Bergen Community College

Bergen Community College Dean of Business and Social Sciences Mi Na Ahn, Ph.D., and CIANJ Executive Vice President Kathy Agudo.

PARAMUS, N.J. – The Commerce and Industry Association of New Jersey (CIANJ) and COMMERCE Magazine have named Bergen Community College Dean of Business and Social Sciences Mi Na Ahn, Ph.D., as an “Enterprising Woman in Commerce.” Joined by colleagues such as President Eric M. Friedman, Ph.D., Ahn attended an August breakfast ceremony in Glen Ridge sponsored by CIANJ to accept her award.

CIANJ President Anthony Russo said Ahn’s “hard work, bold leadership and perseverance” complement her “accomplishments and dedication [that] serve as an inspiration to us all.”

As the state’s leading free enterprise advocacy organization, CIANJ established the awards program six years ago to recognize women making an impact in the Garden State. Forty-two women earned the award this year, with Ahn representing the only honoree from a community college. A special edition of COMMERCE Magazine features detailed profiles on each of the award-winners.

For nearly 20 years at Bergen, Ahn has committed herself to the mission of community colleges and supporting student success at all levels of the institution. In addition to teaching courses in psychology and related fields, Ahn has championed numerous projects that enhance ties with the expansive Bergen County Korean-American community. Among them, she helped lead the development of “Our Stories: American Identity and Me,” a project that tapped into the stories of emigrants, highlighting the complexities of “identity” in America and what it means to the Korean immigrant community. Ahn also founded the Center for Community Learning, which has created lifelong learning opportunities for adults seeking to learn new skills and gain additional perspective. Before joining the College, Ahn worked as a research analyst and, as a psychologist, published in peer-reviewed journals. She earned a Ph.D. and M.A. in psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara and a B.A. in psychology and studio art from the University of California, Riverside.

Based in Paramus, Bergen Community College (www.bergen.edu), a public two-year coeducational college, enrolls more than 24,000 students at locations in Paramus, the Philip Ciarco Jr. Learning Center in Hackensack and Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands in Lyndhurst. The College offers associate degree, certificate and continuing education programs in a variety of fields. More students graduate from Bergen than any other community college in the state.

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