2 A Newsletter for Ocean County College Alumni, Our College Family, and the Community Carl V.. Job Network Advising, Transfer, and Career Services is offering the College Central Networ
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Summer-Fall 2018
Vol XII: No 2
A Newsletter for Ocean County
College Alumni, Our College
Family, and the Community
Carl V Thulin, Jr., Chair
Linda L Novak, Vice Chair
Jerry Dasti, Treasurer
Stephan R Leone, Secretary
is growing stronger and more successful
In early June, Dr Jon H Larson, OCC President, traveled to Egypt to meet with Dr
Khalid Abdel-Ghafar, the Egyptian Minister
of Higher Education and Scientific Research;
Dr Youssef Rashed, Acting Secretary of the Egyptian Supreme Council of Universities; and
Dr Abdel Wahab Ezzat, President of Ain Shams University The meeting centered on a his
toric signing of a cooperation protocol, a.k.a
umbrella Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), between the Egyptian Supreme Council
of Universities and Ocean County College
The protocol entails the establishment of community colleges in Egyptian universities
The protocol, presided over by Dr Ghafar, was signed by Dr Larson and
Abdel-Dr Rashed, in the presence of Abdel-Dr Ezzat,
Dr Hatem Akl, OCC Interim Associate Vice President of e-Learning; Dr Maysa Abouyoussef Hayward, OCC Assistant Vice President for International Programs; and Dr Hanan El Said, Director of Integrated e-Learning at Ain Shams University and the project coordinator
In his address to the American and Egyptian team, Dr Abdel-Ghafar emphasized the impor
tance of the protocol as a preliminary model for the establishment of community colleges
in Egyptian universities
Together with the technological colleges, this protocol is considered an important step in the development of technical education and new programs to suit the community’s developmental plans and prepare a generation of qualified graduates to meet the labor market’s needs Also, the protocol could later include new courses for non-high school graduates and technicians who want to develop their skills by providing a training service for them The protocol’s terms include the establishment
of community colleges in various disciplines within a four-year program The first two years provide the students with initial certificates
to allow them to join the labor force The students can later resume the last two years for the bachelor’s degree completion OCC’s outreach team also continues the establishment of individual agreements with seven Egyptian universities As part of these agreements, OCC will provide associate degrees and the host institutions will offer bachelor’s degrees
in a number of different disciplines OCC is currently working with Ain Shams University, Alexandria University, Cairo University, El Minia University, Beni Suef University, Helwan University, and Assiut University
– RAD
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THINGS WE LOVE!
New Degrees & Options
The School of Arts and Humanities is happy
to announce that the New Jersey Presidents’
Council authorized OCC’s new Associate
in Science degree in Graphic Arts, Design,
and Media Additionally, four new options
have been approved in the Performing Arts
degree in anticipation of the Performing Arts
Academy on the College’s Toms River campus
The pathways include Arts Administration,
Dance, Music, and Theatre
One-Stop Express Services
The HUB’s virtual site was launched dur
ing the fall 2017 semester, providing express
enrollment services to new students, which
can be used face-to-face or totally online The
HUB allows students to complete on-boarding
processes from their home computers or
mobile devices Students are able to quickly
and easily access self-service portals, including
finances, class planning, the online applica
tion, and even registration and payment for
classes in a streamlined format Visit the HUB
at go.ocean.edu/hub, email HUB@ocean.edu,
or call 732-255-0482
Magnifying Student Savings
In pursuit of lowering student costs in
online learning, the e-Learning Department
recently adopted the use of virtual micro
scopes in biology courses for non-science
majors After extensive testing, Science
Lecturer Marc LaBella created new learning
modules to replace the need for expensive
$200 microscopes, instead utilizing virtual
microscope applications provided as part of
the text book costs
Gaming Helps Veterans
Studies by the Veterans Administration show that nearly 20% of returning combat veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), while another study reports that 22 combat veterans commit suicide each day, well above the national average
However, new evidence suggests that participa
tion in cooperative video games among combat veterans reduces these statistics Returning veter
ans have shown highly positive responses to the use of video games as part of PTSD therapy, and another VA study shows that gaming provides a positive impact on lowering the trend of suicide
