In November, Give Something Back awarded Rowan University with a $1 million gift to strengthen their partnership in providing full room, board, and tuition scholarships to exceptional youth throughout New Jersey. This was in addition to another $1 million which now provides 400 years of academia and housing at Rowan. Currently, nine Give Back scholars attend Rowan University with a scholarship. One such student is sophomore Riccardo Dale.
Riccardo is a Health and Physical Education major at Rowan where he will earn his bachelor’s degree and teacher certification in Spring 2020. He was awarded a Give Back scholarship in Fall 2016 and, in so doing, will become NJ’s first college scholarship program graduate. Recently, he was elected to serve as the student representative on Rowan University’s Board of Trustees where his voice will be heard just the same as any board member.
Aside from his personal demands as a student at Rowan, Riccardo is a summer mentor for over 30 First Star Rowan Academy students and Give Back scholars, as well as a year-long mentor to a few select students. Riccardo serves his mentees in every capacity possible, going to such lengths as organizing a clothing drive to gather personal items for his mentees.
With FAM (Free All Minds), he seeks to expand his mentoring and public speaking role with students who have faced adversity. In founding his own nonprofit, Riccardo hopes to ensure more students like himself are guided on the path to academic success. FAM offers inspirational speaking for now, but it is heading toward monthly mentoring in Camden starting this summer.
In his own endeavors, Riccardo has the support of personal mentors. Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students Richard Jones has worked with Riccardo since his freshman year of college. Mr. Jones is a strong advocate for Riccardo as he continues on the path to college attainment and a career in serving youth.
We are proud of Riccardo’s efforts to continue to give back to upcoming students who have walked a similar path as him and will soon walk across the stage with a diploma in-hand.
“I’m passionate about making a difference…knowing that I will leave this world as someone who has made a difference means a lot to me,” Riccardo said.