The Art Club at OCC has been revived into something special for its members. Isabella Derickson, a current advisor for the Art Club, echoes the power of this community when she shares, “In my freshman year, not involving myself in the arts, I had lost my voice. Now, I’ve found it again, and I think that’s something that everyone on campus needs.” OCC students Gianna Masi, Joananne Shoemaker, Eóin Darcy, and Joselyn Cuevas were at the root of the revival of the club. It’s become a place of belonging for many students on campus, allowing them to express themselves in their artwork.
Corrado De Robertis is another member of the Art Club who shared, “It’s made me feel more welcome coming back. The first time I was here, I didn’t have this kind of connection. I met Joananne in class, which snowballed into me coming to the Art Club. The people who are here and the engagement have changed my experience.”
Members have stayed connected to each other for years now. They’ve created a community that they’re proud of, and one that echoes Gianna Masi’s sentiment: “It’s important to connect with people in the creative world. It’s necessary.” Together, they’ve built a safe space not only in the studio but also online, with an active Discord server of over 70 students and alumni who discuss their artwork, give and receive advice, and collaborate on projects. Art Club also expands their support and skills to other clubs on campus, like they did for the “Clubs for a Cause” Renaissance Fair. Members of the club helped create characters and backgrounds for the event and drew temporary tattoos for attendees. “Art-tober” is another Art Club event that involves creating both temporary tattoos and stickers. Every day in October, members receive a prompt to submit their drawings. Those drawings are then formatted into stickers and temporary tattoos for fundraising.
However, for some, the connection to the Art Department at OCC began before enrollment. Gianna, Isabella, and Joananne were all part of the Teen Arts Festival held at OCC during their high school years. They had direct exposure to the Art Department staff, who have made a difference for them, such as Professor Nat Bard. It’s changed the trajectory of some of their paths and influenced their years spent here at OCC. Gianna, Joananne, and Isabella all served as adjudicators for the Teen Arts program and have shared how it has changed their experience. Gianna says, “I was a student sitting there. To be able to speak to the high schoolers that we were and see them realize this as an option was fulfilling.” Joananne echoed the opportunities presented to her by attending community college, and Isabella goes further, expressing, “My decision process was like any other art student. Being able to see there’s a community for me, 30 minutes from my house, was very rewarding. It switched my decision then and there. I knew this was the place for me — being in and around the art building. I felt more comfortable here because of Teen Arts… Now I have considered pursuing Art Education. The safe space we share in the art world is something I want to share with future students.” It’s become bittersweet for these students to leave behind what they’ve built here, but Corrado De Robertis reminds us, “Even when it’s not us anymore, the club will always need people to participate. That drive to connect with people is what makes this happen, and we’ve seen that grow. The amount of people in the studio now is endearing.” The community revamped by these students has now grown into something much larger, allowing a space for dozens of people to express themselves, discover their passions, and be a part of something special.
The talk of the town lately on OCC’s campus surrounds the five students recently named as semifinalists for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation’s Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. These students, Ellie Dowek, Laura Garzon Salinas, Anne Nyangaga, Anthony Paris, and Sabrina Watts, are all being considered for this scholarship, which provides $55,000 per year to help them complete a bachelor’s degree at any accredited four-year college or university in the United States. This scholarship was created to help hard-working, high-achieving students from community colleges who have financial needs, and final winners will be selected in May 2026. These scholars from OCC were selected due to their academic achievements, grit, and determination. This scholarship offers personalized advising for these students to aid in the transfer process and prepare them for their intended careers. They can also access more opportunities to study abroad, secure internships, receive financial aid for graduate school, and build long-lasting personal and professional connections with fellow scholars and alumni. In his own words, semifinalist Anthony Paris shares his experience: “Finding out I was a Jack Kent Cooke semifinalist felt like a sudden rush of disbelief followed by overwhelming validation. At first, there’s that moment where it doesn’t quite register. You reread the email once, then twice, just to make sure it’s real… All the late nights, the pressure, the self-doubt, suddenly felt like it meant something.”
