First Generation Students

Ms. Hernandez, MSW, LSW is a first-generation college graduate who earned her Associate in Arts with a Social Science concentration from Ocean County College, a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from Stockton University, and a Master of Social Work from Fordham University. She is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Higher Education Administration at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Ms. Hernandez has worked extensively with military families, domestic violence survivors, and at-risk youth, focusing on crisis intervention, program development, and student success initiatives.

As the Assistant Director of the Veteran and Military Resource Center at Ocean County College, Ms. Hernandez leads efforts to enhance student veteran retention, well-being, and institutional support. An experienced educator and speaker, she has taught courses on trauma, healing, and human behavior and has presented at national conferences, military installations, and academic institutions on topics including student veteran success strategies, trauma-informed practices, and crisis de-escalation techniques.

My whole life involved teaching. I taught pre-school autistic students all the way to evening school older adults. During my college summer months, I worked for the Borough of Manhattan Community College in mid-Manhattan. I was involved with the National Urban League program under the direction of Vernon Jordan teaching underserved residents to develop economic confidence, pay equality and equal opportunities. I graduated from Pace University located in Lower Manhattan with a BBA Degree in Business Education with a concentration in Typewriting and Stenography. I taught high school for 6 1/2 years on Staten Island. After raising my 4 children, I went back to teaching but on the elementary level. I soon realized, my heart was with the older students; therefore, I went back to further my education at Georgian Court University receiving my MA in Instructional Technology. I continued my education by earning my Supervisory Certification. Currently, I am an Adjunct Associate Professor at OCC. I am, also, a Substitute Teacher for the Monmouth County Vocational School District and I teach Computer Literacy for the Adult Education Evening Program for the same district.

As a first-generation college student, the road to higher education is bumpy, but the destination was well worth the journey! After dropping out of high school in her junior year and earning her GED, Helen enrolled at OCC in 1995 thinking she would get a jump on getting her college degree, but life had other plans and the timing didn’t work out. After some time off and having three small kids at home, the time was right to re-enroll at OCC in 2001 and this time continued through to graduating in fall 2003. Helen’s academic journey continued at Georgian Court University where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in History and Elementary Education in May 2006.Helen worked in the elementary and high school setting before working in higher education, which then inspired her to go back to Georgian Court to finish her Master’s program in Dec. 2019.

“It’s important to work toward achieving your goals no matter what cards you’re dealt in life. If you’re motivated and have the courage to work hard, YOU CAN DO IT!!”

Ms. Peto is a first-generation college graduate who earned a Master of Business Administration degree and graduate certificates in Data Analytics and Marketing from Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA, and a Bachelor of Science in Commerce degree with a major in Accounting from Rider University, Lawrenceville, NJ.  Her extensive career as an Accountant and Financial Analyst has spanned Corporate, Financial, Non-Profit, and Legal Industries, State and Municipal Government, and Higher Education.  Currently, she sits on the Board of Trustees at O.C.E.A.N. Inc. Community Action Partnership and the John F. Peto Studio Museum.  She is the proud mother of four (4) daughters, who each earned college degrees.  As a Girl Scout Leader for 25 years, she mentored over 80 Girl Scouts through their formative school years up to college applications.

“It’s important to work toward achieving your goals no matter what cards you’re dealt in life. If you’re motivated and have the courage to work hard, YOU CAN DO IT!!”

Ms. Prioli (she/they) is a first-generation college graduate where she attained her bachelor’s degree from West Chester University and a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling from the University of New York at Buffalo. As a certified rehabilitation counselor, Ms. Prioli has experience in both the nonprofit and higher education sectors, supporting individuals with disabilities. She takes pride in her dedication to equity and social justice, striving to ensure that every person, regardless of ability, has a voice and access to the resources they need to succeed. She currently serves as an appointed member of the Ocean County Superior Court Vicinage Advisory Committee on Diversity, Inclusion and Community Engagement (VAC DI&CE) and sits on the executive board of both NJ AHEAD (Association on Higher Education and Disability) and Ocean County Commission for Individuals with Disabilities (CID). 

Laura is a first-generation college graduate. She earned her associate’s degree in general studies from Ocean County College, her bachelor’s degree in business management from Kean University, and her master’s degree in business administration from Georgian Court University. Her career spans various roles in marketing and finance across different sectors, ranging from hedge funds to nonprofits. She is currently a full-time e-learning business professor at Ocean County College, where she also serves as a member of the Global Education Committee, the Business Advisory Committee, and as the advisor for the Marketing Club. Additionally, she oversees the high school Shark Tank-style competition, “Sink or Swim,” which is hosted by Ocean County College.

Mr. Shampine is a first generation college graduate of St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, from where he earned his bachelor’s degree in English Education. From there, he pursued his master’s degree in Reading Education from Rowan University, Glassboro. Mr. Shampine has been employed both in education and in business.

