Academics
1960s
August ’66:Board of Freeholders approves the creation of Essex County College.
May ’67:Robert McCabe is appointed Essex County College’s first President.
September ’68:3,400 students begin classes at 31 Clinton Street, Newark, former site of Seton Hall Law School.
January ’69:Dr. Ellis White becomes the second President.
 

 


1970s
January ’70:Peoples council manifesto demands main campus remain in Newark.
May ’70:214 graduates receive degrees and certificates at the first ECC Commencement.
May ’71:J. Harry Smith becomes the third President and the first black college president in the State of New Jersey.
June ’72:Groundbreaking for Megastructure campus in Newark.
March ’74:College is accredited by the Middle States Association’s Commission on Higher Education.
September ’74:The College and FOCUS Center agreement to offer off-campus educational services.
January ’76:First ECC Fulbright Scholar.
April ’76:Opening of the Megastructure at 303 University Avenue.
July ’78:Dr. George Harris becomes the fourth President.
January ’79:The West Essex Extension Center opens in a former elementary school in West Caldwell.
August ’79:Presidential Tuition Scholarship established.
September ’79:The College and Ironbound Center agreement to offer off-campus educational services.
 

 


1980s
May ’80:Dr. A. Zachary Yamba becomes the fifth President.
February ’81:Accreditation reaffirmed by Middle States.
April ’82:Purchase of 8-acre site in West Caldwell.
September ’82:Alpha Theta Theta Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa chartered.
June ’83:339 graduates receive degrees and certificates at Commencement.
September ’83:WISE (Women in Service to Essex) Women’s Center opens as a full service department.
September ’85:Opening of expanded and renovated West Essex Extension Center.
October ’85:Opening of the Gymnasium and Child Development Center.
December ’85:ENET TV49 on Cablevision goes live, transmitting a signal via microwave from the MPT studio.
January ’87:Nursing gets its footing and develops into current program.
March ’89:Gala opening of the Mary B. Burch Theater for the Performing Arts.
May ’89:West Essex is granted branch campus status by the NJ State Department of Higher Education.
 

 


1990s
March ’92:Accreditation reaffirmed.
October ’92:ECC celebrates its 25th Anniversary.
October ’92:College domain essex.edu was established and website development begins.
June ’93:498 graduates receive degrees and certificates at Commencement.
October ’96:Opening of the Center for Technology and first time an engineering technology program (Civil Construction) received ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering & Technology) accreditation.
March ’97:ECC Women win National Junior College Athletic Association Indoor Track Championship.
November ’98:Training, Inc. moves to Megastructure.
December ’98:College begins operation of the Essex County College Police Academy in Cedar Grove.
September ’99:Dedication of the Clara E. Dasher Student Center.
 

 


2000s
August ’00:Renovated MLK Library reopens.
May ’01:Opening of the Africana Institute attended by King Of Ghana’s Asante Kingdom.
June ’01:Accreditation reaffirmed.
February ’03:Dedication of J. Harry Smith Lecture Hall.
June ’03:Dedication of Morton A. Siegler Lecture Hall.
August ’04:ECC’s “Olympic Track Dynasty” begins with former ECC student-athlete winning Bronze Medal at Summer Olympics.
September ’05:Opening of the Learning Center.
January ’06:First Honors Program classes held.
April ’06:The first Jack Kent Cooke Transfer Scholarship is awarded to an ECC student.
July ’06:Opening of Urban Issues Institute.
September ’06:Groundbreaking for the Center for Health Sciences.
March ’07:ECC Women win National Junior College Athletic Association Indoor Track Championship.
August ’08:800 – space parking deck opens.
August ’08:Eleven former student-athletes compete in the Summer Olympics, winning Gold, Silver and two Bronze Medals.
 

 


2010s
March ’10:Dr. Zachary A. Yamba retires after 29 years as president.
April ’10:Dr. Edythe Abdullah becomes the sixth President.
April ’10:Unveiling of new Media Production & Technology Center.
January ’11:Second ECC Fulbright Scholar.
September ’11:First firefighter graduation class at ECC Police Academy.
December ’11:Opening of the Faculty Assessment Center.
April ’12:Opening of Student Success Center.
June ’12:The College and North Ward Center agreement to offer off-campus educational services.
June ’12:Third ECC Fulbright Scholar.
August ’12:Eleven current and former student-athletes compete in the Summer Olympics, winning Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals.
March ’13:Dr. Gale E. Gibson is named Interim President.
March ’13:Accreditation reaffirmed.
April ’13:Three students earn Jack Kent Cooke Transfer Scholarships, bringing ECC’s total scholars to nine.
May ’13:1,464 receive degrees and certificates, the largest ECC Commencement class.
July ’13:45th academic year begins.
October ’13:Dr. Gale E. Gibson becomes the College’s 7th President.
March ’16:Dr. Zachary A. Yamba returns as the College’s interim president.
May ’17:Dr. Anthony E. Munroe becomes the College’s 8th President.
November ’17:The Information Commons opens following official ribbon cutting ceremony.

 


2020s
August ’20 Dr. Augustine E. Boakye becomes the College’s Interim/Acting President