Governor Signs NJ STARS Bill
 On
June 29, Governor James E. McGreevey signed into law the NJ STARS, the
New Jersey Tuition Assistance Reward Scholarship program. NJ STARS will
cover tuition and fees at New Jersey community colleges for all Garden
State seniors graduating in the top 20% of their class. The program
starts with high school graduates of 2004.
Announcing the bill, the Governor noted: “There are many bright,
hardworking students who cannot afford to go to college. Today we’re
righting the wrong.” New Jersey’s annual workforce earnings are up $6.3
million – the equivalent of 135,000 jobs - due to community colleges.
Community colleges serve nearly 300,000 students and 95% of community
college students stay in New Jersey, according to a press release from
the Governor’s office. For details on the STARS program at ECC click
here. To access
the press release, click
here.
Fifth Year of Funding for GEAR UP
Newark
ECC has been awarded a fifth year of funding in the amount of $770,602
for project GEAR UP – the U.S. Department of Education’s Gaining Early
Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs. The project, that
was initially launched in September 2000, is designed to improve the
academic skills of students in seven elementary and middle schools that
feed into Central High School in Newark. ECC is serving as the lead
agency in this initiative.
Scholarship Update
Engineering major Giancarlo Dimailig Sunga, who will be a
sophomore this year, has been offered a $1,000 scholarship by the
Coca-Cola Two-Year Colleges Scholarship Program.
Three Civil Construction Engineering Technology students, who will be
sophomores this year, won scholarships from the Construction Industry
Advancement Program of New Jersey (CIAP). They are
Jean David Lochard ($1,000), Paula Montoya ($1,500), and
Ramazan Uzulmez ($1,000). James Bencivenga, also a Civil
Construction Engineering Technology major, won a Construction Roundtable
scholarship of $2,500.
Former EOF student and ECC graduate Steve Rivera (Class of 2004)
is the recipient of the Sherman Hargroves scholarship. Hargroves
scholars attend life skills and leadership workshops, are offered
networking opportunities, and receive other forms of support each
semester for up to five years. They also receive a $500 book stipend
each semester. Rivera will be enrolled at Rutgers University, starting
Fall 2004.
(The June/July E-Newsletter contains
further listing of our scholarships and awards recipients)
|
From
left, Marc Fields, Jose Medina, Gladys Durand & Wilson Garzon |
|
Internship at Stevens Institute of
Technology Three
ECC students from the Division of Engineering Technologies and Computer
Sciences spent three weeks in June as interns in Stevens Institute of
Technology to work on projects in physics. They were
Gladys Durand (Civil Engineering major), Wilson M. Garzon
(Chemical Engineering major), and Jose F. Medina (Mechanical
Engineering major; also VP of the Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society). They
conducted weather studies by gathering and analyzing meteorological
data, used the Unix operating system for learning computer programming
languages, and completed independent research projects. |
“It was a mutually beneficial experience for the interns as well as
Stevens. They were open to ideas, they helped me with the research
project on the interaction between light and environment, and I learned
from them,” noted Mark Fields, Research Lab Assistant at Stevens who
worked with the interns under the supervision of Stevens Lab Director
Dr. Knut Stamnes “It has been a wonderful beginning for a collaboration
with Stevens. The next step is to consider internship not only in the
summer but also during the academic year", stated ECC’s Professor of
Humanities David Berry. “Faculty exchange is also being considered,”
said ECC’s Dean of Educational Services Dr. Phil Linfante.
Alumni Update
ECC graduate Serena Barnes (Class of 1996), who graduated from American
University’s Washington College of Law, passed her Bar exam in Maryland
on June 12, 2004, and is presently a member of the Maryland Bar
Association.
Professor Charles Jones Has Passed
Away
Computer Science
Professor Charles Jones passed away on July 11, 2004 at age 53 after
serving the College for 22
years (1982-2004).
Jones, who had a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Southwest University in
New Orleans, started
his relationship with the college as a student in 1977, earning two
associate degrees, one in
Businesss Computer Programming (1979) and the other in Scientific
Computer Programming (1980).
