TOMS RIVER, NJ – Ocean County College presented awards totaling more than $90,000 to graduating students at its 57th Annual Awards Ceremony, held May 22 at the College’s Grunin Center for the Arts. The annual ceremony, part of OCC’s Commencement Week activities, was sponsored by the office of Student Life and the Ocean County College Foundation.
“This program honors and celebrates our most deserving graduating students with the awards and scholarships that are generously donated from both within the OCC community and beyond, thanks to the support of our community partners and the generosity of our donors through the OCC Foundation,” said Jennifer Fazio, OCC’s director of Student Life. “We would like to thank all of you for your continued support of our students.”
Dr. Pamela Monaco, in her first Student Awards address as president of Ocean County College, congratulated the honorees and expressed her personal pride in their accomplishments during their time at OCC. “Each one of these students has a unique story about their journey to this stage tonight, and one of the true joys of my position is getting to know these students and witnessing the kind of human beings they are,” said Monaco. “I know I speak for all the faculty and staff who are here tonight when I say we truly have the best jobs, for we get to know inspirational people – our students – who motivate us to be better people ourselves.”
The ceremony was broadcast live on Ocean TV-20 and on the college’s website, www.ocean.edu. Repeat broadcasts will be televised on Ocean TV-20 on May 24 at 9:30 p.m.; May 25 at 9:30 p.m.; May 26 at 8:00 p.m.; and May 27 at 8:30 p.m. The video is also available for online viewing at go.ocean.edu/graduation.
About Ocean County College For 60 years, Ocean County College, a public two-year community college sponsored by Ocean County and the State of New Jersey, has provided area residents with the opportunity to benefit from higher education. OCC is an innovative academic leader offering affordable, student-centered, high-quality educational experiences that prepare and empower diverse learners to contribute to and succeed in global societies. OCC invests in and fosters academic, economic, and cultural excellence, and ensures financial strength by generating new revenue streams, engaging in national and international university and corporate partnerships, and cultivating a technologically progressive and entrepreneurial spirit. Learn more at ocean.edu.
The 2024 award recipients are:
Charles Read Memorial Music Scholarship – Jabriyah Lee
Who’s Who Among Students at Ocean County College – Katie Bromborsky, Joshua Corsentino, Breanna Coyle, Marco Ferreira, Kylie Fitzpatrick, Adam Grelak, Holden Holland, Jabriyah Lee, Gianna Margentino, Tavish McKelvey, Alex Oteng, Sabrina Gleason, Cheyenne Severin, Sadain Siddique, Jessica Taylor, Julia Tchaplygin, Carrie Tchaplygin, Ian Wheatle, John Willis
Armando Quiroz Award – Dereck Gonzalez
Christopher W. Mannion Scholarship – Sabrina Nogiewich
Graham Preston Scholarship – Emma Petko
Viking Athletics Commitment Award – Tiana Cimino
Patrick Carroll Award – Adam Grelak
Julie Foukarakis Memorial Award – Anijhia Mosa
John Morrison Memorial Scholarship – Jabriyah Lee
Meals on Wheels of Ocean County – Jadyn White
Operation Ocean Heroes Scholarship – Eva Phillips, Rebecca Morehouse, Breana Prieto-Godoy
Richard M. Trimble Scholarship – Sabrina Nogiewich
Tidvyl Lorraine Davis Vitello Nursing Scholarship – Jamie Landron
Jennie Horne Cece Award – Tracy Reid
