Caldwell Youths Will Be First In Their Families To Attend College

Some first-generation college students got a taste of the university life during Caldwell University’s 2015 Summer College session in July.

Fifty-three students participated in this year’s session, a three-week, intensive science and math program that has been offered for the past five years at the university courtesy of a U.S. Department of Education College Access Grant.

The intensive three-week program was open to high school seniors who will be the first generation in their families to attend college.

During the program, students lived in the dormitories and attended lectures and labs, studying biology, chemistry, environmental science, statistics, green reactions, medicine and vectors. Students also participated in college prep workshops that offered advice on issues such as financial aid, admissions, conflict resolution and SAT skills.

Graduating students received three college credits.

Brenda Petersen, nursing professor and director of the program, said it was a thrill for the faculty to work with the students, who were among the best and the brightest in New Jersey.

“Our entire team enjoyed the opportunity to engage with each of these students, seeking to ignite a passion within each of them to search for the answers to address the challenges that face our future generations,” Petersen said.

The students who successfully completed the program were:

Kristen Cubillos, Dumont High School

Theresa D’Errico, North Arlington High School

Ana Quinones, Passaic County Technical/Vocational

Grecia Manrique, Ridgefield Memorial High School

Roesha Andre, Mary Help of Christians

Yuvenca Georges, Cicely Tyson High School

Jastin Rana, Clifton High School

Kaitlyn Lopez, Bloomfield High School

Irma Morales, Bloomfield High School

Annemarie Robinson, Saint Vincent Academy

Julaisei Caguana, Saint Vincent Academy

Paris Walker, Saint Vincent Academy

Catarina Neves, Saint Vincent Academy

Andrew Sosanya, St. Benedict’s Preparatory School

Gloria Rodriguez, West Caldwell Vocational School

Leslie Tobar, West Caldwell Vocational School

Martha Asfeha, Boonton High School

Moboluwape Adeoti, Hackettstown High School

Jaquelin Ortega, Somerset County Vo-Tech School

Aspen Goodman, Rahway High School

Jada Little, Rahway High School

David Bellande, Rahway High School

Micaela Rebelo, Union Catholic Regional High School

Cherelle McLean, Benedictine Academy

Jyotsana Thapa, Elizabeth High School

Laila Olivera, Hillside High School

Vanessa Espino, Academy for Urban Leadership

Lauren Petillo, East Brunswick High School

YuQing Zhou, Highland Park High School

Yuhui Chen, John P. Stevens High School

Safaya Mukhtar, Metuchen High School

Jen-Dung Chang, Hillsborough High School

Tamara Basantes, Hillsborough High School

Shelsea Abreu, Immaculate Conception High School, Lodi

Madison Chalmers, Holmdel High School

Alexis Diaz, Freehold Regional High School

Katelin Dittmar, Toms River East High School

Jasmine Zhang, Kingsway Regional High School

Sunky Chang, Memorial High School

Deanna Tran, Timber Creek High School

Diana Rodas Serna, Weehawken High School

Alejandro Marquez, Camden Academy Charter High School

Jaylene Estevez, New Brunswick Health Services

Davon Dickson, Kingsway Regional High School, Woolwhich Township

Ediha Choudhury Ediha, Belleville High School

Leja Agnieszka, Pompton Lakes High School

Rachel Mercado, High Tech High School, North Bergen

Jessica Roman, Elizabeth High School - Upper Academy

Jennifer Santos, Science Park High School, Newark

Noor Tahir, Boonton High School

Photo courtesy of Caldwell University

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