News & Views | Raritan Valley Community College in NJ

November 28, 2022

How to Balance College and Work

When working full time and going to school, it can be challenging to fit in everyday errands and tasks. This can be especially true if you’re balancing work, school, and parenthood. Try these lifestyle hacks and practical tips for shaving some hours off your day-to-day routine.

Honors College Information Session to be Held in December

November 21, 2022

Honors College Information Session to be Held in December

Local high school students interested in learning more about Raritan Valley Community College’s Honors College are invited to attend an Information Session, December 14, at 6 p.m.

RVCC: Your Destination for Holiday Cheer

November 18, 2022

RVCC: Your Destination for Holiday Cheer

Searching for “holiday events near me?” You’ve come to the right place! Each year, Raritan Valley Community College offers numerous ways to celebrate the season for students and community members of all ages. Check out our festive array of affordable, family-friendly holiday happenings. We can’t wait to celebrate with you on campus!

November 17, 2022

Men’s Soccer Team Ranked #9 in the US

Raritan Valley Community College’s Men's Soccer team had a stellar season, winning the Region 19 Championship and finishing up 9th in the country after the 2022 National Tournament.

DanceWorks to Highlight Student and Faculty Performances

November 17, 2022

DanceWorks to Highlight Student and Faculty Performances

Raritan Valley Community College’s Arts & Design department will present DanceWorks, an evening of student and faculty dance, Wednesday and Thursday, December 7 and 8, at 7 p.m

RVCC Recognized Nationally by “ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge” for Student Voting Engagement

November 16, 2022

RVCC Recognized Nationally by “ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge” for Student Voting Engagement

Raritan Valley Community College has been recognized by the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) as one of the 2022 ALL IN Most Engaged Campuses for College Student Voting. Raritan Valley Community College has been recognized by the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) as one of the 2022 ALL IN Most Engaged Campuses for College Student Voting. The ALL IN Most Engaged Campuses for College Student Voting recognizes colleges and universities for making intentional efforts to increase student voter participation. RVCC joins a group of 394 colleges and universities across the country—and is one of only two New Jersey community colleges—being recognized by ALL IN for completing the following actions: • Participating in the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge • Sharing 2020 National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE) Reports with campus voting data with ALL IN • Developing and submitting a 2022 democratic engagement action plan with ALL IN • Having a current signatory to ALL IN’s Higher Education Presidents’ Commitment to Full Student Voter Participation. This is not the first time RVCC has been recognized for student voter engagement. A recent report from the Institute for Democracy & Higher Education (IDHE), creators of the National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement, also highlighted RVCC’s student voting increase of 16.6 percent from 2016 to 2020. In addition, Raritan Valley Community College was included in Washington Monthly’s 2021 Best Colleges for Student Voting Honor Roll. RVCC was one of eight community colleges highlighted out of 205 colleges nationally. “RVCC students are leading voter registration and voting efforts through their civic engagement endeavors, which are an essential element of our students’ education. Voting is a valuable opportunity for students to be leaders in our democracy by making their voices heard and supporting important issues both locally and nationally,” said RVCC President Michael J. McDonough. “College student voter turnout has increased since 2016, and this increase has been driven by students. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge is excited to expand our ALL IN Student Voting Honor Roll to recognize these student voting champions across the country,” said Jennifer Domagal-Goldman, Executive Director of the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge. “These students registered voters, served on their campus voting coalitions, spearheaded voter education efforts, advocated for campus polling locations, and organized other voter engagement efforts to ensure their peers were confident and informed voters. We are excited to see what they continue to accomplish ahead of the 2022 midterms.” The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge empowers colleges and universities to achieve excellence in nonpartisan student democratic engagement. Campuses that join the ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge complete a set of action items, with the support of ALL IN Challenge staff, to institutionalize nonpartisan civic learning, political engagement, and voter participation on their campus. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge currently engages over 9 million students from more than 950 institutions in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Campuses can join the ALL IN Challenge here. ABOUT ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge (ALL IN) is a national nonpartisan initiative of Civic Nation, a 501(c)(3) organization. The ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge strives to change civic culture and institutionalize democratic engagement activities and programs on college campuses, making voter participation a defining feature of campus life. ALL IN, in collaboration with over 960 higher education institutions, seeks to make participation in local, state, and federal elections a social norm; substantially increase the number of college students who are democratically engaged on an ongoing basis, during and between elections, and not just at the polls, and; make educating for democratic engagement on college campuses an accepted and expected part of the culture and curriculum so that students graduate with the knowledge, skills, behaviors, and values needed to be an informed and active citizen. About RVCC Ranked by WalletHub.com and Niche.com as the #1 community college in New Jersey in 2022, Raritan Valley Community College has been serving as an academic and cultural center for Somerset and Hunterdon County residents for over 50 years. The College has been nationally recognized for its service to the community, environmental stewardship, and commitment to diversity. It is home to a Planetarium, Science Education Institute and 3M Observatory; a Theatre offering professional performances for all ages; and an Honors College for high achieving students. The College offers more than 90 associate degrees and certificates, as well as career training and professional development courses. RVCC is located at 118 Lamington Road in Branchburg, NJ. For further information, visit demo.edesign.bg/rvcc_2025/master/. ### FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 16, 2022 Media contact: Donna Stolzer, 908-526-1200, ext. 8383 PR #51

