The nine honorees were selected by the CCM Foundation’s vice president and its alumni advisory board.  The honorees were presented with trophies at the Foundation’s 21st annual scholarship gala, held at The Villa at Mountain Lakes, where 200 contributors, friends and school officials assembled for the yearly fundraiser.

 “All of our honorees have two things in common. They were selected because they all excelled in their chosen professional careers and were graduated from Morris County College,” said Joseph T. Vitale, the Foundation’s vice president.

Since its establishment in 1987, “the Foundation has generated more than $7 million, funds that have been directed towards student scholarships and specialized vocational and scholastic programs,” said Rose Cofone, the Foundation’s director of development.

 “The evening’s activities added $70,000 to the CCM Foundation’s scholarship program that supports minority and disabled students,” Cofone said. The donations were collected through a silent auction and the fee charged for admission.

The highlight of the evening was the nine awardees.  According to Maria Rispoli, she was speechless when she heard she was chosen to receive an alumni award.  Her first reply was, “Wow, that’s some honor for a high school drop out!”

Rispoli, who received her associate’s degree in humanities and social science and graduated summa cum laude in 2003 from CCM, continued her education at Montclair State University where she earned a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, in English and secondary education. She is currently studying for a master’s degree.

Today Rispoli teaches English at Roxbury High School. She says that she loves working with students and takes pride in their achievements.

Holding an equally impressive resume, James Relyea received his associate’s degree in nursing in 1994 after a serious accident and two years of physical therapy.  As a former rehab patient himself, he says he brings a deeper understanding for his chosen career.

Today Relyea is a staff nurse at the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, a medical center that specializes in spinal cord injuries.  As a health care professional, Relyea is a certified rehabilitation registered nurse and was chosen to be the primary care nurse for actor Christopher Reeve during his stay at Kessler.

The other seven award winners were: Laura Bartus, Denise Gassner-Kuhn, Dr. Betsy Greenleaf, Harold Jolicoeur, Edward Nelson, Jenifer Stevenson and Kathy Storm.