STARS Spotlight
Natasha Piñeiros, ‘15 Natasha Piñeiros, born and raised in Ecuador, is a first-generation college graduate who proudly began her college journey at Bergen Community College. After graduating from Hackensack High School and learning that she was eligible for the NJ STARS program, Piñeiros gave Bergen Community College a chance. “It provided me with more opportunities than I could have ever imagined,” she recalled. Knowing she had the financial backing of NJ STARS, she was able to focus her energy on her academic responsibilities and student involvement. While at Bergen, she was able to explore her career options and apply to colleges and scholarships upon graduation; all of which allowed her to earn her bachelor's and master's degree debt-free. When reflecting back about her time at Bergen Community College, Piñeiros said, “What I loved and missed the most about Bergen are the people. Students, faculty, and staff were such an integral part in my personal, academic, and professional development. I have made lifelong friends thanks to Bergen, and 'till this day, we regularly talk about how formative those years were to our academic and professional futures.” She recalled, “My honors classes were my favorite; they were small, engaging, and challenging. The out-of-classroom opportunities were abundant, and the staff and faculty who I had the pleasure of working with were approachable and committed to my success. Bergen set the tone for what I looked for in my future academic experiences and if I had the opportunity, I would redo my time at Bergen all over again.” Her resume includes active membership in student government as the Vice President of the SGA in 2015, Phi Theta Kappa, NJ STARS, the Educational Opportunity Fund and as a participant in the inaugural “summer intensive” college-readiness initiative. In 2015, Piñeiros became the recipient of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship for exemplary academic performance. More than 2,600 students from 540 community colleges in the U.S. applied, but only 90 students were selected to receive the scholarship, which provides up to $40,000 per year for recipients to complete their bachelor’s degrees. “You hear stories like this from other people but you don’t think it’s going to happen to you,” she said. “This is going to follow me for the rest of my life.”
At Commencement 2015, Piñeiros was one of 72 students who graduated with a 4.0 GPA and one of 38 students who earned a Dr. Judith K. Winn School of Honors and Phi Theta Kappa Dual Honors Award for both the honors program and PTK. Anticipating a career in student affairs, she transferred to The College of New Jersey to study communications and minor in Spanish. Piñeiros obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies with a minor in Spanish Language from The College of New Jersey in 2017, and a Masters of Arts in Higher Education, Student Affairs, & International Education Policy from the University of Maryland - College Park in 2019. Since graduating with her Master’s degree, Natasha has worked at a number of higher education institutions where her priority has always been to advocate for and support underrepresented and historically underserved students. Outside of higher education, she continues to be involved in community-based organizations that support the personal and professional development of minoritized communities, and advocates for a growing understanding of how technology and mental health can be sustainably incorporated in our lifelong learning experience. ● 2014-2015 BCC Student Government Association Vice President ● 2015 Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholar ● 2015 Outstanding EOF Graduate Award ● 2915 Student Leadership Award Recipient, BCC Student Life ● Phi Theta Kappa graduate ● EOF Scholar ● Summer Intensive Graduate ● Graduated with a 4.0 GPA ● Dr. Judith K. Winn School of Honors & Phi Theta Kappa Dual Honors Award ● 2017 The College of New Jersey - B.A. in Communications, Spanish Minor ● 2019 University of Maryland - M.Ed., Higher Education, Student Affairs, & International Education Policy