Dr. Monaco’s June 30, 2025 Report to the Board of Trustees

Faculty and Staff Honors and Awards

On June 22, 2025, Ms. Jamie Arasz Prioli, Assistant Director of Disability Services, was named a 2025 Honoree of the New Jersey State Governor’s Volunteerism Award in the category of Education.  This prestigious recognition honors individuals who demonstrate exceptional public service and make a measurable impact on their communities.  Honorees are celebrated for their vision, dedication, and extraordinary commitment, serving as powerful examples and sources of inspiration for others.

Ms. Prioli has devoted her time to developing training and awareness initiatives across New Jersey, focusing on emergency preparedness for individuals with disabilities. These programs were designed to bridge the communication gap between emergency management and personnel, caregivers, family members, and individuals with disabilities.  In response to the need for greater awareness and inclusion within underserved populations, Ms. Prioli led the development of a Train-the-Trainer program to enhance disability awareness among New Jersey’s emergency professionals while establishing a sustainable model for community-based training and engagement.

Student Honors and Awards

• While the Athletics Department looks forward to the beginning of the Fall season, great news was received from the recently concluded Spring season.  A remarkable 42 OCC student-athletes earned academic honors with 3.0 grade point averages or higher, 12 of whom completed the semester with perfect 4.0 grade point averages.  The department takes great pride in the academic performance of athletes and stresses the “student” half of the term “student-athlete” all year long.  It’s wonderful to see the hard work of the students, coaches, and the department result in such outstanding success.
• On May 20, 2025, the School of Nursing hosted the Pinning Ceremony for December 2024 and May 2025 classes, with 127 graduates attending the ceremony.  Over $44,000 in scholarships and awards were presented to current students and graduates. 
• The Ocean County Municipal Utilities Authority Association (MUAA) awards two scholarships to two deserving OCC Environmental Science students each year.  This year, the recipients are Sky Rodriguez and Katie Zigo.  The awards were presented at the MUAA’s June dinner meeting at the Captain’s Inn Restaurant on June 12, 2025.  Sky gave a presentation on Superfund Sites in Ocean County, and Katie’s presentation was about the Foods of the Pine Barrens.  Both young women will be attending Stockton University in the Fall.  Assistant Dean of STEM Carolyn Showalter attended the event with the students.

Student Clubs and Activities

• On June 11, 2025, Mr. Sean Bips, College Lecturer II in Hospitality, Recreation, and Tourism Management (HRTM), met Lakewood High School Culinary Instructor and Chef James Conroy, along with high school seniors and club members from the Culinary Program, to tour Silverton Farms in Toms River.  The students learned about farming methods and the produce used in cooking.  After the tour, they prepared lunch in the event room for the host and staff using a variety of fresh produce and proteins from Lakewood High School.  The students were also given information on the OCC HRTM Culinary Option and Hydroponic Garden, and Mr. Bips offered a short question-and-answer session on the program.
• In collaboration with the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JBMDL) team, OCC students developed a prototype Training Record Management System as part of this year’s software internship program. The project team included students Max Kripinski and Jair Garcia, Senior Airman Sydney Reed, Technical Sergeant Dakota Laidag, and Technical Sergeant Chris Baris.  Together, they designed a database-driven, web-based application to manage military training records. The team officially delivered all documentation and source code to JBMDL on June 13, 2025.
• On June 12, 2025, College Lecturer II and Program Chair for Social Work Anais Mompoint accompanied 15 students from the Addictions Counseling and Social Work programs to the New Jersey Prevention Network (NJPN) Conference in Atlantic City.  The NJPN Annual Conference allowed students to learn about cutting-edge research and best practices in substance use prevention, clinical treatment, and peer recovery support.
• Over 10 students from the Pride Club participated in Barnegat Pride and Asbury Park Pride this year during the weekend of June 1 and 2, 2025.  Local vendors, as well as vendors from all over the country, participated in supporting the LGBTQ+ community and to celebrate Pride Month.  Some performers, singers, dancers, and more showcased their talents and love for their community.
• Two new executive officers of OCC’s Tau Iota Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa recently participated in the Honors Institute at Loyola University Chicago, Lake Shore Campus, from May 29 to June 1, 2025. Sabrina Watts and Ana Jimenez stayed in the dorms on Loyola’s campus for this transformative PTK experience, deep-diving into learning and leadership that challenges PTK scholars nationwide.  The institute is designed to be an intimate educational experience while also giving community college students a sense of what living on and navigating a university campus is like.
• Student Life and Helping Hands had a team of volunteers involved with  OCC’s “Day of Impact” on Monday, June 23, 2025.  The event was in collaboration with United Way of Ocean and Monmouth Counties.  The volunteers stuffed basic needs bags to be distributed in and around the community this summer, with 100 distributed on campus.

