Category Archives: Education

Education, Special Event

Acclaimed Actor Derek Luke Returns Home for Exclusive Appearance at Hudson County Community College’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, Fifty and Forward!

Renowned actor Derek Luke will help ring in Hudson County Community College’s 50th Anniversary Kickoff Celebration with a special appearance at the September 9th kickoff event.

You’ve seen him in Antwone Fisher, Glory Road, and Captain America: The First Avenger—now, come see Derek Luke at HCCC’s 50th Anniversary Kick Off Celebration!

– As Hudson County Community College (HCCC) launches its milestone yearlong 50th-anniversary celebration with a kick off party on Tuesday, September 9, attendees will enjoy the opportunity to meet acclaimed actor and Jersey City native Derek Luke.

A distinguished actor whose breakout role as the title character in Antwone Fisher earned him the Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead, Derek Luke, who attended nearby Henry Snyder High School, also inspired audiences by portraying Bobby Joe Hill in Glory Road, and played Gabe Jones in Captain America: The First Avenger.

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Education

Hudson County Community College Begins Yearlong Celebration of 50th Anniversary

Hudson County Community College will soon begin a yearlong celebration of the College’s 50th Anniversary.

The College invites everyone to join in observing “50 Years of Excellence:
Fifty and Forward!” with a Kick-off event on Tuesday, September 9, 2025.

Hudson County Community College (HCCC) is marking its Golden 50th Anniversary with a full year of celebratory events. The festivities begin on September 9, 2025, with the Anniversary Kick-off Party and culminate with the Grand Opening of the HCCC Center for Student Success in September 2026.

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Education

Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children Sends 6 Teens to U.S. Space Academy, 4, from Jersey City Schools

From left to right: Mila Varela, Alejandro Diaz, Annalise De Leon, Jadyra Amaya-Garcia, and Chris Liivicota

The Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children (SFIC), a partner of the Archdiocese of Newark, recently gave six incoming high school seniors from archdiocesan Catholic schools the summer of a lifetime by providing scholarships to attend the prestigious Advanced Space Academy at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala.

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Education

Hudson County Community College Graduates 11 Solar Installation Students 

Hudson County Community College (HCCC) recently celebrated eleven students who completed Solar Installation Training. Pictured here, front row, from left: Dimension Energy Origination Associate Elena Mannion; HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber; HCCC Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, Continuing Education and Workforce Development Lori Margolin; graduates Jimmy Harris, Ari McPherson, Charles Cooper and Willie Brown; New Jersey Reentry Corporation (NJRC) Executive Director and Chair James McGreevey; HCCC Apprenticeship Coordinator Albert Williams.

The new program illustrates how the College’s public-private partnerships 
prepare the workforce with sustainable careers for the future.

 
Recently, Hudson County Community College (HCCC) celebrated 11 students who completed Solar Installation Training offered by the College in partnership with Dimension Energy, a national community solar developer, owner, and operator. HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber, HCCC Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, Continuing Education and Workforce Development Lori Margolin, Dimension Energy Origination Associate Elana Mannion, New Jersey Reentry Corporation (NJRC) Executive Director and Chairman James McGreevey, and others congratulated graduates at the ceremony.
 
Solar energy is a renewable, clean, and low-maintenance energy source that helps reduce environmental pollution and electric bills. In recent years, solar energy has become more than an alternative source of power; it is steadily developing into one of the world’s primary energy sources. 
 
As demand for solar energy grows, the industry is actively recruiting individuals trained to install solar panels, which have become more affordable. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reports 24% job growth for solar photovoltaic installers, much higher than the growth in many other industries, and the solar energy industry is expected to continue growing worldwide.
 
HCCC’s intensive, seven-week offering was taught at the Governor’s Reentry Training and Employment Center in Kearny. The course was taught collaboratively by skilled professionals from HCCC and Solar One, with employers and construction trade unions invited to participate. Training included Hands-on Solar Installation classes, plus Introduction to Construction, Work Readiness Skills, and four certifications — OSHA-10, Basic Life Support (BLS), Green Construction, and Photovoltaic Installer.
 
A key component of this workforce development program was connecting students to apprenticeships and job opportunities. Students networked with Dimension Energy, Procurement, Employer, and Trade Union partners. One student attained employment before the program ended.
 
“This clean energy training program is an outstanding example of a public-private partnership and investment,” Dr. Reber stated. “Tuition was provided by HCCC from the Metallica Band’s All Within My Hands Foundation; students’ stipends and networking opportunities came from Dimension Energy; HCCC and Solar One provided training; hands-on solar installation training with Solar One was delivered with funding support from the New Jersey Pathways to Career Opportunities initiative; HCCC provided a Student Success Coach; and New Jersey Reentry Corporation supplied the training venue.”
 
