Bergen Community College

Bergen Community College student Tara Reyes is studying nursing with the goal to become an emergency department (ED) or intensive care unit (ICU) nurse. She also wants to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) within 8 to 10 years.

Prior to coming to Bergen, Reyes was a veterinary nurse for 18 years where she worked in the emergency room (ER) and critical care unit (CCU).

“When I first thought about pursuing my nursing degree, I did not know where to start in choosing a school, especially since I had only moved to New Jersey three years prior,” said Reyes, of Maywood. She thought that going to a university would be better, but realized that ‘your license is a license’ wherever you go to school.” 

Reyes’ main concerns for schooling were the learning environment, cost and location. When thinking about her decision, she thought, “Can this school give me the truest opportunity to get me where I need to be?”

“After speaking with students who attended or were attending Bergen Community College, I was impressed,” said Reyes who was on board when she heard good things about the College’s nursing program, professors and the Starbucks station.

Reyes also attributed her success to her nursing professors including Professors Diana and Joana Constantino, Melanie Funt and Joanne Payongayong. “From the meltdowns and questioning myself, late nights studying and early mornings, knowing my professors had my back and truly believed in me made it a world of a difference,” said Reyes. 

She recalls her first semester when she had a skills validation with Professor Sherry-Anne Munroe, who was impressed by Reyes’ knowledge and confidence. Reyes had another validation with Munroe a couple of weeks later and she described losing that confidence. “I hesitated and stumbled over my words, and Professor Munroe looked at me and said ‘you can do this, I know you can,’” said Reyes. “I took a deep breath and finished my validation without any hesitation.”

Reyes is currently part of an Emergency Summer Immersive program and got to spend a day in an ER. “It was my first time seeing a Lucas CPR machine,” she said. “I stood back and was there to offer any help I could.” 

“Watching the amazing ED nurses, doctors and medics work collectively in such a chaotic situation made me realize that emergency (or CCU/ICU) is definitely where I belong,” said Reyes. 

“I find calmness in chaos,” she said. “I know Bergen Community College’s nursing program will get me there.”

Reyes expects to graduate in 2025.

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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