Outreach to Students

• On May 29, 2025, students from Lakewood High School visited the School of Nursing and were provided with an overview of the Nursing program and an introduction to the simulation labs, where they practiced listening to body sounds.  Hand hygiene techniques were demonstrated, and students had the opportunity to practice their skills.  The visit also included a video that discussed the various areas in which registered nurses can practice.
• All of this information was presented to the students by Linda Simmons, MSN, RN, CEN, CNE, Director of Nursing Skills and Simulation Labs; Margaret Nally, MSN, RN, Lab Coordinator; Lisa Schlesinger, MSN, RN, Lab Coordinator; and John Preusse, BM, MM, Academic Affairs Technician.

Student Support Services and Activities

• The Veterans and Military Resources Center (VMRC) is extremely pleased that Mr. Hunter Mantz was selected as the student/alum representative to serve on the Board of Trustees during 2025-26.  Hunter graduated in May with an Associate in Arts, Liberal Arts degree.  While an OCC student, Hunter was deeply involved on the campus, serving as the President of the Student Veterans Organization and as a peer mentor to veteran and military students.  He served as a student speaker at the College’s annual Veterans Day Ceremony, and he was a most impactful speaker as he gave testimony in Trenton to lobby for community college funding in the FY 2025 and FY 2026 State budgets.
• Congratulations are extended to Mr. Matthew Rose, one of VMRC’s dedicated student workers, who has been selected as one of only 40 Education Mental Health Ambassadors for the State of New Jersey, chosen from a pool of over 1,000 applicants.  This distinction reflects his commitment and potential to make a meaningful impact in student mental health advocacy.
• The VMRC has been named one of 20 finalists, from more than 200 applicants, for a $10,000 award through a Virginia grant supporting veterans’ initiatives.  VMRC Coordinator Jessica Richardson will represent the program in a presentation to a panel of judges on June 25 or 26, 2025.  From the group of finalists, 10 programs will be selected to receive funding.
• The Student Success team completed two resource tours for Summer sections of Student Success (STSC), the first-year seminar.  Students were guided to various support areas around campus, including the library, tutoring, the Helping Hands food pantry, and EOF.
• On June 5, 2025, the Student Success team, in collaboration with Adjunct Professor Jeff McWeeney,  facilitated the Game of Life to students in Business Law I.  Students learned about financial literacy and then completed an activity requiring them to budget efficiently to run their imaginary pizza shops.
• The Student Enrollment Building had 2,240 transactions in May 2025. There were over 1,200 enrollment service visits and over 500 academic advising visits, making up most of the transactions.  The average wait time for a student in May was just over 10 minutes.
• The Student Success team made 1,674 outgoing calls in May, accounting for over 117 hours. The HUB team made 2,662 outgoing calls in the same timeframe, totaling 146 hours of phone time.
• Approximately 100 students from Manchester High School’s freshman class visited the campus on June 10, 2025.  Students taking the freshman seminar were treated to a campus tour and engaging activities to become familiar with Ocean County College.
• A visit by enrollment specialists was scheduled for Lakewood High School on June 12, 2025, which resulted in an additional 28 students registered over the number registered during an Express Enrollment Day on campus weeks earlier.  This effort increased the yield rate for Lakewood High School to more than double the number of students enrolled at the same time last year.
• OCC Manahawkin recently hosted students visiting from Barnegat High School, Lacey High School, and Pinelands Regional High School.  These visits allowed graduating seniors to tour OCCM and engage with staff before finalizing their Fall semester schedules on the main campus as part of their Express Enrollment Days. During these visits, students and their guidance counselors were provided with updated Summer and Fall course schedules.  An electronic copy of the schedules was also distributed following the visits to facilitate further sharing within their respective school communities.
• The Counseling Center has been actively providing comprehensive services to students and the broader campus community, supporting nearly 75 unique individuals over the past month.  During this period, the CARE Team responded to 46 reports, demonstrating its commitment to student safety and well-being.  Counseling services remain accessible through multiple channels, including in-person appointments at the Counseling Center and OCC Manahawkin, virtual sessions, and outreach within the Veterans and Military Resources Center.
• In addition to direct support, the Counseling Center staff facilitated two professional development opportunities this month.  Notably, Prevention Education Coordinator Kelly Petrolis and Counseling Specialist Darra Stack led a tailored Question, Persuade, and Refer (QPR) training session for students enrolled in the Work Readiness Assistance Program (WRAP).  This session was specifically adapted to address the ten participating students’ unique needs and learning styles, enhancing their capacity to recognize and respond to mental health concerns.
• On June 3, 2025, Disability Services hosted a community webinar on “Intersectionality: Unpacking Discrimination, Stigma, and Multiple Marginalization.”  This critical discussion explored how overlapping identities, such as race, disability, gender, and class, impact access to rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  The webinar focused on the experiences of Black individuals with disabilities, emphasizing real-world examples of compounded discrimination across healthcare, education, employment, and public life.
• The Office of Disability Services has compiled the following brief overview of the services provided during the Spring 2025 semester:
  • Students receiving accommodations and support services – 477
  • Walk-in and virtual drop-in days held – 58
  • Resource and wellness events hosted – 7
  • Visits conducted at the Manahawkin campus – 8
  • Support group events offered to students – 8

