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Cranford, NJ – Eight UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ students have been selected to participate in Princeton University’s Transfer Scholars Initiative summer program. This highly selective program offers an exceptional opportunity for students to take courses at Princeton for free.

From June 29 through August 16, eight UCNJ students will enroll in a full-time, eight-week academic curriculum, taking two credit-bearing Princeton courses at no cost to the student. When not in classes, students have the opportunity to connect with Princeton faculty, students, and receive transfer success programing to guide them for transferring after completing their associate degree at UCNJ. Transfer Scholars also receive a stipend to cover expenses, including travel, and will be able to live on campus. The eight scholars from UCNJ attending the summer intensive at Princeton are:

• Nyiera Eliscar, from Linden, studying early childhood elementary education
• Luis Fiallos, of Plainfield, majoring in engineering
• Roger Fortunato, from Newark, studying computer science
• Izabella Kopacz, from Summit, majoring in visual arts
• Angel Maldonado, of Elizabeth, pursuing a liberal studies degree
• Danielle Marie Baez, from Elizabeth, studying architecture
• Omowonuola Oyedele, from Woodbridge, pursuing a degree in engineering, and
• Laura Shubert, of Springfield, majoring in architecture

“We are incredibly proud of our eight student-scholars who were selected to attend the Princeton summer program. Their acceptance is a testament to their hard work and the high-quality education they have received at UCNJ. This opportunity will contribute to their continued success, and we cannot wait to see what their next steps will be in their academic journey,” stated UCNJ President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin.

For more information on Princeton’s Summer Intensive program, go to https://tsi-ebcao.princeton.edu/.

UCNJ is a public, comprehensive community college that provides quality, affordable, accessible educational programs to the greater Union County region. It is the first of New Jersey’s 18 two-year colleges, serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. The College offers a wide variety of academic and extracurricular activities. UCNJ provides many experiential learning opportunities such as access to a Bloomberg Business Center, Innovation Center, and Student Research hub. Additionally, students at UCNJ attend one of the top 10 community colleges in the country for 2025 as designated by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. To learn more, visit www.ucc.edu.

 

Cranford, NJ – UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ won four awards given by the New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC). The awards were distributed at the New Jersey Community Colleges Awards Program and Dinner as a part of New Jersey’s Community College Opportunity Summit held in Atlantic City in June 2024.

Of the eight award categories, UCNJ received four:

• Presented to a trustee who has made outstanding contributions, Board of Governors Chair Mary M. Zimmermann (UCNJ ’01) accepted the Ronald D. Winthers Trustee Leadership Award.
• Awarded to a senior community college leader in recognition of their leadership efforts, Vice President for Student Development Dr. Demond T. Hargrove received the Dr. Lawrence A. Nespoli Leadership Award.
• Bestowed to a New Jersey community college faculty member who has had a profound influence on students inside and outside of the classroom, the Distinguished Faculty Award was given to Associate Professor of Chemistry Shahrzad “Sherry” Heidary.
• Conferred to students in recognition of their academic excellence, character, inspirational success, and service to their communities, the New Jersey Student of the Year was presented to Katherine Mejia (UCNJ ’24).

Mrs. Zimmermann, of Summit, has been a member of the UCNJ Boards since 2006 and is Chair of the Board of Governors. In 2023, she finished her term as Chair of the NJCCC where she represented the community college trustees and students of all 18 of NJ’s two-year colleges. Additionally, Mrs. Zimmermann received the Women of Excellence Lifetime Achievement Award given by the Union County Commission on the Status of Women in 2019.

Dr. Hargrove, a resident of Union Township, has served as the College’s Chief Student Officer since joining UCNJ in 2017. Earlier this year, Dr. Hargrove received the Chester Holmes Humanitarian Award from the Union County Board of County Commissioners. The Commissioner Board established the Chester Holmes Humanitarian Award in 2012, in honor of the former County Commissioner and Rahway resident Chester Holmes, who passed away earlier that same year.

Professor Heidary, of Springfield, has been a member of the faculty at UCNJ for more than 15 years. She has served as an advisor to student organizations including the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) honor society, Union Honors, Women’s Empowerment Club, and much more. Professor Heidary is one of only two faculty member Trustees on the Union County College Foundation Board. In 2023, she received the Association of Community College Trustees Faculty Award for the Northeast Region.

