From Grief to Greatness: Brookdale Student Isabel Shaw Turns Tragedy into Triumph Through Humanities, Activism, and Journalism

For Brookdale Community College student Isabel Shaw, the decision to return to college came not in pursuit of a degree alone, but as a way to honor the life of her late daughter Jessica, a Brookdale alumna and second-year medical student, who was tragically killed in a car accident in June 2019. “She was going to change the world, and my world changed forever,” Isabel shared.

Overwhelmed by grief, she spiraled into a deep depression. It was during a session with a sympathetic acupuncturist, someone who had once known Jessica, that a simple but powerful suggestion was made: find a way to honor her daughter’s life. In a moment of quiet reflection, Isabel knew what she had to do. “Jessica always wanted me to finish the degree I started many years ago,” she said. “I will honor my precious daughter by going back to the school she loved so much, Brookdale, and earn a degree.”

That decision took on even greater meaning because Brookdale wasn’t just part of Jessica’s story, it was also a chapter in the life of Isabel’s younger daughter, Mandi. Mandi had attended Brookdale years earlier and had been taught by Debbie Mura, Communications Professor at Brookdale, and Roseanne Alvarez, English Professor at Brookdale, who would later go on to teach, mentor, and champion Isabel herself. That connection, mother and daughters, generations of students, guided by the same educators, offered Isabel both comfort and a profound sense of belonging as she stepped into a new academic journey.

That journey began at one of the most uncertain times in recent history: the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite technological hurdles, emotional weight, and the lingering fear of failure, Isabel enrolled in live-remote classes with quiet determination. Her talents were quickly noticed, Professor Mura encouraged her writing, and Professor Alvarez who inspired participation and joy in learning. With each class, Isabel was not only building toward a degree, but also healing, carrying forward the legacies of both her daughters while shaping her own.

“As a nontraditional student, Isabel began her journey at Brookdale a bit timidly,” said Professor Mura. “But I had the pleasure of watching her grow from someone who was just dipping her toe into her academic journey to a student who was fully immersed in both coursework and student clubs. Her academic curiosity and deep empathy make her a truly remarkable student.”

But it was through her involvement with The Innovation Network (TIN), Women in Learning and Leadership (WILL), and The Current, Brookdale’s student newspaper, that Isabel truly began to shine.

She served twice as Vice President of TIN, organizing transformative events like Friendsgiving and the “Better Together” campus collaboration. She also helped bring access to menstrual products to campus restrooms and earned multiple Gold Star Awards, including
“Most Active Club Member” in 2023. Her article on Governor Christie Whitman was picked up by the Associated Press, showcasing her journalistic talent on an international stage.

Her activism extended into the community as she helped Brookdale’s butterfly garden achieve official recognition from the National Wildlife Federation, an effort that earned her the Global Citizenship Project Award for embodying TIN’s mission to “Think Globally, Act Locally.” She also volunteered annually at the Neptune Community Gardens to support food security for local families.

Her academic excellence was further recognized with membership in Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for two-year colleges.

Returning to school later in life wasn’t easy, but Isabel brought with her a perspective, passion, and depth that transformed every classroom she entered, and her impact didn’t go unnoticed.

“Isabel Shaw has a lot to give, and it was ever present when she took both of my classes, African American History I and II,” said Gilda Rogers, Adjunct Professor at Brookdale. “She added such light and energy to the class that she made the other students up their ante as participants… Trust me, I know the character of an Outstanding Humanities Student—and that is Isabel Shaw. She has what it takes to move humanity forward.”

Professor Alvarez worked closely with Isabel in multiple capacities, echoed that sentiment in a deeply personal nomination letter.

“This is hard. This is a first for me. I’ve had trouble trying to articulate all the many reasons why a student should be considered for Outstanding Student recognition in our Division before… but Isabel is everything that we would want to celebrate when we recognize our ‘Outstanding’ students.

Her grit, her empathy, her commitment, her insight, intellectual and creative risk-taking, and passion—these traits, in the face of the many obstacles our students face—are at the heart of all the accomplishments and service to our community that Isabel Shaw centers in her life and work.

Her story is our story. She reminds me, in all she has accomplished, this is what we’re all about… She is a voice and a force for actual change. I really can’t think of the past four years of my career and what I’ve been able to accomplish as a Club Advisor at Brookdale without Isabel. She is so…”

Earning a near-perfect 3.97 GPA, Isabel Shaw has not only honored her daughter’s memory, she’s inspired an entire college community, proving that it’s never too late to start again, to lead with compassion, and to leave the world better than you found it.

And for Isabel, Brookdale was more than a school, it was a place of healing, hope, and purpose.

“Brookdale gave me more than I can ever give back,” she said. “My healing journey could not have been possible anywhere else.”