Category Archives: Education

Education

Hudson County Community College Recognized as National Finalist in Six Awards of Excellence Categories

Hudson County Community College (HCCC) has been recognized as a national finalist in six American Association of Community Colleges’ Awards of Excellence categories. Pictured here: members of the HCCC Advancing Institutional Equity and Belonging team; HCCC-New Jersey Reentry Corporation leadership; Faculty Innovation Finalist Joseph Gallo; Rising Star Manager Finalist Amaalah Ogburn; Rising Star Executive Finalist Dr. Heather DeVries; and Faculty Member Finalist Karen Hosick.

For the second time in three years, Hudson County Community College (HCCC) programs, faculty, and staff are finalists for six of ten American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Awards of Excellence. HCCC is the only community college in the United States to be honored as finalists in so many categories. Nationwide winners will be announced at AACC’s Annual Conference, April 10-14, 2026  in Seattle, Washington.

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Education

Hudson County Community College President EarnsTrailblazer in Higher Education Award

Hudson County Community College President Dr. Christopher M. Reber is the recipient of Insight Into Academia Magazine’s 2026 “Trailblazer in Higher Education Award.”

Hudson County Community College (HCCC) President Dr. Christopher Reber took the helm in 2018, determined to provide transformative, life-changing opportunities for students and the people of Hudson County. He has brought his vision to fruition by engaging students, faculty, staff, trustees, alumni, and the entire community.

Insight Into Academia Magazine has selected Dr. Reber to receive the “2026 Trailblazer in Higher Education Award” for advancing institutional excellence, strengthening community engagement and connectedness, and creating meaningful, measurable impact for students, employees, community, and the broader academic ecosystem.

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Education, Sports Limited

Hudson County Community College Welcomes Winning Basketball Coaches to Develop New Athletics Programs

 Hudson County Community College has hired Carlos Cueto as Women’s Basketball Head Coach (left), and Ethan Nardone as Men’s Basketball Head Coach.

February 4, 2026, Jersey City, NJ – Hudson County Community College (HCCC) has hired two head basketball coaches with winning records who are committed to player development. The coaches were hired as the College prepares to inaugurate an athletics program at the HCCC Center for Student Success, which is currently under construction. 

“We are excited to have Carlos Cueto and Ethan Nardone work with HCCC Director of Athletics Jonathan Sisk in organizing, launching, and leading our basketball programs,” said HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber. “With their experience and passionate commitment to developing students who excel in academics and athletics, Carlos and Ethan will motivate our student athletes to give their best on and off the court.”

Carlos Cueto, the Head Coach for HCCC Women’s Basketball, is revered as a player and coach. The former University of Richmond point guard finished his playing career as the “#3 All-Time” in assists. He was named All-County at St. Anthony’s High School in Jersey City, where he played on two state championship teams. Mr. Cueto coached Union City Girls’ Basketball to state sectional and league championships. He mentored many student athletes who earned athletic and academic scholarships. 

The two-time “Hudson County Coach of the Year” led Secaucus High School Boys’ Basketball to their first league championship in over 20 years. His basketball academy in Union City helps youth ages nine and up improve their game. Mr. Cueto taught History and Financial Literacy at Union Hill High School. He holds a Master’s degree in Supervision and Administration in Education from Saint Peter’s University and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Richmond. 

Ethan Nardone, the Head Coach for HCCC Men’s Basketball, is a National Basketball Association operations specialist who coached National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Divisions I and III, and high school teams. Mr. Nardone led the Abraham Joshua Heschel School Boys’ Varsity Basketball to their first postseason appearance since 2019 and coached two Yeshiva League Pass All-Star game selections. As Men’s Basketball Video Coordinator for Iona College, he tracked game defensive efficiency and strategic adjustments and maintained a recruiting database, scouting reports, and player practice breakdowns. Mr. Nardone was the Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach for State University of New York at Canton and Potsdam teams, and Franklin and Marshall College. In these roles, he rebuilt rosters, helped improve player scoring range, and led teams to winning seasons. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Stony Brook University and attended St. John’s University School of Law. 