Katherine Mejia, of Plainfield, graduated from UCNJ in 2024 with a degree in social services and a 3.9 GPA. At UCNJ, she was a part of the Honors program, a member of PTK serving as Committee Leader of Scholarship, and a part of the Educational Opportunity Fund. She was also Vice President of the Psychology Club and a NJ STARS student. Katherine served as a peer tutor in the College’s Academic Learning Center. Last summer, she participated in the summer intensive program at Princeton University. Katherine will be continuing her studies at Drew University in the fall.

“We are proud of these members of the UCNJ community – from recognition of a member of our board, senior administration, faculty, and a student! They represent the best of what we have here at UCNJ. These are all highly motivated individuals who are deeply committed to the College’s mission. I am pleased that the NJCCC chose to honor them,” stated UCNJ President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin.

UCNJ is a public, comprehensive community college that provides quality, affordable, accessible educational programs to the greater Union County region. It is the first of New Jersey’s 18 two-year colleges, serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. The College offers a wide variety of academic and extracurricular activities. UCNJ provides many experiential learning opportunities such as access to a Bloomberg Business Center, Innovation Center, and Student Research hub. Additionally, students at UCNJ attend one of the top 10 community colleges in the country for 2025 as a designated finalist by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. To learn more, visit www.ucc.edu.

Signature Recognition Celebrates 10 High-Achieving Community Colleges From Across the Country

WASHINGTON D.C., June 11, 2024 – Today, the Aspen Institute named UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ as a finalist for the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. The $1 million award is the nation’s signature recognition of strong performance among community colleges. The institutions selected for this honor stand out among more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide as having high and improving levels of student success, as well as equitable outcomes for Black and Hispanic students and those from lower-income backgrounds.

“The UCNJ community is ecstatic and humbled by this prestigious recognition by the Aspen Institute. This acknowledgment reflects the dedication and hard work of our entire community — students, staff, and faculty alike. This accolade highlights the leadership and support from our Board of Trustees, Board of Governors, and Foundation Board. It speaks volumes about the transformative impact our institution is making in the lives of those we serve. Being named a 2025 Aspen Prize Finalist is an honor, but it also serves as a reminder of our ongoing commitment to excellence, equity, and innovation in education. We will continue to live our mission of transforming our community, one student at a time. And we are thrilled to be doing so at one of the top ten community colleges in the nation,” stated UCNJ President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin.

Awarded every two years, the Aspen Prize honors colleges with outstanding performance in six critical areas: teaching and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor’s attainment, workforce success, broad access to the college and its offerings, and equitable outcomes for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds. The winner will be announced in the spring of 2025.

Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program, noted the Aspen Prize finalists not only deserve national recognition, but they also need to be studied and their successes replicated.

“Working-class Americans are experiencing an economy that seems to be stacked against them, while employers are struggling to find well-prepared workers in fields such as teaching, nursing, software development, welding, and advanced manufacturing,” Wyner said. “The 10 Aspen Prize finalists demonstrate how community colleges serving urban and rural communities throughout the country can prepare many more graduates for fulfilling lives and careers in their communities. They show that excellence can be reached in any and every context.”

The finalists are:

• Georgia Highlands College, GA
• Moorpark College, CA
• Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, WI
• Northwest Vista College, TX
• San Jacinto College, TX
• Seminole State College of Florida
• South Puget Sound Community College, WA
• Southwest Wisconsin Technical College, WI
• UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ
• Wallace State Community College-Hanceville, AL

The Aspen Prize selection process began in the summer of 2023 when Aspen analyzed data on 1,000 community colleges in key areas such as retention, completion, and transfer. In October, Aspen invited 150 community colleges to apply based on data showing high, improving, and equitable levels of student success. The 118 submitted applications went to a selection committee of 18 higher education experts who assessed each application based on extensive data and narrative answers to questions. Following interviews with leadership teams from applicants receiving top scores, 20 semifinalists were selected and announced in May. The committee continued its review and narrowed the field to the 10 finalists.

Next steps in the process include:

• Fall 2024: Multi-day in-person site visits to each of the 10 finalists, during which Aspen and partners will collect additional information, and additional data collection, including extensive employment and earnings data on graduates from the finalist colleges
• Winter 2025: A distinguished, independent Prize jury will review data and qualitative summaries that synthesize each part of the 14-month analyses, then meet for a full day to select the winner and others for additional recognition
• April 17, 2025: Announcement of the Aspen Prize winner and celebration of the 10 finalists in Washington, DC

To read more on the selection process, visit
https://highered.aspeninstitute.org/aspen-prize/.

