E-Newsletter
Volume 8, No. 2 |
February 2010 |
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 Welcome to our monthly E-Newsletter, an overview of news and activities at ECC. We encourage you to learn more about our College by going through the rest of our web site. |
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Edythe M. Abdullah Appointed President of ECC
The Essex County College Board of Trustees appointed Edythe M. Abdullah as the college’s new President on January 26 following a comprehensive search process that began last spring.
Dr. Abdullah, who is currently President of the Downtown Campus of Florida State College in Jacksonville, will begin her new position on April 1. She becomes the college’s sixth president and the first woman to lead Essex. She succeeds A. Zachary Yamba, the longest serving college president in New Jersey, who is retiring after a 29-year tenure. Dr. Yamba will continue to head the college until the end of March.
“I am just ecstatic about this new journey and this exceptional opportunity to lead an illustrious and respected college that has been an educational anchor for this community for more than 40 years,” said Abdullah. “I look forward to continuing its fine work and enhancing the academic and economic success of the citizens of Essex County.”
ECC’s new president holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida’s Holland Law Center in Gainesville, a Leadership Certificate in the Management of Lifelong Education from Harvard University, and was a Kellogg Fellow with the League for Innovation in Community Colleges. For further details, click here.
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Evening Nurse Pinning Ceremony
The 37 recent graduates of the A.A.S. program in Nursing were honored at the annual pinning ceremony on January 19. The graduates completed their Associate in Applied Science degree requirements in December. This is the fifth evening program class at ECC which concludes each December.
Nelson Tuazon, chief nursing officer at East Orange General Hospital, delivered the keynote address to the graduates, and their families and friends. The grads are now preparing to take the national licensure exam to become registered nurses.
The college began offering evening nurse classes in 2003 to create greater flexibility for students seeking to enter the rigorous associate degree program.
Employers of ECC Graduates
A recent survey of ECC’s 2008 graduates show that approximately 65% are pursuing baccalaureate studies at four year institutions. Many of the others are finding professional positions in the region. The following is a partial listing of the employers who have hired our graduates. Graduates in health-related fields are typically making annual salaries ranging between $40,000 – $70,000 dollars. Graduates in legal affairs, social sciences, business, and marketing are typically making $20,000 to $50,000 in annual salaries. In education, annual salaries are in the $30,000 range.
| 6th Ave. Electronics | Council for Exceptional Children |
| Allegro Adult Services | Daughters of Israel Nursing Home |
| Allied Barton | Division of Youth and Family Services |
| Andover Subacute and Rehab Center | East Orange General Hospital |
| Apollo Health Street | Ernst & Young |
| Automatic Suppression | Essex County Corrections |
| Bogy Construction | Federal Express |
| Cinnaminson Township Public Schools | FMC Corporation |
| City of Newark | First Occupation Center |
| Clara Maas Medical Center | Home Depot |
| Community Day Nursery | Irvington Library |
| Community Education Center | Jersey City Medical Center |
| CVS Pharmacy | JP Morgan Chase |
| PSE&G | Lennard Clinic Inc. |
| Quest Diagnostics | Township of Lawrenceville |
| Radio Shack Corp. | US Custom and Border Protections |
| Judiciary State of NJ | Valley National Bank |
| Rutgers University | Marco Vergara Crane |
| S & S Manufacturing | Verizon |
| SIMA Corp. | Veterans Affairs |
| St. Barnabas Medical Center | Wanaque Center |
| State of NJ | WPSC FM |
Certificate Program in Project Management via Live Video
ECC’s Division of Community and Continuing Education is offering a professional certificate program in Project Management from March 2-18, Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. The program is uniquely suited for persons interested in pursuing a career as a Project Manager. Project managers are particularly in demand, and with lucrative opportunities, in business, information technology, building construction, finance, accounting and other fields requiring managers to plan, organize, and manage programs or projects. Cost of the program is $1,100 versus an average of $ 2,500 at proprietary institutions. The prerequisite for the program is a high school diploma or equivalent.
The program is offered in preparation for the Project Management Institute (PMI) examination; the 35 Professional Developmental Units acquired upon completion of the program are necessary for taking the PMI examination to gain PMI certification, an essential for careers in Project Management. Dual Certificates of Completion will be issued upon completion of the program from the Project Management Institute as well as Essex County College.
Registration can be via phone (973-877-3079) or fax (973-877-3414), or you may choose to mail a check payable to Essex County College. For further details, call Sam Lehmert at (973) 877-3416. Also click here to access the program site which includes the application form, program brochure, and payment details.
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Urban Issues Institute Workshops
‘The State of Our City Town Hall,” the first in a series of “Town Hall” discussions, sponsored by the college’s Urban Issues Institute, was held on January 28 at the main Newark campus.
This town hall presentation focused on the issues of sub-prime lending, water privatization, community policing, and prisoner re-entry and how it affects residents living in the Newark area. The short film “Prime Time,” which is about sub-prime lending in Jersey City, was also screened. Non-profit agencies with missions that match the town hall theme had information tables available to encourage proactive participation for the future.
