Educational Opportunity Fund Lists 2015 Graduate Achievement Awards

CAMDEN – Annually the Educational Opportunity Fund board of directors and the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education invite campus programs to identify graduating EOF students who have demonstrated exceptional achievement during their college careers. The awards are presented to EOF seniors who are expected to graduate at the end of the spring 2015 term or who graduated at the end of the summer or fall 2014 terms, according to a release.
Rutgers U. Camden
Rutgers University Camden had 17 award recipients in total. Among them receiving the Graduate Achievement Award Spotlight was Brigette Forte.
Forte grew up in Cape May. Although most of her primary and secondary education was in the Lower Cape May school district, she graduated from high school in Ocean City.
With the constant support and encouragement of the EOF staff at Rutgers University-Camden and her fellow EOF classmates, Forte participated in many activities during her college career.
She has been an active member of the Civic Scholars program, TRIO Student Success Services, and a volunteer for the AmeriCorps Jumpstart program.
Forte served on the Student Government Association as an At-Large Representative for the College of Arts and Sciences, a member of the Criminal Justice Organization and served as vice president for the GAO. In addition to her out-of-classroom activities, she assisted several of her professors with research projects they were conducting.
Forte plans to attend law school and aspires to be a Judge Advocate General for the Air Force.
In preparation, she participated in the Law School Admissions Counsel Pre-Law program and gained additional experience as a student investigator for the Rutgers-Camden Law School Clinic.
In her spare time, she is a starting player on the Rutgers-Camden Women’s Lacrosse team.
Atlantic Cape Community College
At Atlantic Cape Community College, there were 22 award recipients; only two are Cape May County residents.
Perla Estefania Castro of Ocean City received an Outstanding Academic Achievement Award.
Ciara Boyle, of Ocean City received an Academic Achievement Award.