Student speakers named for Rider's 2015 Commencement ceremonies

The student speakers for Rider’s Commencement ceremonies on the Lawrenceville campus have been selected.

Winnie Mackintosh, a political science and English double major, will deliver the student speech at the undergraduate Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 15. Cristin J. Eckhardt '09, who earned a bachelor’s in biology as well as a graduate level teacher certificate in 2010 from Rider, will deliver remarks during the graduate and College of Continuing Studies Commencement ceremony on Thursday, May 14.

Mackintosh, 22, has dreamed of being the Commencement speaker since she came to Rider as a first-year student. She sees the role as an opportunity to share why Rider, which is celebrating its sesquicentennial anniversary, has meant so much to her. She plans to tie in the lessons she learned as an undergraduate into Rider's history and traditions.

Eckhardt, 27, a science teacher at JP Case Middle School in Flemington, N.J., sees her speech as the capstone of her Rider experience.

“Rider has been a really big part of my life," she says. "It’s a special place to be. The people are fantastic and the professors go out of their way for students. They’ve done things for me at a drop of a hat that I have really appreciated.”

Eckhardt, who is from Bucks County, Pa., entered Rider with the goal of becoming a medical doctor, but during a presentation in a science class on the links between viruses and cancer, she realized her true dream: she wanted to be in front of the classroom, teaching. She now plans on pursuing a doctorate to fulfill her aspiration to return to the University as a professor of education.

In addition to helping her hone her career goals, Eckhardt say Rider taught her to be a more confident and courageous person, transforming her from a shy student into a charismatic teacher able to withstand the scrutiny of an audience. “I think that change can be attributed to the community at Rider,” she says. “No one is here to judge you. Instead, you feel supported and comfortable.” How the Rider community nurtures self-discovery will be a major theme of her speech.

Mackintosh, who was born in Seattle, Wash., and graduated from a small high school in Tuscon, Ariz., cites Rider’s close-knit community as one of the main reasons she enrolled here in the first place. “I could envision myself at Rider,” she says. “I very specifically wanted my college experience to be at this university because it’s very community-oriented. It’s small enough where you feel that everybody is there for you and wants you to succeed.”

Mackintosh is accustomed to public speaking from her experience on Rider’s Model UN Team, for which she served as head delegate this year. She has received several awards and accolades as an undergraduate, including the Presidential Scholarship, and has also been selected to present at several events, including the Gender & Sexuality Studies Colloquium in 2013 and the Interdisciplinary Day of Learning in both 2013 and 2014.

Mackintosh has worked in several capacities on the Lawrenceville campus. She started as tour guide in the Office of Admissions in September 2014, conducting campus-wide tours for prospective students and their families. Previously, she was employed as an office assistant as well.

Her internship experience includes writing for the travel company Nomadic Expeditions in Jamesburg, N.J., and conducting research and editing for Message & Media in New Brunswick, N.J. She was also a campaign intern with the Lawrence Township Democratic Committee in Lawrence, N.J.

In addition to the ceremonies on the Lawrenceville campus, Westminster Choir College of Rider University will hold its 86th annual Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 16, at 10:30 a.m. in the Princeton University Chapel. Yannick Nézet-Séguin, music director of The Philadelphia Orchestra, will deliver the Commencement Address. He will also be awarded an honorary Doctor of Music degree.

Rider University’s Graduate and College of Continuing Studies Commencement ceremony takes place on Thursday, May 14, 2015, at 5 p.m. on the Campus Green in Lawrenceville. The Undergraduate Commencement ceremony takes place on Friday, May 15, 2015, at 9:30 a.m., also on the Campus Green in Lawrenceville. For more information about Commencement, please visit www.rider.edu/commencement.