Bergen Community College

Bergen Community College student Jezen Flores is studying cybersecurity to work in a security operations center.

“I chose Bergen to save money while figuring out what I want to do in the future,” said Flores, of Hackensack. “I know I wanted to go into information technology, but I didn’t know what I specifically wanted to do.”

Flores enrolled at Bergen after seeing Bergen’s STEM Research Center and finding out the College offers courses in computer science and information technology. 

After finding his footing on campus, Flores got involved in various student clubs and organizations. In 2025, he was the treasurer for Men of Change Amplified and treasurer for the Korean Student Association in Spring 2026. He also served as the vice chair of the diversity committee in the Student Government Association (SGA). For the 2026-2027 academic year, Flores will serve as SGA’s treasurer.

“Being active on campus allowed me to network with so many students,” he said. “From there, I was able to learn about the opportunities on campus, such as part-time employment.”

Flores worked as a peer mentor in Bergen’s Title V Office, where he led campus tours and hosted academic workshops for American Language Program students.

Flores expects to graduate in 2027.

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.

# # #