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University Officials to Hold Ceremony at HCCC on December 11
 

JERSEY CITY, N.J. |  (���߲ݴ�ý) and Hudson County ���߲ݴ�ý College (HCCC) will formally introduce and launch its joint HCCC|���߲ݴ�ý CONNECT, a transformational program that will provide highly visible, inclusive, and barrier-free transfer pathways to guide students and their families from high school, through studies at HCCC, and on to a timely graduation from ���߲ݴ�ý — at a signing ceremony and news conference on Monday, December 11, 2023.

The event will be held on the second floor of HCCC’s Student Center, located at 81 Sip Avenue in Jersey City, N.J., from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The program agreement will be signed by Andrés Acebo, Interim President of ���߲ݴ�ý and HCCC President Dr. Chris Reber. Each institutional leader will offer remarks and important perspectives about the goals of the program. County and statewide leaders will also have the opportunity to make remarks.

The HCCC|���߲ݴ�ý CONNECT program, announced in June, will officially launch in January, 2024, upon signing of the agreement.

HCCC|���߲ݴ�ý CONNECT was developed during participation in the Aspen Institute–American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) Transfer Student Success and Equity Intensive. The intentional work, spearheaded by ���߲ݴ�ý with HCCC as a partner, creates a first-of-its-kind pathway for students in the Hudson County community to have a clear blueprint from community college to ���߲ݴ�ý to obtain a timely four-year degree. The program will allow students to complete their first two years at HCCC and automatically enroll and culminate their 4-year degree at ���߲ݴ�ý, all seamlessly, in one of at least 15 academic majors.

���߲ݴ�ý Interim President Andrés Acebo said, “This historic announcement for both institutions builds upon ���߲ݴ�ý’s nearly century-long commitment to providing a socioeconomically diverse population with access to an excellent education as a catalyst to social mobility. This is a pillar of our commitment to being one of the public anchor institutions in Hudson County and surrounding communities. ���߲ݴ�ý recently announced the most significant overhaul of its general education program in decades. Our intentional work alongside our partners at Hudson County ���߲ݴ�ý College will only further the distinction that ���߲ݴ�ý is now the most transfer-friendly public university in the State of New Jersey. The partnership between ���߲ݴ�ý and HCCC provides tools to change the trajectory for students who enroll in the community college, make the transition to the four-year institution, and engage fully in the opportunity to earn a bachelor's degree.”
 
What makes the HCCC|���߲ݴ�ý CONNECT program truly unique are the additional wrap-around services that students can receive from ���߲ݴ�ý and HCCC while attending both institutions. Notably, students can live in ���߲ݴ�ý’s residence halls, attend programs on the ���߲ݴ�ý campus, and utilize the university’s vital services, including the Gothic Rack — which provides all students access to new and gently used professional attire for interviews, career fairs, networking events and the workplace — the Gothic Knight Food Pantry, and the Children's Learning Center (CLC), which offers drop-in childcare services for students with children—all at an extremely competitive cost.
 

Acebo noted: “Data suggest that only 32 percent of community college students transfer to a four-year institution within six years. We will change that narrative. ���߲ݴ�ý is in the business of transforming lives for the better, and we are proud to partner with HCCC on a research-based solution to the needs of our community.”

Jodi Bailey Accavallo, Ph.D., Vice President for Student Development and ���߲ݴ�ý Engagement at ���߲ݴ�ý, and Dr. Lisa Dougherty, HCCC Senior Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment, served as the institutional chairs of the program. Dr. Bailey and Dr. Dougherty will offer opening remarks prior to Presidents Acebo and Reber speaking.

Each year, about one-quarter of HCCC graduates – more than any other community college – transfer to ���߲ݴ�ý. HCCC|���߲ݴ�ý CONNECT will provide support for students who may be the first in their families to attend college, work at least one job, and commute to and from classes by cultivating an essential sense of belonging at both institutions. HCCC and ���߲ݴ�ý have committed the time, personnel, and financial resources to construct the program’s infrastructure, enhance and leverage student services, build awareness of the CONNECT program, and engage with prospective students and their families.

HCCC|���߲ݴ�ý CONNECT is modeled after the highly successful Northern Virginia ���߲ݴ�ý College–George Mason University ADVANCE program. HCCC|���߲ݴ�ý CONNECT will create a singular student experience focused on addressing students’ holistic needs, diminishing equity gaps, and promoting students’ goal and credential attainment.

Timeline and Speakers Expected:

10:30 a.m. | Arrival of guests
11:00 a.m. | Opening Remarks by Dr. Lisa Dougherty, HCCC Senior Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment
11:05 a.m. | Remarks by County and Legislative Leaders
11:10 a.m. | Remarks by Dr. Chris Reber, HCCC President
11:15 a.m. | Remarks by ���߲ݴ�ý Interim President ​​Andrés Acebo
11:30 a.m. | Signing ceremony for  the HCCC|���߲ݴ�ý Connect partnership agreement between President Acebo and Reber.

Immediately Following the Ceremony | Information Session on the HCCC|���߲ݴ�ý CONNECT program.

Media Contact/RSVP:
Ira Thor 
Associate Vice President of University Communications and Marketing | ���߲ݴ�ý
ithor@njcu.edu 
Office: 201-200-3301 or Mobile: 973-420-8466

About ���߲ݴ�ý
���߲ݴ�ý is an institution of higher learning dedicated to the development of our students, our city, our communities, and our state. We are a game-changing force for our students and have been recognized as one of the top colleges in the nation improving their upward economic mobility. Whether enrolled in one of our undergraduate, graduate, or doctoral programs at our three locations, ���߲ݴ�ý students have access to an affordable, diverse environment, and an exceptionally supportive faculty. This prepares them to go on to become the next generation of workers and leaders who improve their communities and the State of New Jersey.

About HCCC
Hudson County ���߲ݴ�ý College serves more than 18,000 credit and non-credit students annually. The College offers nearly 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.

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.

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Contact: 
Ira Thor, Associate Vice President for University Communications | ithor@njcu.edu | 201-200-3301