The Transition from High School to College for Neurodiverse Students A beloved and long-time valued leader of the Office of Accessibility Services at Rowan University, John Woodruff shares guidance for neurodiverse students and their parents on transitioning from high school to college. How Accommodations are Different Woodruff acknowledges how disabilities and their accommodations differ between […]
student success
Entrepreneurship Student on Opportunities at Rowan
Trevor D. a recently graduated senior Entrepreneurship major, talks about his experience in the program and the work he has experienced in the field to help to build the foundation for his post-graduation life. With a long work history already, graduating senior Trevor D. reflects: “I work at one of the largest collision repair centers […]
Student by Day, “Cotton-Headed Ninny Muggins” by Night
Nick Flagg is a senior double major studying both Advertising and Theatre, concentrating in Theatre Education, Acting/Directing and Musical Theatre. After his undergraduate graduation in the spring of 2022, he will continue as a Rowan CADP student working toward a Master of Science degree in Theatre Education. Nick will be certified to teach K-12 theatre in May 2023. In addition to being a student, he looks to engage his surrounding communities as a working actor, director and teaching artist with several theatre companies across South Jersey.
Balancing work and class as a college student is never something that comes easy. But really, when does anything rewarding come easy?
I find that the way to make it all happen is by staying focused on the positive. I adopted this mindset my sophomore year in Acting I, taught by Michael Dean Morgan. He encouraged us to approach scene work with the intention of progressing what we want to happen next. He said we should look to build off of our scene partners and work with them, never against them.
After a while, I started to realize how this should translate to everyday life when we consider how we will achieve our goals and fulfill our passions. Good theatre will always be a collaborative art, just like a life should always be a communal experience. In short, life is best spent with others. This has stuck with me, and the ideals of “togetherness” felt very present during my time working on a holiday show such as Elf the Musical.
I have done quite a few productions while enrolled as a student at Rowan, both on the mainstage and with outside theatre companies. Getting to play Buddy in Elf the Musical has been like no other process. It took the most commitment, but has been one of the most rewarding experiences.
The production took place at The Levoy Theatre in Millville, NJ, where they have one of the most beautiful spaces. On a whim, I went to audition for this company that I have never worked with before. It was not too nerve-wracking, because I was with some fellow Profs 𑁋 Lauren Coffey and Natalie Donisi. At callbacks, the three of us found ourselves finding other Rowan students, including Kerry O’Connor and Ben Helbert. Next thing you know, the five of us were all cast in the show together, taking turns on who would drive the carpool, and bringing all that we learned in class to the process. With the intention to work positively, it was also easy to take on this show with so many friends by my side.
In addition to the already established friendships, it was a pleasure to leave with so many new bonds and connections for future projects. There is nothing like getting to do a show with friends, who then become family, let alone a Christmas show during the beginning of the holiday season.
The production ran Nov. 12-21, and all but two shows completely sold out for a theater with almost 800 seats.
When you walked in, you were met with a lobby decked out in holiday decor, featuring trees, lights, hot cocoa and holiday beverages, and even some snow. Typically, a cast’s headshots are featured on a board, but our marketing team brilliantly decided to showcase our headshots in Christmas ball ornaments on a decorated tree. The Christmas spirit was present from the moment you stepped into the building, and surely stayed with you long after.
The Mezzanine lobby was where my now good friend Darryl Thompson and I went after the show for a Santa and Buddy meet and greet with many kids … and many adults believe it or not! I loved hearing the crowd’s enjoyment during the show, but nothing beats seeing each kid come up to meet us with excitement.
Christmas never reigned as the top holiday for me … I mean aren’t most theatre people Halloween fanatics? But this year was different. I specifically remember so many sweet kids coming up. Darryl would ask them, “What would you like for Christmas?” and some would say things like “For my family to have a good Christmas” or “To be with my family.” It was incredible to see so many people were so moved by our show and full of the holiday spirit, even at such a young age. I was thankful to see so many friends and family came, along with some of my coworkers in Admissions and my incredible boss Cristin.
Elf the Musical was a popular choice for so many theater companies this season. In South Jersey, there were at least three productions all going on at the same time. I bring this up because it has been nothing but nonstop support from everyone involved in these productions. We would all send our broken leg wishes on social media, along with wishing a happy opening or closing show to one another. It is important for that mentality to exist in a business like theatre that can get so competitive.
