STARS Spotlight
Mikiko Freund, ‘19 Mikiko Freund, of Little Ferry, a NJ STARS student at Bergen Community College, shared that she would not be where she is without the NJ STARS program and she is glad she took advantage of it. Freund said, “Coming from a low-income household, NJ STARS allowed me to focus on my academics and extracurriculars at Bergen. NJ STARS contributed to my growth and success at Bergen and beyond!” As a Bergen mathematics major, Freund continued her education in mathematics and statistics to become a data scientist and join the tech industry. Committed to service, she served as a mentor in the Turning Point program for young adults with intellectual disabilities interested in academic, vocational and social enrichment, and as a fellow for a professional development program, America Needs You, for first generation low-income college students. “Bergen is a school that provides a large number of resources and reminds you to take advantage of them. The tutoring center was one of my favorite features at Bergen,” said Freund. “There were always tutors on hand to assist me at any time. I also loved the small classrooms at Bergen because they allowed me to create meaningful relationships with others as well as with my professors.” In 2019, Freund earned the Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. Nationwide, 1,500 community college students applied for the highly competitive scholarship with only 61 students in the U.S. receiving the award. Scholars are selected based on academic achievement, leadership, and service to others. The scholarship provides up to $40,000 annually for a maximum of three years to complete a bachelor’s degree. At Commencement 2019, Freund was one of 81 students who graduated with a 4.0 GPA and one of 53 students who earned a Dr. Judith K. Winn School of Honors and Phi Theta Kappa Dual Honors Award.
“All of my life I have always worked hard in school toward my future, and to receive a scholarship acknowledging my effort is not only rewarding but it motivates me to continue to follow my dreams to succeed,” she said. “Being a first-generation college student from a low-income household, the Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship is incredibly life-changing, and I know it is what will push me in the right direction. There are truly not enough words to describe how grateful I am for this opportunity.” Freund had a wide range of internship experiences from large consulting firms to non-profit organizations. When discussing her internship experience at Boston Consulting Group, she said, “I learned the importance of a positive and empowering work environment, working alongside a wide range of professionals.” Referencing her internship experience at Plan International USA, she said, “I learned how to navigate and organize large amounts of data to help increase donations for a non-profit that I am so proud to have been a part of!” Following her graduation from Rutgers University, Freund joined Capital One as a CODA Associate. This program provides non-computer science students with the opportunity of becoming full-time software engineers after six months of training. She said, “I am excited to learn from and grow within a company that views my mathematics and statistics degree as an advantage for a software engineering career in tech!” In February, 2022, Freund was promoted to Associate Software Engineer at Capital One. ● 2019 Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholar ● Professor Robert Neil Ender Memorial Mathematics Award ● Professor Robert Neil Ender Memorial Mathematics Graduation Award ● Dr. Judith K. Winn School of Honors & Phi Theta Kappa Dual Honors Award ● Phi Theta Kappa Graduate ● Graduated with a 4.0 GPA ● 2021 Rutgers University, New Brunswick- B.A. in Statistics & Mathematics