Many students in the School of Engineering pursue a variety of interests beyond their studied fields. This is especially true for Civil Engineering graduate Lori Ruggiero who not only graduated with a minor in Music, but was also inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. Currently she is working in the construction industry where she is utilizing her degree to the fullest. “The School of Engineering provided me with not only theoretical and mathematical engineering knowledge but also a strong design background that helped me to transform abstract ideas into a tangible understanding of how things work,” states Lori who is also an experienced violinist of many years.
During high school she studied with Choong-Jin Chang, graduate of The Curtis Institute of Music Associate Principal Violist of the Philadelphia Orchestra. While at The College of New Jersey she was a member of various college orchestral and musical ensembles. Lori has held the position of concertmaster of the Washington Township Symphony Orchestra as well as the Rowan Youth Orchestra. She was a member of the Garden State Pops Orchestra, the Philadelphia Sinfonia, the South Jersey Orchestra, and the All State Orchestra. Lori has performed at various venues including Kimmel Center’s Verizon Hall, Perlman Theater, the Commerce Bank Arts Centre, and the Washington Lake Park Amphitheater, where she twice soloed with the Washington Township Symphony Orchestra as the winner of their annual concerto competition.
“I do believe that music has played a role in developing my overall character for pursuits academic and otherwise. Studying anything as intensely as I have studied music inevitably instills a character of perseverance, discipline, perfectionism, and determination. There is a strong desire to excel and succeed in the competitive music industry. Talent and natural ability are often not enough and we can only hope to distinguish ourselves by working harder than everyone else.” These are traits which helped Lori succeed both musically and academically, graduating with top honors from Civil Engineering. Lori is planning on continuing her education as well as her music.
Learn more
- Phi Beta Kappa Society at TCNJ
- TCNJ Ensembles
- Curtis Institute of Music
- Kimmel Center’s Verizon Hal
- Perlman Theater
- Commerce Bank Arts Centre
- Washington Lake Park Amphitheater