Holiday Concert to Feature George W. Michael Jazz Quartet

November 15, 2022

Holiday Concert to Feature George W. Michael Jazz Quartet

Raritan Valley Community College’s Arts & Design department will present a holiday performance by the George W. Michael Jazz Quartet, Saturday, December 10, at 6 p.m. Raritan Valley Community College’s Arts & Design department will present a holiday performance by the George W. Michael Jazz Quartet, Saturday, December 10, at 6 p.m. The Quartet features musicians George W. Michael, saxophones; Matthew Valerio, piano and vocals; Jesse Breheney, bass; and Tobias Gebb, drums. The event, part of the 2022-2023 season of the MOZAIKA Concert Series, will be held in the Welpe Theatre at the College’s Branchburg campus. The concert will feature jazz standards as well as original compositions. Jazz saxophonist George W. Michael, a music teacher with the New York City Department of Education, has appeared at a number of venues and with a variety of artists around New York City. Some of these include Carnegie Hall Music Educators Workshop, Stephen Oquendo Latin Jazz Orchestra, NYC Jazz Workshop, and the Michael Shirtz Quartet. He also was one of the founding members of the Washington Heights Jazz Festival, which features numerous musicians from upper Manhattan and the surrounding New York City area. Pianist Matt Valerio is a native of Rochester, NY. As a high school student, he won the Best Piano Soloist Award at the Essentially Ellington Jazz Competition at Lincoln Center; the award was given to him personally by Wynton Marsalis. Valerio then studied Jazz Piano at the prestigious Eastman School of Music, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Jazz and Contemporary Media in 2008. Valerio was the recipient of many scholarships at Eastman, including the Howard Hanson Scholarship and the Rochester International Jazz Festival Scholarship. He is an avid composer and has co-written songs with Elvio Fernandes of the band Daughtry. Jesse Breheney, a native of Newburgh, NY, in the Hudson Valley, began playing bass at an early age and working professionally in high school. He is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music and the Juilliard Pre-College program, where he studied jazz and orchestral music. Breheney has been based in New York City since 2008 and now lives in Washington Heights with his wife and twin daughters. Tobias Gebb, a New York City-based drummer, composer and educator, has shared the stage or recording studio with such artists as Peter Bernstein, Donald Fagen of Steely Dan, West Coast pianist Smith Dobson, and rocker Lenny Kravitz. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Composition from Berklee College of Music, a Master of Arts from Manhattan School of Music, and a dual MSE in general and special education from The Bank Street School. His album, Free At Last, was in the Top 10 on American jazz radio charts, and, through his licensing business, his group Trio West has been heard on such shows as Dexter, Madam Secretary, Key & Peele, and others. The MOZAIKA Concert Series is designed to promote multicultural dialogue through the performance of music from the classical canon through the 21st Century. A post-performance discussion with the artists will follow the concert. General admission tickets cost $15 each; admission is free for seniors and students. For advance ticket reservations, contact the RVCC Theatre Box Office at 908-725-3420. For information, call the Arts & Design department at 908-218-8876. Proceeds from the concert will benefit the RVCC Applied Music Fund to assist with scholarships and purchases of musical instruments for music students. The MOZAIKA Concert Series is made possible by funds from the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission, a partner of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. RVCC is located at 118 Lamington Road in Branchburg, NJ. For further information, visit demo.edesign.bg/rvcc_2025/master/. ### FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 15, 2022 PR #50

Chorale to Present Annual Holiday Concert

November 11, 2022

Chorale to Present Annual Holiday Concert

The RVCC Chorale will present its annual holiday concert on Sunday, December 4, at 3 p.m.

Holiday Shows, Stars Shows, Laser Concerts Set at Planetarium in December

November 11, 2022

Holiday Shows, Stars Shows, Laser Concerts Set at Planetarium in December

The Raritan Valley Community College Planetarium has a full lineup in December, including children’s programs, holiday-themed shows, star shows, and laser concerts.

News & Views Raritan Valley

How to Balance College and Work

Honors College Information Session to be Held in December

RVCC: Your Destination for Holiday Cheer

Men’s Soccer Team Ranked #9 in the US

DanceWorks to Highlight Student and Faculty Performances

RVCC Recognized Nationally by “ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge” for Student Voting Engagement

Holiday Concert to Feature George W. Michael Jazz Quartet

Chorale to Present Annual Holiday Concert

Holiday Shows, Stars Shows, Laser Concerts Set at Planetarium in December