Community Outreach

• On May 29, 2025, 30 students from Lakewood High School visited the School of Nursing for an overview of the Nursing Skills Lab and Simulation program, completed hands-on workshops, and toured the campus.  Collaboration between Academic Affairs and Assistant Director of Educational Resources Elaine Schardien ensured a successful and informative day for the students.
• A new collaborative articulation process developed between Early College in Student Affairs and Academic Affairs has successfully fielded requests for new course offerings for the 2025-26 academic year.  Spearheaded by Executive Director of Early College Tracey Taylor and Executive Director of Curriculum and Academic Affairs James Marshall, an additional 14 courses have been articulated with the high schools, and 24 more courses have been requested since the implementation of the new process.
• The Recruitment Team completed the remaining Express Enrollment Days on campus through the end of May and June.  There were 17 Express Enrollment Days, and 415 students completed enrollment on campus after meeting with Academic Advising, receiving a campus tour from Enrollment Services, and enjoying a complimentary lunch in the Student Center.
• On May 29, 2025, the second of a two-part event with the Hispanic Heritage Club, an organization within all three Toms River high schools, was held on campus.  Approximately 150 Toms River North, South, and East students came to campus and played “The Game of Life” with the Student Success Team, learned about workforce opportunities from Executive Director of Workforce Education Shawn Zakar, and participated in a What Not to Wear Fashion Show. 
  
