Berkeley College to Honor Cynthia Caruso as 2019 Outstanding Student Award Recipient
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2019 |
Contact: Ilene Greenfield Director of Media Relations 973-278-5400, Ext. 1-5122 IGL@BerkeleyCollege.edu |
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BERKELEY COLLEGE TO HONOR CYNTHIA CARUSO AS 2019 OUTSTANDING STUDENT AWARD RECIPIENT |
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Berkeley College student Cynthia Caruso of Hasbrouck Heights, NJ, will receive the Outstanding Student Award at the Berkeley College Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 10, 2019, at Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. More than 2,300 graduates will receive their diplomas. The Outstanding Student Award is presented to a graduate who has met high standards of academic excellence while overcoming personal, professional or financial obstacles.
Ms. Caruso graduated from West Milford High School more than 20 years ago, and began her pursuit of higher education by earning clinical certifications related to the medical field that included phlebotomy, electrocardiography and hemodialysis. She worked with patients in the field for more than a decade and raised her son before deciding to return to college and earn a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Health Services Management. While at first she was uncertain about returning to college as an adult, Ms. Caruso knew it was the right decision, especially when she found out she could earn her degree online.
“I had worked in healthcare my entire career and I wanted to continue my education in the same field,” Ms. Caruso said. “Once I saw that I could earn a Bachelor’s degree online I was sold ... It was important to me to be able to keep my daily schedule, especially being a mom.”
Her hard work has paid off. Ms. Caruso has received Dean’s or President’s List honors every semester. She is a member of the Alpha Sigma Lambda National Honor Society, the oldest and largest national honor society for non-traditional students who achieve and maintain outstanding scholastic standards and leadership characteristics while handling additional responsibilities of work and family. Ms. Caruso also served as a peer mentor and on the Online Student Advisory Board, a community wherein students can share feedback, perspectives and insights in order to foster a more positive student experience. She recently accepted an invitation to serve on the Berkeley College Online Advisory Board.
“Berkeley has given me the ability to see outside the box,” Ms. Caruso said. “I come from a background of working with patients … Now I can put myself in the position of the employer and know what it takes to make decisions that are crucial for the employees as well as the facility. I’ve also learned how important and rewarding it is to be able to give back to the community.
When asked to be a peer mentor, Ms. Caruso said yes because she wanted the chance to be inspiring and encouraging to others as she was by her peer mentor. “I’ve had students share their personal frustrations trying to figure out a balance between school life and work life, even mom life … Being that I’m also a mom and working and going to school, I was able to relate and offer a different perspective.”
A leader in providing career-focused education since 1931, Berkeley College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and enrolls more than 7,000 students – including more than 350 international students – in its Master’s, Bachelor’s and Associate’s degree and Certificate programs. Students can study in more than 20 career fields. Berkeley College is comprised of the Larry L. Luing School of Business®, the School of Professional Studies, the School of Health Studies, and the School of Liberal Arts. The School of Graduate Studies offers an MBA in Management online and in Woodland Park, NJ.
Berkeley College has four New Jersey campuses – Newark, Paramus, Woodbridge and Woodland Park. In New York there are three campuses – Midtown Manhattan, Brooklyn and White Plains. Berkeley College Online® serves a global population. For six consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has named Berkeley College among the Best Colleges for Online Bachelor’s Programs and among the Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans. The website address is www.BerkeleyCollege.edu.
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