Bergen Community College

Bergen Community College alumna Ediliana Pena, ‘25, studied women’s design and apparel to enter the fashion industry.

After contemplating her career choices for 10 years, Pena decided on fashion design. She began researching fashion design programs at the community college level, but discovered that not many community colleges in New Jersey offered fashion programs. During her search, she found Bergen and joined the College’s fashion program at 32 years old. She finally said, “This is what I want.” 

“Joining Bergen was the best decision that I made in my life because I finally accomplished what I want to do with my future,” said Pena. “Bergen opened the doors for me and gave me the opportunity for a second chance.”

In May 2025, Pena was a showcase designer at the annual Create Tomorrow: Bergen Institute for the Creative Arts Gala. The styles that she designed, created and showcased at the Gala were part of her senior capstone project. Pena was also featured in the senior capstone video played at the Gala, as a farewell to the program’s graduating students.

Before graduating, she felt like her peers and professors were her family. “I felt like I was leaving my family behind because we got so close, and everybody worked together,” she said.

She urged students to “join this beautiful community” that she didn’t know existed until she joined it herself.

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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