Being a part of moments such as these are reminders of the true meaning of the holidays, and how much care we should all show to one another. The holidays are not always happy for everyone, but actions such as these are what carry us through. Getting to bring the holiday spirit to so many people in such an iconic role was something I will always cherish. I loved getting to hear the roaring applause for my cast after each hilarious bit and touching moment on stage. Community, especially in theatre, has been so important to me, and this experience only enhanced that. And if working in communities full of this hope and respect is how I get to spend the rest of my life, I am in. And getting paid for it isn’t so bad either.
Next up you can find me working on Matilda the Musical, where I will be playing Michael Wormwood at The Broadway Theatre of Pitman from Jan. 14 – Feb. 6. Very soon after, I will be teaching acting classes and assistant directing a production of Evita at my home theater, The Grand Theatre: Home of the Road Company.
Thank you for taking the time to listen to my story. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, a Joyous Kwanzaa, a Blessed Yule and a Happy New Year!
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Production Photos by:
Valerie Neuber
Story by:
Nick Flagg, senior theatre and advertising double major
Transfer to Transformed: Five Students Share
Rowan Blog celebrates National Transfer Student Week and partners with the Office of Student Success Programs in spotlighting five students who have found their new college home at Rowan University. Victoria (Tore) Butler, Elementary Education and Literacy Studies major who transferred from The University of Scranton in fall 2019 Why did you select to transfer […]
How to Apply for Scholarships at Rowan University
Admissions counselor Amanda Marcks explains how scholarships work at Rowan for incoming first year (freshman) students and transfer students. (Continuing Rowan University students apply for scholarships through Scholarship Universe, which includes Rowan Foundation scholarships and scholarship opportunities outside of the university.) Reviewed for accuracy and updated October 2025. No Separate Scholarship Application You’re probably asking […]
Fear of Failure and How to Move On
This article is part of a running series with Rowan University’s Wellness Center. This collaboration aims to educate students about personal well-being options. For further updates, follow @RowanUWellness on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.
As Winston Churchill once said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
Of course, failure to accomplish a certain goal in our life is a common fear that we all experience. Some say fear can be so paralyzing for certain individuals that they “freeze” instead of “fighting” in response to the anxiety and stress of completing that specific goal. In other words, fear of failure can evolve into an obstacle in our lives and sometimes prevents us from becoming successful.
According to neuropsychologist Dr. Theo Tsaousides (2017), there are several reasons why people are generally afraid to try to fulfill their goals, which include a setback to one’s self-worth, emotions of shame, loss of social connections, disappointing important people in one’s life and the dread of an uncertain future.
Moreover, fear of failure could potentially impact our mental and physical health should we allow ourselves to be consumed by it. Typically, those who are afraid of attaining a goal can eventually suffer from fatigue, emotional exhaustion, hopelessness, and/or chronic worry as well as become more unhappy with their lives and perform worse in their particular fields (Tsaousides, 2017).
Despite these possible reasons and consequences for being scared to fail, it is crucial for us to realize that failure is what makes us human and is an essential part of our lives. Ultimately, nobody is perfect; we all make mistakes and fail endlessly. Failure does not make us a loser or any less successful than we were before. Rather, it gives us an opportunity to learn new challenges and build our confidence when we bounce back from a difficult situation.
Overall, just as the entrepreneur Courtney Johnson emphasized in his TedTalk (2018), we shouldn’t let the fear of failure prevent us from pursuing our goals, desires and dreams; it is the fear of not trying that we should be afraid of instead. Additionally, we should keep in mind that we are all strong in our own ways and can overcome our individual fears of failing to reach our full potential. Because, in the end, anything is possible if we continue to take our journey of discovering ourselves.
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Story by:
Jennifer Necsutu, junior biochemistry major, Wellness Center intern
Photography by:
Stephanie Batista, sophomore music industry major
References:
Johnson, C. (2018, October). Failure is necessary [Video]. TED. https://www.ted.com/talks/courtney_johnson_failure_is_necessary
Tsaousides, T. (2017, December 27). Why Fear of Failure Can Keep You Stuck. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/smashing-the-brainblocks/201712/why-fear-failure-can-keep-you-stuck
Beyond The Classroom: an “Enchanted” PR and Marketing Internship
Today’s story is from Devon Graf, a senior communications studies major self-distancing from her house in Camden County, NJ. Devon joined the Rowan Blog team to wrap up her remaining internship hours, after her internship with Enchanted Celebrations was cut short prematurely due to COVID-19 affecting business.