Graduating from Ocean County College in May 2026, Anne Nyangaga leaves behind a legacy any student would dream of aspiring to. Born and raised in Kenya, Anne and her immediate family came to the United States before the fall 2024 semester, when Anne first began classes at OCC. As someone unafraid of exploration in hopes of discovering new passions, she’s sampled many academic fields, sharing, “At first, it was about figuring out what I did enjoy… One of my favorite places to be is in an area where everyone’s so comfortable being themselves that they can showcase themselves in their fullest forms. So you get this creative outlet, or mosh pit, of just a bunch of different ideas coming together, and I think all the different activities I’m a part of here are spaces that cultivate that.” On campus, Anne tries to have a hand in everything. She’s the president of the Community Ambassadors Club, Secretary of the Engineering Club, Vice President of Scholarship in Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society, Historian in Sigma Kappa Delta Honors Society, member of the Viking Video Club, volunteers with the Helping Hands Food Pantry, and a semifinalist for the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation’s Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship.
With everything she’s involved in both on and off campus, Anne was shocked when she ultimately decided to pursue General Science. Anne shares, “I led a STEM symposium last week. I didn’t think STEM would ever be a part of my life…” She recalls the influence of her high school biology teacher and how she watched as he immersed himself in a demonstration he’d performed a hundred times before, and how his passion sparked that initial interest for her. “That experience—” Anne continues, “I wanted to bring to the high school students because there’s so much fun in it, and you have to see other people enjoy it. STEM can be fun, and art in itself.” She was able to present her research project to high school students who are interested in medicine personally, and share the impact that those who guided her educational journey have had on her life and decisions. At OCC, Anne says, “All of my professors have pushed me to achieve more than I could have imagined, and to dream big.” After graduation, Anne plans to continue her studies with a focus on Molecular Biology. So much has changed for her, stretching from continental moves to new horizons in discovering her passions. It’s an important reminder to slow down, prioritize novel experiences, and learn something about yourself that might just surprise you, or, in some cases, even change the course of your path.
The Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF)
The Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) at Ocean County College serves students affected by poverty by providing financial and academic assistance to ensure equal opportunity for all pursuing higher education. This entails a financial grant, one-on-one academic coaching and advising, as well as service and support, helping students with things like time management, study skills, goal setting, test-taking, and motivation. The EOF team at OCC prioritizes care and support, forming meaningful relationships with their students to aid in their educational journeys. For them, it’s about more than financial assistance; it’s their care that connects these students to their campus community and opportunities beyond.
Daniel Quijano is an OCC student studying Computer Science. As a member of EOF, he has had many one-on-one advising sessions with the Assistant Director of EOF, Michele Gioxaris. Daniel says these sessions have grown his confidence, improved his public speaking, and encouraged stronger communication. Daniel expands, saying, “… My true story is not only about what happens behind the screen, but the connections taking place outside of the keyboard.” He spends plenty of time on campus attending classes and fulfilling his leadership role within EOF by fostering personal connections in his community, leading his peers, and even facilitating their leadership conference.
When asked why he applied for this role, Daniel responded, “The intention to connect technical solutioning with the real-world community is the motivation behind my desire to become a student leader here at OCC. Getting into leadership meant stepping outside of my comfort zone. It meant recognizing a campus is not just somewhere we learn and leave; it is a community that flourishes when people truly interact with it.” Laura F. Rickards, Director of EOF, corroborates Daniel’s sentiments about their community on campus, adding, “We are proud at EOF to create a space for community to flourish. We embrace the gifts and challenges of working together, and as a result, we strengthen our communication skills and develop greater self-awareness. We are stronger because of our interconnectedness.” Beyond his leadership role on campus, Daniel works in retail at Best Buy, testing his computer skills and knowledge while also developing valuable problem-solving and customer service skills. When needing to refuel his energy, he spends quality time with his family. Now, he’s beginning transfer applications to continue his studies after OCC, with a focus on cybersecurity. With a clear passion for ever-evolving technology, Daniel reminds us what he’s learned here: “Writing code on a laptop is only half the equation. The other half are people.”
