Meet the 2011 Graduates: Ron Dunn

He may not know his GPA off the top of his head, but Ron Dunn knows he’s received two B’s in the past—the only blemishes  that exist in his entire student career.

But amidst the vast sea of A’s that Dunn has accumulated, it’s rather easy to forget about two B’s. And Northern New Jersey-based Kean University did just that, accepting the 18-year-old Collingswood resident and high school senior last month.

“I was accepted to Kean for academics,” said Dunn, who will begin his college career Sept. 2. “Once I got in, I contacted (Kean University’s Division III) volleyball coach, and now I’ll be playing volleyball there, too.”

Volleyball is something Dunn will carry from high school to college.

“I’ve played three sports for during all four years,” said Dunn of his time with Panthers’ varsity volleyball, soccer and swimming teams.

Dunn’s well-rounded school career doesn't end with sports and academics. He’s involved in Collingswood High School’s German Club, Madrigals Choir Group, its theater program—and also acts with Collingswood Community Theatre, outside of school. Dunn even added Future Educators of America to his extracurricular roster during senior year.

Dunn chose to join Future Educators of America, mainly because he aspires to become a teacher.

“At Kean, my major will be undeclared for the first two years, but I’m entering on a STEM (Science, Technology and Mathematics) track because I eventually want to be in math education,” said Dunn.

And Dunn already has an ideal future profession clearly in mind.

“I’d like to teach geometry. And I’d like to be a high school teacher somewhere—maybe even here (at Collingswood High School),” said Dunn, the prospect of teaching at his alma mater bringing forth a chuckle. “If not in Collingswood, definitely somewhere like Collingswood. I like that we’re a small-sized school. It would probably be overwhelming to teach all the students at those larger schools.”

Wherever he ends up teaching, Dunn is confident he’ll be holding a geometry book.

“I love geometry, because the answers are always right in front of you,” he said. “It doesn’t work that way in other areas of math. But it always does in geometry—if I’m looking at a triangle, and need to figure out (the size) of one of its angles, I can just use its other two angles to help me find the third. In geometry, the answer is always somewhere on the page.”

But as Dunn’s academic career progresses, he said Collingswood will never be far from his mind. 

“I basically kept all the same friends throughout high school, and I really like that about Collingswood,” said Dunn, who was home-schooled until he entered the district in seventh grade.

With graduation in the past, and summer vacation ahead, Dunn still has a few months to spend with familiar faces before heading off to Kean’s Union, NJ, campus. Until September, Dunn said he’ll work as a summer camp lifeguard.

Dunn does have some post-graduation wisdom to share with students who will become next year’s Collingswood High School graduates.

“My advice to the upcoming seniors is to have fun, but don’t mess around too much,” he said. “I’m hearing about these kids who aren’t graduating with our class this year, and it’s sad to know it could’ve been avoided.”

When asked about the most difficult aspect of senior year, Dunn’s two-word answer needed no further clarification—AP Calculus.

His response to the easiest aspect of senior year drew more enthusiasm.

“The easiest part was probably being able to do what I wanted,” he said, stifling a laugh, and telling the high school office secretary not to listen. “It was pretty much like, I’ve been a good kid through all four years of high school, so if I’m wandering the halls senior year, I don’t get questioned. It pays off to be a good kid.”

Collingswood High School Principal Edward T. Hill couldn’t disagree. 

“Ron is a big part of school life, involved in just about everything,” said Hill of Dunn. “He really does it all. He’s the type of kid you want to keep in high school forever.”