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The Aspen Prize is generously funded by Ascendium, the Joyce Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, and the Kresge Foundation.

Previous winners are:

• 2023: Amarillo College (TX) and Imperial Valley College (CA)
• 2021: San Antonio College (TX)
• 2019: Indian River State College (FL) and Miami Dade College (FL)
• 2017: Lake Area Technical Institute (SD)
• 2015: Santa Fe College (FL)
• 2013: Santa Barbara City College (CA) and Walla Walla Community College (WA)
• 2011: Valencia College (FL)

Note: Colleges that have won the Aspen Prize are not eligible to apply in subsequent years

The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program supports colleges and universities in their quest to achieve a higher standard of excellence, delivering credentials that unlock life-changing careers and strengthen our economy, society, and democracy. We know it takes visionary college leaders to lead scaled, sustainable reforms, and we make it our mission to equip them with the knowledge, skills, and research-backed tools to inspire change, shift practice, and advance the capacity of colleges to deliver excellent and equitable student outcomes. For more information, visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn and X.

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.

UCNJ is a public, comprehensive community college that provides quality, affordable, accessible educational programs to the greater Union County region. It is the first of New Jersey’s 18 two-year colleges, serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. The College offers a wide variety of academic and extracurricular activities. UCNJ provides many experiential learning opportunities such as access to a Bloomberg Business Center, Innovation Center, and Student Research Hub. Additionally, students at UCNJ attend one of the top 10 community colleges in the country for 2025 as designated by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. To learn more, visit www.ucc.edu.

Cranford, NJ – UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ graduate Mark Farag, of Elizabeth, has been selected for a prestigious 2024 Jack Kent Cooke Foundation (JKCF) Graduate Scholarship. Farag graduated from UCNJ in 2022 with an associate degree in engineering and transferred to the University of Michigan to complete his bachelor’s degree.

JKCF Graduate Scholars can be eligible for up to $150,000, with an annual cap of $75,000 per year to attend a full-time, accredited graduate program. Farag is one of only 117 JKCF Graduate Scholars. In 2022, he was selected as one of 100 community college students nationwide for the JKCF Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship which provided up to $55,000 per year for him to complete his baccalaureate degree.

While at UCNJ, Farag served as President of UCNJ’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa honor society and was a Union honors student. He was an ambassador for the NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) program at UCNJ while working. Farag is currently interning for SpaceX and is considering two master’s programs: an aerospace engineering program and a climate space program. After earning his master’s degree, his career goal is to become a project manager engineer in the aerospace.

“We are incredibly proud of Mark on this remarkable achievement. To receive not only the JKCF Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship but now to get the Graduate Scholarship as well is quite the feat. We know one of the biggest barriers to higher education can be finances and the financial support that the JKCF is providing is truly transformational. We look forward to monitoring and supporting his continued success,” stated UCNJ President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin.

UCNJ is a public, comprehensive community college that provides quality, affordable, accessible educational programs to the greater Union County region. It is the first of New Jersey’s 18 two-year colleges, serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. The College offers a wide variety of academic and extracurricular activities. UCNJ provides many experiential learning opportunities such as access to a Bloomberg Business Center, Innovation Center, and Student Research hub. Additionally, students at UCNJ attend one of the top 20 community colleges in the country for 2025 as designated by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. To learn more, visit www.ucc.edu.

Cranford, NJ – UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ student Precious Opaola, of Linden, has been accepted into Princeton University for fall 2024. Opaola graduated from UCNJ this spring with her associate degree in social services.

In addition to her academic success in the classroom, Opaola was very active on campus. She served as the Vice President of Service and Fundraising for Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) honor society, was a Union Honors scholar, a member of the National Society for Leadership and Success, and a peer tutor at UCNJ’s Academic Learning Center. Opaola is not a stranger to Princeton University. In summer 2023, she was among 40 community college students who participated in Princeton’s inaugural transfer scholar initiative program.

This year, Opaola was a semifinalist for the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship and was chosen as a Kaplan Leadership program scholar. She also served as the student speaker during the spring 2024 UCNJ commencement ceremony.

“On behalf of the UCNJ community, I want to congratulate Precious on her acceptance into Princeton. This achievement is a testament to hard work, both in and out of the classroom, perseverance, and passion. Her success is an inspiration to many, and we know that she will continue to shine at Princeton,” stated UCNJ President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin.