The town hall programs take place every semester as part of the institute’s goal of providing seminars and workshops on hot button issues affecting residents in Essex County.
For additional information on this event as well as upcoming programs of the Urban Issues Institute, contact Director Dr. Margaret Stevens at (973) 877-3239.
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Haiti Relief Efforts
Fundraising efforts are underway at the college to help Haiti in the wake of the devastating earthquake that struck that island nation January 12. ECC counselors and EOF advisors have been available to provide counseling and support to the college’s Haitian students.
Student groups have so far raised $2,218 toward the relief fund. The Fashion Entertainment Board has collected $1861 so far and will donate half of the proceeds from the upcoming Valentine’s Day Dance as well as the models’ registration fees for its Xtreme Fashion show.
All donations are being deposited in a special Relief Fund Account. Donations from throughout the college will be channeled to the American Red Cross, Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund (established by entertainer Wyclef Jean, who was born in Haiti) and Doctors Without Borders. Additional information on this effort is available from Patricia Slade, director of Student Life and Activities, at 973-877-3209.
Meanwhile, the current Basic Police Class at the Essex County College Police
Academy in Cedar Grove donated $760 to the Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund.
Faculty News
In December 2009, ECC’s Professor of Mathematics Dr. Chengwen Wang received a Voluntary Service Award from President Barak Obama’s Council on Service and Civic Participation, as well as a congratulatory note from the president. Dr. Wang, who heads the Chinese Parent-Children Education Association, was recognized for his services to the Chinese community in the greater New York metropolitan area; the association serves over 400 families. He also hosted a monthly seminar as well as the association’s 2009 Annual Conference, which drew media attention from local Chinese newspapers. Dr. Wang is also the president of American Chinese Professionals Association with over 500 active members in the New Jersey area.
ECC Professor Victor Stolberg’s (Division of Social Sciences) most recent publication: “Historical Images and Reviews of Substance Use and Substance Abuse in the Teaching of Addiction Studies,” Journal of Teaching in the Addictions, 2009, Vol. 8, # 1, pp. 65-83.
Stay in Step Academy’s Back to School Family Night
Stay in Step Academy (SISA) staged its first Back to School Family Night on January 20 to introduce the program’s new participants and their parents to the initiative. SISA is a federally funded program designed to address the needs of Black American males enrolled at the college as first time students from the urban areas of East Orange, Irvington, Newark, and Orange. Students in the program receive enhanced support services including tutoring, advisement, mentoring, and career opportunities to increase their success rates.
The event provided an opportunity for the audience, including 28 student participants and their family and friends, to ask questions about the project and to meet support mentors from the business community. It was also an occasion to recognize 12 program participants who distinguished themselves with high academic achievements last semester and were active participants in the program. SISA also collaborated with Evening & Weekend College to help promote the program to evening and weekend students. For details regarding SISA, call (973) 877-3440.
The student participants spent the evening connecting with their mentors who included: Roy Blake, Managing Director of Kazi Foods; Chris Broussard, Senior Writer & TV Correspondent for ESPN Magazine; Adrian Desroe, Senior Engineer at Verizon; Rahman Karriem, President of RDK Consulting; Garfield Layne, Sales Manager of ICAP North America; David Lesesne, Executive Director of TSC Design Assoc., Inc.; Alvin Ricardo Little, Assistant Attorney General, State of NJ; Gary Mann, General Manager, Global Alliances; Steve Mills, former President of Madison Square Garden; and Cliff Strain, Managing Director of The Dellacorte Group.
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Celebration of African American History Month
This month’s celebration of African American History Month will include the following:
- An exhibit entitled Let us Emerge – Slavery in the Diaspora will be on display all month in The Gallery. The exhibit was prepared by local professional artists Mansa Musa, Baja Ukweli, Maggie Brown and Bradford Brown.
A reception will be held in the Gallery February 9, 12 noon to 1:30 p.m.
- Discussions on “Haiti and Global Poverty,” with the first on February 5, 1 to 2:30 p.m. in the 4th level Multi-Purpose Room.
For additional information, call the college’s Africana Institute at (973) 877-3219.
JANUARY EVENTS
2010 started on a high note with the appointment of our new President, Dr. Edythe M. Abduallah. It was also the month when a prominent dignitary from Ghana visited the college and when our Urban Issues Institute launched a series of Town Hall discussions. The newest graduates of our A.A.S. program in Nursing participated in the traditional Pinning Ceremony, and our basketball teams are working hard to get into the playoffs.
