Bloomfield Students Earn Degrees: Essex County College Holds 2016 Commencement

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Essex County College awarded 1,452 associate degrees and certificates at its 47th Commencement Ceremony on June 3 at the Prudential Center in Newark.

The following Bloomfield residents were graduates of the class of 2016.

Samantha Abagnale

Ellanie Eve Aguilar

M.D. Ahmed

Zumana Akter

Alisone Alcordo

Devyani Amladi

Minerva Antoine

Rita Antwi

Lorry Augustin

Michael Ayodele

Jerome Bailey

Christelle Stella Beufet

Nelson Cespedes

Dianne Chabla

Kieryana Coles

Crystal Colon

Lionel Colon

Andrea Crespo

Cynthia Cunas

Kieran Davis

Stephanie Duprey

David Duret

Nelly Echeverria

Nahshima Edwards

Shantel Eguez

Kidienat Evande

Maritza Feliciano

Keith Frankeberger

Matthew Garramone

Grisell Gavidia

Alcina George

Carlos Gonzalez Polanco

Shanice Grierson

Mariam Hamdan

Jennifer Hinton

Fayola Howard

Afzal Hussain

Emelia Jackson

Stephanie Jagrup

Leticia Jaquez

Joveline Jimenez

Forma Joy Kim

Jusmea Lespier

Nalyza Mariano

Mari Martinez

Alexis Matos

Asya McCants

NKosi McKoy

Paula Medina

Rosemery Mejia

Leslie Moreno

Suzelle Napoleon

George Ordonez

Mae Bernadine Orejola

Melissa Ottey

Hector Perez

Jordan Perez

Christian Quinatoa

Carlos Ramos Jr.

Lynda Rattanacommon

Mildred Reyes

Nabeehah Sackoor

Rey Senatus

Shery Shenouda

Jacob Skorupski

Sheila Soto

Damola Taiwo

Elvia Tapia

Adrienne Upshur

Ysabel Vera

Abi Wada

Brice Zanne

Alexis Zarrillo

Christine Zayas

Elvis Zhirzhan

This year's class included 260 students graduating with Honors, High Honors and Highest Honors, according to a college news release.

At 17, Marylynda Ogbundinkpa (Associate in Science in Biology, Pre-Medicine) was the youngest graduate. On the other side of the spectrum, 63-year-old Alcina George (Associate in Arts in Education) was the most senior graduate.

The 2016 class came from 53 municipalities throughout New Jersey (mostly from Essex County) and 18 foreign countries. Countries represented by the class included Brazil, Cameroon, China, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Liberia, Nigeria, Panama, The Bahamas, Trinidad & Tobago, and Turkey.

Valedictorian Ashley Morales (Associate in Science in Business Administration) urged her classmates to look to the future with confidence.

"You earned being here today... Be proud of what you have accomplished and the great institution behind you that played a part in making you who you are today," said the 21 year old Newark resident who is currently attending Rutgers University-Newark's Business School, as a management major.

In her valedictorian address, Morales paid homage to author Dr. Seuss, noting his book "Oh, the Places You'll Go" can be an inspiration to her and her classmates.

Caio Matias, a Biology, Pre-Medicine major originally from Brazil, served as this year's class salutatorian. A resident of Kearny, he will attend Yale University this fall. His ultimate goal is working for Doctors Without Borders.

Edwin W. Powell, an Educational Psychologist/Assistant Professor in the Department of Community and Family Medicine at Howard University, served as keynote speaker.

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