  During the fashion show, participants from across the campus walked a red carpet modeling interview attire, while students determined if the outfit was appropriate for an interview. Models included Ms. Caroline Brittain, Director of Academic Affairs; Mr. Chris Brittain, Academic Administrator, Student Services; Mr. Harry Young, Veterans Benefits and Financial Aid Coordinator; Mr. Ken Malagiere, Executive Director of the OCC Foundation; Ms. Tracey Taylor, Executive Director of Early College; Dr. Kate Mohr, Executive Director of Enrollment Services; Mr. Jim Campbell, Program Manager, FIPSE Grant; Ms. Ilene Cohen, Executive Director of Athletics; and Ms. Debra Lee-Vasquez, Executive Assistant to the Vice President of Student Affairs.  I also had the opportunity to participate in this fun and informative event.
• Enrollment Services cohosted a Community Day with O.C.E.A.N., Inc., on June 18, 2025.  This was the first event of its kind, with vendors and community resources joining to showcase opportunities for families within the county.
• On June 4, 2025, Ms. Kelly Petrolis coordinated an on-campus training and networking session with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services and MOCEANS Center for Independent Living, Inc.  MOCEANS Center is a consumer-driven, consumer-controlled organization serving all people with any disability, their families, and allies in Monmouth and Ocean Counties.  These two organizations provide valuable resources in the community, and this informational session increased staff knowledge to support OCC students further.  The Counseling Center staff and members of the CARE Team attended this session.
• On June 5, 2025, Disability Services hosted a statewide meeting of members from New Jersey AHEAD (Association on Higher Education and Disability), the first hybrid gathering since before the COVID-19 pandemic.  It was a pleasure to welcome professionals from across the state representing higher education and disability services.  Guest speaker Jamie Axelrod, Past President of national AHEAD and current Director of the Office for Disability Resources at Northern Arizona University, provided valuable insights on recent litigation and rulings from the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) related to disability and higher education.  Following lunch, attendees participated in various wellness activities designed to support personal well-being.
• On June 16, 2025, Disability Services staff presented an overview of services to Child Study Team members and counselors from the Manchester School District.  The discussion centered on supporting the transition of students with disabilities and setting academic expectations for all students as they prepare for postsecondary education.
• The Ocean County College Repertory Theatre Company’s summer musical, “A Broadway Tour of America,” opens on July 10, 2025.  The performance will run for eight shows. 
• Behn Gillece and Brian Betz performed for an afternoon of vibraphone and guitar on Sunday, June 1, 2025, at the final Jazz on a Sunday Afternoon series event. 
• Tiki Barber, sports media personality and former New Jersey Giants rusher, visited OCC’s campus on June 5, 2025, as part of the Ocean County College Foundation’s Blauvelt Speaker Series. 
• Planetarium Associate Director Cara Muscio presented on the Families on Campus Using Science (FOCUS) NASA Anchor Grant activities at the East Coast Planetarium Conference the week of June 17, 2025.
• The Planetarium completed the school year with 81 K-12 field trips from public schools, serving 4,411 students.  There were also 120 other shows for private and home schools, scouts, camps, parties, and NASA FOCUS events, involving an additional 5,127 people. 
• On July 8, 2025, the Grunin Center hosted a New Season Preview reception, with patrons who bought tickets to six or more shows invited to attend.  At the event, staff provided updates on the center renovations, a sneak peek of the Fall Season, and promoted membership opportunities. 
• The Fall 2025 Season at the Grunin Center for the Arts has been announced, featuring acts such as Garrison Keillor, Julie Fowlis, and Darrah Carr Dance.  Tickets go on sale to the general public on July 10, 2025, at noon.

Professional Development

• The School of Nursing faculty participated in an annual workshop from May 14 to 21, 2025.  Faculty completed an assessment of all Nursing courses, program outcome data, and licensure test plans to revise curriculum content as needed.  The School of Nursing’s Systematic Plan of Evaluation, which addresses standards and criteria required for accreditation, was also reviewed.
• The School of Nursing faculty attended an educational program on May 15, 2025, that focused on using a dashboard to monitor students’ progress as they prepare to take the licensure examination required to practice as Registered Nurses.  The information presented will help faculty mentor new graduates and support their success transitioning from students to practicing nurses.

