Teaneck Residents Awarded Bergen Community College Scholarships

The Bergen Community College Foundation recently granted $421,000 in scholarships to hundreds of area residents, the largest amount the foundation has given out to date. 

Among those recipients were Teaneck residents: 

·         Justyna Bobko-Jelonek – BCC General Part-Time Scholarship - $1,000

·         Catherine Camarena – BCC General Full-Time Social Sciences Scholarship - $2,000

·         Neil De Los Santos – Gourmet Dining LLC Scholarship - $1,250

·         Francine Heisler – Steven D. Olensky Memorial Scholarship - $2,000

·         Saman Javed – BCC General Scholars Scholarship - $1,000

·         Jesu Mills – Baila Zheutlin Memorial Scholarship - $1,000

·         Charlene Roberts – Ena “Po-Po” Lue Scholarship - $500

·         Nour Sharaf – Alumni Network Scholarship - $1,000

·         Leonard Smith – Gourmet Dining LLC Hospitality Scholarship - $2,000

·         Janice Thomas-Harris Bogota Savings Bank Scholarship - $1,000

“These scholarships have become extremely important to Bergen students,” said Philip Ciarco III, the master of ceremonies for the scholarship awards ceremony and a member of both the Foundation and the College’s Board of Trustees in a statement. “For some students, a Foundation scholarship means they will be able to work fewer hours at an outside job and better focus on their studies and completing their degrees. For many, however, a Foundation scholarship is the difference between being able to continue their education at Bergen or having to give in to financial pressures and abandon college altogether.” 

Ciarco thanked the many supporters whose generosity funds the foundation scholarship program. The foundation has collected more than $11 million since its inception in 1982. The foundation has been awarding scholarships for the past 13 years. 

In addition to funding scholarships, the foundation supports faculty and staff development, construction and other special projects and programs at Bergen.