Bergen Community College Valedictorian Gets An A+ In Gratitude

Mahwah NJ

17 May, 2022

10:49 PM

Description

Press release from Bergen Community College: May 17, 2022 PARAMUS, N.J. – When Bergen Community College class of 2022 valedictorian Katie Conte entered college after a 20-year career in special education, she earned more than a degree – she found a mentor. Conte, of Ringwood, wrote about Bergen education professor Melissa Krieger's impact in an essay, "How a Professor Changed My View of Community College," which the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) selected for its 2022 Scott Wright Student Essay Contest prize. She will receive a $1,000 scholarship and an invitation to the NISOD International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence in Austin, Texas this month. The essay highlights how Krieger's passion for teaching not only became inspirational for Conte, but underscored the quality of a community college education. "I am thrilled to be able to recognize my mentor in this way," she said. "This is a great opportunity to highlight community college professors and how their work helps students realize and achieve their full potential. It is my hope to end the stigma surrounding community colleges and to show others the opportunities they provide." Krieger reflected on Conte's work, describing her as an "exceptional person." "It was an absolute honor to find out that Katie wrote a winning essay describing me as her mentor," she said. "I know Katie gives me the title of 'mentor,' yet her work ethic, willingness to serve others and deep engagement with the world is an inspiration to me. She has made significant contributions to the college and community, all while balancing her family, school and work life." 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. This press release was produced by Bergen Community College. The views expressed here are the author's own.