Opaola will continue to study social work at Princeton. Opaola aspires to guide people, specifically lower income children, and set them up for a successful future. Her goal is to own a non-profit organization that focuses on helping lower-income children take advantage of the opportunities around them.

UCNJ is a public, comprehensive community college that provides quality, affordable, accessible educational programs to the greater Union County region. It is the first of New Jersey’s 18 two-year colleges, serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. The College offers a wide variety of academic and extracurricular activities. UCNJ provides many experiential learning opportunities such as access to a Bloomberg Business Center, Innovation Center, and Student Research hub. Additionally, students at UCNJ attend one of the top 20 community colleges in the country for 2025 as designated by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. To learn more, visit www.ucc.edu.

 

Cranford, NJ – UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ student-golfer Patrick Murray won the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XIX Golf Championship on May 14 at the Ash Brook Golf Course in Scotch Plains, NJ.

Murray is a two-time Garden State Athletic Conference champion and now a two-time NJCAA Region XIX champion. In 2024, he placed first in all nine tournaments he entered. He is a returning All-American that will be competing again at the NJCAA Division 3 National Championship from June 3 through 7 in Chautauqua, New York. He’s coached by the College’s Associate Professor in Business, Marc Postiglione. In addition to being an excellent golfer, Murray also excels in the classroom. He has a near perfect GPA and is graduating from UCNJ this spring with a degree in sport management. Murray is also involved on campus as a part of the Sport Management Advisory Committee, a member of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, he serves as a peer tutor in the Academic Learning Center and is a member of Phi Theta Kappa honor society. This fall, Murray plans to attend Kean University to purse a bachelor’s degree in sport management and play on their newly formed golf team.

“We wish Patrick continued academic and athletic success. We’re very proud of him and his many accomplishments while at UCNJ. We also extend our thanks and appreciation to Coach Postiglione for supporting Patrick both on the golf course and in the classroom,” stated UCNJ President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin.

UCNJ is a public, comprehensive community college that provides quality, affordable, accessible educational programs to the greater Union County region. It is the first of New Jersey’s 18 two-year colleges, serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. The College offers a wide variety of academic and extracurricular activities. UCNJ provides many experiential learning opportunities such as access to a Bloomberg Business Center, Innovation Center, and Student Research hub. Additionally, students at UCNJ attend one of the top 20 community colleges in the country for 2025 as designated by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. To learn more, visit www.ucc.edu.

Cranford, NJ – UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ held its spring commencement ceremonies for the class of 2024 on May 15 at the College’s Cranford Campus. There were two ceremonies to accommodate more than 700 graduates and their families. UCNJ President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin presided over the commencement ceremonies.

The ceremonies included the conferral of Associate Degree in Science, Arts, Applied Science, Certificates, and Certificates of Achievement, and a presentation of the Alumni Prize and the Post-Day Memorial Award. These special recognitions highlighted graduates who demonstrated academic excellence, leadership, and involvement in extracurricular activities. The UCNJ celebrations included presentation of awards and the traditional address to the graduating class.

In the morning ceremony, the Alumni Prize was presented to Juan Vasquez, a computer science major from Elizabeth. The Post-Day Memorial Award was presented to Nicole Resende, an engineering major from Union, and Myrvens Sylvestre, a computer science major from Roselle. The ceremonies included a student speaker to represent the graduating class. The student speaker for the first ceremony was Precious Opaola, a social services major from Linden. She is a Kaplan Leadership program scholar who will attend Princeton University in the fall.

In the afternoon ceremony, the Alumni Prize was presented to Damari Bernia, a business major from Elizabeth. The Post-Day Memorial Award was presented to Sophia Argenziano, an English major from Clark, and Michaela Fajardo, a psychology major from Elizabeth. The student speaker for the second ceremony was Fajardo. She was named to the New Jersey All-State Academic Team and is finalizing her transfer plans.

“At UCNJ, we are transforming our community, one student at a time. I am proud of our graduates and excited to witness the positive impact they will make in their communities and beyond,” stated Dr. McMenamin.

UCNJ is a public, comprehensive community college that provides quality, affordable, accessible educational programs to the greater Union County region. It is the first of New Jersey’s 18 two-year colleges, serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. The College offers a wide variety of academic and extracurricular activities. UCNJ provides many experiential learning opportunities such as access to a Bloomberg Business Center, Innovation Center, and Student Research hub. Additionally, students at UCNJ attend one of the top 20 community colleges in the country for 2025 as designated by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. To learn more, visit www.ucc.edu.

