Bergen Community College

As a member of the deaf community, Bergen alumnus Anthony De Franco, A.A. ’10, wants to build diversity and inclusion between both the deaf and hearing worlds by promoting awareness, acceptance, and love toward one another.

“I chose Bergen as my first step to college because it was closer to home,” said De Franco. “I wasn’t ready to go straight to a four-year college, so I decided to give it a try.”

During his time as a student at Bergen, De Franco enjoyed his American Sign Language (ASL) level I and II courses. He participated in events for the ASL Club and within the deaf community.

After graduating from Bergen Community College in 2010 with an associate of arts degree in liberal arts, De Franco transferred to Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. “I became more confident through college, especially at Bergen, which led me to transfer to Gallaudet University,” said De Franco.

After three years at Gallaudet University, De Franco graduated in 2013 and returned to Bergen as an American Sign Language tutor at the Cerullo Learning Assistance Center from 2013 to 2021.  As a tutor in the Tutoring Center, De Franco’s goal was to prepare his students to succeed learning ASL as their foreign language by doing practice signing together to learn how to communicate in ASL or prepare for their exams or projects.

De Franco wants to promote awareness about ASL and the deaf culture to help bring about acceptance and inclusion in the communities throughout New Jersey. De Franco has been working as a deaf mentor teaching both ASL and Deaf Culture to local families of deaf children from birth to age 5.

In 2014, De Franco earned the Newcomer Tutor Award from Bergen’s Cerullo Learning Assistance Center. In 2020, De Franco earned A Change For Nick Young Adult Prevention Award by Aware ASAP in Ringwood and Wanaque for teaching children in Ringwood to learn ASL.

“My successful experience at Bergen was to earn an A in my ASL classes, which led me to my profession as an ASL teacher and deaf mentor,” said De Franco. “I am helping our deaf communities in New Jersey.”

In 2023 and 2024, the Barnegat-Manahawkin Patch.com online media platform featured De Franco for his buddy bench project for Barnegat Schools back and for his ASL project with Barnegat’s elementary students.

As of 2024, De Franco has been an adjunct faculty member teaching ASL at Atlantic Cape Community College in Mays Landing, New Jersey. As an ASL professor, he teaches both ASL level I and II classes including my ASL/Deaf Culture Workshop lectures for Atlantic Cape community of students, faculty, and staff to promote awareness about ASL, Deaf Culture, and Deaf communities.

De Franco credits his Bergen ASL professor for igniting his passion and interest in ASL. “I want to recognize my former ASL professor Bridget Connolly as a wonderful deaf role model who helped me to learn more about my deaf identity and understand the deaf world better,” he said. “She inspired me to become an ASL professor for Atlantic Cape Community College.” De Franco also works as a deaf mentor for the SPAN Parent Advocacy Network.

De Franco also hosts “Deaf Chat Nights” twice per month at Chick-Fil-A in Manahawkin. During the “Deaf Chat Nights,” he invites deaf and hearing signers to socialize and expand the ASL community.

“Be a positive role model for all cultures and their communities especially Deaf communities,” said De Franco. “Don’t be afraid to learn a new language especially American Sign Language for fun or take it as an elective to complete your Bergen degree.”

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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