OCC’s e-Learning and Student Life Departments are working together to aid American Legion Post 129 (Toms River) in its effort to create a cooperative video gaming salon for the exclusive use
of returning veterans The salon, to be located in the American Legion’s Church Road building, will be designed with help from e-Learning and OCC Gamers Club volunteers It is the College’s hope that its participation in this important project will have a positive impact on local veterans
Job Network
Advising, Transfer, and Career Services
is offering the College Central Network, an online job board that features jobs posted specifically for OCC students and alumni, as well as access to national job and intern
ship postings College Central Network also gives students and alumni the ability to post
a resume and offers access to career advice documents and podcasts on topics such as resume writing, job search etiquette, intern
ships, and networking OCC students and alumni are encouraged to create an account
at www.collegecentralnetwork.com/ocean To learn more, email careerservices@ocean.edu
A Drug-Free Ocean County
The video “Not Even Once” was pro
duced through a partnership with the Ocean County Prosecutor’s office, Manchester Police Department, and OCC’s TV Studio The video tells the story, via interview, of a mother who lost her son to an opiate overdose Her pow
erful message provides an impactful look at the consequences and pain that the opiate crisis has caused Ocean County youth and families. Within one week of its release, the video had over 150,000 views; it is also being used as a training program by the Manchester Police Department for other law enforcement officers and middle and high school students
The video was distributed to local high school channels
Medical Honors Abound
Four OCC students walked away with honors at the HOSA-Future Health Professionals State Leadership Conference, competing against over 1,000 students from two- and four-year schools, including New Jersey Institute of Technology and The College of New Jersey Danica Kennedy received First Place in Pathophysiology and the Gold Level Barbara James Service Award for completing over 250 hours of community service in the medical field Sean Newman and Maureen Nelson received Second Place in Medical Math and Medical Terminology, respectively
In addition, Nate Bungay took Third Place
in Extemporaneous Writing These four outstanding students went on to compete at the International Leadership Conference in Dallas, Texas, against students from across the United States, Canada, and Mexico
OCEAN VIEWS 3
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One thousand five hundred and fifteen students received their asso
ciate degrees at Ocean County College’s 51st Annual Commencement
Ceremony on May 24 on the Main Campus Mall From the Class of 2018,
Ryan Cheslock delivered the “Student Remarks.” The Guest Speaker
was Edele Hovnanian, Hirair and Anna Hovnanian Foundation, Inc
Two days earlier, 135 students from the OCC Nursing Class received
their nursing pins at the 50th Annual Nurses Pinning Ceremony on May
22 in the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts During the ceremony,
special awards in Nursing were presented “Dedications” from each of
the Nursing graduates were printed in the program Kara Estevez wrote,
“I would like to dedicate my pin to my daughter May this show you
that no matter the path life may take you down, you can be whatever
you want at any stage of the game.” Elizabeth Urcinole reflected, “I
would like to dedicate my pin to my mother, grandmother, sister, and
Jefferson Neurology staff who aided in my recovery Without them none of this would be possible.”
The 51st Annual Awards Ceremony took place on May 23 in the Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts This annual ceremony recognizes OCC’s outstanding student graduates Forty-nine awards, totaling $55,200, were presented to 71 students In addition, Teaching Excellence Awards were presented to two outstanding faculty: Dr David Bordelon, Professor of English (Full-Time Faculty), and Dr Katherine Toy, College Lecturer of Business (Professional Educator)
– RAD
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GRADUATE/ALUMNA PROFILE
Aiza Nageeb
Servant Leader Becomes the Change She Wants to See
Aiza in Five Words
Hometown: Toms River
High School: Toms River High School North
OCC Degree: Associate in Science in
General Studies with a
Concentration in Science
Graduation: May 2018
Seeker
“I have really enjoyed becoming a part
of my campus community From my first
semester, it was always my desire to get
involved, but that truly was the most
challenging task for me I wanted to get
involved with clubs and organizations
with mission statements aligned with
my goals That is when I stumbled upon
Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) I remember
reading over the four hallmarks –
Scholarship, Leadership, Service, and
Fellowship – and I thought, ‘Wow, this
is it.’ That is how my journey began.”
