President Yamba helps Gov. McGreevey with  Honor Stole at ECC’s 35th Commencement.

It was a memorable day on June 6 as ECC graduated the largest class in its history. The 880 members of the Class of 2004 outnumbered by far last year’s 777. Among the 131 who graduated with honors are Dawn Diamond, the valedictorian, who will continue her education at Montclair State University, and Robert Williams, the Salutatorian, who will continue his education at Rutgers University.

New Jersey Governor James E. McGreevey delivered the Commencement address. Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo also congratulated the Class of 2004. Honorary degrees were bestowed on Governor McGreevey and three community leaders: LeRoy Jones, Bernadino Coutinho, and William Sanchez.

Memorable quotes from the ceremony:

America needs leadership - - young men and women with conviction and heart, and the courage to do the right thing…One person can make a difference. It isn’t someone else’s responsibility. It is your responsibility. You are the next generation of America’s leaders. Accept that challenge. Governor McGreevey

Don’t go through life, but live life through education, and take somebody else with you on the road to success.
William Sanchez

Education must be a life-time commitment to life-time learning.
Governor McGreevey

The body of a bumble bee is so big and its wings so thin that theoretically it should not be able to fly. Like the bumble bee, many of us are carrying heavy burdens – financial difficulties, personal tragedies, juggling jobs, and raising families -- that theoretically we should not be here…. What makes the bumble bee fly is the same thing that makes us soar. We strive, we don’t give up. Don’t let anyone or anything stop you from reaching your goal. Salutatorian Robert Williams

For further details on Commencement and ECC’s Class of 2004, click here for the June 2004 issue of the Update.

Scholarships & Awards

Student Athletes Win Full Tuition Scholarships to Four-Year Institutions

Class of 2004 track athletes Willette Miller, Keisha McKenzie, Jovanee Jarrett, and Tamara Thomas will continue their baccalaureate studies at Auburn University, and Melaine Walker will pursue her baccalaureate at University of Texas. Other track performers receiving full scholarships are Gorgeous Harper to Seton Hall University and Althea Chambers to Texas Tech University. All seven are among the nation’s top female runners.

Four members of ECC’s soccer team who graduated this year are also off to four-year colleges with full scholarships. They are: Real Paul and Metushela Licin who will be attending New York Institute of Technology, and Mariano Gonzalez and Fernando Perez who will be attending Felician College.

Honors Students Receive Full Tuition Scholarships

Six ECC students who graduated with honors were awarded Phi Theta Kappa General Scholarships of full tuition to attend Montclair State University. They are: Cathy-Ann Hospedales, Bruce Boucard, Milagros Harris, Jacqueline Lugo, Halcyone Hamilton, and Kateryna Kucyna. Also, 2004 graduates Edva Ismenor and Kathryn Morella have been granted Presidential Scholarships of full tuition to William Paterson University.

Other Scholarships

Returning students Rosalee Tortoriello and Lauren Greco have been awarded $750 each from the North Essex Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Tortoriello has also received a $1,000 scholarship from the American Association of University Women – Caldwell. Lori Smith received a $1,000 Theodore Nalesnik Memorial Scholarship for a graduating student, and Michael Dudding received the Theodore Nalesnik Memorial returning student award of $500. The memorial scholarships are named in honor of the late Theodore Nalesnik, former Mayor of Fairfield who served many years as a member of the West Essex Campus Advisory Board.

Academic Athlete of the Year

ECC has bestowed this honor to Clora Williams, a member of the women’s track team who finished the freshman year with a 4.0 GPA.

EOF Success Story

Erecka Asbury, who completed her A.A.S. degree in Social Work, has been selected to receive a $1,000 scholarship from the New Jersey Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission. She is off to Rutgers-Newark for her baccalaureate.