Later, as a faculty member at ECC, he developed 14 new courses and two
certificate programs and
authored grants that brought the Computer Science Department
approximately one million dollars.
Yet it was his teaching that earned him legendary status among his
former students.
Personnel Actions
The Board of Trustees approved the following personnel actions in June.
Congratulations to all!
Dr. Jill Stein Thierman has been promoted from Assistant
Professor to Associate Professor in the Division of Biology and
Chemistry. Thierman, who holds master’s and doctoral degrees in
Molecular
Pharmacology from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, has also been
promoted to Chairperson of the
Division of Biology and Chemistry.
Ezdehar Abu-Hatab has been promoted from Lecturer/Coordinator of
the science laboratories to Instructor of Biology in the Division of
Biology and Chemistry. Abu-Hatab holds a master's degree in Biology from
Montclair State University.
Charles Harrison has been promoted from Lecturer to Instructor of
Ophthalmic Dispensing in the Division of Allied Health. Harrison is a
New Jersey State Board licensed optician with professional affiliations
and many years of experience in the optician field.
Dr. Maria Cecilia Rozak, who has a Ph.D. in Nuclear Physics from
the University of Notre Dame, has been promoted from Assistant Professor
to Associate Professor in the Math and Physics Division.
Staff Development
William J. Mulkeen, JD, ECC’s Director of Program and Curriculum
Development, has been elected President of the Academic Council at
Thomas Edison State College in Trenton. The Council, made up of
25 members from two and four-year colleges as well as individuals from
the non-collegiate sector, works with the Provost of the College to
address issues related to maintaining and improving the academic mission
of the college. ECC has a transfer-articulation agreement with Thomas
Edison.
Athletics
 ECC’s Track Stars Headed for the Olympics
Kerron Stewart, a record-setting sprinter on the ECC women’s track team,
will represent her home country of Jamaica in the 2004 Summer Olympics.
She is scheduled to compete August 26 in the initial heat of the 4x100
meter relay.
Other former ECC track stars competing for their countries include: Novelene Williams of the Class of 2002 in the women’s
400 meter, for Jamaica; Shandria Brown of the Class of 2002 in women’s
100 meter, for the Bahamas; Marian Burnett of the Class of 2001 in
women’s 800 meter, for Guyana; Alleyne Francique of the Class of 2000 in
men’s 400 meter, for Grenada (Francique is currently ranked #1 in the
400 meter), Ronetta
Smith of the Class of 2000 in women’s 4x400-meter relay, for Jamaica;
and Ayanna Hutchinson of the Class of 1998 in women’s 100 meter, for
Trinidad and Tobago.
Stewart, who will be a sophomore this fall, competed in the North
America, Central America, and Caribbean Athletic Association Under-23
track championships in Canada July 20. She was joined at the meet on the
Jamaican team by Melaine Walker, who graduated in June, and Novelene
Williams, who competed for Essex in 2001 and 2002. For further details,
click
here.
National Academic Honors for Track Star Willette Miller & Women’s
Track Team
ECC’s women’s track star Willette Miller, who graduated this past June
with a 3.83 GPA, has been named
a “Distinguished Academic All-American” for the 2003-2004 seasons by the
National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). She will attend
Auburn University this fall as a pre-dentistry major, where she will
also run track. Miller won both the mile and 1,000-meter runs at the
NJCAA indoor track and field championships this past season.
In addition, the NJCAA named ECC’s women’s indoor and outdoor track
teams, coached by Michael Smart, the 2004 Academic Team of the Year.
Team members earned an overall 3.35 GPA this past year. All seven
graduated this spring and are transferring to four-year universities.
The Lady Wolverines finished second in both the NJCAA indoor and outdoor
championships this past season.
Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey
Comes to ECC
Henry V, performed at ECC by Drew University's Shakespeare
Theater of New Jersey, summer touring group, was an unqualified success!
The program, sponsored by ECC’s Educational Opportunity Fund department,
was hailed by students, faculty, and administrators who were present.
