NEWS & EVENTS

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Ocean County College students Kaitlyn Barrett of Brick and Sarah Wymbs of Little Egg Harbor were among 38 students from the state’s 18 community colleges named to the 2022 New Jersey All-State Academic Team. The students, all members of Phi Theta Kappa, the national honor society for community colleges, were honored by the New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC) for their outstanding academic achievements and exceptional service to their communities and colleges, and recognized during the NJ Community College Scholars Celebration at the New Jersey State Museum in Trenton on April 28.

“These students truly exemplify the true power of Community Colleges. The New Jersey All-State Academic Team members have worked incredibly hard to become the state’s very best Community College students. They have remarkable stories and serve as an inspiration to all,” said NJCCC President Aaron Fichtner, Ph.D.

“They have become leaders on their college campuses and have contributed to their communities in myriad ways,” said NJCCC Chair Mary Zimmermann. “As we emerge from the pandemic, New Jersey Community College students continue to prove their perseverance and achieve.”

Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. Both Barrett and Wymbs are members of Tau Iota, Ocean County College’s PTK chapter, and served as officers while studying at Ocean County College.

“New Jersey’s Community Colleges have had a huge impact on my life,” said Barrett. “I have had the amazing opportunity of being on the board of Phi Theta Kappa as the VP of Fundraising, Historian, and now President! Throughout the past few years, we have been able to work on many projects to help the community, such as providing a Health Fair for Ocean County College (OCC) students and their families and establishing a Victory Garden where the produce grown was donated to the Food Pantry at OCC.”

“Being able to participate in PTK as the officer of fundraising and join the community has surpassed my expectations,” said Wymbs, adding that her time at Ocean County College has been an incredible experience. “The reputation of the school precedes it and now being part of that history, I hope that my contributions, as an honors student and PTK member, were able to add to the legacy because they will always be an important factor in mine.“

OCC is proud to celebrate the accomplishments of these extraordinary students!