The generous gift includes 171 antique photographs as well as 44 paintings, prints, sculptures, and antiquities, far surpassing the donors’ original plan to contribute 50 works. The pieces reflect decades of thoughtful collecting. Mr. Ortiz grew up in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He started collecting art at the age of 13 and developed a lifelong passion for collecting Caribbean and Latin American artwork. This led to a career as an independent curator and becoming a renowned collector of art from the Americas. His partner, Mr. Torchia, had a successful career in global equities trading.
The wheels for this donation were put in motion when renowned artist Victor Baldassano introduced Foundation Art Collection Coordinator Dr. Andrea Siegel to Ortiz and Torchia.
Ortiz and Torchia have long been passionate about connecting art with audiences who might not otherwise have access to it. This dynamic donation was not the first time Torchia and Ortiz have supported a college – in fact, over the years, they have been strong supporters of many college art collections throughout the country.
For Ortiz and Torchia, the decision to donate to HCCC reflects a belief that art should be accessible and impactful. By placing these works in a learning environment that serves a large and diverse group of college students, they hope to ensure the art reaches audiences who will see it, engage with it, and benefit from it, demonstrating that great art belongs not only in prestigious museums, but also in accessible spaces where it can inspire the next generation.
The two partners wanted to support a Hispanic-Serving Institution and a school serving working-class students and artists, and this description fit HCCC perfectly – HCCC is a Federally-designated Hispanic Serving Institution, and over 50% of students are Hispanic. The College serves many students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds, including student parents, adult learners, and other nontraditional college students. The College also serves the most students in need of financial aid of any college in New Jersey. Himself a community college graduate, Ortiz understands the experiences of today’s HCCC students.
“HCCC is deeply honored to receive this inspirational donation from Benjamin Ortiz and Victor P. Torchia, Jr.,” said HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber. “It is especially gratifying to work with donors whose commitment to expanding access to art aligns so closely with our institution’s mission and values.”
HCCC’s Foundation Art Collection, which features more than 2,200 paintings and other works displayed throughout the College’s two campuses in Jersey City and Union City, remains one of the area’s most distinctive college art collections. The Foundation Art Collection continues to grow through relationships and word-of-mouth among artists, collectors, and donors who support the College’s mission.
The HCCC Foundation Art Collection invites community members, alumni, and supporters of the arts to help sustain its impact. Collections of this magnitude serve as teaching tools for HCCC students studying art, culture, and the humanities, while also providing a resource for K–12 students and the broader Hudson County community who engage with the College’s campuses and programs.
A collection of this scale requires ongoing conservation, framing, transportation, and professional stewardship to ensure the works remain accessible and preserved for future generations. To support this work, the HCCC Foundation is building an endowment for the Foundation Art Collection and seeking philanthropic support to help preserve, interpret, and share these works with students and the community for years to come.
Please consider supporting the Foundation Art Collection financially by making a gift at https://www.hccc.edu/community/foundation/index.html or emailing foundation@hccc.edu for more information on how you can help.
About Hudson County Community College
Hudson County Community College serves more than 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 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 the 2024 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 a “2025 Most Promising Place 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 “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.”
