“. . . when I finally realized my dream and heard my name called at graduation to receive my diploma, it was the most triumphant moment of my life.”
Christine Del Vecchio
Class: 2022
Major: Musical Theatre
Christine Del Vecchio, ’22, of Victory Gardens, had built a very successful business as a musician and entertainer, but something remained unfinished. So, at age 52, she enrolled at County College of Morris (CCM) after being away from college for decades.
She initially enrolled at a community college shortly after graduating high school but was forced to leave due to family matters. She went on to join a New York City law firm as a receptionist working her way up to paralegal. Then when the firm’s owner decided to relocate the office, her husband, Michael, encouraged her to start a business as an entertainer, pursuing and sharing her passion for music from the 1920s, 30s and 40s. As “Ukulele Christine” she puts on shows for nursing, rehab, assisted living and memory care residents. Instead of merely performing, however, she is intentional about involving the residents in her shows, getting them to sing along and move their feet and hands to the music. Her business motto reflects that – “Your Residents Are the Stars of the Show.”
Still, something was lacking.
“I always felt like something was missing. I had all these successes but there was this one thing that was not finished,” she says. To correct that she enrolled at CCM as a Musical Theatre major. “I wanted my degree to show I am qualified to do what I’m doing, plus I like that my resume now reflects the success of my academic endeavors.”
Attending school, while working and helping her family was not without its challenges. Yet, Del Vecchio not only persevered, she graduated summa cum laude.
“Juggling work, running my business and caring for my elderly mother, disabled sister and husband, who had been struck with severe health issues, all while making the most of my education was tough,” she recalls. “But when I finally realized my dream and heard my name called at graduation to receive my diploma, it was the most triumphant moment of my life.”
Along with finishing her degree, Del Vecchio is grateful for all she learned at CCM that has enhanced her business.
“I learned so much about presentation, how to keep your audience’s attention, I expanded my repertoire, and I learned how to tap dance in my 50s,” she says with pride. “The music programs at CCM are really top rate, the music building is state-of-the-art, but most of all it’s the faculty and staff at CCM who made my education outstanding; they really care about their students’ success.”