Statewide Honor Society for Business Students

Dr. Nathan Himelstein, coordinator of Business Administration programs at ECC and president of the New Jersey Collegiate Business Administration Association (NJCBAA), presided over the association’s first honor society induction for business and accounting students on May 14 at the Trenton State House. The association, now over 20 years old, is made up of deans, division chairs, program directors, and faculty from undergraduate institutions in the state. This inaugural event recognized the top 1% of students statewide in business and accounting undergraduate programs who have completed three quarters of their degree courses. ECC had seven students inducted into the NJCBAA Honor Society.

Bilingual Studies Department Receives Grant

The Commission of Higher Education of New Jersey has awarded ECC’s Bilingual Studies Department a $100,000 Education of Language Minority Student (ELMS) Grant for 2004-05. This grant will help to create a Multimedia Resource Center at the Newark campus, with 30 computer stations and state-of-the-art software to support the English as a Second Language program of the Department.

Transfer Agreements with Seton Hall and Saint Peter’s

ECC graduates in Accounting and Business Administration can transfer with full junior standing to the Stillman School of Business at Seton Hall, thanks to ECC’s new agreement with the University. This comes on the heels of an agreement with Saint Peter’s College in Jersey City that guarantees ECC graduates automatic acceptance into the College and transfer of all credits earned at Essex.

Co-op Education Update

Operational for less than a year, the Office of Cooperative Education has launched a number of successful initiatives:

Seventy of the ECC students who took advantage of free income tax preparation training through the Jackson Hewitt Tax Program received job offers to work with the company during the 2004 income tax season. Due to popular demand, the training program will be offered again in Fall 2004.

Three ECC honors students from the Division of Engineering Technologies and Computer Sciences participated in June in a 3-week competitive Science Research Internship program at Stevens Institute of Technology. The students Jose Medina (Mechanical Engineering major), Gladys Durand (Civil Engineering major), and Wilson M. Garzon (Chemical Engineering major) were mentored by Marc Fields, Research Assistant at Stevens, under the direction of Dr. Knut Stamners, Director of the Engineering and Physics lab at the University. Participants received a $300 stipend and college credit through ECC’s Cooperative Education program.

On May 14, the Co-op Office in conjunction with Training Inc., the Career Resource Center, and Corporate Training hosted its first annual employers’ luncheon at the main campus. Over 50 area businesses attended to learn about ECC’s Cooperative Education program and the College’s nearly 70 major areas of study.

Small Business Workshop

ECC’s Business Division partnered with Valley National Bank, the Small Business Administration, the Small Business Development Center, and the Service Corps of Retired Executives in May to host a workshop for small businesses in the community. More than 50 small business representatives attended the event. Participants were introduced to educational, financial, and networking opportunities. ECC students interacted with the panelists and small business owners.

National Recognition for Women’s Track Team

Lady Wolverine hurdler Melaine Walker was named “Athlete of the Meet” at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) outdoor track and field championships on May 7. ECC finished second out of 24 schools that competed at South Plains College in Texas. The event made headlines in the Philadelphia Inquirer and also abroad in The Jamaica Observer.

Walker broke the NJCAA record and the meet record in the 400-meter hurdles and also won the 100-meter hurdles. Other national champions from ECC included Kerron Stewart in the 100-meter dash, Michelle Vaughn in the triple jump, Keisha McKenzie in the 800-meter run, and the 400-meter relay team of McKenzie, Gorgeous Harper, Althea Chambers, and Willette Miller. For more details, click here and also go to the June 2004 issue of the Update.

ECC Collaborates with William Paterson in Support of Higher Education in Sierra Leone
 

From left, William Paterson University Provost Dr.Chernoh Sesay, Ambassador Kamara, President Speert, Ambassador Tejan, President Yamba, and ECC’s Dean for Planning & Institutional Research Dr. Stephen Keister at the ceremony at William Paterson

President Yamba and Dr. Arnold Speert, president of William Paterson University, signed an agreement in April with His Excellency Ibrahim Kamara, the ambassador of the Republic of Sierra Leone to the United States, and Professor Joe Robert Pemagbi, Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the United Nations, to help support the redevelopment of higher education in the African nation. The agreement calls for faculty and student exchanges; administrative and professional staff training; joint sponsorship of educational programs, conferences, and seminars; cultural and artistic collaborations; and exchanges of technical and instructional resources. Rutgers University has also agreed to provide support.