 

Cranford, NJ – Longtime UCNJ Coach Donna Herran (UCNJ ’85), of Cranford, was named an inaugural inductee into the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Region XIX Hall of Fame. Herran became assistant coach of the women’s basketball team in 1975 and went on to serve as head coach from 1980 through 1999.

Coach Herran accomplished much during her time at UCNJ. Under her leadership, the team accrued 537 wins and had five National Tournament appearances. During her first season, the team won the first Garden State Athletic Conference, Region XIX Conference Championship, and a bid for the 1976 National Tournament held in Kansas. On six occasions, she was named the NJCAA Region XIX Coach of the Year. In honor of Herran’s many contributions to the Region, NJCAA Region XIX presents a deserving coach each year with the “Donna Herran Coach of the Year Award.”

In 1996 and 1997, she was named both the NJCAA National District Coach of the Year and received the Converse Coach of the Year award. Herran was inducted into UCNJ’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001 and received the New Jersey National Girls and Women in Sports Award in 2009. Currently, she serves as a member of the College’s Board of Governors.

“I am honored to extend my heartfelt congratulations to Coach Herran on this well-deserved recognition.  She has been a dedicated member of the College community for many years, from coaching to her current membership on the College’s Board of Governors. Her dedication to the College and presence in the UCNJ community is admirable. This recognition is a testament to her contributions both on and off the basketball court, and we are proud to celebrate this achievement,” stated UCNJ Board of Trustee’s Chair Victor M. Richel.

UCNJ is a public, comprehensive community college that provides quality, affordable, accessible educational programs to the greater Union County region. It is the first of New Jersey’s 18 two-year colleges, serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. The College offers a wide variety of academic and extracurricular activities. UCNJ provides many experiential learning opportunities such as access to a Bloomberg Business Center, Innovation Center, and Student Research Hub. Additionally, students at UCNJ attend one of the top 20 community colleges in the country for 2025 as designated by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. To learn more, visit www.ucc.edu.

UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ is one of 20 Community Colleges Being Considered for $1 Million National Prize that Recognizes Excellence in Student Outcomes, Both in College and After Graduation

WASHINGTON D.C., May 7, 2024 – Today, the Aspen Institute named UCNJ as a semifinalist for the 2025 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. The $1 million award is the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among community colleges. The institutions selected for this honor stand out among more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide as having high and improving levels of student success, as well as equitable outcomes for Black and Hispanic students and those from lower-income backgrounds. UCNJ is the only semifinalist institution from New Jersey.

“This prestigious recognition is a testament to the tireless efforts of our incredible faculty and staff. Each and every day, they live our mission of transforming our community, one student at a time. I thank them for their commitment. For our students, I know there’s an outdated perception that attending community college isn’t a first choice. Today in particular, I hope they are proud to be attending one of the top 20 community colleges in the country,” stated UCNJ President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin.

Awarded every two years, the Aspen Prize honors colleges with outstanding performance in six critical areas: teaching and learning, certificate and degree completion, transfer and bachelor’s attainment, workforce success, broad access to the college and its offerings, and equitable outcomes for students of color and students from low-income backgrounds. The winner will be announced in the spring of 2025.

Joshua Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program, congratulated the semifinalists. “Each of these colleges has demonstrated a sustained commitment to moving beyond enrollment and retention as the markers of student success to defining their success by whether the education they provide changes lives,” Wyner said. “These colleges understand that enrollment and graduation matter most when tied tightly to post-graduation success in transferring for a bachelor’s degree and in securing fulfilling, good-paying jobs and careers.”

The semifinalists are:

• Broward College
• Georgia Highlands College
• Kingsborough Community College
• MiraCosta College
• Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
• Moorpark College
• North Iowa Area Community College
• Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
• Northwest Iowa Community College
• Northwest Vista College
• San Jacinto College
• Seminole State College of Florida
• South Puget Sound Community College
• Southwest Wisconsin Technical College
• State Technical College of Missouri
• Trinidad State College
• UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ
• Wallace State Community College-Hanceville
• Western Technical College
• William Rainey Harper College

The Aspen Prize selection process began in October 2023, when Aspen invited 150 community colleges to apply, based on data showing strong, improving, and equitable student outcomes in key areas such as retention, completion, and transfer. One hundred and eighteen colleges applied, and their applications went to a diverse selection committee of 18 higher education experts who assessed each application based on extensive data and narrative answers to questions. Following interviews with leadership teams from applicants receiving top scores, 20 semifinalists were selected. In the coming weeks, the committee will continue its review and narrow the field to 10 finalists, which will be announced in June.

