July 21 2025 at 9:53 AM | Council news

New Jersey Community College Students Honored with Statewide and National Recognition

In Spring 2025, students from New Jersey’s community colleges received statewide and national recognition for their accomplishments.

The New Jersey Council of County Colleges (NJCCC) recognized 35 students from the state’s 18 community colleges as members of the 2025 New Jersey All-State Academic Team. All honorees are members of Phi Theta Kappa, the national honor society for community college students, and were nominated by their college leaders for their academic performance, leadership, and contributions to both campus and community.

New Jersey’s 18 community colleges serve 240,000 students across 49 campus locations and provide affordable, high-quality academic and workforce programs that expand access to education and economic opportunities, while preparing students to participate in the state’s skilled and innovative workforce.

Students selected to the 2025 All-State Academic Team represent a broad range of academic disciplines, including biology (pre-medicine), business administration, education, engineering, healthcare, liberal arts, physics, psychology, and the sciences. The group includes students who plan to transfer to four-year institutions and those entering the workforce after graduation.

The 2025 New Jersey All-State Academic Team members are:

  • Atlantic Cape Community College:  Daniel Mulraney (Marmora) and Roman Segov (Sea Isle City);
  • Bergen Community College: Franzen Quicho (East Rutherford) and Maria Frometa Lora (Dumont);
  • Brookdale Community College:  Sara Calvo (Ocean Township) and Brooke Sheroke (Keyport);
  • Camden County College:  Linda Blay-Owusu (Camden); and Adriana Santiago (Sweedsboro);
  • Essex County College: Towela Mwale (Orange) and Laela Lawal (Newark);
  • Hudson County Community College:  Marolla Youakim (Jersey City) and Lidia Khayrulina (Jersey City);
  • Mercer County Community College Samantha Z. Betancourt (Hopewell) and Ashena Gamboa Mora (Hamilton);
  • Middlesex College:  Dhruv Sethi (Edison) and Branden Farano (Iselin);
  • County College of Morris:  Amber Gillis (Flanders) and Didem Heath (Hackettstown);
  • Ocean County College: Areeba Zulkarnain (Brick);
  • Passaic County Community College:  Cristy Sarmiento (Haledon) and Maria Posada (Haledon);
  • Raritan Valley Community College:  Jonathan Avelar Flores (Phillipsburg) and Amodh Naik, (Bridgewater);
  • Rowan College at Burlington County: Emmanuel Amarh (Delran) and Tosca Rieling (Toms River);
  • Rowan College of South Jersey, Cumberland: Shelby Donoflio (Millville) and Megan Perry (Newfield);
  • Rowan College of South Jersey, Gloucester: Briana Ebie (Blackwood) and Icelyn Casanova (Sewell);
  • Sussex County Community College: Mia Sciabica (Lafayette) and Matthew Duffau (Sparta);
  • Union College of Union County, NJ: Odudu Ekpenyong (Springfield) and Yarddy Jaramillo (Newark); and
  • Warren County Community College: Jesse Yanavok (Phillipsburg) and Tamiyah Hunter (Phillipsburg).

 National Honors

At the national level, the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society named two New Jersey students — Sara Calvo (Ocean), Brookdale Community College and Dhruv Sethi (Edison) Middlesex College to the 2025 All-USA Academic Team. These New Jersey community college students are among twenty students nationwide selected for academic excellence, leadership, and service that extends learning beyond the classroom.

Additionally, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation awarded the prestigious Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship to two New Jersey students: Odudu Ekpenyong (Union College of Union County, NJ) and Joseph Frazier (Mercer County Community College). This highly selective national scholarship supports high-achieving community college students in completing their bachelor’s degrees with minimal student debt.

Coca-Cola Foundation Scholars

In partnership with the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, the Coca-Cola Foundation awarded six New Jersey community college students competitive scholarships recognizing academic achievement, leadership, and engagement in college and community service. Recipients were nominated by their college administrators. The New Jersey recipients are:

  • Het Parekh, Atlantic Cape Community College, New Century Workforce Pathway Scholarship;
  • Maria Frometa Lora, Bergen Community College, Coca-Cola Gold Scholarship;
  • Franzen Angeleen Quico, Bergen Community College, Coca-Cola Bronze Scholarship;
  • Sara Calvo, Brookdale Community College, New Century Transfer Pathway Scholarship;
  • Amodh Naik, Raritan Valley Community College, Coca-Cola Gold Scholarship;
  • Mia Sciabica, Sussex County Community College, Coca-Cola Silver Scholarship.