Determination, perseverance, and countless hours of hard work culminated in a day of celebration June 26, when New Community Career & Technical Institute (NCCTI) hosted its graduation.

Held at Monsignor William J. Linder Plaza in Newark, the ceremony honored 58 students for completing the Automotive Technician, Medical Assistant Clinical, and Patient Care Technician programs. NCCTI Director Dermel Warren acknowledged how hard the graduates worked to complete their studies.

“I’ve gotten to know a lot of these graduates, and I’m so proud,” Warren said. “I’m letting you know that this is not your ending point. This is your beginning point. We have future nurses and doctors and mechanical engineers in this room.”

New Community Board of Directors Interim Chairman Edgar Nemorin said he was honored the graduates chose NCCTI to provide the training and skills necessary to begin their new careers.

“As you move forward, I want to encourage you to never stop learning,” Nemorin said. “Think of your life like your phone. You can’t do one update and be done. You’ve got to keep updating.”

New Community President and CEO Simone Gagneron asked the crowd to make some noise to recognize not only the significant achievements of the graduates, but the sacrifices made by those who supported them.

“We are cheering for our families, our support system, our parents, our grandparents, our children,” Gagneron said. “We need to get a little louder for our graduates. All of us here at NCC are inspired by you. You are now family of NCC. You come back to us, and you use our resources. You tell your story.”

Several students spoke about their individual journeys as part of the ceremony. Latifa Robinson, a graduate of the Patient Care Technician program, recalled a powerful visit to University Hospital as part of her training.

“I remember thinking to myself, this is where I need to be. For the first time, my dream felt real,” Robinson said.

Robinson also remembered how it felt to take her National Healthcareer Association exam toward the end of the program.  

“At that moment, I wasn’t just taking an exam. I was proving to myself that I belonged here. And guess what? I passed,” she said to applause.

Kenann Maroniel, a graduate of the Automotive Technician Program, joked that he had no experience when he started at NCCTI.

“If you handed me a wrench a year ago, I probably would have looked at it longer than I would have used it,” Maroniel said.

He also shared an emotional story about overcoming a suicide attempt, and explained that the program at NCCTI gave him “purpose, structure, and a reason to keep moving forward.”

“What I found here wasn’t just a classroom and an auto shop – it was a community,” Maroniel said. “Growth doesn’t happen in big, dramatic moments. Sometimes it’s about showing up every day. NCCTI gave me an opportunity to change the trajectory of my life, and for that, I will be forever grateful.”

Maroniel also announced that he had already secured employment following graduation.

NCCTI welcomed Dr. Tiffany Morrast, pastor of Secret Place of Praise and a Newark native, as the keynote speaker.

“Each one of you took a chance on you. Each one of you decided you wanted more,” Morrast said. “Don’t stop dreaming. What you desire, go after it. Every no is an opportunity for the next one.”

Graduates received their diplomas by program, and finished the ceremony with a time-honored tradition: moving their mortarboard tassels from right to left to signify the transition from student to graduate.

Maroniel said, “The future is waiting for us, so let’s go build it.”