“Hudson County Community College is a great workforce development partner because they understand the importance of each step in the process,” said Bryan Bentrott, Vice President of Origination for Dimension. “From LinkedIn tutorials to employer networking to post-course follow-ups with each student, their team is making sure every student has a clear path to a full-time job. We are excited to see some of these graduates join Dimension projects shortly.” 

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Education

Hudson County Community College Welcomes Dominique Maynard as Director of the Hudson Hub One Stop Student Services Center

Hudson County Community College announced that Dominique Maynard has been named the College’s Director of the Hudson Hub One Stop Student Services Center.

Hudson County Community College (HCCC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dominque Maynard as the new Director of the Hudson Hub One Stop Student Services Center. In this role, Ms. Maynard will oversee the establishment and operation of a comprehensive student services center that will streamline and enhance the student experience at HCCC by integrating the functions of various college offices into a single place and providing students with efficient access to a wide range of administrative and support services.

Ms. Maynard is a student-driven professional who brings extensive experience in student services and operations to her new role. She most recently served as Associate Director of One Stop Operations at Union College of Union County, where she managed initiatives to improve student access and support across advising, financial aid, and registration. Her previous experience includes Student Services Specialist for Advising, Career and Transfer at the same institution, and Student Affairs Liaison Graduate Assistant at UNC Greensboro, where she supported initiatives designed to advance student success and engagement.

Ms. Maynard is anticipating the completion of her Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership degree with a concentration in Community College Leadership from Rowan University. She holds a Master of Education in Higher Education with a concentration in Student Affairs Administration from UNC Greensboro and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Family & Human Services from Towson University, illustrating her longstanding commitment to advancing the mission of community colleges and fostering environments for student growth.

“We are excited to welcome Dominque Maynard to the HCCC family,” said HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber. “Her dedication to student-centered service and her track record of effective leadership in One Stop operations will help ensure our students have the support they need to thrive and reach their educational goals. HCCC looks forward to the leadership and wealth of experience Dominique will bring to the Hudson Hub One Stop Student Services Center as she works to build a supportive, efficient, and accessible environment for all students.”

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Education

Hudson County Community College Featured in Three National Case Studies College Celebrated in Studies Published by The Project on Workforce at Harvard


  • Education Design Lab, Achieving the Dream, and Business-Higher Education
  • As Hudson County Community College (HCCC) approaches the official celebration of its 50th Anniversary, HCCC is the focal point of three nationally published case studies detailing how the College’s data-driven approaches and collaborations play critical roles in achieving student and workforce development success. Recently released to national audiences, the case studies are The Project on Workforce at Harvard and Education Design Lab’s “Data and Technology in Action: Community Colleges Advancing Economic Mobility;” Achieving the Dream’s (ATD) “Hudson is Home: Supported by ATD Coaching, Hudson County Community College’s Hudson Scholars Program Brings Student Supports – and Success – to Scale;” and Business-Higher Education Forum’s (BHEF) “Hudson County Community College and Eastern Millwork Create a Transformative Apprenticeship Program.”HCCC was selected by The Project on Workforce at Harvard and the Education Design Lab as one of four community colleges, including South Texas College, Riverland Community College (MN), and Community College of Aurora (CO), to participate in their Community College Growth Engine. The study is a joint research and design project aimed at understanding and improving how community colleges utilize data and emerging technologies to enhance economic outcomes for learners. This three-phase project, beginning with the case study, will result in a national playbook of learnings and best practices to share with other higher education institutions throughout the United States. Over five months, the Project on Workforce at Harvard colleagues collaborated with HCCC faculty and staff to gather information about the College’s use of data and technology, highlighting HCCC’s extensive partnerships with local and state governments, academia, workforce boards, businesses, unions, and other stakeholders. Their findings offer a comprehensive case study, “Building Bridges: HCCC’s Innovative and Inclusive Approach to Connecting Students and Employers.”The Project on Workforce at Harvard study highlights several HCCC best practices including HCCC I NJCU (New Jersey City University) CONNECT, which offers seamless transfer pathways to NJCU for those pursuing a four-year college degree; Achieving the Dream membership and its coaching and networking opportunities; the HCCC “Hudson Helps Resource Center,” a compendium of wraparound services that address students’ basic needs outside of the classroom; HCCC’s nationally recognized “Hudson Scholars” program that improves retention and graduation rates by addressing a wide range of students’ needs; academic and workforce programs shaped by employer advisory boards to ensure alignment with industry standards for in-demand careers; consistent focus on innovative, proactive, community-centered strategies; and a campus culture where all students are valued, represented, and supported.The Project on Workforce at Harvard and Education Design Lab study is available here: Data & Technology in Action: Community Colleges Advancing Economic Mobility. When Dr. Christopher Reber was inaugurated as HCCC’s new President in 2018, faculty and staff consistently expressed concerns about “getting students to the finish line.” To address this, HCCC joined Achieving the Dream (ATD) in 2019.  ATD is a national nonprofit network dedicated to helping community college students succeed and achieve greater economic opportunities. ATD guides more than 300 community colleges across the United States through a data-driven, evidence-based change process that closes achievement gaps and improves graduation rates.

