Passaic Today

Frank Rivers, a student in the Bachelor of Liberal Studies program at Montclair State University, is set to graduate, marking the end of a journey that began three years ago. Rivers, who works for the university's Shuttle Services, was inspired to return to school after a conversation with Alicia Tucker, a student he drove from their convocation ceremony.

Rivers had previously earned an associate degree in Drug and Alcohol Counseling from Essex Community College two decades ago. However, personal challenges, including raising a family and losing his oldest son in Iraq, made returning to school seem unlikely. This changed after meeting Tucker, who had just graduated with a bachelor's in Economics and was about to start as a graduate assistant for Montclair’s Degree Completion Program.

Tucker shared her experience of starting her degree at 38 and understood the challenges adults face when returning to education. She encouraged Rivers by sharing her own successes and maintained contact with him. “I told him that I would never steer a brother in arms wrong,” she said.

Rivers enrolled in the accelerated Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies program by fall 2021. The program caters to adult learners over 25 and offers flexible online courses with eight-week terms. Despite facing further personal losses during his studies, Rivers persevered.

Reflecting on his journey back to education sparked by Tucker's encouragement, Rivers stated: “It was a blessing to be led here.” He emphasized the importance of willpower and desire in overcoming obstacles: “Succeeding doesn’t mean you come out on top; you just have to move from where you are.”

As he prepares for graduation at Prudential Center on January 13th, Rivers is considering pursuing a master's degree in Child Advocacy with hopes of helping those in need. “I want to put myself in a position where I’m able to give back to the community and my family,” he expressed.