Finance and Administration

Ocean County College’s property and casualty insurance program is on the agenda for renewal for the upcoming 2025-26 policy term.  The School Alliance Insurance Fund (SAIF) currently writes all of OCC’s coverage, with the exception of accident and health policies.  SAIF’s renewal assessments are up 1.7%.

The policies being renewed include the following:

• Property – This policy responds to claims for damages to property caused by covered causes of loss, including Equipment Breakdown.
• Crime – Covers Blanket Dishonesty Bond, including Faithful Performance, Forgery or Alterations, Theft of Money or Securities, Robbery/Safe Burglary, Computer Fraud, and Funds Transfer Fraud.
• Commercial General Liability – Responds to claims that arise from bodily injury, property damage, personal injury, and advertising injury.
• Pollution Legal Liability – Pollution Legal Liability coverage provides third-party bodily injury, property damage and clean- up costs (including defense costs), and first-party cleanup costs arising from covered pollution conditions or events on, at, under, or emanating from a covered location.
• Privacy and Network Security Liability – Numerous exposures are faced from compromised confidential data. This line of coverage insures against third-party liabilities and expense reimbursement (including regulatory defense), third-party notification costs, credit monitoring, crisis management, and public relations.
• Cyber Extortion – Cyber criminals know that the threat of a security breach is valuable.  One common tactic is to threaten a denial-of-service attack, which could incapacitate a victim’s transactional website/ network or encrypt the victim’s critical data or programs.  This coverage insures against ransom payments and related expenses.
• Website Media Content Liability – Internet media liability covers the insured for personal and advertising injury claims from electronic communications and publications.
• First-Party Internet Liability – If data or a network suffers a loss, first-party coverage reimburses the insured for the cost to replace or reconstruct digital assets and e-business interruption.
• School Leader’s Professional Liability and Employment Practices Liability – This coverage provides professional liability to protect an educational institution, its management team, Board, and other employees during the course of their institutional duties from claims arising out of actual or alleged wrongful acts or other breach of duty.  The policy covers indemnity, defense costs, non-monetary relief, and employment practices liability.  Employment practices liability claims include allegations such as wrongful termination, sexual harassment, and discrimination.
• $15 Million Umbrella Liability – Insurance policies are designed to extend the insurance limits available under your primary liability policies.  The proposed policy would apply in excess of the following coverages:
  • Commercial General Liability
  • Business Automobile Liability
  • Employee Benefits Liability
  • Abuse or Sexual Molestation Liability
  • School Leader’s Professional Liability
  • Employment Practices Liability

Grants

• Under the College Readiness Now (CRN) grant, almost 500 high school students took the Accuplacer test for English and/or Math in May.  High school students from Toms River North, South, and East, Pinelands, Lacey, and PAA completed the exam.  Two additional high schools, Lakewood and Manchester, have scheduled Accuplacer testing for the end of June.
• Ocean County College was awarded an extension under the Community College Opportunity Grant to assist and support students towards completion.  The $18,846 grant will be used to support first-year Nursing students with supplies and textbooks, which are an additional cost.
• The FIPSE Basic Needs Grant has assisted over 200 students, one-third more than the grant proposal’s three-year total of 150 targeted students.  FIPSE student applications indicate that 64% of students report two or more areas of basic need insecurity.

Workforce Education and Strategic Partnerships

• On June 10, 2025, Workforce Education hosted the first-ever ESL Bridging Course Celebration, recognizing 26 students who completed a sixty-hour program designed to build language and academic readiness. The course included twenty-five hours of the OCC Student Success Seminar, fifteen hours of ESL instruction, and twenty hours of conversational ESL.  A highlight of the event was hearing seven students speak publicly in English for the first time, sharing moving words of gratitude to OCC and the OCC Foundation.  Their reflections underscored the program’s life-changing impact and their commitment to continue on educational pathways toward degrees or credentials.  This milestone represents a powerful step in advancing access and opportunity for Ocean County’s ESL community.
• We are pleased to announce the extension of the collaboration with Grow with Google and Coursera through December 2027.  This collaboration allows students to access industry-recognized Google certification programs in high-demand technology fields, culminating in a Google Specialist credential upon completion.  By significantly reducing the cost of these programs, the partnership ensures greater affordability and accessibility for students across both credit and workforce pathways.  This continued alliance reinforces OCC’s commitment to workforce readiness and career advancement through innovative and affordable learning opportunities.