Most of the educational institutions in Sierra Leone, including the University of Sierra Leone, were destroyed or damaged during the country’s 12-year civil war. Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, a senior career diplomat with the United Nations, was persuaded to stand for election for the Sierra Leone presidency. His election in 1996 restored constitutional law and ushered in a new and brighter future for the country.

Essex County College was pleased to welcome President Kabbah to the College in September 2002, when plans for the collaboration were first announced.

The 2004 Annual Law Day Celebration

Jessica Villanueva, Essay Contest 1st Place winner from Bloomfield High School, accepting trophy from Judge Falcone

The week-long Annual Law Day celebration sponsored by the Superior Court of NJ - Essex vicinage culminated on May 3 at Essex County College. It was a collaborative effort that included not only the judiciary and the bar but also community partners, including representatives from local school districts. The program celebrated the 50th anniversary of the landmark case Brown v. Board of Education that brought about an end to state sanctioned segregation in our nation’s schools. The program moderator was NJ Superior Court Judge Joseph A. Falcone. The program included video taped remarks from the Chief Justice of the NJ Supreme Court, Deborah T. Portiz, a mock trial conducted by young people from schools throughout the county, and essay and art contests. It also included a lively discussion on students’ thoughts about law and justice, as expressed in their essays, poetry, and rap lyrics. Winners of the contests were recognized and awarded for their efforts. The yearly event, observed all across the U.S., originated in 1958 when U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower signed a proclamation declaring May 1 as the official date for celebrating the event. It provides the courts with an opportunity to educate the public about U.S. law and its system of government.

Annual Fashion Show

ECC’s 22nd Annual Fashion Show on May 1, hosted by the Fashion Entertainment Board, featured top designers from the tri-state area premiering their summer and fall collections.

The models were ECC students and staff, as well as students from neighboring colleges and high schools. “This year’s show was bigger than prior years,” noted Gerald Holloway, producer and advisor to the Fashion Entertainment Board. “Around 1,500 people attended the event and we raised approximately 20,000.” Most of the proceeds will go toward academic scholarships for ECC students and to notable charities such as Hale House, The American Cancer Society, Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation, AIDS research, and the American Diabetes Association.

Ethics In Government Symposium

From Left, Scrivo, Timpone, Christie, Dow, & Stein

A symposium on Ethics in Government, sponsored by the Essex County Bar Association, was held at the College on June 3. The special guest speaker was U.S. Attorney for the District Court of New Jersey Christopher J. Christie and the moderators were New Jersey Assemblymen Wilfredo Caraballo and Kevin J. O’Toole. Featured speakers were retired Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court Gary S. Stein, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Paula T. Dow, former Essex County Chief of Special Prosecutions Walter F. Timpone, and Vice President of the Essex County Bar Association Thomas P. Scrivo, who is also the Vice Chair of the ECC Board of Trustees. Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo delivered the welcoming remarks.

National Hip Hop Political Convention

Nearly 3,000 young people, including 500 elected delegates from 17 states and people from as far away as Sweden and Germany, converged in Newark June 16-19 for a landmark Hip-Hop Political Convention that could be described as a modern day version of the 1972 National Black Political Convention held in Gary, Indiana. The Convention, which was co-hosted by the City of Newark and the Council for Higher Education in Newark (ECC, Rutgers-Newark, NJIT, and UMDNJ), was dedicated to bridging the divide between the civil rights generation of the 60s and today’s young people. It focused on increasing the political awareness and the ability of 18 to 35 year olds - the Hip-Hop generation - to influence the political process in ways that will benefit America’s urban residents. During the last presidential election, the percentage of 18-24 year olds voting was lower than the percentage of other age groups, according to the Washington-based Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies.

