Middlesex College Celebrates Class of 2026 Accomplishments at 59th Annual Commencement Ceremony 

Middlesex College leadership, faculty, staff, and distinguished guests joined graduating students and their families at Jersey Mike’s Arena on the Rutgers University campus in Piscataway to commemorate the College’s 59th Commencement. 

The individuals who comprise the Class of 2026 are diverse in age, background, accomplishments, and future plans. The cohort of 1,616 students range in age from 17 years old (with 70 graduating with an associate degree before receiving a high school diploma) to 70 years young. Nineteen are military veterans. Twenty are student-athletes. For some, commencement is truly a family affair. Multiple family groupings are graduating together today, including parent-and-child and two or more siblings and four sets of twins. 

With degrees in hand, many of this year’s graduates will start careers right away in a wide variety of fields, such as corrections, dental hygiene, engineering, gaming and animation, graphic design, hospitality, information technology, law enforcement, nursing, radiography, and social work, as well as many others. 

Class of 2026 Salutatorian Mel Mancheno, a Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship recipient, says that Middlesex College provided them with the supportive environment to succeed. 

“I can look back at my foundation here and say I gained the skills, knowledge, and self-confidence I need in order to be whatever I want to be,” said Mancheno. 

Mancheno plans to study psychology at Princeton University in the Fall. 

Others are continuing their education at one of the many four-year institutions in the state, including Rutgers, Montclair State, Kean, New Jersey Institute of Technology, The College of New Jersey, Seton Hall, and William Paterson. 

Perseverance was a recurring notion throughout the ceremony, beginning with Middlesex College President Mark McCormick’s address. 

“During your time at Middlesex College, you have had the opportunity to explore new subjects and new ways of thinking,” said President McCormick. “You have had the opportunity to grow in knowledge and skills. Many of you participated in athletics, student clubs, and honor societies. You worked hard to reach this day, and you have thrived.” 

The idea of success through resilience was also a theme in the address of Class Valedictorian Nina Salamatova, who shared her experiences fleeing the war four years ago in her hometown of Kyiv, Ukraine. 

“I spent 60 hours on the road to reach the Romanian border to escape the bombing and flee my hometown. Since then, my life has been a constant movement: I drifted across 12 countries, lived in 10 different homes, and navigated five high schools. From Ukraine to Romania to Canada to the United States, I was constantly adapting and starting over despite the uncertainty.” 

Salamatova, who will be attending Princeton University along with Mancheno in the Fall, plans to use her education to promote peace in all levels of society by studying governance and international affairs. 

“Middlesex College gave us more than an education. It gave us a space to keep moving forward even when the path was not clear,” added Salamatova. “We are here because, all together, day by day, we made a choice: to try again, to keep going, to never give up.” 

The ceremony also featured remarks by 2026 Alumna of the Year Barbara Roberts, a music therapist, community leader, and advocate for healing through the arts.  

A member of the Class of 2017 and a Parlin resident, Roberts studied liberal arts and music at Middlesex College and went on to receive her master’s degree in music therapy. Roberts, who sang the national anthem at the beginning of the ceremony, founded the Middlesex College Community Choir on campus. 

In her remarks to the Class of 2026, Roberts reminded graduates that this moment is in celebration of rising when life may have told them to stay down. 

“There were moments I wanted to give up,” said Roberts. “But I didn’t. Because of the people who stood beside me, lifted me, and reminded me: you can … This moment is not just about a degree. It’s about resilience. It’s about sacrifice. It’s about rising when life told you to stay down.” 

Middlesex College Chair Praful Raja congratulated the graduates on behalf of the Board of Trustees for reaching this milestone day. Acknowledging the diverse audience, he told graduates to continue to lead with compassion and lift one another up in their future endeavors. 

“Before I left my home in India, at the age of 28, my father told me something that I have never forgotten,” said Raja. “‘The value of your life is measured by the number of people that you are able to help.’ When I see you all today, it is clear that you are already doing this. Please continue your journey ahead with compassion and confidence in your education.” 

Middlesex County Commissioner Director Ronald G. Rios addressed the graduating class with words of inspiration for what comes next. 

“Whatever you choose to do in life, I hope you embrace it with confidence and integrity,” said Rios. “The world needs your diverse perspectives, talents, and intelligence to propel us toward an innovative future.” 

Earlier in May, the College honored Chambers Award winners. The award, named for the College’s founding president, Frank Chambers, recognizes those graduates who have achieved the highest grade-point average. The 2025 award recipients are: The 2026 award recipients are: Nishi Agrawal (Edison), Laith Assaf (Middlesex), Derrick Audain (North Brunswick), Archisha Bhattacharyya (East Brunswick), Alina Chekryzheva (Scotch Plains), Alda Cuka (Woodbridge), Emily Dennis (Sayreville), Nora El-Maghalawi (Old Bridge), Branden Farano (Woodbridge), Katie Farrar (Edison), Brandon Franceschi (Carteret), Howard Gee (Union), Victor Gil (South River), Eric Gokhman (South Brunswick), Hassan Ibrahim (Old Bridge),  Lizairis Jimenez (Fords), Mani Vardhan Kumpatla (New Brunswick), Thomas Lagomarsino (Dayton), Adrianna Lawson (Colonia), Mel Mancheno (West Palm Beach, FL), Kade Marius (Dayton), Adrian Maslowski (Sayreville), Jane Moura Soares (Newark), Samina Naseem (Edison), Munachimso Nduagubam (Enugu, Nigeria), Jason Neil (Fords), Xuyang Pang (Luoyang, China), Ronan Perkins Woodbridge), Akhmad Rustamov (Kazan, Russia), Nina Salamatova (Kyiv, Ukraine), Mahi Sanghvi (Edison), Eliyahu Setton (Highland Park), Giordana Smith (South Plainfield), Hannah Strom-Olsen (Woodbridge), Maya Tadros (Sayreville), Chase Trolaro (Oakland), Aleena Vahora (Anand Gujarat, India), Marjorie Veras (Monroe), and Heather Wilson (Old Bridge). 

On an environmental note, the graduates wore eco-friendly caps and gowns made entirely from recycled plastic bottles, a tradition that began in 2022. Named GreenWeaver and manufactured by Oak Hall, the fabric is made from spun molten plastic pellets, with each gown requiring an average of 25 bottles. Approximately 20,000 bottles were saved from landfills and the oceans by this year’s ceremony. 

For more information, visit our Commencement page.