Much as a traditional Elizabethan traveling company, the troupe used
minimal sets and costumes and no lighting equipment. Actors performed
multiple roles, relying upon the text and their craft, rather than on
elaborate sets and special effects. But they did create theatrical
magic, as evidenced by the standing ovation they received and the
vivacious question and answer session following the show.
Announcements
Compressed Curriculum for
Internetworking Technology Program
Starting September 7, students will have the option of taking all four
core courses in ECC’s
Internetworking Technology program in one semester. This certificate
program offers preparation for positions in computer networking and for
taking the Cisco Certified Network Associate certification examination.
Students in the program will take one compressed course a month, from
5:15 to 9:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday, for a total of 16 credits
for the semester, ending December 20. For further information, click
here
and call (973) 877-4400.
Auditions for ECC’s High School Music
Program
High school students interested in preparing for college music
department auditions may want to apply to ECC’s 2004-05 High School
Music Advancement Program. Program applications are available in the
college’s Humanities Division on the main campus. Auditions for the
program will be held at the end of August. Following acceptance into the
program, classes will begin on September 14. Tuition will be waived for
students who have been accepted.
Last year, 17 high school students participated in the inaugural
program. For further details, click
here and call ECC Music Coordinator
Richard Alston at (973) 877-3415.
Golf & Tennis Scholarship Tournament
ECC’s annual Golf & Tennis Scholarship Tournament will be held on
Monday, October 4 at the Maplewood Country Club. You will have a chance
to meet Major League Baseball Legend George Foster as well as
other professional athletes at the event. Contact Helen Kuruc at (973)
877-3089 for details.
Voter Registration Drive
Our Educational Opportunity Fund Program is sponsoring a voter
registration drive in conjunction with the Wise Women’s Center, the
Student Activities Department, and the Gear-Up Program. You may want to
stop in at the EOF department and complete the application to get ready
for November. To date, the department has registered over 200 people.
Upcoming ECC Events
| Name |
Date and
Time |
Location |
| Placement Test (by appointment only) |
August 3, 4, 10, 11, & 16
4:30 p.m. |
Room 2131
Main Campus |
| New Student Orientation & Registration |
August 5, 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m., 4:30 p.m. - 7:00
p.m. |
Student Lounge/Multipurpose Room, West Essex Campus
|
| New Student Orientation (by appointment only) |
August 5, 18, 25, & 26
8:30 a.m. |
Room 2131
Main Campus |
| New Student Orientation & Registration |
August 5, 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. 4:30 p.m. - 7:00
p.m. |
Student Lounge/Multipurpose Room, West Essex Campus
|
| New Student Orientation (by appointment only) |
August 5, 18, 25, & 26
8:30 a.m. |
Room 2131
Main Campus |
| Placement Test |
August 9
5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. |
Multipurpose Room
West Essex Campus |
| Adult Learning Center Assessment & Testing |
August 12, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. August 18, 3:00
p.m. - 6:00 p.m |
Multipurpose Room
West Essex Campus |
| Latino Open House |
August 14
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. |
Dasher Student Center |
| WISE/New Jersey Institute for Social Justice
Graduation |
August 19
5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. |
Smith Lecture Hall |
| Adult Learning Center Orientation & Registration |
August 19, 6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. August 24, 9:00
a.m. - 12:00 p.m. |
Multipurpose Room
West Essex Campus |
| Placement Test |
August 23
5:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. |
Multipurpose Room
West Essex Campus |
| Registration for Returning, Re-admitted, Transfer, &
Non-matriculated Students |
August 25 & 31
9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. |
Academic Area of course/major
Main Campus |
| New Student Orientation & Registration |
August 26, 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. - 7:00
p.m. |
Student Lounge/ Multipurpose Room |
| Convocation |
August 30 |
|
Upcoming Community-Wide Events
| Name |
Date and
Time |
Location |
ESPN Boxing
Karriem Abdullah Productions |
August 10
8:00 p.m. |
Physical Education Bldg. |
| NJ Veterans Stand Down |
August 28
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. |
Physical Education Bldg. |
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. |
Enjoy the
Rest of Summer!