Janet Thompson Memorial Award – Bradford Kadubic
Joseph Hathaway Commencement Speaker Award – Sadain Siddique
Faculty Association of Ocean County College – Jacqueline Fiorito, Jennifer Fiorito
Associated Students of Ocean County College Award – Joshua Corsentino, Breanna Coyle, Eyva Cano
Probation Officer Todd Benintente Scholarship – Jillian Pasquito
Dr. Albert Socol Memorial Scholarship – Eric Vargas
Math Club Award – Eric Vargas
Donald W. Smith Scholarship – Julia Tchaplygin, Kylie VanNote
Norcia Aspiring Attorney Award – Bella Amoresano
James Inman Award – Sadain Siddique, Gianna Margentino
Phi Theta Kappa Fraternity Award – Jabriyah Lee, Sadain Siddique
Joan M. and William J. Kenneally Scholarship – Taylor Calderwood
Dr. Stephen A. Kubow Memorial Scholarship – Ericka Olsen
Ocean County Cultural and Heritage Art Award – Cheyenne Severin
Phi Theta Kappa Outstanding Service Award – Jillian Kane
PTK Heather Muser Memorial Alumni Award – Angelina DeBellis
Pauline S. Miller History Award – Kylie Fitzpatrick
Holly Sheppard Memorial Scholarship – Jamie Landron
Joyce Previte Memorial Scholarship – Marylee Ramirez
Frank Richetti Sr. Memorial Scholarship – Robert DeSantis
The Hayward Viking 2024 Scholarship – Ericka Olsen
Viking Spirit Award – Cody Parrish
Support Staff Association of Ocean County College – Jabriyah Lee, Annabella Ganun, Arianna Young
Paul Family Scholarship – Kristin Lake
Michael D. Vena Memorial MUAA Scholarship – Greg Anilonis, Jacqueline Prestinari
Andrew T. Baran Scholarship – Katie Bromborsky
Soroptimist Club of Toms River Scholarship – Dierdra McGrath
Soroptimist Sigma Award – Carrie Tchaplygin, Julia Tchaplygin
Carleen Sterling Orsi Memorial Award – Sara Festa, Isabella Ende
Renewal Carleen Sterling Orsi Memorial Award – Nicole Randazzo, Arly Solano
Douglas C. King Memorial Award – Kylie Griggs
Honors by Contract Graduating Awards – Emer Conway, Margaret Cox, Jaydan White, Beau Hueston, Kristopher Rose, Jessica Taylor, Sadain Siddique, Marissa Mobley, Samantha DeRosa, Angelina DeBellis, Kayla Livolsi, Hailey Straumann, Sheridan Graubart
Joseph J. Quattrock Memorial Scholarship – Sunnie Mannino
LaVerne D. and Robert R. Weigold Scholarship – Dereck Gonzalez
Ocean County Sheriff’s Foundation – Chris Santiago
Ocean County Society of Professional Engineers – William Maguire
President’s Scholarship – Adam Grelak, Eva Phillips
Robert J. Novins Memorial Graduate Award – Sean Maksel
Sheldon Linz Memorial Award – Emma Petko
Alumni Fund For Academic Excellence – Alex Oteng
NJ Association of Public Accountants Fund – Tavish McKelvey
Soroptimist Sigma Award Kean Ocean – Stephanie Lucas
Thomas R. Dorso Memorial Scholarship – Jessica Jackson
Ocean County College Foundation Scholarship – Elizabeth Huff
Dover Brick Beach First Aid Public Health Scholarship – Amanda Zitzner, Dierdra McGrath, Marylee Ramirez
Senator John F. Russo Memorial Scholarship – Sean Maksel
40 For 40 Graduating Award – Matthew Zeh, Cheyenne Severin, Kayly Brown, Matthew Azzarano, Sabrina Gleason
Next Gen Engineering & Technology – William Maguire, Nicholas Piserchia
Ocean County College Board of Trustees Award – Kyra Griggs, Jenna Faccone, Sabrina Gleason
Dollie and Harry David Sussna Scholarship – Annabella Ganun, Jessica Taylor, Lashawn Jackson, Melanie Lockwood (Renewal Recipients)
D’Onofrio Foundation Graduating Award – Kelly McCoy
William T. Hiering Scholarship – Christopher Mata
Roberta W. Wintrode Memorial Award – Marissa Mobley, Bradford Kadubic
Philip G. Zitelli Scholarship in Leadership – Marco Ferreira