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Education

 Hudson County Community College Invites Business and Community Leaders to 28th Annual Foundation Holiday Gala

28 Annual Holiday Gala for Business people
 
The unforgettable evening will include exceptional cuisine and desserts prepared and served by Hudson County Community College (HCCC) Culinary Arts Program chef-professors and Culinary Arts students; a presentation of the Foundation’s Distinguished Service Awards; retrospective celebrating the College’s 50th anniversary; and a Silent Auction for a VIP Mets game experience for two at Citi Field, dinner and an overnight stay for 10 at Skylands Manor in Ringwood, NJ, and a tour for six of the HCCC “50 Years of Excellence” exhibit at the Museum of Jersey City History. 
Tickets to the 2025 HCCC Foundation Gala may be purchased online at https://www.hccc.edu/community/foundation/events/gala.html. 
 
 • Gabriella Borrero, Founder and Owner, No Plan B/The Next Generation Network, will host. 
  A consultant and entrepreneur, Ms. Borrero specializes in business coaching, event strategy, and public speaking. Her exclusive network includes more than 80 women in business.  
 • Distinguished Service Award Recipients: Provident Bank and Horizon Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Jersey.     
 • HCCC alumnus and Celebrity Guest Chef Brian Edgar Lopes, known for his dishes at Michelin–starred establishments and appearances in Beat Bobby Flay, Chopped, and Alex vs America, will circulate and chat with guests about the evening’s featured flavors and cuisines on Thursday, December 4, 2026, at 6 p.m. 

HCCC Culinary Conference Center, 161 Newkirk Street, Jersey City, NJ.

About Hudson County Community College
Hudson County Community College serves 24,000 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 Arts/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 four 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. HCCC was a finalist in seven categories of last year’s American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) “Awards of Excellence” and earned 2024 CEO of the Year, Faculty of the Year, and Student Success Awards. In 2023, HCCC received the Outstanding Member Institution Award from the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU).

For the fifth consecutive year, HCCC was selected as one of only a few community colleges in the United States to be named among the “2025 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. 

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 also earned the Campus Prevention Network Seal of Prevention in 2025, 2024 and 2023 for demonstrating leadership in digital prevention programming focused on student safety, well-being, and inclusion. The Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) recently named the College the inaugural recipient of the 2025 ACCT national “Impact and Success Award.”

Education

Hudson County Community College Foundation 28th Annual Gala Celebrates the College’s 50th Anniversary  

The students and professional faculty chefs of Hudson County Community College’s (HCCC) nationally acclaimed Culinary Arts Institute are creating memorable cuisine and desserts for the HCCC Foundation’s 28thAnnual Gala Fundraiser on Thursday, December 4, 2025.    

Provident Bank will be honored with the HCCC Foundation’s
 Distinguished Service Award. –

Hudson County Community College (HCCC) is celebrating 50 years of preparing students to achieve their dreams and partnering with business leaders and the community to develop groundbreaking programs. 

The HCCC Foundation has announced that it will hold its 28th Annual Gala on Thursday, December 4, 2025, at 6 p.m. The event will take place in the College’s Culinary Conference Center, 161 Newkirk Street in Jersey City, NJ. The evening will highlight five decades of progress in supporting and educating generations of HCCC students. Exceptional cuisine and desserts prepared by the HCCC Culinary Arts program’s chef professors and students will be served. 

The HCCC Foundation will present the 2025 Distinguished Service Award to Provident Bank in recognition of its two decades of support to the College and the HCCC Foundation. Provident Bank was the recipient of the Foundation’s inaugural Distinguished Service Award in 2005.

“We are proud to celebrate the evolution of Hudson County Community College, our Foundation, and our partnerships,” said HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber. “One of the most important partnerships we have is with Provident Bank. Thanks to their generosity, the lives of hundreds of students have been transformed over the years.” 

