Putting Your Education to Work

One of the things that makes pursuing a higher education in the city of Newark so unique is the breadth of disciplines you can specialize in. You can obtain a degree or certification in law at Seton Hall Law, technology at NJIT, a number of medical fields at Essex County Community College, religious counseling and education at Pillar, business at Berkeley, and most of the above and more at

Rutgers University-Newark, part of New Jersey’s largest institute of higher education and one of the most respected research universities in the country.

These graduates of Newark’s six major colleges and universities put their education to work by finding rewarding careers in the areas their schools specialize in.

Dr. Michael Akinyemi is a board certified diagnostic/vascular and interventional radiologist. He graduated in 2001 from Essex County Community College with high honors and an associate’s degree in science and biology in pre-medicine. In 2004, he graduated from the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) after majoring in biomedical engineering/chemistry/applied mathematics. And in 2009, he graduated with a medical degree from the Medical College of Wisconsin.

Angie Feliz is an engineer at PSE&G energy company. She graduated from NJIT with an associate’s degree in civil engineering in 2013. A few months before she graduated, Feliz became a technical intern at PSE&G, which led to the offer of a permanent position with the company. She started full-time at PSE&G in January of 2014. Feliz returned to NJIT and graduated in 2017 with a master’s degree in engineering management.

Ruben Sanrelus is a financial analyst for Burlington Stores. He graduated from Rutgers University-Newark in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in economics, after which he worked as a pricing analyst and accountant for Bank of America. In 2015, Sanrelus returned to Rutgers Business School. In June of this year, he graduated with a master’s degree in finance and real estate.

Nicole graduated from Berkeley College in 2014 with a degree in business management-entrepreneurship. In 2012 she founded It Takes a Village, Inc. (ITV), a non-profit organization that helps formerly incarcerated individuals successfully reintegrate into society through social services and training in trades. Singletary was the student speaker for Berkeley College’s Class of 2015 commencement. She is also an activist in the Newark community.

Norberto Rivera is a youth pastor, coach and mentor. He graduated from Pillar College in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. In 2014, he graduated with an associate’s degree in bible/biblical studies. That same year, he began working as a peer counselor at the Lighthouse Pregnancy Resource Center in Wayne, NJ, and in July of 2016, he became a youth pastor and director at the Church of Nazarene, both in Newark and the New York Metro District.

John E. Keefe Jr. is the president of the New Jersey State Bar Association. He graduated from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1990. After graduating,Keefe worked as a law clerk for the Honorable Kenneth MacKenzie. In 1995, he became one of the founding members and co-managers of Keefe Law Firm. Keefe’s long and successful career as a legal counsel includes cases that resulted in million dollar settlements and verdicts.