Appointed Five New Brookdale Community College Foundation Trustees

Monmouth County, NJ – The Brookdale Community College Foundation is pleased to announce its newly appointed trustees who will support and continue to provide scholarships and funding to students at Brookdale Community College. They are made up of volunteers from across the greater Monmouth County area with diverse backgrounds in philanthropy, education and business.

“Brookdale’s mission is focused on the success of our students and our community in all of its programs and services, while respecting the wonderful diversity of educational goals and definitions of success,” said Julia Zapcic, President of the Brookdale Community College Foundation. “On behalf of the entire Foundation Board, we are very pleased to welcome this new class of Foundation Trustees. Each new member brings a wealth of experience, passion and perspective to our work; to ensure equal access to educational opportunities in an inclusive campus culture that honors the dignity of all during their Brookdale experience.”

The new Trustees for a three-year term effective July 1, 2022 are Jennifer M Anderson from Monmouth Beach, NJ, Founder of Work Play Give – Philanthropic Solutions; dr David Julius Ford from Ocean, NJ, Assistant Professor at Monmouth University and Licensed Consultant; Shanel Ronnai Ingram from Freehold, NJ, founder and owner of Shanel Ronnai, Inc. and substitute teacher; Francisco E. Rodriguez from Perth Amboy, NJ, Superintendent of Long Branch Schools; and Esteven Sanchez from Red Bank, NJ, Clinical Assistant at Parker Family Health Center.

“I’ve been raised in this community my whole life, I love this community and I want to make a difference,” Sanchez said.

“We are pleased to welcome five highly qualified Trustees who will bring new skills to our Board,” said Vice President Dr. Susan E. Whyman of the Brookdale Community Foundation. “Each of them has impacted the places where our students live and work, and each of them has a passion for helping students thrive.”

Ingram said of her appointment, “I look forward to helping open up educational opportunities for diverse communities. I am passionate about the work of the Brookdale Community College Foundation and I am ready to do my part!”

Brookdale Community College believes that higher education transforms individuals, families and communities now and for generations to come. It’s a stepping stone to success and a proven path to economic growth.

New trustee Rodriguez is uncompromising in his belief that all students will learn in a positive learning environment that builds student confidence and aspirations. “Those who, like me, hold onto the promise of a better future through education will see that future become a reality,” he said. “I never forgot those who stood behind me so I could differentiate myself.” This sense of community responsibility, personal belief and cultural pride rubs off on Rodriguez’s peers and, most importantly, paves a path of leadership and the example for the students in his care to follow. A quote from Maya Angelou best reflects Rodriguez’s philosophy: “Be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.”

An education at Brookdale costs only one-third of a public four-year college and one-fifth of a private four-year college. Nevertheless, finances are still an issue for many students. Brookdale students simultaneously juggle full-time and part-time jobs, family responsibilities, and college courses. Personal commitments often take precedence over their education, forcing students to put aside their dreams of graduating to focus on other needs. The Brookdale Foundation provides financial support by raising funds to help these students pursue their college goals and find a path to success.

“I look forward to serving on the Brookdale Foundation’s board of directors and hope to help raise awareness and revenue for the organization so it can serve more students and members of our community,” said Anderson.

Last year, the foundation awarded more than $620,000 in scholarships and grants to support nearly 700 students.

The funds raised are made possible through the generous support of alumni, faculty, administration, individuals, businesses and organizations who value and recognize the important role Brookdale Community College plays in the education of people of all backgrounds, abilities and ages.