Newton South Grad Completes Marine Corps Officer Candidate School

NEWTON, MA —Noah Rivkin of Newton, who was on Mayor Ruthanne Fuller's staff prior to joining the Marines, completed Marine Corps Officer Candidate School in Quantico and was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Marines.

"His mom and dad, Dr's Michael, and Haya Rivkin were there, both very proud of their son's accomplishments," said Councilor Jim Cote, who was asked to do the ceremonial "first salute."

Both the Marine Corps and the Navy have a traditional ceremony, where a new lieutenant will ask someone that is or was an enlisted military member of the Armed Forces to render their first salute.

After the salute, the tradition has the new officer then give the "saluter" a silver dollar coin. It's not clear where the practice came from, but it's been passed down for generations at Quantico.

"I was honored that Noah asked me to participate in his commissioning ceremony, and my wife Albie and I flew down to Quantico, VA for the event, which happens right after they graduate," Cote, told Patch in an email.

Rivkin graduated from Newton South in 2013 and then worked at a car wash in Needham and as a research assistant at Children's Hospital before heading to Columbia University where he got his bachelors in history. While he was there, he had summer internships at a consulting firm, as a paralegal and as a project coordinator for the university. He spent the summer of 2016 interning for MA Treasurer Deb Goldberg's office, according to his LinkedIn profile.

After he graduated in 2017, he started working for Fuller’s mayoral campaign. He became the mayor’s executive aide when she took office in January 2018, but left in April for Quantico.

Ahead of his departure, Fuller described him as "capable and kind, conscientious and caring, and an impressive example of a curious and committed citizen Newton South High School helps nurture."