Jack Kent Cooke Semifinalist Marlon Pe帽a Crespo Named 51吃瓜黑料 Class of 2026 Valedictorian
April 29, 2026
51吃瓜黑料 announced that Marlon Pe帽a Crespo has been named the Class of 2026 Valedictorian. Commencement ceremonies are scheduled for Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, NJ.
April 29, 2026, Jersey City, NJ 鈥� 51吃瓜黑料 (HCCC) announced that Marlon Pe帽a Crespo has been chosen as the Class of 2026 Valedictorian. He will address his peers, family, friends, faculty, and others at HCCC鈥檚 49th Annual Commencement Ceremonies on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, NJ.
Marlon is completing his Associate in Science degree in Computer Science, earning a perfect 4.0 Grade Point Average. A member of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, Marlon is a semifinalist for the prestigious Jack Kent Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. He navigated a new educational system after arriving in the United States from Cuba, transforming that challenge into academic excellence and a commitment to using technology for social impact. Marlon is focused on leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to solve real-world challenges, particularly improving access to resources for underserved communities. He specializes in rapid prototyping and translating human-centered needs into robust, scalable solutions.
Earlier this year, Marlon completed the first cohort of the AI for Impact New Jersey Community College Fellowship as a Product Management Intern. He was selected to participate from a pool of 89 candidates and engineered a bilingual spatial data tool to map local resources, as well as a chatbot to provide real-time guidance for immigrant communities navigating social systems. The experiential learning program was created through a partnership of the New Jersey Office of Innovation, NJ Council of County Colleges, and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. InnovateUS facilitated the program and paired students with advisors to address government challenges and spark public sector innovation.
The HCCC Class of 2026 includes more than 1,600 students 鈥� the College鈥檚 largest class ever. The Commencement celebration will begin at 9:30 a.m. on May 19th at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Additional information about the Class of 2026 graduates and the Commencement celebration will be available soon.