The formal program, held at the Gabert Library, first floor, featured remarks by President Dr. Christopher Reber, reflections from prominent students, alumni, faculty and members of College and County leadership including Trustee and HCCC alumna Silvia Rodriguez (the third student to enroll at the College), longtime Theatre Arts Professor Joseph Gallo, current students Anu Bisht and Neivi Nuñez, and HCCC Board of Trustees Chair Jeanette Peña. There was also a special video message from Senator Cory Booker. HCCC President Emeritus Dr. Glen Gabert, HCCC Trustee Emeritus William J. Netchert, and former Hudson County Executive Tom DeGise were honored with the HCCC Foundation’s inaugural Heart of Hudson awards, recognizing their important contributions to HCCC’s growth over the years.
After the formal program, attendees enjoyed a fireside chat with renowned actor and Jersey City native Derek Luke. The Jersey City native attended nearby Henry Snyder High School and starred in films including Antwone Fisher, Glory Road, and Captain America: The First Avenger.
Simultaneously, the Student Center buzzed with athletic-themed fun, including appearances by the mascots of the New York Red Bulls and New Jersey Devils, showcasing potential jerseys for HCCC’s future basketball team, and the opportunity to vote for the mascot for HCCC’s future athletics program. There was additional fun for the whole family, including photo booths, caricature artists, an ice sculpture, and more. The event also showcased arts and culture at HCCC by featuring Garden State Vision, an exhibition of artwork by HCCC alumni, a sneak peek at the History Museum of Jersey City’s first-of-its-kind exhibit on HCCC’s 50th anniversary, and an HCCC oral history project with Professors Dr. Sean Egan and Antonio Acevedo.
The evening culminated in HCCC’s Culinary Plaza Park with a memorable Dance Party and Champagne Toast led by DJ Prince Hakim, son of Kool & the Gang’s Robert “Kool” Bell, who played a high-energy DJ set mixing the classics with contemporary hits. “Kool” himself led the crowd in a champagne toast to honor 50 years of impact at HCCC, before the entire crowd joined together for a raucous singalong of the band’s 1980 smash hit, Celebration.
Reflecting on the memorable day, President Reber remarked, “Our 50th anniversary celebration was filled with joy, pride, and the energy of our entire HCCC family coming together. We honored our history, celebrated our amazing community, and had a lot of fun doing it. The excitement from this milestone moment inspires us as we head into the next fifty years stronger than ever before.”
To learn more about HCCC’s yearlong “Fifty and Forward!” celebration, please visit https://www.hccc.edu/50th/index.html
To register for the kickoff celebration and other 50th anniversary events, please visit https://www.hccc.edu/50th/events/index.html
About Hudson County Community College
Hudson County Community College serves 23,000 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) national “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 one of 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. The Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) named the College the sole recipient of the 2025 ACCT Northeast Regional Impact and Success, and Faculty Member Awards. HCCC also earned 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.