    The College saw that the retention and graduation rates for students involved in the New Jersey Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) program were exceptional, but that the state-funded program only served a few hundred students each year. Dr. Reber and the HCCC community believed the successful practices of EOF could be scaled up to ensure a greater number of students who face financial challenges, language barriers, employment concerns and family responsibilities could complete their college educations. Making this belief a priority, the College community worked with coaches from Achieving the Dream to institute “Hudson Scholars,” a retention and student success program that provides proactive advisement, financial stipends, and early academic intervention to help all students succeed academically, graduate, and realize their dreams.

    “Hudson Scholars” utilizes proven best practices of the New Jersey Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) and the City University of New York (CUNY) Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP). “Hudson Scholars” provides proactive advisement, mentoring, financial stipends, and early academic intervention. Coaches and mentors with small advising caseloads support each student on a personal level.

    Since its inception, “Hudson Scholars” has served more than 5,000 students and has become a self-funding academic and student success model, with the College’s completion rate nearly doubling over the past eight years. “Hudson Scholars” has been recognized with The League for Innovation in the Community College’s 2021-22 Innovation of the Year Award, the 2023 National Bellwether Award, the 2024 National Bellwether Legacy Award presented to only one community college every five years for proven best practice programs that can be developed at scale, and the 2024 American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Student Success Award of Excellence.

    This October, Dr. Reber and Achieving the Dream President and CEO Dr. Karen Stout will present “Leveraging Achieving the Dream Coaching to Foster Innovation: How Hudson County Community College Built an Institutional Culture of Student Success and Continuous Improvement” at the 2025 Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) National Leadership Congress in New Orleans, Louisiana.

    To read the Achieving the Dream case study, click here: Hudson is Home: Supported by ATD Coaching, Hudson County Community College’s Hudson Scholars Program Brings Student Support – and Success – to Scale.

    “Hudson County Community College and Eastern Millwork Create a Transformative Apprenticeship Program” is a case study in the Business-Higher Education Forum (BHEF) Innovators at Work series. The series showcases partnerships successfully employing best practices, proven strategies, and impactful collaborations to address critical talent challenges and equip learners with skills needed for the future workforce.

    In 2019, Eastern Millwork, Inc. (EMI), a Jersey City-based industry leader in customized, high-end, automated woodwork manufacturing and installation, faced a critical challenge. The company needed a talent pipeline of skilled workers with technical expertise and creativity. Traditional bachelor’s degree graduates were not job-ready, and hiring mechanical engineering majors proved costly and inefficient. EMI approached HCCC about an apprenticeship program, and the College responded with an out-of-the-box solution: rethink the traditional educational model and structure a program to immerse students in major-specific, hands-on learning from the beginning. The approach ensured apprentices could immediately apply their skills in the workplace.

    Formulating the HCCC-EMI Holz-Technik Apprenticeship Academy Program – a registered apprenticeship program – was collaboration-dependent and reliant upon EMI’s industry knowledge and HCCC’s agility and expertise to design and implement a tailored curriculum in just seven months. HCCC also took on the role of registered apprenticeship intermediary, handling paperwork and regulatory processes so EMI could focus on training and mentorship.  

    The resulting Holz-Technik Apprenticeship Academy is a five-year, tuition-free, earn-while-you-learn program that provides hands-on training and leads to an associate degree from HCCC, bachelor’s degree from Thomas Edison State University, and a well-paying, sustainable career.

    New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has called the program “the blueprint for New Jersey’s economic future.” The Holz Technik Academy program is now utilized as a national model for workforce development partnerships, and a proven model for HCCC when working with area businesses and unions.

    The BHEF case study may be found here: Hudson County Community College and Eastern Millwork Create a Transformative Apprenticeship Program.#   #   #Caption: Hudson County Community College (HCCC) is featured in case studies of national importance from The Project on Workforce at Harvard, Education Design Lab, Achieving the Dream, and Business-Higher Education Forum. Pictured here, the front page of Achieving the Dream’s HCCC case study.

  • About Hudson County Community College
    Hudson County Community College serves more than 20,000 credit and non-credit students annually. The College offers more than 90 degree and certificate programs, including award-winning English as a Second Language; Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); Culinary Arts/Hospitality Management; Nursing and Health Professions; and Humanities and Social Sciences. The HCCC Culinary/Hospitality Management program was ranked number six in the U.S. by Best Choice Schools. The College’s School of Continuing Education and Workforce Development offers cutting-edge, industry-recognized, stackable credentials in alignment with high-priority workforce needs.

