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Natalie KloeppingBergen Community College student Natalie Kloepping is studying aerospace engineering and is part of the NJ STARS program.

Ever since I was a kid, my passion has always been for aerospace. I was always fascinated with rockets and the cosmos,” said Kloepping, of Hasbrouck Heights. “When it came time for college, I was so excited to finally pursue my passion and study what I loved.”

Kloepping originally attended Stevens Institute of Technology, but felt the burden of finances and an overwhelming workload. “When I learned I qualified for the NJ STARS program at Bergen Community College, I knew I had a second chance to achieve my dream of being an aerospace engineer,” she said.

As a NJ STARS student, Kloepping receives a tuition-free college experience at Bergen. “It made earning a college education much more affordable, and therefore much more possible,” said Kloepping.

She feels that Bergen classes are taught at a more comfortable pace, which allows her to grasp information better. “I can get a better grasp on my fundamental core engineering classes so I am more prepared for a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering at a 4-year university,” said Kloepping.

Kloepping is also a member of the STEM Student Union and the Judith K. Winn School of Honors.

She expects to graduate in 2026.

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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