The Importance Of Ocean County College

This is not a story about me being the Master of Ceremonies at last night’s Ocean County College Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Dinner at Eagle Ridge Golf Club. However I was the MC for the event and have been for all five of them since the college established a Hall of Fame to honor former athletes and coaches….a list that has gown to 30.

Rather this is a story about how last night reaffirmed what O.C.C. has meant to so many since opening their doors more than 40 years ago with the original classes being held at Toms River High School South before moving to their main campus on Hooper Avenue.

The Athletic Hall of Fame inducted five new members last night, including Hy Mittelberg who coached three sports and still teaches at the school and 1990 graduate Cindy Patton Stout, a nationally honored swimmer who coaches and teaches at Central Regional High School. However what really hit me was the story of the Farrell Sisters, three of whom were honored last night for the contributions they made to the college. Eunice Farrell Pschoor graduated in 1970, Lorraine Farrell Airey in 1972 and Barbara Farrell Meyer in 1977. All three were outstanding athletes and played multiple sports during their college days, most of which took placed before the women’s sports boom and when choices were somewhat limited.

What struck me was the admission that their hard-working father didn’t really think college was the place for a woman and it took some prodding (and financial sacrifice) from their mother to even allow the sisters to attend OCC. They agreed that if the college was not accessible and affordable it’s doubtful they would have continued their education after high school. Well as they say the proof is in the pudding as all three went on to four-year schools and have made careers in education, Eunice recently retired as an assistant principal at Southern Regional High School and is now an adjunct professor at OCC. Lorraine is the principal of Southern Regional Middle School and Barbara teaches at Vets Middle School in Brick.

One family and three stories of why Ocean County College is a vital part of our community.