The Convention included workshops and panel discussions on issues shaping public policies, concerts, film festival, and state caucus meetings. Reforming public education and the criminal justice system, improved access to health care, and ending economic disparities were among the issues that topped the agenda. Convention delegates and participants are expected to take the agenda back to their communities and use it in the upcoming presidential election as well as in local and statewide races.

Convention sessions were held at sites throughout Newark, including ECC, NJIT, and Rutgers-Newark. More than 50 speakers and special guests were invited to the Convention including: Princeton Professor Cornel West, former Democratic presidential candidate Congressman Dennis Kuchinich, Newark’s Deputy Mayor Ras Baraka, Newark City Councilwoman Gayle Chaneyford-Jenkins, poet Amiri Baraka, writer Nikki Giovanni, writer Maya Angelou, BET VP of Music Programming Stephen Hill, WBAI Free Speech Radio representative Deeba Fernandez, Founder of Black Cops Against Police Brutality Delacey Davis, and our very own Professor of Criminal Justice, Patrice Davis, Esq., from the ECC Social Sciences Division.

University Heights Science Park High School

The official groundbreaking for the University Heights Science Park High School in Newark took place in May. The school and its grounds will be located just to the east of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, with the main entrance on Norfolk Street. All four Council for Higher Education in Newark (CHEN) institutions – ECC, UMDNJ, NJIT, and Rutgers-Newark – will collaborate with the Newark public schools to design a curriculum that will ensure students’ preparedness for the demands of higher education. From ECC, Dr. Stephen Keister, Dean for Planning and Institutional Research, and Professor Linda Carter from the Business Division, are part of a group that will be meeting regularly with Newark public school administrators to carry out planning in areas of mutual interest.

Dr. Yamba and Trish Yamba

Newark: A Melting Pot of Multicultural Heritage

Cultural events and celebrations in Newark in the months of May and June included The African-American Heritage Parade and Festival, May 22-28, and the Portugal Day celebrations on June 12.

The Grand Marshals in the African-American Heritage parade this year were our President, Dr. A Zachary Yamba (son of Ghana),and Trish Morris Yamba, Director of the Newark Day Center. A 25-person delegation from Ghana joined in the tribute, including Ghana’s Minister of  Tourism and the Mayor of Accra. ECC trustee Rev. Levin B. West was also recognized with a 2004 Heritage Award for exceptional contributions to the African-American community.

Newark’s Portugal Day celebration culminated with a musical concert at ECC’s Mary Burch Theater featuring internationally acclaimed artists.

On-Site Program from Weight Watchers

“I’ve lost 36 pounds. Tomorrow is my birthday and I am not going to have cake either,” a young lady asserted with pride and determination written all over her face. She is one of seventeen ECC employees who are taking advantage of the Weight Watchers program offered at the College. The program is hailed by ECC participants, some of whom have dropped at least three dress sizes since the program began in January.

The program was born out of the expressed interest of some employees faced with health–related issues. It has a track record of easing such problems as high blood pressure, diabetes, cardio vascular problems, and increasing longevity. “When I heard that the program is on Mondays during the lunch hour (12 noon), I knew it was for me. I would not have been able to attend it on Saturdays or if I had to leave this building. When I started, I would walk the stairs for exercise. After five weeks, I had more energy to take up gym exercises. I will stay on this program for the rest of my life,” the participant remarked.

The program will continue at ECC as long as interest and success levels continue. Weight Watchers is recognized as a safe and proven way to manage weight. The flex points system lets you eat your favorite foods and still lose weight, as long as you hit your POINTS® Target. For more information, contact Julette Cherrington at (973) 877-3087.

Upcoming ECC Events

Upcoming Community-Wide Events

For more information, call: (973) 877-3208 (Main Campus Events)
                                    (973) 403-2538 (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.