Scholar
“There are really no words to
completely describe how (being
selected as a PTK Coca-Cola Gold
Scholar) makes me feel, but happy,
lighthearted, joyous, successful,
and proud are some When I
was first chosen for the All USA
Academic Team, it was the night
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I wanted to show the world
of the PTK induction ceremony and I was
delighted beyond words It was later that
night when I did a bit more research that I
became nervous – nervous because I truly
did not think I would win any awards at the
international level, especially not if thousands
of individuals were competing against me
When I received the email stating that I was
indeed a Gold Scholar recipient I thought,
‘Wow, I need to have more faith in myself.’ This
award is a representation of my hard work
and dedication to being a servant leader I will
always remember this recognition, and I will
use it to remind myself that I can do anything
I set my mind to.”
Leader
“Before I was elected President of Tau Iota
in December 2017, I was the Vice President of
Leadership Some of the events I supervised
were those in relation to our College Project
(Helping Hands Food Pantry) and the Honors
In Action project, which focused on climate
change Some external activities I oversaw
were gift wrapping with Student Support
Services, the 4th Annual Festival of Trees, our
Valentine’s Day Rose Sale, and much more.”
Changemaker
“I have learned that in order to lead a group
of individuals, it is imperative to treat every
individual the same I have also learned that
being a president means nothing because
it’s just a title It’s what you do as a president,
how you work together with your team, and
the goals that you set, that matter Anyone
can lead, but it takes a true leader to make
a difference.”
“This semester was definitely very stressful
as I was not just an average President, but I
was the leader of an International Five-Star
Chapter, a chapter which had numerous dead
lines to complete Undergoing this stress, I
realized that if I did not endure any hardships,
then my accomplishments wouldn’t feel as
great as they do today My most valuable take
away: Be a servant leader Be an advocate for
yourself Be a changemaker I have learned to
open my heart for everyone, my enemies and
my friends I have learned the power of doing
service, even if it means making sacrifices in
my daily life But most importantly, I have
learned that you get what you deserve.”
the true side of Islam, the side that tells you to be peaceful and to help those around you Today, the President of PTK is a Muslim girl the girl who worked
so hard to bring a positive light to her campus is a Muslim girl
– Aiza Nageeb
Hard Worker
“Within these past two years I worked
in many departments at OCC I worked at the Bookstore, I was a tutor in the English Department, and currently I am an Orientation Leader in addition to an Admissions Ambassador.”
Admissions Ambassador
“The Admissions Office is what I call my OCC family The individuals in this department have been my biggest supporters throughout all of my endeavors and they have always encouraged me when things have gotten tough I started working in this department spring semester 2017 and every time I think of leaving these individuals, I want to cry While every person in this department has changed
my life, two specific people deserve shout outs: Joy Press and John Sellino Thank you, Joy Press, for always listening to my drama and for always making me laugh Thank you, John Sellino, for always giving me the oppor
tunity of putting my needs first Every time I received good news, these two individuals would be the first ones I would tell Every time I came across a hurdle, I was never afraid
to come to anyone in the department for
help – AJ Trump, Nadine, Chrissy, Kariss, and
my fellow ambassadors – because I always knew they would assist me Thank you to this selfless and amazing department for being my safe haven I could never repay any of you for making me who I am today.”
Striver
“After OCC, I plan on attending Rutgers University, specifically the Edward Bloustein School of Planning and Policy I would like to earn my bachelor’s degree in Public Health with a concentration in Mathematics.”
Planner
“In my free time I love to read and write in
my journal, and spend time with my family (movie nights) I love planning out parties and
I am currently in the process of planning my sister’s engagement party!”
Trailblazer
“It was a month before the fall semester of
2016 when I decided that I wanted to wear my hijab For the people who really know me, they know how tough of a decision this was for me, particularly because I absolutely loved styling
my hair However, this was a sacrifice that I wanted to make because of one reason and one reason alone I wanted to show the world the true side of Islam, the side that tells you
to be peaceful and to help those around you
I wanted to be a representation of my religion and what it stands for Today, the President of PTK is a Muslim girl, a girl who leads a group
of individuals to eliminate food insecurity on campus Today, the girl who won the Gold Scholar award on an international level is a Muslim Today, the girl who worked so hard
to bring a positive light to her campus is a Muslim girl.”
“There used to be a time in my first semester of OCC when people would give me dirty looks or ignore the smile I sent their way However, today, no matter where I am at OCC,
I have vice presidents, deans, faculty members, workers, and students smiling my way, starting
up a conversation with me and congratulating
me for my successes I can guarantee that one individual from the hundreds that I know today had a negative opinion about Muslims But I made them alter that opinion and nothing makes me happier.”
