The New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC) honored 37 students on Thursday evening for being named to the 2023 New Jersey All-State Academic Team for outstanding academic achievements and exceptional service to their communities and colleges.
One of these 37 students, Carine Medellus (Roselle), of Union College of Union County, has been selected to the 2023 All-USA Academic Team. She is one of 20 of the Nation’s top community college students to receive this honor.
“These exceptional students utilized the many opportunities that New Jersey’s Community Colleges have to offer and succeeded brilliantly,” said NJCCC President Aaron R. Fichtner, Ph.D. “We applaud the New Jersey All-State Academic Team members for their academic excellence, hard-work, and perseverance to rise to the top of their class.”
“These students have thrived on and off campus as community leaders to reach this high level of achievement,” said NJCCC Chair Mary Zimmermann. “They exemplify all the good that comes from a New Jersey Community College education, and we could not be prouder.”
The 2023 New Jersey All-State Academic Team, all members of Phi Theta Kappa, the national honor society for community colleges, include:
- Atlantic Cape Community College: Alexis Cabrera (Mays Landing) and Harper Showalter (Marmora);
- Bergen Community College: Mana Mehdizadeh (Nutley) and Petar Petroski (Oradell);
- Brookdale Community College: Belinda Asamoah (New Brunswick) and Sara Hosbach (Freehold);
- Camden County College: Misturah Mustapha (Sicklerville);
- Essex County College: Elizabeth Bakare (East Orange) and Favour Ogbinaka (Newark);
- Hudson County Community College: Sally Elwir (Bloomfield) and Dina Thompson (Jersey City);
- Mercer County Community College: Sean Duigon (Mercerville) and Mykhaylo Yanchyk (New Egypt);
- Middlesex College: Ezra Goldfarb (Edison) and Dzulieta Ismaili-Jean (South Amboy);
- County College of Morris: Zachary Strickler (Mount Arlington) and Samantha Wrobel (Succasunna);
- Ocean County College: Brooke Doering (Toms River) and Cynthia Huggins (Brick);
- Passaic County Community College: Nicolette Carpenter (West Milford) and Carolina Ramos (Totowa);
- Raritan Valley Community College: Jennifer Barnickel (Flemington) and John Vargas, (North Plainfield);
- Rowan College at Burlington County: Michelle Sprenger (Shamong) and Emily Weiman (Westampton);
- Rowan College of South Jersey, Cumberland: Brandi Zerillo (Vineland) and Melissa Straub (Pittsgrove);
- Rowan College of South Jersey, Gloucester: Abrahim J. Kromah (Glassboro) and Megan Rinaldo (Millville)
- Salem Community College: Amy Chomo (Salem); and Emma Joyce (Woodstown);
- Sussex County Community College: Brookyln-Taylor Rubenacker (Sussex) and Tyler Yanagi (Stanhope);
- Union College of Union County, NJ: Mina Basaly (Elizabeth) and Carine Medellus (Roselle); and
- Warren County Community College: Sarah Sylverne (Phillipsburg) and Alyssa Zikas (Belvidere).
Additionally, seven New Jersey Community College students have been recognized by Phi Theta Kappa and the Coca-Cola Foundation with scholarships as part of the USA All-State Academic Team competition. Team members were nominated by their college administrators based on academic achievement, leadership, and engagement in college and community service. The New Jersey recipients are:
- Marie Eng, Bergen Community College; New Century Workforce Pathway Scholarship;
- Mana Mehdizadeh, Bergen Community College, Coca-Cola Gold Scholarship;
- Petar Petroski, Bergen Community College, Coca-Cola Gold Scholarship;
- Nicolette Carpenter, Passaic County Community College, Coca-Cola Silver Scholarship;
- Jennifer Barnickel, Raritan Valley Community College, Coca-Cola Gold Scholarship;
- Ozichi Chinedu, Union College of Union County, NJ, Coca-Cola Silver Scholarship; and
- Carine Medellus, Union College of Union County, NJ, New Century Transfer Pathway Scholarship.
About the New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC)
The New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC) was created in 1989 to support and promote New Jersey’s 18 Community Colleges. The Community Colleges now enroll more than 180,000 people each year in credit, non-credit, and workforce development courses at more than 70 campuses throughout the state.
