Ocean County College OceanViews Magazine 2026 Winter Volume 19 Issue 02 - Flipbook - Page 12
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
from STUDENTS to STEWARDS
Many OCC alumni choose to give back right where their journeys began
MELISSA BEDFORD,
DOROTHY LAPOSA,
KEVIN MOLNAR,
Payroll Specialist
President’s Liaison
Planetarium Technician
After starting at OCC as a reservist in
2018, Melissa was encouraged to pursue
the degree she needed for permanent
employment, prompting her return to
school after 25 years. Her familiarity with
professors and staff eased what could
have been an intimidating transition.
Throughout her journey, her colleagues
checked in, offered encouragement, and
celebrated her progress. “I was inspired
every day to push forward and get to the
finish line,” she says. “It taught me a lot
about myself, juggling work, school, and
raising a family.” It took Melissa five years
to complete her degree while simultaneously working her way up to part-time
employee and then to her current role. “I
think my favorite moment will always be
the sense of pride my children had watching their mom graduate. I think they were
more excited than I was! I inspired them to
reach for their own goals and taught them
it’s never too late to start something new.”
Dottie began her journey at OCC in 1995
as a Displaced Homemaker. Several years
later, her boss, then-President Dr. Milton
Shaw, encouraged her to take advantage
of OCC’s employee tuition program to
pursue her college education, an opportunity she never expected to have. Taking
one class per semester in order to balance
work and studies, Dottie ultimately earned
her degree with a 3.65 GPA. Receiving her
Phi Theta Kappa invitation filled her with
pride. At her graduation ceremony in
2010, Dottie walked across the stage in
front of her family, colleagues, and two
of her grandsons, while her professors
stood and cheered in celebration of her
achievement.
Kevin’s connection to OCC runs deep. He
first arrived as a student and found a place
working in the TV Studio’s master control room. That student job carried him
through graduation and into his years as a
Kean Ocean student, eventually leading to
a part-time role at the Novins Planetarium.
Over time, he advanced to his current position of full-time Planetarium Technician.
“Having been a student and an employee
has helped me to better understand our
students and some of the issues they
face—something that has been very helpful in my position in the President’s office.”
“
OCC gave me not only an
education, but the confidence that
I can accomplish any goal I set.
– Melissa Bedford, class of 2024
”
HEY, VIKINGS! We Want to Hear From You!
Help us keep our alumni community strong by updating your contact information and
sharing your latest accomplishments for our Alumni on the Move section. Your update
may be featured in an upcoming issue!
Visit the “Update Your Profile” link at ocean.edu/alumni, or send your updated address,
phone number, email, and career news to occalumni@ocean.edu. You can also call us
at (732) 255-0400, ext. 2308. We look forward to celebrating your successes!
12 Winter 2026
As Kevin puts it, “I can say I never left
OCC,” a place he credits with shaping his
career and giving him the rare opportunity to work in a position he truly loves.
“Having a planetarium on campus is such
a unique and incredible thing and for me
to be part of it at OCC, I feel so very lucky.”
MOLLY LAPOSA,
Broadcast Operations
and Program Coordinator
Molly came to OCC with no clear academic plan, exploring several majors
before choosing communications in her
final semester. A turning point came
when Professor Gary Shaffer suggested
she intern at the campus TV studio. After
graduating in 2009, a chance meeting with
studio director Ralph Bertini at the Ocean
County Mall led to a full-time job, and
Molly has never looked back. Fourteen
years later, she still credits Professor
Shaffer for helping her discover the field
she loves.
“One of my favorite parts of my job is doing
Viking Video Club and seeing the students
grow technically as well as personally,”
Molly says. “Watching them become more
confident and who they want to be is
something that means so much to me.”
