CONTINUING ALBERTUS’ MERCURY AWARD-WINNING BLOG SERIES ON BLACK BRILLIANCE AND CELEBRATING BLACK EXCELLENCE 365.
Submitted by Rockenson Charles ’23
My name is Rockenson Charles, but I go by Rock. I am a senior, graduating in May 2023. I was born and raised in Haiti and moved to the US in March 2015 with my family, and in March of 2022, I became a US citizen. I attended New London High School, graduating in 2019, and chose to attend Albertus right after. I picked Albertus because when I visited, I liked the scenery and the whole vibe of the campus. Plus, I wanted to attend a small school where professors and my peers could recognize me; I felt Albertus met all those criteria for me.
I am majoring in Business Management with a concentration in Marketing and a minor in Computer Information Systems (CIS). Next year I will continue my education here at Albertus in the MBA program.
I am involved on campus; I am vice president of the Campus Activities Board (CAB) and the Diversity & Inclusion Director for the Student Government Association (SGA). I am Secretary for the E-Sports Club, a four-year member of the men’s tennis team, and I work part-time as campus center manager. As an Albertus student, I got to experience and participate in several leadership workshops that have greatly enhanced my leadership abilities. As a freshman, I participated in the Leadership Immersion program led by Dr. Howard Fero; I participated in peace leadership, where I learned how to resolve disputes peacefully as a leader correctly. I was part of the inaugural Falcon Leadership Advancement Group (FLAG) program launched by Earl McCoy, Jr. in 2022. All these programs and clubs I am involved in have made my time here at Albertus worth it. When I think about it, I know I made the right decision to attend this school.
Throughout my time here at Albertus, I have had the chance to meet and work with many amazing people who have contributed to my development. Some of those include Erin Morrell, whom I continue working with. Erin’s helped me to get involved on campus; she’s been a great mentor who has helped me develop my leadership skills. Another person is Dan Hurley. Dan is the current advisor for CAB. Dan has also helped me develop my leadership skills and supported involvement with CAB. Two other people include Kobéy Smith and Earl McCoy, Jr; with the help of those two men, I was able to secure an internship last year with Rhythm Brewing Co. During that internship, I had the opportunity to work with Alisa Bowens-Mercado, founder and owner of the company. Mrs. Bowens-Mercado is the first female African-American to brew beer in Connecticut. Working with her was a fantastic experience, and I credit Kobéy and Earl for this opportunity.