Our Legacy

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.
 

2010-Present
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.