Catch a Rising Star: NJBIA Honors Bergen Student

PARAMUS, N.J. – The New Jersey Business and Industry Association (NJBIA) has selected Bergen Community College student Liangy Gomerez as one of five standout college students for the organization’s “Rising Star Awards” that recognize academic and community service excellence. The NJBIA recognized the awardees at the ninth annual New Jersey Women Business Leaders Forum, which took place in Newark in late September.

“It felt unreal receiving the email,” Gomerez said about the award notification. “I felt a mixture of emotions, but the one thing that was on mind was ‘my hard work is paying off.’”

“Liangy has served on our PTK student leadership board since the spring semester of 2022 and has continually impressed us with their charismatic leadership, tireless work ethic, boundless energy and care for their community,” Assistant Director of Phi Theta Kappa and Honors Anna Gergen said. “Their work has made such a positive impact and all of us at PTK are so proud that their efforts are now being recognized by the New Jersey Business and Industry Association.”

In addition to their work with PTK, Gomerez has served as president of the PRIDE club and played on the soccer team. They will earn an associate degree in business administration and plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in business at a four-year college. Passionate about entrepreneurship, Gomerez intends to establish a business that promotes financial literacy to high school and college students.

The NJBIA New Jersey Women Business Leaders Forum represents the state’s largest professional women’s conference. The event brings together hundreds of women and men for workshops, forums and one-on-one coaching opportunities.

Based in Paramus, Bergen Community College (www.bergen.edu), a public two-year coeducational college, enrolls more than 13,000 students at locations in Paramus, the Philip Ciarco Jr. Learning Center in Hackensack and Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands in Lyndhurst. The College offers associate degree, certificate and continuing education programs in a variety of fields. More students graduate from Bergen than any other community college in the state.