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The A. Zachary Yamba Endowment Fund received a $1000 contribution from Nana Otimpie Aben II , the U.S. representative for Otumfuo, the Asantehene, King of the Ashanti people worldwide. (featured in the photo with Dr. Yamba). The ambassador delivered a message of congratulations to Dr. Yamba, on behalf of the Asantehene, for his achievements. |
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ECC’s Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams in action |
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Upcoming ECC Events
| UPS Employment Recruitment Presentation | February 1 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. |
Foyer Outside Student Lounge West Essex Campus |
| Fashion Show Rehearsal Sponsored by Student Life & Activities |
February 1 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. |
Physical Education Building Main Campus |
| Talent Show Auditions Sponsored by Student Life & Activities |
February 1 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. |
Physical Education Building Main Campus |
| Phi Theta Kappa Orientation | February 2 2:30 p.m. – 3:50 p.m. & 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
Siegler Hall Main Campus |
| Academic Advisory Council Meeting | February 2 & 11 2:30 p.m. – 3:50 p.m.> |
4th Level Multipurpose Room Main Campus |
| ECC vs. Union County College: Women’s Basketball | February 2 2:30 p.m. – 3:50 p.m. |
Physical Education Building Main Campus |
| Adjunct Faculty Meeting: Division of Bilingual Studies | February 2, 3, and 4 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. |
4th Level Multipurpose Room Main Campus |
| Open Mic Sponsored by Student Life & Activities |
February 3 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. |
Student Lounge West Essex Campus |
| Book Sale Sponsored by Evening & Weekend College |
February 2 & 3 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. |
2nd Level Forum Main Campus |
| Caldwell College Transfer Information Session, Sponsored by Academic Programs | February 3 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. |
Foyer Outside Student Lounge West Essex Campus |
| Valley National Bank “Bank Information Day” Sponsored by Student Life & Activities |
February 3 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. |
Foyer Outside Student Lounge West Essex Campus |
| Discussion on Haiti & Global Poverty Sponsored by Africana Institute |
February 5 1:00 p.m. – 2:20 p.m. |
4th Level Multipurpose Room Main Campus |
| The Cotillion Program | February 6 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. |
Dasher Student Center Main Campus |
| Fashion Show Rehearsal Sponsored by Student Life & Activities |
February 8 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m |
Physical Education Building Main Campus |
| “Let Us Emerge” Art Exhibition Sponsored by Africana Institute |
February 9 12 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. |
Gallery Main Campus |
| Ensemble Recital | February 9 2:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. |
Dasher Student Center Main Campus |
| Bank Info Sessions Sponsored by Student Life & Activities |
February 9 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. |
4th Level Bursar Area Main Campus |
| Coffee Hour Sponsored by Student Life & Activities |
February 10 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. |
Student Lounge West Essex Campus |
| Congo Lecture Sponsored by the Africana Institute |
February 11 11:30 a.m. –12:50 p.m. |
Smith Hall Main Campus |
| Latino Open House Recruitment & Marketing | February 11 3:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
Smith Hall Main Campus |
| ECC vs Raritan Valley Community College Basketball Games | February 11 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. |
Physical Education Building Main Campus |
| Black History Month Luncheon Sponsored by Student Life & Activities |
February 17 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. |
Student Lounge West Essex Campus |
| College Transfer Workshop Sponsored by Academic Programs |
February 17 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
Admin.4, Academic Programs Dept., West Essex Campus |
| “Darfur Too Far Too Dark” Sponsored by Africana Institute |
February 18 11:30 a.m. – 12:50 p.m. |
Smith Hall Main Campus |
| ECC vs. Middlesex Community College: Men’s and Women’s Basketball |
February 18 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. |
Physical Education Building Main Campus |
| “Legacy of Arthur Schomberg” | February 18 6:30 p.m. – 9:20 p.m. |
Siegler Hall Main Campus |
| NCCF Graduation | February 20 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. |
Smith Hall Main Campus |
| How to Write a Research Paper Sponsored by Evening & Weekend College |
February 20 11:30 a.m. – 12:40 p.m. |
Essex Room Main Campus |
| Bank Info Sessions | February 22 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. |
4th Level Bursar Main Campus |
| Board of Trustees Meeting | February 23 2:00 p.m. |
Dasher Student Center Main Campus |
| Real World Connections | February 23 2:30 p.m. – 3:50 p.m. |
Red Area Main Campus |
| Honors Program – Breakfast/Lunch with the Dean | February 23 10:00a.m.–11:30a.m. |
Essex Room Main Campus |
| “Not Just Between the Sheets” Lecture/Presentation sponsored by Stay in Step Academy |
February 25 2:30 p.m. – 3:50 p.m. |
Siegler Hall Main Campus |
| “Battle of the Saxes” Sponsored by Africana Institute |
February 25 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. |
Burch Theater Main Campus |
| “Return of the Nubian King” | February 26 7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. |
Smith Hall Main Campus |
| “Return of the Nubian King” reception | February 26 9:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. |
Main Dining Hall Main Campus |
| Essex County Tournament ECADA | February 27 11:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. |
Physical Education Building Main Campus |
For more information, call (973) 877-3208 or (973) 877-6637 for main campus events and (973) 877-1903 for West Essex Campus events.
Contact Information
This newsletter is prepared by the Office of Publications and Production in cooperation with the Office of Public Relations. Comments and suggestions are most welcome. Please address them to Dr. Lekha Keister at lkeister@essex.edu.
