Jaden Newson crossing the stage at Rock Valley College’s recent commencement. (Rock Valley College photo)

Jaden Newson may have started alone as she faced hurdles at the start of her two years at Rock Valley College.

But by the time she completed a journey by recently walking across a graduation stage she had gathered glowing accolades and a collection of lifelong friends.

Newson took a long path to Rockford, traveling hundreds of miles from Colorado. A highly talented basketball player, Newson had been recruited to join the school’s women’s basketball team, an offer that presented a fresh set of challenges and opportunities.

On the road to success Newson met every hurdle head-on. She embraced the balance of being a student-athlete, honing her time management skills, and overcoming her procrastination.

And it wasn’t just in athletes. Newson immersed herself into all things RVC.

Newson served as a Student Ambassador, becoming the President of the Student Athlete Advisory Council and joining The Bookworms club.

She was a fixture at the college’s Welcome Desk, greeting prospective students with a contagious enthusiasm that never failed to ignite the same passion in them.

“Jaden is well-versed on RVC, an environment that she, in fact, impacts significantly on a daily basis,” said Tim Romanello, Assistant Athletic Director-Compliance. “She’s an incredibly intelligent, passionate young woman that desires nothing less than seeing people around her succeed. She exemplifies the very person RVC is all about – an individual striving for more and wanting to give back all at the same time.”

But it was not just the academics and sports that enriched Newson’s life at RVC. It was the people. From the staff to her fellow students, she found a sense of community that went beyond mere friendships. It felt like a family.

“I have met some lifelong friends here at RVC,” said Newson. “Not only that, but the staff is so amazing that I know if I am struggling, there is always someone willing to help.”

Throughout her journey, Newson found her calling in Education. A lifelong love of school translated into her desire to cultivate an environment where students felt the same adoration for learning.

“If I could study to be a student for the rest of my life, I would,” she said. “The world is in our hands. I want to have a hand in teaching and guiding the next generation to be ready to take the world.”

Newson’s decision to attend college far away was underlined by crossing the line, a running theme in her family.

Her maternal grandparents had emigrated from Mexico to the United States in the 1990’s with a modest sixth-grade education and scarcely enough money to get by. They worked relentlessly, her grandmother initially as a cleaning lady and her grandfather as a carpenter, and they owned their own business.

On her father’s side, Newson’s ancestors had migrated from the South before the civil rights movement. Her great-grandfather found a factory job in Rockford in 1948 as part of the Great Migration.

From the moment she crossed the state line, a sense of nervous anticipation gripped Newson. Leaving the comforting familiarity of Sterling, Colorado, a small town about two hours northeast of Denver, she took the daunting leap toward an unknown future.

In her two years at RVC, Newson achieved significant accolades. She made the dean’s list during the 2021-22 school year and received her Associate of Arts degree. Her impact on the college and its community did not go unnoticed. Newson’s commitment and zeal earned her glowing reviews from her peers, professors, and staff.

As Newson prepares to further her education at North Central College in Naperville, she looked back at her journey with a sense of accomplishment. She had crossed that state line years ago, leaving behind everything familiar. But in the process, she had found a new home, a new family, and a clearer vision for her future.

From basketball to academics, from her role as a student ambassador to her part-time job at Marshalls and her babysitting gig for two amazing boys, Newson immersed herself fully in her new life. Despite the unfamiliarity and the challenges, Newson wouldn’t trade her time at RVC for anything.

To her, it was exactly where she was supposed to be.