Bergen Community College

Bergen Community College alumna, Tiffany Agosto ‘25, always knew she belonged in the classroom not only to pursue her own education but to teach others. As a mother, Agosto had to balance work, family, and her studies to earn her associates degree at Bergen. Agosto, a student-parent, benefited from Bergen’s Child Development Center (CDC) where she was supported as a mother and a student.

“I’ve always believed that the earliest years matter the most,” said Agosto. “They shape how children learn, how they see themselves, and how they experience the world.” 

After touring Bergen’s CDC, Agosto put her beliefs into practice as she chose the Child Development Center to be trusted with her children’s earliest years of education. “As a parent, having a staff I could trust; people who genuinely cared for and about my children, gave me the peace of mind I needed to focus on my studies and succeed academically,” said Agosto.

Agosto was motivated to push herself academically and graduated with a 4.0 grade point average with the support of educators such as Bergen education professor, Dr. Melissa Krieger. She even became a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. 

Inspired and supported to pursue her dream of earning a bachelor’s degree in education, she transferred to Montclair State University to continue her studies in education.

Agosto chose to complete her fieldwork in education at Bergen’s Child Development Center.

“I am a proud Bergen Community College graduate, and my fieldwork at the Child Development Center played a major role in shaping the educator I am today,” she said.

“The Child Development Center was another defining part of my Bergen experience,” said Agosto. “Completing my fieldwork there gave me hands-on learning that brought everything I studied to life.” 

“From the moment I stepped into my first classroom, I knew I belonged in the field of education,” she said. 

Agosto’s first hand experience as a mother and a student educator speaks to the connection built between the CDC and its community. Agosto even credits the CDC for the mentorship she received that has prepared her for her current role as a paraprofessional at Paramus High School. 

“The CDC staff didn’t just mentor me as a future educator, they supported me as a parent,” she said.

“The CDC is where I learned what high-quality early childhood education truly looks like: developmentally appropriate practice, responsive teaching, and the power of strong relationships,” said Agosto.

As Agosto continues her educational journey, she has set her goals on continuing to grow within the field and expand her impact through advanced study.  

“At the heart of everything I do is a simple belief: every child deserves a space where they can thrive and feel safe, and every family deserves an educator who truly cares,” she 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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