I had absolutely no idea where or what I wanted to do for an internship. Luckily, I found Enchanted Celebrations. This company is a photo and video wedding service located in West Creek, NJ. My main focus when applying to this internship was that I noticed I would be doing a lot of public relations and marketing work — perfect for me! I am a Communication Studies major with an Advertising minor. 
I went full throttle into this internship, I was able to provide my team with innovative ideas and complete all of the tasks that I was given. One thing I take out of this internship is that I became super successful in multi-tasking, stepping out of my comfort zone, and handling each task I was given with a positive attitude. Not only was the work I was given super fun and exciting, but my team members were absolutely incredible! I didn’t go one day not having a great time in the office.
All semester, I completed various projects relating to event planning and marketing within the wedding industry. For marketing, I contribute to daily blog posts that were shared with numerous clients and marketed across various social media platforms and wedding publications. I became proficient in using their system called CRM, SEO, and various forms of social media including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Hootsuite, etc. In addition to this, I also got to assist the events team in coordinating event logistics and prepping for weekend staff and weddings! 
Below are some of the amazing works of photography I have worked with. Enchanted Celebrations has a numerous amount of extremely talented photographers and videographers.
I found this internship through Indeed.com! Indeed is a website agency for job positions. I recommend creating an account if you are looking for your next position somewhere! I was at a standpoint at one moment in time and was clueless where to even start searching. I simply filtered out internship positions near my area and selected public relations and communication fields. Next thing I knew, I had an interview!
I got to show my skill set and gained a whole new one. I was able to be creative and show my passion for public relations and marketing all while learning and being in a wonderful environment.
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Story by:
Devon Graf, senior communication studies major
Header photo courtesy of:
Unsplash
History Major Finds Her Passion for Archiving During Internship
Before COVID-19 social distancing, through her internship with the Historical Society of Pennsylvania this semester Julianne T was able to figure out what career path she wants to take after graduating in May. The history major from Nutley, NJ (Essex County) also minors in political science and international studies.
Julianne has always liked history, more specifically presidential history. “Their personal lives is the better part, because you learn so much about what they did in class but then you get to know more about them as people and that kind of makes a bigger picture.”
After a tour at Rowan University Julianne really liked the university, as did her mom. “My mom really pushed me to come here and I am really thankful she did that.”
Julianne started off as a history education major, but then decided to drop education and focus on history. “It was really the faculty from the history department that showed me that there was so much more I could do with history aside from teaching, which I never knew before. The faculty opened my eyes, there is so much I can do.”
Dr. Jennifer Janofsky, a professor who teaches public history courses has become one of Julianne’s mentors. Dr. Janofsky was the one who told Julianne about the Historical Society of Pennsylvania internship. “She kind of knew what I wanted to do and what my experiences were already with different internships and she was like ‘you should try the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.’”
When Julianne applied, she did not think she would get the internship 
because she though that other students from other colleges in Pennsylvania had a better chance due to them being closer. To Julianne’s surprise, after her interview within an hour she was already signing papers to start interning there. “I wouldn’t have heard about it if it wasn’t for Dr. Janofsky, I am very thankful.”
Julianne is currently working on the Philadelphia Orphan Society collection, where she transcribes lots of documents into Excel sheets, to then use that information for the genealogy research that the Historical Society of Pennsylvania performs. Through this internship she has learned to read other people’s cursive writing much better. “It was really hard at first and now I’m starting to get the hang of it.”
Thanks to this internship Julianne said she learned that she really likes archiving and hopes to one day work at one of the presidential library museums.“There are 13 of them in the country, different presidents and just based around them. So, I definitely want to work in museums, preferably ones that relate to presidents.”
Julianne’s advice for future history majors and current history majors is to read all assigned readings. It may seem tedious reading about World War II over and over again, but it is worth it.
“And don’t just study one area of history, try to take it all in because we have a really diverse history staff so take as many classes as you can.”
