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Bergen Community College alumna Ivanna Caballero, ‘26, credits her success as a STEM student and budding professional to the College’s supportive environment.
Cabellero, of Belleville, had her faith in Bergen reinforced after receiving the Bergen Community College Foundation’s Commencement 2026 send-off scholarship at the Commencement 2026 ceremony. She was ecstatic to learn she received the scholarship, which she will put toward earning her bachelor’s degree in mathematics at Montclair State University.
“Receiving this scholarship meant that Bergen continued showing their support for me even after my academic career there came to an end,” said Caballero. “I felt grateful and empowered after receiving this scholarship.”
She initially chose Bergen for affordability and ease of access, never expecting to receive the immense support that she had. “I was unsure how to navigate college, and Bergen made me feel supported by staff and faculty with their continued guidance,” she said.
Caballero enrolled at Bergen through the Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) program – a New Jersey State educational program aimed at helping economically and educationally disadvantaged students obtain a college education. After meeting Bergen EOF Counselor Sadeja Haggins, Caballero felt encouraged to succeed.
“She was a great support who helped me navigate my transition into higher education by providing guidance throughout my college career,” she said. In May 2026, Caballero received a Graduate Achievement Award from Bergen’s EOF office for exceeding a 3.2 GPA.
Caballero also found support from Bergen calculus professors Jake Dynes and Mohammad Ihsan. She said both professors were dedicated to creating safe spaces where students could learn and thrive with no judgement. Being able to conduct research and make mistakes along the way to solve a problem was something she said contributed to her success.
While she worked as an administrative assistant in Bergen’s EOF office, Caballero was selected for the STEM Student Scholars Program (3SP). She joined the data modeling team and researched the efficiency of remedial coursework in student success at two-year institutions. The research was presented at the 2024 STEM C^2 Research Summit at Bergen’s Meadowlands Campus, and the 2024 B2B Conference at Rutgers University in New Brunswick.
Throughout her Bergen journey, Caballero interned at various companies. She was a project management intern in the Medical Center Information Technology department at NYU Langone Health. Caballero was also a pharmaceutical research intern in the Chemical and Materials Engineering department at New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT).
As a student, Caballero was the president of Bergen’s STEM Student Union from January to December 2025. In that role, she managed the executive board, handled direct communication with club members, and organized events and meetings. For her efforts, Caballero received the Club Leadership Award in April 2025.
“I enjoyed being around diverse individuals with unique backgrounds, and learning about different cultures that all intersected at Bergen,” said Caballero. “I believe that this exposure pushed me to become a well-rounded professional with a wider understanding of the world.”
While Caballero continues her studies at Montclair State University, she works as a Student Success Coordinator at Bergen’s STEM Research Center.
Caballero shared advice to prospective and current students. “Give back to your community by becoming involved in college organizations,” she said. “You have the potential to make an impact in someone else’s life by being involved in organizations that can offer opportunities of growth for others.”
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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