Bergen Community College alumni Austin Jacobson, ’25, studied nursing to pursue a career as a nurse.
“I chose Bergen because of the nursing program’s high NCLEX exam pass rate and its proximity to my home,” said Jacobson who holds a B.A. in anthropology from William Paterson University.
Jacobson, of Bloomingdale, said he had a friend who studied acting at Bergen, and would invite Jacobson and friends to various plays at the College. “While waiting for the theater doors to open, I explored the campus and found that I enjoyed the close campus buildings and its spacious outdoors,” said Jacobson.
Jacobson described the coursework to be difficult in Bergen’s nursing program; however, help from his professors and peers made a positive difference. “I found that creating study groups with classmates helped ease the stress,” said Jacobson. “Having each person take notes and review with each other allowed a collaborative effort that decreased the workload.”
He discussed how these study groups provided a safe space where the students could tell jokes and push each other through tough times.
“The resources from Bergen have been extremely helpful in understanding the concepts I learned in class and have prepared me for the nursing workforce that I will join in the future,” he said.
During his nursing coursework, Jacobson practiced his nursing skills through practical hands-on training in recording vital signs, catheter insertion, tube feeding, and medication administration. “Performing these skills in the Simulation Lab within the Health Professions Building and working with the mannequins that can blink, talk, and react to different scenarios helped prepare me for working with real patients,” said Jacobson. He described how Bergen professors administer skills tests to his classmates and him to ensure that tasks are performed without issue or harm to the patient.
“The clinical rotation provided by Bergen’s nursing department has been excellent in preparing me for my career,” said Jacobson. During his clinical rotation, Jacobson worked with real patients and medical professionals at Genesis Maple Glen in Fairlawn and Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck. “Through asking questions, assisting in procedures, and exploring the facility, the College has prepared me for what working as a nurse is like,” said Jacobson who made nursing care plans and performed interviews with assigned patients. “These tools have helped me understand my diverse patient population, their reason for being admitted, and also the reasoning for the treatments I help provide and their benefits,” he said.
Jacobson graduated from Bergen in 2025.
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.
# # #