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Archiver > NJHUNTER > 2000-06 > 0961979204


From: - Tom Rue - <>
Subject: [NJHUNTER] Article: Mishap was blessing in disguise for Califon woman
Date: Sun, 25 Jun 2000 20:26:44 -0400


I think this article from the Hunterdon Review, Wednesday, May 3, 2000, p.
5, on my little sister come under the topic of Hunterdon County genealogy.
She's not an ancestor, but she's family and in the right area. :-)
For our Hunterdon County ancestors, see:
http://www.catskill.net/family/mcguire/
http://www.catskill.net/family/callan/
http://www.catskill.net/family/flood/
http://www.catskill.net/family/cruise/
-Tom
--

Mishap was blessing in disguise for Califon woman
By LOWELL M. SHARE
Staff Writer
CALIFON - A kneecap injury brought closure to a dead-end career for
borough resident Ella Rue and flung open the doors to a world in which she
has flourished.
The 35-year-old mother of two decided two years ago to go back to college
after about a 10-year absence and just recently was the recipient of the
Distinguished Chapter President Award of Raritan Valley Community College's
(RVCC) honor society, Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) at the Middle States Regional
Convention. It was the third consecutive year the college has received this
award.
In all, the RVCC chapter, Alpha Epsilon Pi, won 11 awards at the
convention competing against 77 other chapters from Pennsylvania, Delaware,
Maryland and New Jersey, with Rue winning three of them.
Rue, a liberal arts student at RVCC, also won the Hall of Fame
Distinguished Chapter President Award, first place in the Individual Art
Award and honorable mention in the individual Poetry Award.
Most recently, she coordinated the Phi Theta Kappa Statewide Leadership
Conference, a day-long leadership training program for members of New
Jersey Phi Theta Kappa chapters. She also had her essay, "Poetic Justice"
and her poem, "Self Portrait In Words", selected for publication in the
1999 "Nota Bene", the literary anthology of Phi Theta Kappa.
She did al this, works a full-time job in Warren Township for Johnson &
Johnson's Cordis Company, and keeps fairly busy raising her two children,
ages 12 and 10.
"It is hectic at times, but I love Raritan Valley Community College, and
my decision to go back to school was the best one I had made in many
years," said Rue, who has lived in Califon for the past three years.
Originally from Lawrenceville, she had gotten out of high school and went
to what is now Kean University. Rue said that she just didn't know what she
really wanted to do with her life so she dropped out, got married and had
two children.
------------------------------------
Life-Changing Experience
------------------------------------
She worked as a waitress for about 10 years, until an accident at work at
a local restaurant left her with a broken knee cap and left her
contemplating her future.
"There is not much use for 10 years of experience as a waitress and a
limpy one at that," pondered Rue about her future. "I just decided to go
back to college and take a different approach. I loved art, am an artist
and loved writing, and the college has been simply a wonderful experience
for me. It has opened new doors, and now I realized what I had missed out
on years ago.
"I hadn't remembered the professors being so accessible, and so helpful
when I went to college the first time," she added, "but since enrolling at
Raritan Valley Community College, things have really gotten so much better.
I love the place. It is like a real community college, where you really
feel like a part of it all.
"My English professor, Ed Minus, has just been wonderful and guided me,
helped me work on my writing skills, and is really the reason I've gotten
published twice. Everything I've written he's helped polish, refine, and
really been a wonderful teacher."
The essay "Poetic Justice" was written for his class, she said, and the
poem, "Self Portrait In Words" was also done for his class. It was a
reflection about the great American poet Robert Frost.
Of some 1,600 submissions, only 27 were chosen to be published in the
International Phi Theta Nota Bene, and two of those were by Rue.
Rue said that she went back to school for commercial arts and computers,
as well as to improve her writing skills.
Her involvement in the PTK chapter of the collect as chapter president
also helped it win the "Chapter Award of Excellence" at the convention. It
recognizes efforts in upholding and presenting all four hallmarks of Phi
Theta Kappa: Scholarship, Leadership, Service and Fellowship.
It was also the fifth consecutive time Phi Theta Kappa was designated a
Five-Star Chapter, the highest award a chapter can receive.
To qualify to be a member of PTK, a student must earn a grade point
average of 3.5 or better after completing a minimum of 12 credit hours of
associates degree course work. There are 103 members in the Raritan Valley
Community College chapter, Alpha Epsilon Pi.
Rue has also been requested to speak at the New Jersey State Phi Theta
Kappa Day in Trenton honoring all of New Jersey's All Academic Team
members. The audience will be comprised of Phi Theta Kappans, Phi Theta
Kappa advisors, and college faculty, with college presidents as well as
legislators from all over the state.
Rue said that she is very proud of her accomplishments at Raritan Valley
Community College, and is hoping to move on to Montclair State University
in the fall.
--

--
TOM RUE | CARMEN RUE | Opinions are the writer's alone.
POB 706 Monticello NY 12701-0706 USA | mailto:
© 2000 - Personal website: http://www.catskill.net/rue/
El pueblo unido jamas sera vencido.

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