College), Dr. Klebacher completed his bachelor’s degree in Biology from Richard Stockton University. In addition to his position with Virtua Health, Dr. Klebacher holds positions with the N.J. EMS fellowship and is the Medical Director for N.J. Task Force 1–FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Team.

He continues to work in several Emergency Departments within the Virtua Health system. He also serves as flight physician for Jet911 and Medway Air Ambulance, and track physician for NASCAR when time permits.

A new beginning was all it took for Madeleine Armstrong to excel at Rowan College at Burlington County. Between her 4.0 GPA, presidency of Phi Theta Kappa and an internship at the Department of State in the Bureau of Legislative Affairs, she now is a standout scholar. 

In order to reach her goals, Armstrong had to remove bad habits that held her back from reaching her academic goals. “You have to clean out your life,” Armstrong said, which means removing bad habits like procrastination and replacing them with healthy constructive ones. 

She is now studying economics and political science at Rutgers University, and will soon be attending the London School of Economics next summer.  “Having a different perspective is one of the best things that you can have in academia,” Armstrong explained, and she emphasized that the ability to gain a non-American interpretation of economics is invaluable. 

The journey of chasing the best version of yourself may be difficult, but the potential for new growth is exciting. Armstrong wants her fellow classmates to know that any moment, whether it be graduation, a new job, or a new day, can be their new beginning.

If ever there was a Renaissance student graduating from Rowan College at Burlington County, Sarah Heil encapsulates that role in stride. Heil is a member of several honors societies on campus, pursues personal scientific research and even beekeeping, all while balancing an art business and a full-time job as a classroom behavioral analyst and aide. Not only that, but she’s also maintained a perfect 4.0 throughout her academic career at the college, which earned her recognition as a 2023 President’s Award winner. 

In terms of her scientific research, Heil has been making strides in the field of neurotoxin studies. She referred to her interest as somewhat of an accident while working in the classroom. Working with students who have autism, Sarah became interested in researching what really causes this phenomenon in the brain, and was inspired to study neurotoxicology. Heil began running experiments in her own home, testing carbon air purifiers using reverse osmosis, tracking the symptoms and overall health of her family while the air was being purified as opposed to when the machines were switched off. Her conclusion was that purified air leads to fewer symptoms of common illnesses.

Not only is Sarah succeeding in her independent scientific research, she also runs a commission-based art business which she started by practicing art while still in high school. After experiencing a period of intense personal strife, Heil turned to creating art in her high school art room during lunch, eventually realizing that it was a cathartic outlet for all of her experiences. Now, the young entrepreneur has created a business in which she sells her art, and has progressed massively from the dark period she experienced as a teenager. Sarah also works as an classroom behavioral analyst, a full-time position that she maintains alongside her full-time student status, beekeeping, art business and neuro scientific studies. Eventually, she hopes to become a multi-preneur and continue seeking out knowledge whenever possible.

Taylor Fritz is an RCBC nursing student with big plans for her healthcare future. She’s wrapping up her first local clinical experience, working with dementia patients at the Masonic Village in Burlington Township, which provided her first solo patient care experience. It’s another way she finds that she’s developing and growing into her true self. 

The Taylor we all see today is a composed and compassionate person but it wasn't long ago that she considered herself a timid person. Her friends may tell a different tale, one of a pal who had a lot to offer to any conversation but deep inside she doubted herself, especially when faced with new situations or new people. 

Her self-talk and more importantly, her self-determination gave way to a mantra that she’s developed since starting at RCBC. “I tell myself that you just have to do it. If not now, when will I?” This personal empowerment pushed her to be more open and she encouraged others to take more intellectual risks. 

Taylor also made her mark in the classroom during her time at RCBC. Notably, Dr. Erika Baldt commented about Taylor’s “positive presence in class” last fall as a student in her Masterpieces of World Literature I course. “Taylor’s most notable assignment, though, was her proposal of a text to be added to the World Literature syllabus. It was well-researched, persuasive, and showed high levels of critical thinking.” 

A 2023 President’s Award recipient and 4.0 student, Taylor is active in the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and the organization’s current vice president of Leadership. Last summer she gained valuable experience interacting with state-wide chapter representatives at a Middle States Region Conference. Taylor is also a member of the Student Nurses Association. She helps plan events for graduating nursing students and fundraising events that benefit the club.

Taylor has completed her prerequisite courses and will receive her associate degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences in May. She is now working toward her associate and bachelor’s degrees in nursing through RCBC’s 3+1 program. 

After graduating from RCBC and Rowan University, Taylor plans to pursue a master’s degree and a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree to become a nurse practitioner.