CCM - County College of Morris

Graduation is always a special time of year. It’s a time to celebrate the success that comes from hard work and determination. It’s a time to mark new beginnings and look forward with anticipation. It’s also when President Edward J. Yaw takes the opportunity to share the stories of several graduates who illustrate the determination of the student body at County College of Morris (CCM). Here are the graduates he highlighted from the Class of 2012.

 

 

Jacquelyn Briggs
Jacquelyn Briggs of Mine Hill began pursuing her passion for music by becoming a music therapy major. Her dreams, however, were tragically interrupted when she became the victim of a serious car accident that left her with a hearing loss in one ear. Doctors said she would never sing again. She came to CCM thinking she would have to select a different major but then she met Professor Marielaine Mammon who coached her in how to utilize different techniques to compensate for her hearing deficit. She continued to sing, undertook small roles in several plays at CCM and then landed the leading role in Kismet this past spring. This fall, she is attending The College of New Jersey as a vocal performance major. 

 

Jean Ann Mirsky
Looking for a way out of unfulfilling jobs, Jean Ann Mirsky turned to CCM. As a single mother and victim of domestic violence, she wanted to improve herself and provide a better life for her daughter. She credits CCM’s supportive counselors and faculty with helping her to succeed as a student. She received three scholarships during her time at CCM. She also was awarded the 2012 New Jersey Higher Education EOF Board of Directors Outstanding Achievement Award in recognition of her academic success. Her desire is to help improve the lives of others and steer victims away from domestic violence. Using her degree in human services from CCM, she hopes to obtain her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology.

 

Silvia and Brandon Nietz
For mother and son Silvia and Brandon Nietz of Allamuchy, CCM was a place for them to work toward their dreams together. A native of Chile, Silvia came to the United States in 1978. CCM immediately became a good fit for her as she enrolled in an English-as-a-second-language course and eventually became an employee in the Records and Registration office. Over an 18-year period, she took course by course and even changed majors until she ultimately attained enough credits to graduate with a liberal arts degree. Her son and fellow classmate, Brandon, found CCM to be a good fit as well. At first he was unsure of what major to pursue but then discovered his passion – graphic design. This past May, their hard work found their dreams turned into reality as they received their diplomas, standing side by side.

 

Hoai Thuong Nguyen
Hoai Thuong Nguyen of Rockaway first set forth on her dream for a better life in 2009 when she and her family came to the United States from Vietnam. Despite her struggle with language and cultural differences, she came to CCM and embarked on her business administration degree. At CCM, Nguyen refused to let her struggles with the English language stop her. She served as vice president of the Catholic Club, treasurer of the Educational Opportunity Fund and as a member of the Asian Student Association. Not only was her involvement at the college extensive, her outstanding academic achievements earned her several scholarships. Plus, she graduated with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. This fall, she is pursuing her dream of earning her MBA and CPA at Rutgers University on a two-year $16,000 scholarship.

 

 

Anthony Scandariato
Students attend CCM for a variety of reasons. For Anthony Scandariato of Randolph, his choice was based not only on financial concerns but also the need to develop a clean academic slate. He had not done well in high school but saw CCM as a place where he could turn that around. He majored in business and also got involved as a student leader. Not only did he improve his grades, he secured an internship at Merrill Lynch, served as a president of the Student Government Association and on the executive board of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, and co-founded the Young Entrepreneurs of America. He met his goal and developed a strong academic record – one that was strong enough to gain him entrance to Cornell University.