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Story by:
Iridian Gonzalez, senior journalism major
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Where is She Now? PCI Alumna and PR Grad Troi Barnes
Alumni Success Stories Explore how our alumni propel their Rowan University education into lasting success, as highlighted through our alumni success series. From Rowan University student to lifelong member of the Rowan University Alumni Association, Rowan Profs thrive at every stage of their journey. Go Profs!
- Alumni
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Where Is He Now? Rowan Chemical Engineering Alumnus Theodore Cohen
Alumni Success Stories Explore how our alumni propel their Rowan University education into lasting success, as highlighted through our alumni success series. From Rowan University student to lifelong member of the Rowan University Alumni Association, Rowan Profs thrive at every stage of their journey. Go Profs!
Rowan University Application Timeline
Today we feature insight from admissions counselor Amanda Marcks, who has been an assistant director of admissions at Rowan since 2017. She reviews first-year applications (formerly known as freshmen applications), and was previously an admissions representative at Ocean County College. Amanda was a transfer student to Rowan University and graduated in 2015 with a bachelor […]
Danielle’s Journey from the Ed.D. Program to Overseer of $20 Million
Meet Dr. Danielle B. Jubanyik, a Rowan alumna and Sicklerville, NJ (Camden County) native with her Ed.D. in educational leadership. Danielle is currently working at the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development as the State Director for Adult Education & Literacy Services. She is responsible for $20 million worth of funds that are […]
MBA Alumnus and Medical Student Nathan Carroll
Alumni Success Stories Explore how our alumni propel their Rowan University education into lasting success, as highlighted through our alumni success series. From Rowan University student to lifelong member of the Rowan University Alumni Association, Rowan Profs thrive at every stage of their journey. Go Profs!
Scholarships 101: Why Your Freshman Should Apply for Continuing Scholarships at Rowan
Once the celebratory clapping has drifted away at the high school senior awards ceremony, you might be thinking, “How am I going to make up the difference once this freshman-year only scholarship from our community disappears?”
Once your son or daughter is a Rowan University student, they are eligible to apply for Rowan University Foundation and Continuing Student Scholarships.
Applications generally open in the beginning of the fall semester and close in mid-December, around final exam time.
Screech to a halt. Sear that in your brain. Yes — once you kiss your darling freshman goodbye as they head out the door to live on campus or commute, it’s around that time of year that you need to plan for the upcoming year of scholarships.
Mom and Dad, we know your student is an adult, but my advice is to be on top of this. New adults are still fine-tuning their time management skills — throw into the mix getting used to college, making new friends and having a whole new routine, and something is bound to slip through the cracks. Do NOT let it be your student’s scholarship opportunity.
More than 200 scholarships are available, all funded through private donations (not tuition). To get these scholarships, students need to … apply! You would be surprised at how many students do not! Last year over $2 million in support was awarded. Get a piece of that!
Check in with your student to make sure they are setting the time aside to complete the application. It requires three letters of recommendation and, yes, it can be super awkward to ask someone for a letter of recommendation — especially a new teacher or academic advisor who you recently met. Reassure your student that this happens all the time. Literally, all the time. Tell them they can’t push off asking for letters — the people they are approaching may not say it, but I will: “A lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part.”
Encourage your student to develop a relationship with faculty and advisors. They are people too! Visit during scheduled office hours or schedule an appointment, stand out in class by participating in group discussions and … for many faculty and advisors, December is a busy month. It’s simply not possible to say yes to a scholarship applicant looking for a letter of recommendation with a deadline of tomorrow.
One last helpful hint: encourage your student to get involved on campus. Community service and school involvement weren’t just to bolster their chances at getting into college. In addition the social, emotional and health benefits, many scholarships consider campus leadership and participation in on-campus and community activities.
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Story By: Brandi Blanton, financial literacy expert
Who to Ask for Letters of Recommendation?
Letters of recommendation are a vital piece of a student’s application. In addition to the application, college essay, high school transcripts and test scores, letters of recommendation give an admissions counselor insight as to who the student is beyond what is seen on the other supporting documents.
At Rowan University, we require at least one letter of recommendation and we accept up to five. So, who should be writing your student’s letter of recommendation?!
- A High School Teacher
A high school teacher is a really great person to ask for a letter of recommendation! They can speak to your student’s academic success, struggles that they have overcome and about their character.
- School Counselor
A high school counselor meets with the student throughout the year and is a crucial part of a student’s journey to life after high school. School counselors typically get swamped with writing letters of recommendations, so be sure to have your student ask for a letter of recommendation as early on in the year as possible.
