Bergen Community College alumna Alexie Kotfisz, ‘26, earned the special honor of being named the valedictorian for the Class of 2026. For her perfect 4.0 GPA, Kotfisz spoke at the Commencement 2026 Ceremony, where she shared her story of finding her path at Bergen.
“Being valedictorian is an incredible honor to be able to represent others by showing my path and knowing there’s so many people who can feel the same struggles,” said Kotfisz, of Dumont. “And it shows all the perseverance and sacrifices that so many people have to take to become who they want to be.”
She enrolled in Bergen through the NJ STARS Program, a state program that provides New Jersey’s highest achieving students with free tuition at their home county college. Being an NJ STARS student allowed Kotfisz to begin her college education without the fear of loan debt.
“I chose Bergen because it allowed me to have the opportunity to continue my education and explore what I wanted to do, with its countless leadership roles and extracurricular activities, to discover myself,” she said. “Allowing me to grow with affordability, along with assistance from NJ STARS, helped me avoid going into debt and gave me the best possible return on investment.”
She also said Bergen allows its students to change their paths when they have to. Coming into college, Kotfisz was a top high school pastry chef pursuing a career in the culinary arts. After enrolling at Bergen, she became a math tutor in the Cerullo Learning Assistance Center, and supported her peers with their understanding of mathematical concepts and built their confidence. This inspired her to switch her major from culinary arts to mathematics.
“Bergen gave me the space to grow, ask difficult questions, and eventually realize that my true passion was in mathematics and education,” said Kotfisz. “I was able to change direction without feeling like I had failed. Instead, I learned that changing paths can be an act of courage and an important part of becoming who you are meant to be.”
Kotfisz said Bergen also gave her the opportunity to get involved on campus and engage with her peers. She was a member of the Alpha Epsilon Phi Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society for two-year colleges, as well as a student ambassador for the Office of Admissions. Kotfisz became an NJ STARS Ambassador to share her experience within the NJ STARS program and help other students decide to attend Bergen. She also co-founded Bergen’s accounting club, and served as the club’s secretary.
Kotfisz sought to get involved in the local community, and soon became a founding member of the THRIVE Program – a program organized with NJ STARS and Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) students looking to engage in community service. The THRIVE Program collaborated with Bergen’s 4-H Club to plant flowers and beautify the exterior of Eva’s Village, a social services nonprofit organization in Paterson, New Jersey.
“My perspective at Bergen changed by showing how much you can accomplish in such a short period of time,” said Kotfisz. “There’s no set path – so you should be able to open that door, take opportunities that you didn’t ever imagine, and just go with the flow, because you never know what will be behind any of those doors.”
When describing her Bergen experience, Kotfisz referenced a quote from High Point University President Nido Qubein, which reads, “Your present circumstances do not determine where you can go. They merely determine where you start.”
Kotfisz also participated in the Bergen-to-Ramapo Robert Noyce Run2Stem program, and received a full scholarship. She will receive up to $15,000 per academic year while earning her bachelor’s degree in mathematics education. Kotfisz plans to become a mathematics teacher.
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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