Among Provident Bank Foundation’s generous contributions to the College is a $100,000 Education Signature Grant investment that benefited 400 students in the award-winning Hudson Scholars program. Launched in 2021, the nationally recognized program drives student success through proactive academic advisement, financial stipends, high-impact educational experiences, and early academic intervention.

“Provident Bank is deeply honored to receive the Distinguished Service Award from the Hudson County Community College Foundation,” said Anthony Labozzetta, President & CEO of Provident Bank. “For more than two decades, we’ve been proud to partner with HCCC in its mission to expand access to education, support student success, and strengthen the communities we serve. As HCCC celebrates 50 years of impact, we look forward to continuing our partnership and helping ensure all students have opportunities to achieve their goals.”

HCCC started as a one-building “contract” college upon its founding in 1974 and today has grown to become one of the largest, most comprehensive colleges in New Jersey with three state-of-the-art locations in Hudson County. Through the years, many thousands of students have said, “Hudson is Home!,” and have graduated and gone on to new successes. HCCC continues to build on its progress, meeting the challenges ahead as Hudson County grows and transforms.

The HCCC Foundation was established in 1997 to support and promote the College and its students by building awareness campaigns and developing financial resources. The Foundation ensures Hudson County residents are allowed to acquire a college education and enjoy the lifelong benefits it provides. The HCCC Foundation generates scholarships for students, seed money for new and innovative programs, stipends for faculty development, capital to assist the College in physical expansion, and resources to address basic needs of students and community members beyond the classroom.

Tickets to the 2025 HCCC Foundation Gala may be purchased online at https://www.hccc.edu/community/foundation/events/gala.html.  


About Hudson County Community College
Hudson County Community College serves 24,000 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. HCCC was a finalist in seven categories of last year’s American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) “Awards of Excellence” and earned 2024 CEO of the Year, Faculty of the Year, and Student Success Awards. In 2023, HCCC received the Outstanding Member Institution Award from the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU).

For the fifth consecutive year, HCCC was selected as one of only a few community colleges in the United States to be named among the “2025 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. 

The College’s exemplary work in advancing student success has been recognized with 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 also earned the Campus Prevention Network Seal of Prevention in 2025, 2024 and 2023 for demonstrating leadership in digital prevention programming focused on student safety, well-being, and inclusion.The Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) recently named the College the inaugural recipient of the 2025 ACCT national “Impact and Success Award.”

About Provident Bank
Founded in Jersey City in 1839, Provident Bank is the oldest community-focused financial institution based in New Jersey and is the wholly owned subsidiary of Provident Financial Services, Inc. (NYSE:PFS). With assets of $24.83 billion as of September 30, 2025, Provident Bank offers a wide range of customized financial solutions for businesses and consumers with an exceptional customer experience delivered through its convenient network of 140 branches across New Jersey and parts of New York and Pennsylvania, via mobile and online banking, and from its customer contact center. The bank also provides fiduciary and wealth management services through its wholly owned subsidiary, Beacon Trust Company, and insurance services through its wholly owned subsidiary, Provident Protection Plus, Inc. To learn more about Provident Bank, go to www.provident.bank or call our customer contact center at 800-448-7768.

Education, Events

HCCC to Host Homecoming Block Party and Open House on Saturday October 18th

HCCC’s 50th Anniversary celebration continues on October 18th with the College’s first ever Homecoming Open House Block Party.

October 14, 2025, Jersey City, NJ – Each fall, colleges around the country welcome back students, alumni, and neighbors for the time-honored tradition of homecoming. This year, Hudson County Community College (HCCC) is hosting its own edition of this fall favorite for the first time, creating a new tradition for its growing community. HCCC is proud to invite students, future students, alumni, and community members to its first ever Homecoming Block Party on Saturday, October 18, 2025, as part of the College’s 50th Anniversary celebration, Fifty and Forward, which will also feature the Fall Open House.   

The festivities will take place from 10 AM to 3 PM at the Culinary Conference Center and Culinary Plaza Park at HCCC’s Journal Square Campus, bringing the community together for a day filled with music, performances, art, and reflection on five decades of growth and achievement.

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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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