Graduate Awards Ceremony Honors Outstanding Academic Achievement
Each year during Commencement season, PCCC’s high-performing students are honored for their outstanding academic achievement in the annual Graduate Awards Ceremony.
This year’s ceremony took place on May 18 and acknowledged those students who graduated with honors based on their grade point average, as well as those who received special recognition for excellence in their major.
Additionally, over 100 graduates received their Certificates of Achievement at the ceremony. These certificates indicate the graduate is prepared to enter the career market, but also now holds college credits that can be leveraged toward a future degree program.
Following a brief welcome to the graduating students and guests, Dr. Jacqueline Kineavy, Interim President of PCCC, turned the program over to the ceremony host, Dr. Bassel Stasis, Interim Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs.
The first part of the program focused on what are called “Latin Honors” based on their original Latin names: Cum Laude (with honors) Magna Cum Laude (with high honors) and Summa Cum Laude (with highest honors). These awards are based on a student’s grade point average (GPA). A list of 2026 recipients is at the end of the article.
Special recognition awards are also given by various academic departments to students who excelled in their major subject area. The professor presenting the award offers commentary about the student recipient(s). Among them were these:
Professor Miryam (Gaby) Rinkerman, Chair of the ELS Department, presented the English Language Studies Academic Excellence Graduate Achievement Award to Ezzohra Atine, a graduating student in Early Childhood Education, for her “outstanding academic achievement, perseverance, and commitment to excellence.” Graduating with a 3.95 GPA,
Ezzohra – born and raised in Morocco – “balanced her studies with the responsibilities of being a mother of four, while also managing family, work, and school,” said Professor Rinkeman, praising Ezzohra for refusing to let obstacles deter her from her education goals.
In presenting the Liberal Arts/Humanities Graduate Achievement Award to Thomas Melani,
Professor Petar Drakulich, Chair of the Social Sciences Department, pointed out that “Thomas knew early that he learned differently” and struggled in a public school system that had little support for him, so he left and earned his high school credential with a GED, and worked in technology, becoming a front-end developer. But Thomas felt unfulfilled and decided to give education another chance at PCCC. He graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA and Highest Honors, and is now pursuing his bachelor’s degree in philosophy with a minor in economics at Rutgers – New Brunswick. He hopes to one day work in academia assisting other students who also learn differently.
Announcing Jalimar Hernandez as a recipient of a Studio Arts Graduate Achievement Award, instructor Azadeh Amiri noted that Jalima’s art assignments “were so thoughtful and beautifully done” that Ms. Amiri saved them as “examples for future students,” adding “this award is truly well deserved.”
As is customary, the final graduate award, The Robert A. Shea Memorial Scholarship is given to two students. The $1,000 scholarship, named in memory of a former PCCC professor, can be used toward the recipients’ future education expenses. This year’s award went to Danielle Krumbein and Jazmyn Cortes Sandoval.
Watch PCCC’s 2026 Graduate Awards Ceremony here.
See below for all Recipients of Graduate Achievement Awards and of Latin Honors
| English Language Studies Academic Excellence | Ezzohra Atine |
| Graduate Achievement Award | |
| English Language Studies Excellence in Scholarship & | Natalia Bedoya |
| Leadership Graduate Achievement Award | |
| Developmental Studies Persistence and Achievement | Betssy K. Cabrera-Diaz |
| Graduate Achievement Award | |
| Biological & Physical Sciences Department Graduate | James S. Snyder |
| Achievement Award | |
| Computer Science Graduate Achievement Award | Tamanna Tasnim |
| Electronic Engineering Technology Graduate | Eric Rosella |
| Achievement Award | |
| Liberal Arts Psychology Outstanding Graduate Award | Melanie Garcia |
| Liberal Arts Sociology Outstanding Graduate Award | Jaylin Toribio |
| Liberal Arts Humanities Outstanding Graduate Award | Thomas M. Melani |
| English Graduate Achievement Award | Analis Y. Ortiz |
| Graphic Design Graduate Achievement Award | Steven Campos |
| Communications Graduate Achievement Award | Julio Gonzalez |
| Digital Media Graduate Achievement Award | Julie M. Valentin |
| Studio Arts Graduate Achievement Awards | Jalimar Hernandez & Miguel J. Ayala |
| Music Technology Graduate Achievement Award | Thais A. Maurera Suarez |
| Criminal Justice Academic Excellence Graduate | Wendy J. Clemente & Sanaya Alford |
| Achievement Awards | |
| Human Services Pre-Social Work & Counseling Academic | Steven Tirado |
| Excellence Graduate Achievement Award | |
| Human Services Academic Excellence & Commitment to | Danielle Krumbein |
| Service Graduate Achievement Award | |
| Business Administration Graduate Achievement Awards | Tania M. Aquino Ortega |
| Early Childhood and Teacher Education Graduate | Melanie E. Meneses, Mackenzie G. Guerrieri & Natalia Bedoya |
| Achievement Awards | |
| Pastry and Baking Arts Graduate Achievement Award | Hannah L. Garcia |
| Professor Robert A. Shea Memorial Graduate Achievement | Jazmin Cortes Sandoval & Danielle Krumbein |
| Awards |
LATIN HONORS awards based on grade point average (GPA).