– JKH
OCEAN VIEWS 7
Trang 8Transformation Takes Grad from Juvy to Pre-Med
On the 50th Anniversary of the Golden Jubilee Celebration of the Educational Opportunity Fund, a
graduating student addressed the crowd and shared what it means to him to be successful
“My name is Sean Newman and I am a proud member of EOF,”
he said
Newman’s journey from child to young adult, from troublemaker
to college graduate, was in his own words “truly amazing.” He hopes
that his story will “serve as inspiration to everyone when it comes (to)
overcoming challenges” in their own lives
Present in the audience that evening, among fellow students,
friends, faculty, and staff, were Newman’s mother and uncle, who
continually supported the “non-traditional student” throughout his
many lifelong challenges, including a difficult medical diagnosis and
a stint in jail
As a self-proclaimed “non-traditional” student, Newman explained
that the title refers to more than just being a little older than most
others in college “I’m not referring to just my age, I’m also referring to
the challenges and obstacles I’ve faced during my life Like everyone,
I’m no stranger to adversity and my life has been anything but easy.”
According to Newman, he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder
at just nine years of age “I suffered from depression, anxiety, anger,
and a slew of other behavioral issues that presented themselves as
roadblocks in my life I never quite seemed to fit in with kids my age
and I was forced to move from school to school As I got older these
problems only got worse, and over time they only served to increase
the difficulties that I encountered in life.”
As a so-called bad boy, Newman wore the title with pride while
in high school, skipping class, getting into fights, and being “openly
defiant towards authority.” His behavior was so overboard, he even
faced expulsion But somehow, with the help of his mother and some
other “wonderful people” in his life, Newman managed to graduate
at the bottom of his class
After high school in 2006, Newman enrolled in college but soon had
to drop out due to his ongoing depression and lack of direction He
wouldn’t return to school for another ten long years, and in his own
words, “in between that time period I found myself in precarious situ
ations with the law and moving from job to job, never quite being able
to maintain stability or achieve peace of mind I knew with this type of
track record it wouldn’t be long before my award-winning charm and
my charismatic attitude towards authority would catch up with me.”
And catch up with Newman it most certainly did
“In the spring of 2010 I managed to hit the lottery and I won a four
year prison sentence to Mountain View Youth Correctional Facility My
chickens had finally come home to roost I would get the wakeup call that I had so desperately needed It was during my time at Mountain View that I had a shift in perspective in how I saw myself and where I thought I was going in life I began to work on myself and I began to start to remove the roadblocks that I had so masterfully set in place
As I left Mountain View, I began to make my way back into the world again I started making amends by repairing the damage I had done
to my relationships prior to my incarceration,” Newman reflected
In 2016, two years after his release, Newman relocated to Ocean County and enrolled at OCC “I had nothing but the clothes on my back, a few dollars in my pocket, and no job … but I still had that award-winning personality.” According to Newman, his self-proclaimed
“charm” along with the faculty, staff, and students he met at OCC became a “vital component” to his ultimate success
However, Newman tried to put his troubled past behind him, but his difficulties continued One such issue was having to rely on public transportation, which restricted his life Riding the bus to and from school every day, Newman attended classes and worked, saving bits of money here and there, socking it away so he could afford his own car
“It was a hard, grueling, and backbreaking endeavor but it finally paid off when I was able to finally afford my own car I no longer needed to rely on a bus schedule to get around and with that, new and exciting opportunities were now available to me that were not before.” Newman explained that this somewhat “small accomplishment” was “ground breaking” for him “This was the first sign that my life was returning to a state of normalcy, giving me a long-awaited peace
of mind.”
And this one small accomplishment turned into one accomplish ment after another: he became an Orientation Leader for Student Life,
he was inducted into Phi Theta Kappa and EOF’s Honor Society, and
he won second place in a medical math competition against four-year colleges Recently, Newman was accepted into the Honors program with a Pre-Med track at Stockton University Some heady stuff for the boy with an award-winning attitude against authority!
“Success has finally become a common theme in my life, as opposed to the failure I had gotten used to previously I believe that everyone has it in them to overcome the disadvantages life may give (them).”
“Calling Dr Newman,” Life concluded STAT!
