CCM Holds 45th Commencement Ceremony

Included among the top schools CCM graduates are transferring to are Brown University, Emerson College, the University of Miami, the University of Delaware, Johnson & Wales University, and Savannah College of Art and Design, along with New Jersey’s leading colleges and universities.

Holding to tradition, CCM President Edward J. Yaw gave the commencement address, using the opportunity to highlight outstanding students.

In an effort to advance world peace and human understanding, CCM also announced the winner of its Peace Prize at the ceremony. The winner of the 2014 CCM Peace Prize is Julio Rivera Jr., of Budd Lake, who wrote a song, “All Else Will Follow,” for the competition. His faculty mentor was Joseph Schilp, associate director of the CCM Media Center.

Rivera’s writing and solo performance of “All Else Will Follow” are his moving response to some of the political, economic, and social problems affecting mankind’s quest for a more peaceful and just world. In his words, the song conveys “passionate poetry, a warm melody, and modern hip-hop” elements that reach out to multiple generations, from someone who is “just a regular student who notices issues” and believes something can be done about them. His performance can be viewed at https://tinyurl.com/nqdujor.

As the recipient, Rivera receives a $1,000 award, provided by the CCM Foundation, along with a plaque in recognition of his achievement. His name also will be added to a permanent plaque of Peace Prize winners located in the Student Community Center.

This is the 13th year the college has awarded its Peace Prize, which is organized and administered by Professor Peter Maguire of the Department of English and Philosophy. Established in the fall of 2001, the Peace Prize competition provides students with the opportunity to apply their imagination and creativity to the design and production of a work that both commemorates the events of September 11, 2001, and makes a positive statement about the importance and pursuit of world peace.

The CCM Media Center streamed the commencement ceremony live on the college’s YouTube channel at https://tinyurl.com/kwzcsso, making it available for view from computers, smartphones and tablets. That video can still be viewed on YouTube for those who were unable to watch it live. There were also live broadcasts of the ceremony on Channel 40 on Verizon FiOS and METV Channel 77 on Cablevision.