Kevin Vargas-Gines shares, “After years of being enrolled at OCC, I am proud to look back and see what I have accomplished, and though I may not have realized it at the moment, it is thanks to people like Laura [the Director of EOF] who helped me to see that every milestone and achievement is one worth saving for the history books of our lives.” At the beginning of his time at OCC, Kevin shares, he was facing a difficult period, feeling a lack of support from others and a sense of emptiness in his life. He made the hard decision that a positive change was needed, learning that what he had been searching for was a sense of community
Already taking steps to open up, Kevin went even further out of his comfort zone by attending the January 2026 EOF leadership conference and retreat with EOF staff and students in Princeton, New Jersey. The retreat set aside time for social connections, encouraging communication with conversations about topics like connection and conflict resolution, while also encouraging fun with events like pajama nights. This was his first time spending the night away from home, and despite all the nerves he felt going into this experience, in reflection, Kevin shares, “Never before had I set foot into a setting where I immediately felt seen and understood.” He expresses the shock he felt on this retreat at how open others were with their stories; their triumphs, their setbacks, their goals, and more. He was even more surprised at how much he opened up about himself as well, especially in just three days. Now, Kevin’s aspirations have only grown with the newfound support from his peers and faculty. He’ll be graduating from OCC this coming May of 2026, with plans to continue his studies at Montclair State University in the fall of 2026. Still, he keeps with him what he’s learned from his time here on campus: “It is always important to have a strong community and support system behind you, at every step of your journey.” There’s a place waiting for everyone on campus, and, as Kevin shares, it’s important to find it. Community is for everyone.
Every Tuesday night from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in Building #8, Student Life hosts “Stay Late in 8” events, changing weekly, for everyone on campus. It’s sparked the interest of students who’ve shared that they intentionally stay late on campus on Tuesdays solely to attend these events. When asked, a student shared that it gave them time to sit and study after their afternoon class, rather than rushing home as they normally do, which has led them to be much more productive in their work. Multiple students echoed that these events helped them feel more connected to campus outside of just attending their classes.
They’ve also helped connect the students to other parts of campus. This past year, Student Life cohosted a The Price is Right event with the Helping Hands Food Pantry on campus. The students split into teams and then competed to guess the prices of staple groceries. At the end of the game, Helping Hands emphasized their resources by sending a clear message that all the groceries in the presentation could be found at the pantry for free, for all students as needed. They also brought in prizes for the students who played, like bags, can openers, reusable bottles, and more. A little later on, Student Life hosted a Mystery in the Library event, charged with a Roaring Twenties theme. Upon entry, students were greeted with handcrafted mocktails created by Student Life coordinator Theo Ponticello and OCC student Ryan Kanarkowski. Clues were scattered across the upper level of the library, and students grouped up to go from room to room to solve the mystery. There’s been a plethora of events hosted on these Tuesday nights by Student Life, including (but of course not limited to) Jewelry Making, Glowstick Bingo, Pumpkin Carving, and the extra-popular Karaoke Night, with a mix of songs sung in English, Polish, and Spanish. These events have been used as a space for creativity, a place of respite, a way to socialize and make friends, a means of making gifts for others, and even just an excuse for free pizza, chicken fingers, and raffle prizes. If you find yourself with some free time between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Tuesdays and you’re looking for fun, Building #8 will be waiting for you.
Cara Muscio, director of the Robert J. Novins Planetarium at Ocean County College, says, “People across time and the world are looking at the sky. And we may not see the same things, but it’s the same sky.” A powerful message, with a program called the One Sky Series dedicated to driving it home. This series features several artists in shorts, each sharing their own stories about the stars, specifically related to the star Orion. It delves into a multitude of cultures, including ancient narratives, like the thunderbird and the celestial canoe, from Greece, India, Japan, Native Americans in Canada, Hawaiʻi, and New Mexico. The program presents viewers with astronomical origin stories from cultures they’ve never encountered before, as well as an understanding of indigenous astronomy. Presenters in the planetarium can take it a step further by introducing astronomy through their own cultural backgrounds, including Celtic and Hindu mythology, as well as insights from archaeologists into indigenous structures built to track the stars.
