Twin sisters. Twin degrees. Twin careers. Fraternal twin sisters Diana and Joana Constantino have made Bergen a family affair for more than two decades, with both earning nursing degrees from the institution in 2006 before returning to teach in 2015 (Diana) and 2019 (Joana).
The twins’ journey to Bergen began in Manila where they lived for five years until the family moved to Paramus in the shadow of the College’s main campus. While in Paramus, the twins aspired to attend the College and began making plans to enroll once they graduated high school. Those plans included taking advantage of opportunities such as the NJ STARS program, the state’s tuition-free college initiative for high-achieving students that launched in 2004. The Constantinos became the first students to enroll under the program at Bergen and even had the opportunity to meet then-Gov. Jim McGreevey and appear on Telemundo. After graduating from Bergen, both earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing. With Bergen’s influence on their lives, the sisters always felt compelled to return.
“Bergen has been a stepping stone that molded the trajectory of our success and opened doors for a myriad of opportunities,” Joana said. “I decided to work at Bergen because I have seen the impact Bergen has on the students, faculty and community.”
“I want to give back and continue the journey that I have started,” Diana said. “When I work at Bergen, it does not feel like a job but an enjoyable hobby that you look forward to every day.”
The dynamic duo shares in many activities and recognitions, too. Among them, they serve as advisors for the Student Nurse Club, the Pasalubong club and the Nursing Honor Society at Bergen. They earned a feature in the American Nurses Association’s “Year of the Nurse” project and a News12 “Hometown Hero” story during the pandemic.
“Working with my sister has been a blessing and we share our successes together,” Joana said.
About the only thing they don’t have in common – academically, or professionally anyway – Diana works as a nurse practitioner at a private medical office in Paramus and a registered staff nurse at the Valley Hospital. Joana works at a subacute rehabilitation center and long-term care facility.
Believe it or not, they’re not the only twins in the College’s nursing program: students Brandon Amador-Reyes and Jennifer Amador-Reyes – siblings – currently study at the College. The Constantinos have an explanation.
“Two is better than one,” Joana said.
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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