Bergen Community College

Bergen Community College alumnus Roy Hidalgo-Ruiz, ‘25 graduated with an associate degree in finance to pursue a career in corporate banking. Currently, he is studying for his bachelor’s degree in finance from Rutgers University’s School of Business. 

At the May 2025 Commencement ceremony, Hidalgo-Ruiz, of Saddle Brook, was one of five students who received the Perino Scholarship from the Bergen Community College Foundation. The scholarship will go toward funding Hidalgo-Ruiz’s education. “It was an amazing moment seeing myself being recognized alongside my friends,” he said.

“The reason why I chose Bergen Community College was because I knew this school would be the foundation for success and pave the way for my future,” said Hidalgo-Ruiz. “My oldest brother Lance was able to find success in his career as a corporate banker, and it all began at Bergen Community College. From that moment, I realized that this college truly has the resources and guidance to give any student an opportunity at success.”

Hidalgo-Ruiz was one of 10 student interns in the inaugural data analyst program offered in spring 2025 under the College’s Bergen for Business workforce development initiative. Through the program, he obtained hands-on knowledge and experience in data analytics. The data analytics skills he gained in the program helped him land an opportunity as an internal audit intern at Kearny Bank. In his marketing class with Professor Watrel at Bergen, Hidalgo-Ruiz learned about business and marketing with practical hands-on projects. For example, students simulated and operated a consulting company for a 2-month time span. During this assignment, students created a business strategy plan and built a company website. Hidalgo-Ruiz served as president for the fictional Bergecco-Parc Consulting Inc. for his class project. “Professor Watrel created the concept behind the project and why it’s important for learning about business, not just marketing,” said Hidalgo-Ruiz. “I gained a greater insight into the business world, especially the corporate side.”

As an active student on campus, he served as the director of recruitment in the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) honor society and a member of the Investment Club. “My success at Bergen Community College consisted of two important factors: my consistent ambition and the amazing support of the faculty,” he said. Crediting the full support that he has received from the Bergen staff in the One-Stop Center and the PTK/Honors Lounge along with his professors, Hidalgo-Ruiz realized that he gained a healthy sense of confidence and motivation.

When reflecting on the last two years, Hidalgo-Ruiz recalled that he experienced setbacks, but he always found a way to overcome these situations. “I have always found a way to rise, moving forward with an optimistic and positive mindset,” he said. “Even in moments when I felt like giving up, there was always someone there to pick me up and remind me that I could succeed.”

Hidalgo-Ruize understands the saying, “You rise and fall according to the beliefs around you.”

“One of the most important life lessons I’ve learned at Bergen is that your beliefs become your identity and your identity becomes your reality,” he said.

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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