WEST WINDSOR – It isn't often that a community college gets a chance to boast about its students moving on to the Ivy League and other prestigious venues, but Mercer County Community College (MCCC) has had its fair share over the past several years and continues to add students to the ranks of America's most elite institutions.
MCCC is proud to announce the following students who have achieved academic excellence and who have recently been accepted to the following four-year higher education institutions:
• Jerry Katty, Harvard University. Jerry Katty, a veteran and MCCC honors student from Hamilton, has accepted an offer to attend Harvard University in the fall where he plans to pursue a degree in economics. Ultimately, he plans to pursue a career relating to the economic development of underdeveloped countries.
• Gabriel Marin, Princeton University. Gabriel Marin, who attended MCCC as an Upward Bound student -- an educational program for Trenton high school students -- has been accepted to Princeton University.
• Casey Fortson, New York University. Casey Fortson, also an Upward Bound student, has been accepted to New York University.
• Noe Silva, Columbia University. A former student, Noe Silva, was accepted into a master's degree program in computer engineering at Columbia University. Silva graduated from MCCC's Electronic Engineering Technology (EET) program in May 2019. He went on to the New Jerey Institute of Technology's (NJIT's) Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology program where he excelled academically with a 4.0 GPA. He will graduate from NJIT this semester.
• Patricia Vieira, Smith College. Patricia Vieira, an education major, MCCC honors student and current Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) International Honor Society president, has been accepted to Smith College as an Ada Comstock Scholar for Fall 2021. Vieira was awarded a $60,000 scholarship. Currently living in Princeton, Vieira was born in Florianopolis in Southern Brazil and graduated in 2011 from Colegio Catarinense, a Jesuit high school, before she arrived in the United States. Her career plans include teaching speech pathology at elementary schools.
Bettina Caluori, Director of the Mercer Honors Program, worked with Patricia Vieira and Jerry Katty over past several semesters. She remarked, “Not only did Patricia and Jerry achieve academically in their college courses, but they also contributed to the college community by getting involved. They’re talented students and leaders. We’re so glad to see them and all of these talented individual offered these valuable opportunities for higher learning.”
Savita Bambhrolia, Dean for Enrollment Management and Student Experience, who has worked with a number of student achievers over the years at MCCC said, “These five students have all shown an innate desire to learn and persevere. Their determination represents the nature of so many of our students at Mercer. The College is so very proud of all they have accomplished and we look forward to their successes.”
MCCC is noted for its devoted faculty and staff as well as its variety of exceptional degree and training programs. In fact, Mercer County Community College was recently ranked first in the State of New Jersey for its nursing associate degree program by the website RNCareers.org.
For more information about enrollment and the myriad of program options available at Mercer County Community College, please visit mccc.edu.
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Since its founding in 1966, Mercer County Community College has focused on providing a bright path forward for students who are seeking a high-quality, affordable higher education. During National Community College month and all year long we can say without hesitation that MCCC is working hard to help create a better future for the community we serve.