Courier News: Governor to speak at RVCC’s 50th graduation
March 4, 2020
Mike Deak Central Jersey Courier News USA TODAY NETWORK – NEW JERSEY
BRANCHBURG – To celebrate the 50th anniversary of its first graduation, Gov. Phil Murphy will deliver the commencement address at Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC).
Murphy also will receive an honorary degree during the 10 a.m. May 16 ceremony on the college’s soccer field.
“I’m honored to deliver the commencement address at this year’s Raritan Valley Community College spring commencement,” Murphy said in a statement. “RVCC has a long and proud history of educating students in Somerset and Hunterdon Counties and preparing them for jobs in the 21st-century economy. I look forward to celebrating the accomplishments of this year’s graduating class with students, their families, and the campus community.”
Murphy, who attended public schools, holds degrees from Harvard University and the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania.
The college is happy to have Murphy speak at the golden anniversary.
“We are honored that Governor Murphy will speak at the 50th anniversary of Raritan Valley Community College’s first commencement ceremony,” Dr. Michael McDonough, president of RVCC, said in a statement. “Governor Murphy has been a leader in opening up access to higher education and strengthening the role community colleges play in transforming the lives of students of all ages and backgrounds.”
The college’s first commencement in May 1970 celebrated the achievements of 75 graduates from what was then known as Somerset County College and was located at Green Brook High School.
Approximately 1,100 students are expected to be awarded associate degrees or certificates from RVCC during this year’s ceremony.
McDonough also praised Murphy’s achievements. The governor, he said in the statement, “grew up in a family that was middle class on a good day, the youngest of four children with only one parent who graduated high school. His upbringing – where religion, a strong work ethic, education, and civic awareness were pillars of family life – shaped his values, his priorities, and the leader he is today.”
Email: mdeak@mycentraljersey.com Mike Deak is a reporter for mycentraljersey.com. To get unlimited access to his articles on Somerset and Hunterdon counties, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.