Former Giants football player will speak at Raritan Valley Community College graduation
BRANCHBURG - Kareem McKenzie, who won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants, will deliver the commencement address at Raritan Valley Community College’s annual spring graduation on May 11.
McKenzie will receive an honorary degree during the ceremony, which will be held on the soccer field at the college’s Branchburg campus. Close to 1,100 students are expected to be awarded associate degrees or certificates.
McKenzie, an offensive lineman who played for both the Jets and the Giants, is pursuing his doctoral degree at Kean University in counselor education and supervision.McKenzie, who grew up in Willingboro, is a licensed counselor who played 11 years in the NFL. He also interned with the NFL as a counselor, assisting coaches in understanding players’ perspectives and offering insight about counseling services to fellow NFL players.
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After retiring from professional football, the graduate of Penn State, where he received a bachelor’s degree in business administration and management, continued his education for a second career as a counselor.
He earned a masters of education in professional counseling from William Paterson University of New Jersey.
As a counselor, McKenzie has worked as a member of a psychiatric treatment team, handling intake assessments, co-facilitating group therapy sessions for adolescents and adults, conducting individual therapy sessions, and advocating for patients.
McKenzie also has worked with the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC) of the New York Tri-State Area. He served as a spokesperson and a selection committee member for the RMHC African American Future Achievers Scholarship Fund, which offers scholarships to students in financial need who have demonstrated academic achievement, leadership and community involvement.
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This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Former Giants player to speak at Raritan Valley Community College graduation