    HCCC has partnerships with major four-year colleges and universities in the greater New Jersey-New York area and beyond, accommodating seamless transfer of credits for further undergraduate and graduate education.

    The College has received dozens of national awards throughout the years. In 2023, HCCC received the Outstanding Member Institution Award from the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU). HCCC was a finalist in seven categories of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) 2024 “Awards of Excellence” and earned the 2024 CEO of the Year, Faculty of the Year, and Student Success Awards. 

    For the fourth consecutive year, HCCC was selected as one of only a few community colleges in the United States to be named among the “2024 Most Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges” by the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD). HCCC was one of 22 community colleges in the nation, and the only college in New Jersey, to be recognized by ModernThink LLC and the “Chronicle of Higher Education” as a 2025, 2024, 2023 and 2022 “Great College to Work For®” and named to the 2024 and 2023 “Great Colleges Honor Roll of Distinction.”

    HCCC is one of two colleges in the United States to be named a Top Ten Finalist in all three program categories for the nationally recognized 2023 Bellwether Awards, and received the 2023 Bellwether Award for the College’s cutting-edge “Hudson Scholars” program, which also won the 2024 Bellwether Legacy Award, an award presented to only one community college every five years for proven best practice programs that can be developed at scale. 

    The College’s exemplary work in advancing student success has been recognized with the 2025, 2024, and 2023 “Leader College of Distinction” designation by Achieving the Dream, the national nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing community colleges as catalysts for equity and mobility in their communities. HCCC was also presented with the Campus Prevention Network Seal of Prevention in 2024 and 2023 for demonstrating leadership in digital prevention programming focused on student safety, well-being, and inclusion.





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Education

Hudson County Community College Welcomes Reverend Dr. Frances Snelling Teabout to Board of Trustees

Reverend Dr. Frances Snelling Teabout was recently sworn in as a member of the Hudson County Community College Board of Trustees.

Hudson County Community College (HCCC) Board of Trustees Chair Jeanette Peña announced that Reverend Dr. Frances Snelling Teabout has been appointed to serve as the Board’s newest member, filling the expired term of Trustee Emerita Pamela Gardner. Dr. Teabout swore the oath of office at the Board’s June 10, 2025, meeting.

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Education

Hudson County Community College Earns Insight Into Academia 2025 ‘Inspiring Programs in STEM’ Award

The Hudson County Community College Cybersecurity Mentoring Program, designed to increase the number of women working in the growing cybersecurity field, earned the 2025 “Inspiring Program in STEM” Award from Insight Into Academia Magazine. Pictured here, an HCCC student and mentor in one of the College’s STEM labs.

The College’s Cybersecurity Mentoring Programs are designed to
close the gender gap, foster innovation, and build an equitable workforce.

“Penelope Garcia” was a hacker-turned-FBI cybersecurity pro in the television drama Criminal Minds. But today, women make up only 20% of the United States cybersecurity workforce. To help reverse this trend, Hudson County Community College (HCCC) devised the Cybersecurity Mentoring Program to recruit and retain women in the HCCC Associate in Science in Cybersecurity degree program, where 19% of the 199 current students are female.

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Education

Hudson County Community College Class of 2025 Graduates Share Their Inspiring Academic Journeys

 Hudson County Community College is holding its 48th Annual Commencement Ceremony on Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at Sports Illustrated Arena in Harrison, NJ. The College’s Class of 2025 is its largest ever, with 1,540 graduates.

The Hudson County Community College (HCCC) Class of 2025 is the largest in the College’s history, with more than 1,540 students graduating. They include single parents, siblings, career changers, older adults, immigrants striving to achieve the American dream, lifelong learners, and others.  

The HCCC 48th Annual Commencement Ceremony will be held on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at 10 a.m. in Sports Illustrated Arena, Harrison, NJ. The event will include greetings and introductions from HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber, HCCC Board of Trustees Chair Jeanette Peña, and Hudson County Executive Craig Guy. Dr. Darryl Jones, Vice President for Academic Affairs, will host the Presentation of Graduates. Master of Ceremonies is Senior Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Dr. Lisa Dougherty.

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Education

Hudson County Community College to Honor More Than 1,550 Graduates at 48th Annual Commencement Ceremony

  Hudson County Community College will graduate its largest class ever at their 48th Annual Commencement Ceremony on May 21, 2025 at Sports Illustrated Stadium.

The Class of 2025 is the largest in the College’s History.

  Hudson County Community College (HCCC) will celebrate the academic achievements of more than 1,550 students at the College’s 48th Annual Commencement ceremonies. The event will be held on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at 10 a.m. at Sports Illustrated Stadium, 600 Cape May Street in Harrison, NJ.  The College expects approximately 7,000 graduates, family members, faculty, staff, trustees, and guests to attend.

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