The HCCC Cybersecurity Mentoring Program is the recipient of the 2025 “Inspiring Programs in STEM” Award from Insight Into Academia Magazine, the largest and oldest diversity and inclusion publication in higher education. The award measures an institution’s programs and initiatives that encourage and support the recruitment of women and traditionally underrepresented students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields.
“Our Cybersecurity Mentoring Program creates a greater sense of belonging and provides a support network for women to narrow the gender gap and the skills shortage in this growing field,” said HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber. “Mentors share their experiences and insights, information about internships, career opportunities and networking, and encourage mentees to stay on track. Mentees build confidence, overcome challenges, solve problems, and learn to navigate a work/life balance.”
HCCC cybersecurity alumnae Asma Daif Allah, Raida Al Hattab, Gabriela Melendez, and Alexandra Velez participated in professional development to mentor participants in the student program. The student-to-mentor ratio is five to one. Mentors meet with their assigned students at least twice a month while hosting group sessions. The program’s effectiveness will be assessed through student surveys, feedback sessions, and students’ progress.
“We know that STEM programs are not always recognized for their dedication to inclusion, equity, and access,” said Lenore Pearlstein, owner and publisher of Insight Into Academia. “We are proud to honor these college, university, and industry STEM programs as role models for other institutions of higher education.”
The HCCC Associate in Science degree in Cybersecurity curriculum provides instruction in computer programming on the application and system levels, an understanding of computer hardware organization and architectures, and a working knowledge of network security, cybersecurity, data communications, and local area networks. Program graduates are prepared for transfer to four-year institutions to complete bachelor’s degrees in Computer Science, Mathematics, or related fields.
More information on the program is available at https://www.hccc.edu/programs-courses/academic-pathways/stem/computer-science-cybersecurity-option-as.html.
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 last year’s American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) national “Awards of Excellence” and earned the 2024 CEO of the Year, Faculty of the Year, and Student Success Awards.
For the third consecutive year, HCCC was selected as one of 18 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 2024, 2023 and 2022 “Great College to Work For®” and named to the 2024 and 2023 “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 was also presented with the Campus Prevention Network Seal of Prevention in 2023 and 2024 for demonstrating leadership in digital prevention programming focused on student safety, well-being, and inclusion.