As an educator, Mr. Shampine has continued to serve as an adjunct instructor at Ocean County College since 2015. Before that, he was an adjunct instructor at Manor College, Camden County College, and Rowan College at Burlington County. Prior to that, he was a classroom middle school educator at Woodbury Junior/Senior High School and began his teaching career at Haverford Middle School.

In business, Mr. Shampine founded his own company at MJS Associates, LLC, a custom-printing and preprinted materials distributor for a specialized market. He continues to serve as president since its founding in 1994. In addition, he was also employed by Drexel University as a Regional Marketing Representative. Prior to that, he became an awarded technical writer/editor when employed as a US Navy subcontractor. Before that, Mr. Shampine worked in the sales and advertising industry and became an awarded marketing representative. He also has experience in retail sales and management.

While working in education and business, Mr. Shampine concurrently pursued an avocational career in the volunteer fire service and served within two consecutive municipalities for a total of twenty-nine years. He has now retired from the fire service. Most recently, he served as Chief officer for one of several fire companies within the Cherry Hill Fire Department. There he was also a Second Assistant Chief, Captain, Lieutenant, Engineer, driver/operator trainer and firefighter. Prior to that, he served as a firefighter in the Haddon Heights Fire Department where he began his avocational career.

Dr. Aqsa Sheikh is a first-generation college graduate as she attained her associate degree in biology Honors from Union College of Union County (UCNJ), a bachelor’s degree in biotechnology/chemistry minor from Kean University, and earned her master’s degree in biology with a medical microbiology concentration from Long Island University, Brooklyn campus. After serving as an adjunct faculty member at various community colleges and four-year institutions in New Jersey for 7 years during the pandemic, she applied for her doctorate in higher education from New Jersey City University in community college leadership. Her focal point as an adjunct instructor derived from her experiences as a community college alumna and a first-generation college student serving students who need support and guidance throughout their educational journey. In 2021, just a year into her doctorate program, she joined Ocean County College’s e-Learning Department as a full-time online Biology faculty. She continued supporting first-generation and community college students through her dissertation work, graduated with her doctorate, published her dissertation in 2023, and became a first-generation, first-year task force member. She has worked as an active task force member to start a mentoring program for first-generation OCC students and connect them to first-generation faculty/alums of OCC who can support our students during their educational journey.

Dan Ward is a first-generation college graduate, having obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, and Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, respectively. His research focused on the physical chemistry of polymers, specifically the rheological behavior of non-Newtonian fluids (translation: how fluids like paint, toothpaste, and mayonnaise flow). He has taught and tutored science and mathematics since 2015. At OCC he has worked with the Educational Opportunity Fund, the tutoring center, and is currently a Professor in the Chemistry Department. He has an open-door policy is always happy to talk – about chemistry or your educational journey more broadly.

Heidi M. Sheridan was born and educated in California. As a first generation student, she attended Crafton Hills Community College, the University of California, Riverside, and California Polytechnic University, San Luis Obispo as she earned her BA and MA in English. She subsequently taught college English, literature, creative writing, and humanities courses.  In 2013, she earned the terminal Master of Fine Arts degree in Poetry at Drew University in New Jersey, and in 2016, was named Dean of Arts and Humanities at Ocean County College and subsequently, in 2023, named Executive and Artistic Director in the Grunin Center for the Arts. Sheridan is an award-winning poet whose most recent publications are in the Anthology Fire and Rain: Ecopoetry of California.  She recently received an honorable mention in the Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize by University of Pittsburg Press. Sheridan currently lives in Ocean County with her husband and birdwatching companion, Thomas, and their Yorkshire Terrier. 

Jenna Puglisi is a Student Success Coach, who started her own educational journey at OCC. She has a MFA in creative writing from Monmouth University, and she is currently enrolled in their educational leadership doctoral program. Jenna has worked in higher education since 2019. She has previously served as an Enrollment Services Advisor, English Adjunct Professor, and Faculty Writing Assistant. Jenna loves success coaching because, as a first-generation student, her greatest passion is to help college feel accessible and achievable for everyone!

Valerie Garuccio is a first-generation college graduate with an associate degree in Veterinary Technology from Manor College and a bachelor’s in organizational leadership from Colorado State Univerisity-Global. A credentialed veterinary technician since 2001, she earned her VTS in Emergency and Critical Care in 2011 and has held clinical, supervisory, and managerial roles in specialty and referral hospitals.

Dedicated to education, Valerie has spent the last 10 years developing training programs, mentoring VTS candidates, and precepting veterinary technician students. She specializes in simulation-based training to build confidence in life-saving procedures and teaches as an adjunct instructor for the Ocean County College Approved-Veterinary Assistant (AVA) program.

Valerie is the Learning and Development Specialist at the largest veterinary hospital in the country and owns Sunnyval24, LLC, a consulting firm providing lectures and workshops for veterinary professionals. She has served on the New Jersey Veterinary Technicians & Assistants (NJVTA) executive board for over 10 years and co-chairs its Legal & Governance Committee.