HIGHEST HONORS
GPA of 3.90 – 4.00
| Tania | M. | Aquino Ortega | |
| Alyssa | M. | Astengo | |
| Ezzohra | Atine | ||
| Nancy | Castro | ||
| Wendy | J. | Clemente | |
| Valjeta | Dauti | ||
| Hope | L. | Ehman-Osborne | |
| Danielle | L. | Krumbein | |
| Aidan | W. | Longacre | |
| Maria | D. | Lopez Ramos | |
| Thais | A. | Maurera Suarez | |
| Thomas | M. | Melani | |
| Melanie | E. | Meneses | |
| Analis | Y. | Ortiz | |
| Jaden | J. | Ramos | |
| James | S. | Snyder | |
| HIGH HONORS GPA of 370 – 3.89 | |||
| Lucia | B. | Archimede | |
| Miguel | J. | Ayala | |
| Yokauri | M. | Batista | |
| Natalia | Bedoya | ||
| Catherine | R. | Bennett | |
| Miguel | E. | Bobadilla | |
| Alexander | D. | Bracken | |
| Steven | K. | Campos | |
| Gianna | Carnevale | ||
| Leslie | Casiano-Martinez | ||
| Bradley | T. | Collins | |
| Jazmin | E. | Cortes Sandoval | |
| Mariana | De Dios | ||
| Adrian | Deschamps Rojas | ||
| Johanna | Md. | Foudy | |
| Hannah | L. | Garcia | |
| Melanie | Garcia | ||
| Andrea | German Gomez | ||
| Julio | C. | Gonzalez | |
| Mackenzie | G. | Guerrieri | |
| Joel | Heredia-Vazquez | ||
| Jareli | Hernandez | ||
| Nanyeli | Rubelina | Hernandez Grullon | |
| Christina | M. | Joseph | |
| Abdalla | A. | Khawan | |
| Samantha | K. | Krumbein | |
| Maribel | Lopez | ||
| Juana | V. | Marin | |
| Elijah | J. | Marrero | |
| Dane | K. | Mathews | |
| Juan | R. | Mayol | |
| Jocelyn | M. | Millan | |
| Ivy | M. | Mills | |
| Anneliese | Miolan | ||
| Joshua | D. | Monroy | |
| Jacalyn | Neceskas | ||
| Cara | C. | Neurouter | |
| Ashkena | M. | Novo Roa | |
| Jennifer | J. | Nunez | |
| Ariana | Perez | ||
| Emily | Devi | Persaud | |
| Tiffany | L. | Pizarro | |
| Megan | L. | Ramos | |
| Edward | S. | Rivas | |
| Keydi | Rocio | Rivera Carrasco | |
| Leslie | A. | Rodriguez | |
| Nicole Masiel | Rodriguez Ramirez | ||
| Stephanie | S. | Rojas Arcos | |
| Joseph | C. | Rosero | |
| Eric | J. | Rosella | |
| Parichart | Santana | ||
| Alexandra | Hope | Slavin | |
| Denisse | Soriano | ||
| Tamanna | Tasnim | ||
| Claude-Annie | Theogene | ||
| Alexander | Valadez | ||
| Ruandy | Valdez Mueses | ||
| Arianna | C. | Valentin | |
| Josue | D. | Vargas | |
| Jocelyn | Rose | Wunsch | |
| Elzbieta | M. | Wyka | |
| Tasnim | A. | Zueter | |
| HONORS GPA of 3.50-.69 | |||
| Justin | P. | Alcantara | |
| Sanaya | Alford | ||
| Kyle | M | Alta | |
| Angell | C | Alvarez | |
| Manal | F. | Aly | |
| Chase | A | Appell | |
| Manuela | Arango | ||
| Lakisha | E. | Bailey | |
| Fatima | Boughroum | ||
| Sebastian | Cano Guzman | ||
| Kamila | Cordero | ||
| Ari | M | Crosby | |
| Jesus | Cuautle Perez | ||
| Erica | De Jesus-Guerra | ||
| Darilin | Diaz de Los Santos | ||
| Houda | Ibn El Aziz | ||
| Jarelus | Feliciano | ||
| Vineicy | R | Feliz Brito | |
| Joseph | A. | Fisher | |
| Ismeily | E. | Figueroa | |
| Joany | L | Flores | |
| Susan | R. | Gafari | |
| Dorisel | M | Gonzalez | |
| Juliana | Heredia | ||
| Nate | E | Hollandsworth | |
| Jazmin | Huitzil | ||
| Shawn | J. | Hutcheson | |
| Ciera | L. | Jamison | |
| Ismael | Jimenez | ||
| Ashley | B. | Jovel | |
| Samantha | Juarez Hernandez | ||
| Najat | Khadraoui | ||
| Kevin | M. | Klingler | |
| Jessica | L. | Kim | |
| Michael | J. | Leschinsky | |
| Yamira | Marie | Lopez | |
| Esmeralda | Lucero | ||
| Layla | M | Mancheno | |
| Elijah | J. | Mann | |
| Edwin | Y. | Martinez | |
| Llecire | Martinez | ||
| Julissey | Martinez | ||
| Carlos Luis | M | Mera Anzules | |
| Allyson | M | Mitchell | |
| Ariel | Molina | ||
| Natalie | Moreno | ||
| Joy Celeste | Narcida | ||
| Jessica | M | Nelson | |
| Odalny | D. | Ogando | |
| Beren | Zeynep | Ozturk | |
| Mike | B | Palomino | |
| Ashley | R. | Polanco | |
| Daisy | Neveah | Ramirez | |
| Elizabeth | Ramos | ||
| Rohan | R | Rhomes | |
| Yahir | A | Rodriguez | |
| Linda | Romero Garcia | ||
| Andrew | L | Russell-Ben | |
| Leen | C. | Safawi | |
| Brianna | C | Salas | |
| Raymond | A. | Sanchez Blanco | |
| Jonathan | R. | Santiago | |
| Shreen | J. | Savage | |
| Sarah | J. | Sawda | |
| Christopher | T | Spirito | |
| Kaylee | R | Stillman | |
| Justine Elane | M. | Tan | |
| Julie | M. F. | Valentin | |
| Dina | R. | Villagran | |
| Ramona | A. | Villalona | |
| Markita | A. | Wallace | |
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