Cara emphasizes the value they place on increasing exposure to as many different cultures as possible, always with a connection to the stars. She says, “It has always been a focus of mine to make sure that we show more than Greek and Roman mythology, to integrate other cultures’ stories.”
The program introduces Polynesian culture to viewers through the well-known movie Moana and the constellation known as Maui’s hook in the sky. It explains how what a specific culture sees in the sky ties into their customs, as in a fishing society that looks to the sky and sees a fishhook. The planetarium also introduces stories like the Chinese fable The Cow Herd and the Weaver Girl and In Our Lives, which explores the Mayan civilization and its practice of astronomy. Big Astronomy is another showing, featuring worldclass observatories in Chile and following the perspectives of each individual involved. This includes astronomers, accountants, social media personnel, janitorial staff, and others who have contributed to the missions, highlighting a diversity in careers. Cara shares that the program has been an eye-opening one for both high school and collegeaged students, shaping their perspectives on careers and ways they can make a difference. For Cara, inclusivity and diversity are essential missions, and there are many ways in which the planetarium promotes those ideals. The sky may be vast, yet we all fall under it, and though we may not always see the same, we’re still here together. In Cara’s words, “We’re all made by the stardust that created us, in the vast unknown of space – and I think that’s pretty amazing.”
Looking to spend time in the new, revamped Grunin Center? Fortunately, there are multiple ways you can do just that. Most shows at the Grunin Center are free for OCC students, and select events include exclusive opportunities for students to engage with the artists. For instance, the Blauvelt Speaker Series, sponsored by the OCC Foundation, brings nationally recognized public figures to the stage at OCC, with each event offering a private Q+A session for students. As part of the Schools n’ Stage program, certain classes also have the opportunity to workshop with the artists. However, those aren’t the only opportunities students have had to interact with the featured guests at the Grunin Center. For those who can’t make it to a show in the center itself, there have been pop-up performances in the Student Center on campus, typically during class rush hours. Some students have had the chance to work with these artists, such as the Community Ambassador students who filled in to translate a pop-up performance by a Colombian group.
OCC’s theater students, along with the members of several clubs, often take to the stage themselves. Biannually, the Dance Club performs its recitals, the Jazz Band of OCC plays, and the OCC Concert Band performs a variety of genres, including holiday hits. Improv Club shares the stage as well, using it for improv workshops, and the Music Club performs their Open Mics. Well-known are the ASL Club holiday and Rock ‘ n ‘ Roll shows. They play the music at a loud enough volume to feel the instruments’ vibrations, and members sign along to the lyrics. In addition, OCC has a Repertory Theatre Company where students have the opportunity to work with professional actors, putting on multiple productions each semester. Behind the scenes, students have worked as members of the production crew, including roles as props master and tech crew. Audio engineering students on campus have previously helped with audio tech for the Grunin Performing Arts Academy student showcases. All OCC clubs are also welcome to sell concessions and to advertise and fundraise for their organizations. Some of these clubs have even participated in the Ocean County Teen Arts Festival, teaching workshops and leading Open Mics for high school students.
The Grunin Center box office also employs student workers, allowing many students from unrelated areas of study to spend time at the center and experience the opportunities it offers. Sarah Mikaela Pesta is the Grunin Center’s current Federal Work Study student, and she shares, “I chose this role because I am passionate about hospitality. I really enjoy talking to people, serving patrons, and helping meet their needs. Each interaction lets me create a positive experience for guests, and I believe that is what hospitality is all about. The environment here and the people around me have been welcoming and supportive, which makes me feel comfortable growing both personally and professionally.” The Grunin Center has created opportunities for students to get involved in numerous ways, both on and off the stage. For over a decade, students have taken advantage of these opportunities, made a difference for themselves, and created exceptional experiences for others. You, too, can take advantage of the many opportunities offered at the Grunin Center for the Arts.