– RAD
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National surveys at two- and four-year
colleges and universities across the U.S
have discovered that a large population
of students are going hungry “Food inse
curity” is a growing trend; however, OCC
students have stepped forward to help
stem the tide
According to Alison Noone, Assistant
Director of Student Life, the Helping
Hands Food Pantry “was created to
assist students as they battle with
something very extreme, food insecurity
For many years now, OCC has wanted to
have a food pantry for our students in need
Another meal program was established in 2012, Pay
It Forward However, we knew the campus needed more PTK’s
Tau Iota Chapter partnered with the Student Life Office to finally
make this dream a reality.”
While a Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting took place on March 14,
Helping Hands has been assisting OCC students in need since
February Food-insecure students at OCC can stop by the Student
Center on Monday and Thursday, from 11:00 a.m to 6:00 p.m.,
show their current valid student ID, and pick
up non-perishable food and drink items Helping Hands is in need of nonperishable food items! Single serve, individually packaged, and pull-tab openings are most desirable The food pantry is in need of items that students can eat between classes or quickly microwave Some items include: Cheese or Peanut Butter Crackers; Beef Jerky; Instant Macaroni and Cheese; Applesauce, Pudding, and Fruit Cups; Cereal, Granola, and Power Bars; Chef-Boy-R-Dee, SpaghettiOs, and Canned Vegetables and Fruit; Boxed Drinks along with Fruit and Tomato Juices; Packaged Nuts, Trail Mix, Fruit Snacks, and Dried Fruits; and Chips, Pretzels, Cookies, and Goldfish
To donate non-perishable food items or to drop off your check made payable to “Ocean County College” with “Helping Hands”
in the memo, contact Alison Noone, 732-255-0400, ext 2138, or anoone@ocean.edu
– RAD
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OCEAN VIEWS 11
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FACULTY-TOPIC SPOTLIGHT
Getting Down
to Business
“he said, she said he said, she said she said, he said she said, he said.”
In FY2018, a Carl D Perkins Grant provided Ocean County College with $392,000 to support various programs, including a Bloomberg Business
Lab with Bloomberg software, stock market ticker, and status display for the Business program Katherine Toy, Business Studies Lecturer, and
Christopher D Bottomley, Business Studies Program Chair and Lecturer, discuss the lab, which, as Bloomberg Finance attests, enhances curriculum,
student projects, and faculty research via integration of industry-leading data, research, news, and analytics
ECONOMIC PLAYERS ECON HAS A HOLD ON THEM
Bloomberg L.P is a financial services and mass media company
headquartered in New York City It was founded in 1981 by business
man/philanthropist Michael R Bloomberg, who served as the 108th
Mayor of New York City
Bloomberg Terminal is a computer software system, providing
financial data used in the global financial services industry
Bottomley is originally from Huntington, NY, and currently resides in
Toms River, NJ He earned a BS in Economics from The State University
of New York College at Oneonta and an MBA in Finance/HR from SUNY
Binghamton University He started teaching at OCC in August 2001 after
more than 20 years in the corporate world
Toy hails from Pennsylvania and now lives in Ventnor, NJ She
attended the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, for both her
undergraduate and graduate degrees; she holds a BA and a PhD in
Economics, and specialized in Finance and Macroeconomics / Monetary
Policy She began working at OCC in the fall of 2015, following a stint as
an adjunct instructor at Atlantic Cape Community College
HE SAID: “I love economics because of the way it describes human behavior in a scientific manner It was discussed often in my household growing up; therefore, I pursued it as my undergraduate degree.”
SHE SAID: “I first became interested in economics as an international relations major, and soon ‘econ’ became my main interest.”
AND IT GRIPS US ALL
HE SAID: Bottomley shares his interest with students majoring in all disciplines explaining, “Economics is the one thing we all share in com
mon regardless of background or current jobs, careers, aspirations It’s the one thing that binds us together as Americans.”
SHE SAID: “I think it is easy to forget about the economy when every
thing is going well, but an unhealthy economy can have a major impact
on our lives.”
CONCEPTS, CERTIFICATIONS, AND COHORTS
HE SAID: Students have been so excited about the lab, Bottomley stated, “that during its introduction this term there have been 20-plus students involved alone in the Bloomberg Market Concepts Certificate program.”
SHE SAID: “We have a good number of students who have already completed, or are close to completing, the Bloomberg Market Concepts,