Triumph, tears as mom accepts degree for killed N.J. grad

Marcus Scroggins received a thunderous standing ovation as Kean University honored the beloved student killed weeks before his graduation.

NEWARK -- Marcus Scroggins was so close.

After a stint in community college and years at Kean University, the English major was taking his final course - a senior seminar - to finally earn is bachelor's degree at age 33.

"It was a big deal for him," said Joan Scroggins, his wife. "He worked hard. A lot of sleepless nights."

Scroggins was killed in April when a U-Haul truck crossed into incoming traffic and hit his car on Route 27. The Edison resident died at the scene of the accident.

Scroggins' wife and mother picked up his posthumous degree Thursday during an emotional moment at Kean University's commencement ceremony in the Prudential Center in Newark.

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Scroggins' mother, Lorraine, lifted the degree over her head, looked up and pumped it toward the heavens. The nearly 3,000 graduates rose to give their former classmate a thunderous standing ovation.

"He's looking down on us," said Lorraine Scroggins, of Elizabeth.

Kean University is one of several New Jersey schools handing out posthumous degrees this graduation season. Earlier this week, New Jersey Institute of Technology presented a posthumous degree in honor of Joseph Micalizzi, a student who was killed while struggling with alleged robbers in his fraternity house in Newark earlier this month. Stockton University trustees also approved a posthumous degree for Nikita Cross, a 35-year-old social work major from Galloway shot and killed at a family party earlier this month.

At Kean's commencement, a group of 12 family members was in the stands to see Scroggins' family pick up his posthumous degree.

Scroggins went to Abraham Clark High School in Roselle and Middlesex County College before enrolling at Kean. He married Joan, his high school sweetheart, in 2008.

After his death, friends and classmates raised $16,675 for his funeral expenses and to help his family in a GoFundMe campaign.

Before his death, Scroggins was unsure what he wanted to do with his degree. He talked about becoming a teacher, working for a nonprofit or about going back to college to work toward a graduate degree.

"He was excited about learning," said Joan Scroggins, in wife. "He could have been a 'forever' student."

The family said they briefly considered skipping the commencement ceremony because they knew it would be an emotional day in front of tens of thousands of people. But, they came anyway.

"We had to do this for him," Joan Scroggins said.