Isabella Altano

Isabella Altano was a passionate and driven artist who spent her life creating and inspiring others to create works of all mediums. After immigrating to the United States from Molfetta, Italy, Isabella attended and graduated from Bergen Community College where she received an Associates of Arts. She continued her studies at Columbia University and Pratt Institute, where she earned a Master’s in Architecture while raising three children. She later returned to BCC as an adjunct professor of design for more than 20 years. In her professional life, Isabella also worked as an architect and community activist.

Isabella’s paintings and photography appeared in galleries across the United States as well as internationally in Austria and Italy. A lover of history and preservation, one of her favorite passions was to refinish antique furniture—a hobby she maintained for all of her adult life.

The Isabella Altano Scholarship for Emerging Artists was created to honor her memory and allow for a new generation of artists to follow in her footsteps. This fund was endowed by her family—her husband Brian and three children who have all worked at Bergen Community College in different capacities through the years—as well as colleagues, relatives, and friends. The Altano family believes strongly in the mission and purpose of BCC and is proud to support students who will carry Isabella’s indelible legacy forward.