Ocean County Achievement Center

• In partnership with Mercer County Community College, the Digital Equity Training grant proposal, sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, was approved for an award of up to $1,000,000.  This proposal partners with Ocean County College, the Ocean County Achievement Center (OCAC), and Waters & Sims Supportive Employment Services to provide digital literacy skills to WorkFirst New Jersey customers in the Central region.   The contract period is June 1, 2025, to May 31, 2026.
  
  OCAC outreach events included:
  • May 2, 2025 – St. Francis Community Center Job and Resource Fair
  • May 3, 2025 – OCC Open House
  • May 5, 2025 – Brew Café at Bright Harbor
  • May 8, 2025 – Foster Care Awareness Event at OCC
  • May 22, 2025  – Toms River Community Fair
  • May 28, 2025 – Ocean County Mall Tabling (participants from WRAP attended, and various employers provided mock interviews with them)

Adult Transition Center

• Three Transition Center participants were scheduled to complete the program on June 18, 2025. 
• A request has been made to expand the career path workshops.  Proposed enhancements include field trips and adult life skills, such as basic kitchen safety.

Adult Education, Civics, and Workforce Preparation Program (AECWP/Title II)

• Both diploma preparation and ESL participants have been offered the opportunity to participate in the Integrated Education and Training Program for EKG technician classes during the winter term.  On May 28, 2025, 24 participants took the national exam; 15 passed and are now Certified EKG Technicians, with a 62.5% pass rate.  The students were honored for their dedication and achievements as part of the Ocean County Achievements Center graduation on June 18, 2025.  Their success underscores the importance of continued investment in adult education and workforce readiness.
• During March and April, Title II participants passed 45 of 64 GED subject tests, representing a 70% success rate, with 13 Title II participants earning New Jersey High School Diplomas.

Connect & Learn: Work First New Jersey (WFNJ) Digital Literacy

• This twelve-week program will foster digital literacy, career exploration, skill development, and economic improvement, which will assist students in identifying their personal goals and visions of success.  The program will serve 125 students from the Central New Jersey region.  Services will be provided in Mercer, Ocean, and Monmouth counties.  Online and/or hybrid services will be available to Middlesex, Hunterdon, Somerset, and Union counties.  A digital literacy and career assessment is completed to align the students’ digital literacy plans with occupational training and career enhancement.

Work Readiness Assistance Program

• The Work Readiness Assistance Program (WRAP) was monitored on May 8, 2025, and scored 47.65 out of 50. The monitoring committee has recommended renewing the contract with Ocean County College for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Youth services for another year.  WIOA is designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market.
• A wellness event took place on May 16, 2025, in partnership with the Ocean County Children’s InterAgency Coordinating Council.  Participants attended various activities and workshops.
• Eight participants completed the Exploration of Career Pathways and Entrepreneurship (ECPE) training.  The students obtained Bloodborne Pathogens certification, CPR credential, Customer Service and Sales certification, Cyber Safety Awareness training, and OSHA Ten-Hour General Industry credential.
• WRAP participants attended various presentations and tours to learn about opportunities in multiple fields.

Security

In accordance with New Jersey Public Law 2015, Chapter 220, and College Policy #2332, Reporting of On-Campus and Fire Events, attached is the monthly statistics report of crimes, fires, and other emergencies on campus for the reporting period of May 24, 2025, to June 23, 2025.