By Monique Larkin

Daniel Castro kicks off the 90th birthday party with a speech. (Chris Dietrich)

By Monique Larkin

RCC is 90 years old and as a result a birthday party was held on March 15 to kickoff the events that are to be held throughout the rest of the year.

RCC has established its 90 years in existence as a college where its students can get more than they ever imagined.

RCC has been around since 1916 serving its community, its students as well as its staff.

Upbeat music, good smelling food and laughter filled the RCC Bookstore promenade.

The feeling was contagious throughout the celebration.

RCC Student Activities Coordinators Doug Graham and Deborah Hall enjoyed the salsa music.

They each took turns to explain the banner that proclaimed the phrase and motto that read: “More than you can imagine.”

“Back in 1916 when this college was first started, they probably never imagined this college would be as big as it is today,” Graham said. “Ninety years marks 10 years until RCC’s 100th anniversary and not too many colleges can say that they have been around that long. We are going to blow the roof off when we get to our 100th.”

Hall echoed this by saying that you can only imagine the things that you can get here at RCC.

“RCC is more than what you can imagine in the things and opportunities that are offered here,” Hall said. “This is a big celebration. The participation between the staff and the students was great.”

Louis Guerrero is a full-time student at RCC who was enjoying a book as he waited for the lines for the free tacos to go down.

“I have been going here for two years, and I still love it,” Guerrero said. “I used to work full time, but I still think that being student full time is a lot harder.”

Other RCC students like Joanna Pimienta, Vantris Patterson and Janai Starks were already enjoying the tacos and cake that was given for the celebration.

“We just came for the free food,” Patterson said.

RCC President Daniel Castro is excited to be a part of a tradition.

“We work hard, and we celebrate hard,” Castro said. “It’s nice to have students and staff interact. They can get the sense of the teachers out from behind their desks.”

Ninety years is a milestone just in a human being’s life, as it is for a college as RCC student ambassador Roni Smith echoed.

“The college has come a long way,” Smith said. “I think it is going to continue to flourish.”

Smith also served pieces of the celebration cake.

Even as the kickoff event ended and students were heading to class the excitement that there still there and few did not want to leave without getting some food.

Smith watched the celebration end and was enjoying herself so much that she was disappointed when the music was turned off.

“I had a lovely time,” Smith said. “It was a perfect day and people had fun. What more could you ask for?”