- Employer
An employer can really highlight a student’s life and work ethic outside of the classroom. Most student’s applications give admissions counselors an idea of who they are in the classroom, so it is always nice to read letters from people who know your student outside of academia. An employer can also highlight a student’s work ethic and strengths.
- Coach/Youth Group Leader/Club Advisor
If your student does not work because of sports, academics, etc., a coach, youth group leader, troop leader or club advisor could be a great person to ask! Just like an employer, these people can really highlight a student’s leadership and teamwork skills.
Make sure your student gives the person who is writing their letter of recommendation enough time to write a thoughtful piece. It is also a good idea to have your student provide the person who is writing the letter a copy of their resume and some information about the school they are applying for, including their intended major!
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Story by:
Amanda Marcks, Assistant Direct of Admissions
Related posts:
I’m Not Sure What to Major in, is That Normal?
Rowan Foundation Scholarships: Which Ones To Apply To and Where To Find Them
A Student’s Mission to Making the World Better
Joseph Salvo, a native of Italy, came to the United States six years ago without being able to fluently speak English. Now, living in Hammonton, NJ (Atlantic County), Joseph is a graduating college senior who leads a personal research project exploring the potential correlation between community health and cancer diagnosis. Learn more about what this political science and economics double major is doing to make the world better.
Joseph came to the United States during his junior year of high school when his family decided to make a fresh start here. He knew he wanted to go to college, but wasn’t sure where he wanted to attend. Rowan University for him became a prime choice for its location and known 
affordability. Although, once here Joseph quickly realized that the professors were another strength Rowan held. “The professors are all extremely accessible,” Joseph continues, “and they make themselves available beyond what I would consider their duty.”
Political science was a perfect fit for Joseph because of his desire to better understand the intricacies of government and because of his interest in law. Rowan’s department pushed him early on during his freshman year to research and receive an internship – better preparing him for the potential roles he could fill after college. Joseph attributes his current internship at New Jersey’s Superior Courts located in Atlantic City to the resources provided to him through College of Humanities & Social Sciences, which houses the political science and economics department. Joseph works in the Children’s Court Unit – associated with Family Court – and helps handle 
cases involving children at risk of abuse or being cared for by unfit parents. “Through working here I have the opportunity to see the behind the scenes action; being a part of the process that most people aren’t witnesses to.” Joseph explains, “Gaining this experience further prepared me for more intense and involved work.” Through Joseph’s hard work and assistance from his professors at Rowan he gets to be a real help to children who aren’t in the best situations.
Further into his college career, Joseph’s professors encouraged him to create and develop his own research project as a goal to demonstrate his ability and growth gained during his time at Rowan. “I was interested in how cancer plays a role in people’s lives – there’s already demographics with disadvantages and I wanted to see if cancer further attributes to any inability these demographics have,” Joseph revealed. Currently, Joseph has already reviewed lifestyles and genetic markers that attribute to cancer. Having discovered prostate cancer being passed down in families; while breast cancer can better be associated with lifestyles such as eating habits and living environments.
The second phase of Joseph’s research that he plans to continue with will be assessing areas with high cancer diagnosis and attempting to discover any environmental similarities among these regions. His end goal is to produce a cost-benefit analysis to highlight the current cost of health care 
associated with cancer treatments and compare them to the cost of transitioning to more environmental-friendly methods. Overall, Joseph clearly has a mindset a strong ambition to make the world a better place for everyone to live in.
“I did not expect Rowan to be so fulfilling, I walked in with lower expectations. However, Rowan met all my needs and then some. People both in academic resources and professors have always gone above and beyond to help me. I really appreciate this and am thankful for choosing Rowan.” Joseph stated. And Rowan is thankful to have such a dedicated and hard-working student who’s already making positive changes to the world. What goals do you have in your life that Rowan can help you achieve?
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VISIT CAMPUS
Story and photography by: Alexander Belli
Senior, public relations and advertising double major
On Our Way Up! Workshop Prepares Students for Success
The Office of Career Advancement held their annual career advancement workshop, On Our Way Up!, during the third week of September as a way for ambitious students to learn about the opportunities available to them on campus. The event, hosted by Assistant Director Dr. Alicia Monroe, featured opening remarks from Director Robert Bullard and Dean […]