
New Jersey Council of County Colleges honor outstanding student scholars and leaders
The New Jersey Council of County Colleges recognized 38 students from the state’s 18 community colleges as members of the 2024 New Jersey All-State Academic Team at the New Jersey Community College Scholars Celebration.
The New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC) recognized 38 students from the state’s 18 community colleges as members of the 2024 New Jersey All-State Academic Team at the New Jersey Community College Scholars Celebration on Thursday evening at the New Jersey State Museum in Trenton.
The students, all members of Phi Theta Kappa, the national honor society for Community Colleges, were honored for their outstanding academic achievements and exceptional service to their communities and colleges. The students were nominated by their college leaders based on academic achievement, leadership, and engagement in college and community service.
“The 38 students have achieved high academic excellence while contributing to their college and the broader community. We applaud the New Jersey All-State Academic Team members for their hard work, dedication, and many contributions to their colleges and communities,” said NJCCC President Aaron R. Fichtner, Ph.D.
“The dedication, creativity, innovative spirit, and commitment to service of these amazing students inspires us all. We are confident they will have bright futures and shape our state’s future,” said Dr. Sheetal Ranjan, Chair of the NJCCC and a trustee at Bergen Community College.
New Jersey’s 18 community colleges serve 230,000 students across the state at 49 campus locations. They provide affordable, high-quality academic and workforce programs that expand access to education and economic opportunities while helping students become part of the state’s skilled and innovative workforce.
The All-State Academic Team students include students who will continue their education and those who will pursue careers following their graduation from community college this spring. The honorees include students with diverse interests and areas of study, including computer science, healthcare, physics, creative writing, engineering, liberal arts, political science, criminal justice, and psychology.
The 2024 New Jersey All-State Academic Team members are:
- Atlantic Cape Community College: Priya Momi (Galloway) and Enin Taggart (Estell Manor);
- Bergen Community College: Mateo Armas (Garfield) and Shiwa Yangzom (Fair Lawn);
- Brookdale Community College: Amarachi David (Jackson) and Eden Pela (Cherry Hill);
- Camden County College: Aisha Badshah (Sicklerville); and Jack Ruiz (Clementon);
- Essex County College: Esther Okie (Newark) and Vanessa Porta (Cedar Grove);
- Hudson County Community College: Leonardo Silva Serra de Paula (Jersey City) and Shemia Superville (Jersey City);
- Mercer County Community College: Subish Benjamin (Plainsboro) and Nathalie Wijaya (North Brunswick);
- Middlesex College: Kyrollos M. Girgis (East Brunswick) and Manmeet S. Singh (Edison);
- County College of Morris: Hamza Alvi (Rockaway) and Alison Bott (Kinnelon);
- Ocean County College: Jillian Kane (Toms River) and Sadain Siddique (Jackson);
- Passaic County Community College: Bilal Gebril (Passaic) and Samantha Marte (Paterson);
- Raritan Valley Community College: Olivia O’Donnell (Basking Ridge) and Jordan Nussbaum, (Hillsborough);
- Rowan College at Burlington County: Charissa Foster (Willingboro) and Katriel Master (Cherry Hill);
- Rowan College of South Jersey, Cumberland: Jasmine Figueroa (Bridgeton) and Kayla Ortiz (Egg Harbor Township);
- Rowan College of South Jersey, Gloucester: Mackenzie Cochran (Sewell) and Isabella Teti (Deptford)
- Salem Community College: Megan Campbell (Pennsville) and Ashley Norton (Salem);
- Sussex County Community College: Viviana Pineda (Succasunna) and Melanie Salerno (Franklin);
- Union College of Union County, NJ: Michaela Fajardo (Elizabeth) and Camila Taddeo (Union); and
- Warren Community College: Nevaeh Bruck (Stewartsville) and Talisa Gordon (Phillipsburg).