Tune in to Rowan College at Burlington County’s Facebook Town Hall on June 10, at 1 pm, as we continue our conversations with students and their faculty mentors. For this episode, we invite 2020 President’s Award recipient Justin Foster and our Education Program Coordinator Corvena Francis-Denton.  

Foster, a 3+1 Inclusive Education student, first met Francis-Denton when he enrolled in an introductory Teaching as a Profession course. From that point forward, Francis-Denton has guided him on his path and has been with him every step of the way. 

“I was happy that I waited until the 3+1 program was announced so that I could take advantage of it. Two years into it, I can’t complain one bit about my decision,” said Foster, who took a year off between graduating high school and attending college. 

Francis-Denton knew there was something different about Foster, not only because he is a male in a predominantly female profession, but also because of his commitment to the field and inherent interest in education. 

“Justin is an outstanding future educator. He’s not afraid to teach what he learns, and he does a lot of work outside of the classroom,” she commented. “He’s constantly looking for ways to be of support to others, and he involves himself with opportunities within the program.”  

Corvena, of Jamaican descent, began her teaching career at 19 years old. Through her experiences, she quickly realized that there was no strategic special education plan in Jamaica and decided to come to America to learn and bring her knowledge back to her home country. 

“The program I completed in NYC was so large, and we had so many students - there weren’t a lot of people that you knew. The beauty of being in a program (RCBC’s) that is this intimate is that there’s support at every level,” Francis-Denton said.

Francis-Denton acknowledged that RCBC is at the forefront of the 3+1 Inclusive Education space and emphasized how the program prepares students for the diversities and hiccups that may occur in their classrooms. 

“I’m grateful to have students who are open-minded and stay in touch. Nobody is getting left behind in this program. If someone is struggling, the whole group gets involved,” she said. “They pull each other along. It’s a unique opportunity to be part of such a tight-knit group.” 

For more information about RCBC’s 3+1 Inclusive Education program, visit rcbc.edu/3plus1/inclusive-education.