NJACAC Admissions Representative of the Year
This award recognizes an Admission Counseling professional who exemplifies excellence and dedication to serving the needs of students in the transition from high school to college and/or the transition to another college/university. This representative should have exhibited sustained service in the college admissions field by providing exceptional support to students and peers, service to the Association or service to state, national or allied associations. Both the person nominating and the candidate must be members of NJACAC in good standing. In the nomination please include the candidate’s impact on the association or membership, and demonstrated innovation and initiative.
Previous winners:
2019: Michael Cartusciello
2018 Larry Alterman
NJACAC School Counselor of the Year
This award recognizes a School Counselor who exemplifies excellence and dedication to serving the needs of students in the transition from high school to college. This counselor should have exhibited sustained service in the college admissions field by providing exceptional support to students and peers, service to the Association or service to state, national or allied associations. Both the person nominating and the candidate must be members of NJACAC in good standing. In the nomination please include the candidate’s impact on the association or membership, and demonstrated innovation and initiative.
2021: Randy Stamm
Previous Winners:
2019: Muleyke Fidan
2018 Monica Mann
The Biunno-Lynes Award (for Outstanding Commitment & Service)
The Biunno-Lynes Award is the highest recognition NJACAC can bestow upon an executive board member (present or past) and recognizes one’s loyalty, dedication and extraordinary service to NJACAC. Past recipients have contributed greatly to the organization over the course of many years, having been elected to the Presidential cycle and other Executive Board positions, serving as active Chairs and/or members on standing Committees, and volunteering for multiple NJACAC-led programs and events. The Award is named in memory of Robert Biunno (1927-1976) and George Lynes (1937-2015), two prominent admission professionals who helped shape the profession and the growth of NJACAC.
2021: Dana Lambert
2020: Marianna Marchese
Previous winners:
2017 Melissa O’Sullivan
2016 Cigus Vanni
2015 Susan Makowski
2014 none
2013 Claire Cafaro
2012 Nancy Hazelgrove
2011 Susan Hatch
Special Services Award
Given to an individual who has made exemplary contributions to NJACAC and the admission counseling profession over the course of the past academic fiscal year, recipients of this award are active participants on the Executive Board, leaders of standing committees, and/or participants in professional development activities through workshops and annual conferences. In previous years, recipients of this award have coordinated the annual Bus Tour program, planned the Meadowlands National College Fair, and made other significant contributions to the affiliate.
2021: Giovanna Flynn
Past Recipients:
2019: Nicole Cibelli and Brian Switay
2018 Danielle Toglia and Bernice Hornchak
2017 Jose Vallejo
2016 Elaine Freda
2015 Dana Lambert
2014 none
2013 Jennifer Neuchterlein
Rising Professional Award
This award recognizes admission counseling professionals and NJACAC members new to the profession who exemplify excellence and dedication to serving the needs of students in the transition from high school to college. Further, the award encourages honorees to continue their professional development through active participation in NJACAC activities and programs.
2021: Sarah Morissette
Past Recipients:
2019: Cherilyn Reynolds
2018 Melissa Zolla
2017 Reve Anderko
2016 Julia Del Bagno
2015 Lauren Livak
2014 Jaclyn Rodrigues and Carolyn Ucci
2013 Carlos Cano
Retiring Member Award
Given to members who are retiring this calendar or school year, the Retiring Member Award recognizes the members’ significant contributions to NJACAC during their careers in college admission counseling as high school counselors, college admission officers or independent consultants.
2021: Pamela Ghee and Fran Swift
Past Recipients:
2019: Elaine Freda
2017 Nancy Icenhower
2016 Nancy Campbell
2015 Rich Freccia
2014 Barbara Cohen
2013 Marianna Marchese
Friend of NJACAC Award
Conferred occasionally, the Friend of NJACAC Award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding support of, and have been advocates for, the goals and objectives of the Association. Nominees for this award may be non-NJACAC affiliated college admission counseling professionals, as well as business, political, educational or community leaders whose contributions to our professional endeavors warrant special notice.
Past Recipients:
2019: Zakiya Smith Ellis
2017 Christina Hamme Patterson
2016 Joe Roberto
2015 Rebecca Martin
2014 Nancy Icenhower
NJACAC High School Scholarship Award
NJACAC will be awarding $1250 scholarship to 4 high school seniors including one who has attended Camp College and/or College Key. Awards are presented at our Annual NJACAC Conference in May.
2022:
Liam Hempstead, Bloomfield High School (College of Mount Saint Vincent)
Samiyah Lewis, Passaic County Technical Institute (Montclair State University)
Nayah Regans, Hackensack High School (Skidmore College)
Will Stozenski, Academy for Biotechnology at Mountainside High School (Villanova University)
2021:
Trystan Ng, Northern Valley Demarest High School (Rutgers University)
Abigail Alvarez, Edison High School (The College of New Jersey)
Jeffrey Yumbla, Hackensack High School (Montclair State University)
Shreya Shivakuma, J.P. Stevens High School (Barnard College)
Sunrit Panda, Edison High School (Princeton University)
2020:
Jeffrey Fay, Passaic County Technical Institute (William Patterson University
Jennifer Martinez, Dover High School (Montclair State University)
Matthew Turo, Morris Knolls High School (West Chester University)
2019:
Brian Ziegelhofer, Hackensack High School
Jharia Morris, Notre Dame High School
Matthew Hoffman, West Milford High School
Imani Griffin, Rahway High School
2018:
Melvin Temu, Innovation High School
Jelani Herbert, School of Earth and Space Science
Emily Menjivar, Saint Dominic Academy
John Grecco, Butler High School
NJACAC Community College Scholarship Award
NJACAC will be awarding a $1250 scholarship to 1 community college student enrolling at a four-year institution. Awards are presented at our annual NJACAC Conference in May.
2022: Sybel Francois, Union County College (transferring to Princeton University)
2020: Jehan Shalabi, Passaic County Community College (transferring toNew Jersey Institute of Technology)
2019: Karina Familia, Union County College
2018: Joshua Loew, Cumberland Community College
NJACAC Graduate Student Scholarship Award
NJACAC will be awarding a $1250 scholarship to 1 graduate student. Awards are presented at our annual NJACAC Conference in May.
2022:
Arianna Hoffman, Monmouth University
2021:
Sasha Rashid, Seton Hall University
2020:
Liz Arostegui, New Jersey City University
2018:
Nicole Sandas, Montclair State University