Bergen Community College

Tiffany McNair, ’25, is a Bergen Community College alumna who studied hospitality to work in event management in the pharmaceutical industry. 

McNair, of Englewood, returned to Bergen thirty years after failing and dropping out. She finally understood the challenges she faced after she had been diagnosed with dyslexia and auditory processing disorder. After McNair enrolled in Bergen a second time through the Division of Continuing Education and Workforce Development, she earned an Event Planning and Management Certificate. She stayed to obtain her associates degree.

“After a year as a student, I’m proud to be a straight-A student—and those A’s mean more to me than most,” said McNair. “I’ve learned how to process information in a way that works for me.”

McNair attributed her success to Bergen’s faculty, staff and Office of Specialized Services who created a safe and welcoming environment for her. “This community college truly sees and hears each student,” she said. She also attributed her success to the College’s “culture, care and community.”

Outside of her studies and career goals, McNair has an outreach service, “Bereavement Outreach,” which supports and uplifts families with members who have chronic illness. She also supports grieving families and provides meals for people in need, along with hosting a community-focused podcast.

“The unmatched support from Bergen’s faculty has been life-changing, and I’m proof that it’s never too late to succeed,” said McNair.

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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