After the 10 finalists are announced, next steps in the process include:

• Fall 2024: Multi-day in-person site visits to each of the 10 finalists, during which the Aspen Institute and partners will collect additional information and data, including extensive employment and earnings data on graduates from the finalist colleges.
• Winter 2025: A distinguished, independent Aspen Prize jury will review data and qualitative summaries that synthesize each part of the 14-month analyses, then meet for a full day to select the winner and others for additional recognition.
• Spring 2025: Announcement of the Aspen Prize winner and celebration of the 10 finalists in Washington DC.

To read more on the selection process, visit
https://highered.aspeninstitute.org/aspen-prize/.

####

The Aspen Prize is generously funded by Ascendium, the Joyce Foundation, JPMorgan Chase, and the Kresge Foundation.

Previous winners are:

• 2023: Amarillo College (TX) and Imperial Valley College (CA)
• 2021: San Antonio College (TX)
• 2019: Indian River State College (FL) and Miami Dade College (FL)
• 2017: Lake Area Technical Institute (SD)
• 2015: Santa Fe College (FL)
• 2013: Santa Barbara City College (CA) and Walla Walla Community College (WA)
• 2011: Valencia College (FL)

Note: Colleges that have won the Aspen Prize are not eligible to apply in subsequent years

The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program supports colleges and universities in their quest to achieve a higher standard of excellence, delivering credentials that unlock life-changing careers and strengthen our economy, society, and democracy. We know it takes visionary college leaders to lead scaled, sustainable reforms, and we make it our mission to equip them with the knowledge, skills, and research-backed tools to inspire change, shift practice, and advance the capacity of colleges to deliver excellent and equitable student outcomes. For more information, visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn and X.

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.

UCNJ is a public, comprehensive community college that provides quality, affordable, accessible educational programs to the greater Union County region. It is the first of New Jersey’s 18 two-year colleges, serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. The College offers a wide variety of academic and extracurricular activities. UCNJ provides many experiential learning opportunities such as access to a Bloomberg Business Center, Innovation Center, and Student Research Hub. Additionally, students at UCNJ attend one of the top 20 community colleges in the country for 2025 as designated by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. To learn more, visit www.ucc.edu.

Cranford, NJ – The New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC) honored students from each of the 18 community colleges who were named to the New Jersey All-State Academic Team. The recognition took place at the NJCCC’s Annual NJ Community College Scholars Celebration on April 25 at the New Jersey State Museum in Trenton. From UCNJ, the two students being honored are Michaela Fajardo and Camila Taddeo.

Fajardo, of Elizabeth, is a psychology major and Taddeo, of Union, is a student in the JFK Muhlenberg Harold B. and Dorothy A. Snyder School of Nursing. Both are members of UCNJ’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), the national honor society for two-year schools. At the NJCCC Celebration, these students are recognized for their exceptional academic achievements and service to their communities and colleges as members of PTK. Fajardo is the Vice President of Fellowship for the College’s Iota Xi Chapter of PTK. She was voted by her peers for the Distinguished Officer Award. Fajardo is also a tutor in the Academic Learning Center, the treasurer and social media director of the Psychology Club, and a member of the College’s soccer team. Taddeo is the President of the Iota Xi Chapter of PTK where she supervises all events and projects helping the Chapter to achieve 5-star status. She is deeply involved each semester with the Blood Drive for the American Red Cross. Taddeo also received the Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise scholarship. She is a tutor at the Academic Learning Center and volunteers as an EMT for the Springfield First Aid Squad.

“We are proud of Michaela and Camila for their academic dedication and success as well as their contributions to the UCNJ community. They are great representatives of what community college students can achieve. We congratulate them and look forward to what they will do next,” stated UCNJ President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin.

UCNJ is a public, comprehensive community college that provides quality, affordable, accessible educational programs to the greater Union County region. It is the first of New Jersey’s 18 two-year colleges, serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. The College offers a wide variety of academic and extracurricular activities. UCNJ provides many experiential learning opportunities such as access to a Bloomberg Business Center, Innovation Center, and Student Research Hub. Additionally, students at UCNJ attend one of the top 25 community colleges in the country for 2023 as designated by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. To learn more, visit www.ucc.edu.