TRENTON, N.J. – The New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC) has named three Bergen Community College students to the 2020 New Jersey All-State Academic Team, awarding one with a top scholarship from the Coca-Cola Foundation.

“While due to the current pandemic we were unable to host a celebration in-person this year, the state’s community colleges are committed to recognizing and celebrating the outstanding achievements and exceptional service of 38 students to their communities and colleges as members of Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society,” NJCCC Chair Phil Linfante, Ph.D., said.

Joining their peers from the state’s community colleges, Bergen students Erisa Ganellari, of Garfield, Jenna Santacroce, of Saddle Brook, and Jade Tollis, of Teaneck, earned spots on the All-Academic Team, which recognizes their scholarship, leadership and service. Tollis also secured a $1,250 scholarship from the Coca-Cola Foundation as the New Jersey New Century Workforce Pathway Scholar, which celebrates the most outstanding workforce-bound student from each state. The award marks Tollis’ second major scholarship as a Bergen student: in the fall, she received the $5,000 Pearson Scholarship for Higher Education as the first recipient of the scholarship in Bergen history.

Each of Bergen’s honorees graduated from the institution this semester. The trio also remained active members of the College’s globally recognized chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the honor society of two-year colleges, of which Santacroce served as international vice president.

Based in Paramus, Bergen Community College (www.bergen.edu), a public two-year coeducational college, enrolls more than 13,000 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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