RCBC Grad Tony Hubbard Blossoms in D.C.
Tony Hubbard. Photo courtesy of Rowan College at Burlington County
By Angela Miller | Rowan College at Burlington County
WASHINGTON, D.C. – All in. That’s how Tony Hubbard approached his time at Rowan College at Burlington County.
He actively engaged in seven clubs and organizations on campus and assumed a leadership role within the Student Government Association.
“My proudest memory is when I ran a campaign to become the first vice president of Student Concerns in the Student Government Association,” Hubbard said. “This is when I started to understand the true influence of government, even at the collegiate level. Through this experience, my mother and girlfriend (now wife) were able to see me receive the highly selective New Jersey Martin Luther King Junior Commission Scholarship.”
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Hubbard chose RCBC because it provided the best value for what he was looking for coming out of high school. It also allowed him to gain a fresh start academically while staying local and developing himself for his next steps.
He earned his associate degree in psychology with a minor in business administration in 2008. Two years later, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in human resources management from Rutgers University and then continued his education to earn his master’s degree in public administration.
While finishing his undergraduate degree, Hubbard interviewed for a position with the General Services Administration to become an acquisition professional (contract specialist). There, he met fellow Rutgers alum Jeff Johnson, who was interviewing on behalf of the GSA.
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Although there were many other qualified candidates selected through that round of hiring, he remained in contact with Johnson and eventually got his start as a federal employee.
“The academic experiences and great value were unmatched at both Rutgers and RCBC, but the out-of-classroom experiences provided opportunities I never could’ve imagined,” Hubbard said. “Through that opportunity being introduced to the federal side, I’ve been able to work my way up to senior leadership using the techniques and skills I learned from some of my favorite professors.”
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Now, the director of acquisition policy for the compliance division in the National Capital Region (NCR), Hubbard participates in policy development at the national and regional levels and analyzes the impact of proposed and new policies and legislation.
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He develops effective strategies across multiple divisions, involving a wide range of customers and projects. Having served in the government arena for more than 10 years, he’s been twice nominated for Philadelphia’s Federal Executive Board’s Excellence in Government Award and was a gold medalist in 2013. He credits his time in student government at RCBC as giving him his first taste at influencing policies.
“I left high school minimally prepared for what was to come academically, but attending RCBC helped me develop the foundation for my future. Prior to attending RCBC, I was denied from every college I applied to, except one, which I wasn’t very interested in attending,” Hubbard said.
“Leaving RCBC, I had the opportunity to reapply to those same schools and choose based on scholarship offers, future aspirations and the things that mattered to me after being accepted to all — two very different outcomes,” he added.
Hubbard enjoyed his educational experiences so much that after graduation, he worked as an academic advisor at RCBC and now teaches part-time at the Rutgers-Newark School of Public Affairs and Administration graduate program.
“Having earned my BA and MPA from Rutgers, I knew I could relate to the students and the mission of the university,” Hubbard said. “Between Rutgers and RCBC, I was able to get a true start at success by combining my experiences in the School of Arts and Sciences, the Business School and the School of Public Affairs and Administration to earn a career that combined both business and social sciences.”
Because Tony had such positive experiences, he convinced his younger brother, four cousins and several friends to attend the school as well.
“Now, having the opportunity to see my brother follow in my footsteps sparked a different type of appreciation for what RCBC and Rutgers did for me,” Hubbard said. “Collectively, I’ve been able to set an example for most of my family and friends through my success and process matriculating through RCBC and Rutgers. The oldest of my cousins who matriculated through RCBC, then Rowan, and then the Rutgers MPA program is also now employed by the federal government in Philadelphia.”
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