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CCC returning to the national stage for a sixth straight year

The Cougars open the NJCAA Division III national championship against Cayuga on Thursday

By Matthew Ralph
www.brotherlygame.com
When you turn over rosters the way teams competing at the junior college level do, finding consistent success can be a challenge.

But that’s exactly what Camden County College has done over the last six seasons, making it to the biggest stage year after year. By winning the Region XIX championship last week, the Cougars advanced to the NJCAA Division III national championship for the sixth straight season.

“The program has storied success so I’m just lucky enough to take over and continue building on that in my first year,” said head coach Kevin Nuss, who had only six returners heading into his first season at the junior college level. “We’re young so we’ve had our ups and downs but ultimately we’ve been able to find ways to win and develop as a team and grow.”

Nuss spent one season as an assistant in the program before coaching at Rutgers Camden, Saint Joseph’s and Brown University. He’s also spent summers coaching with the Ocean City Nor’easters in the Premier Development League.

In his first season as head coach of the Cougars, the team finished with a 15-2-1 record, reaching as high as No. 5 in the national rankings. Moving beyond just making it to nationals, where the program lost its last finals appearance back in 2016, and winning a national championship would be a leap for a program that often operates off the radar in a Philadelphia region with no shortage of college soccer.

Success this season has come from a core group of international players, led by Argentinian forward Lautaro Berisso, the Region XIX player of the year.

“The futbol here has been great, I’m loving it and each day we’re getting better and better,” said Berisso, who had eight goals and three assists as a freshman. “The life here is beautiful.”

Freshman defender Tobias Rawson Paz is also from Argentina and other leaders on the team have been Brazilians Lucas Pecegueiro (18 goals, 12 assists) and Lucas Teixeira (3 goals, 8 assists) and forward Ismail Kaya from Turkey (9 goals, 5 assists).

One of the draws of the program for international players is the opportunity to learn English, adjust to life in the United States and continue playing while completing a bachelor’s degree at another school. Being located near so many four-year schools in the Philadelphia region increases the opportunity for exposure.

“The program doesn’t have huge resources so it’s been a unique experience to try to take what we have and make the most of it,” said Nuss, who takes a similar professional approach to coaching at Camden County as he did in the NCAA and the PDL. “We’ve been able to do that, the program has been able to do that for several years now and I’m just happy to be part of it. “

The Cougars begin their quest for a trophy on Thursday as a No. 4 seed in the eight-team field in Herkimer, New York, where they’ll play fifth seed Cayuga at 1:30 p.m. Visit the NJCAA website for more information.

“Maya Angelou of Iraq” to visit Camden County College

The Madison Literary Society presents a night of poetry with Faleeha Hassan

Blackwood, NJ – On November 20 at 6:30 p.m. MAD LIT (the Madison Literary Society of Camden County College) will host An Evening of Poetry and Memory with Faleeha Hassan in Civic Hall on the Blackwood Campus.

Faleeha Hassan, known to most in this country as “The Maya Angelou of Iraq”, emigrated from Iraq to the U.S. in 2012 after having fled Iraq for Turkey when her writings landed her name on a “death list.”

Now living quietly with her two children in her adopted home of Washington Township (Gloucester County), the woman who once claimed she could not speak of peace because she had never experienced it, appreciates her newfound suburban tranquility more than her neighbors could ever guess.

MAD LIT advisor and CCC Professor of English Keith O’Shaughnessy states, “We consider ourselves very privileged to welcome someone so widely known and highly regarded a talent to the College. Her work has been celebrated the world over for its vivid testaments both to strife in her native Iraq and the challenges of immigrant life in our own land. Better still, she recites it with an almost mystical grace, force, and poise.”

Refreshments will be served at 6:30 p.m. with the reading and discussion to follow. This event is free to the public.

Credit: sjmagazine.net

Vai Sikahema speaks at EOF Event

On October 31 the Educational Opportunity Fund(EOF) program sponsored an event that brought NBC 10 sports reporter, Vai Sikahema, to the Camden Campus of Camden County College to share his story.

Vai immigrated to the U.S. from Tongo when he was seven-years-old. He lived in poverty and trained as a boxer. Vai went on to play football for BYU and eventually was drafted into the NFL before earning his college degree. It took him 22 years to complete his bachelor’s and then he went on to earn his master’s degree. His message was one of perseverance, drive, and education. President Borden presented Vai with a certificate of appreciation for his time and students were able to ask questions and take photos.

Thank you Vai Sikahema!

New Partnership with Fairleigh Dickinson University

Blackwood, NJ – At a signing last week, Camden County College announced an expanded partnership with Fairleigh Dickinson University which provides two degree completion programs for students.

Starting in fall 2019, students can earn a bachelor’s of arts degree in Individualized Studies in Homeland Security at the Camden County College Regional Emergency Training Center in Lakeland (Blackwood) or a bachelor’s of arts in Sports Administration at the Blackwood Campus in Gloucester Township.

“Camden County College prides itself in offering viable transfer options for our students from a variety of higher education institutions. This agreement adds to our popular Scholars Agreement with Fairleigh Dickinson University, which provides a 40% tuition discount for CCC transfer students,” stated Dr. David Edwards, Vice President for Academic Affairs. “When degree program partnerships grow and expand like this, it reinforces our mission as a community college.”

“FDU is proud to partner with Camden County College and extend our programs in Homeland Security and Sports Administration to more deserving students in New Jersey,” said Anthony Mastropietro, Director Community College Partnership at FDU. “Providing an affordable education is critical today and we know many CCC students will take advantage of this opportunity to complete their academic goals.”

One benefit of this new partnership is that Fairleigh Dickinson University will accept Police Academy credits towards the bachelor’s degree in Homeland Security. The partnership also provides Camden County College students another pathway to seamlessly transfer to Fairleigh Dickinson University, providing flexibility of class scheduling and affordability to obtain a bachelor’s degree.

Camden County College is one of the largest, most comprehensive community colleges in New Jersey and the surrounding region and is a vital resource for transfer education, workforce training, and cultural events. CCC’s three distinct locations in Blackwood, Camden and Cherry Hill – along with its satellite locations in Lakeland, Sicklerville and elsewhere throughout the County – share the common mission of providing accessible, affordable higher education and occupational study to all who can benefit.

The College also is recognized nationally as a leader in technology programs such as video game design/development and photonics. In addition, it is acknowledged for maintaining low tuition rates for many years. Perhaps most importantly, CCC is known for responding to the changing needs of the communities and students it serves by continuously updating its programs and services to support the economic development in this area and the professional and personal development of residents.

This signing is one of six similar signings between CCC and four-year schools in just the past year.

Devoted to the preparation of world citizens through global education, Fairleigh Dickinson is New Jersey’s largest private university and features more than 100 liberal arts and professional degree programs, two international campuses, dozens of partnerships with internationally renowned institutions and special programs and status within the United Nations. For more information, go to www.fdu.edu.

Artists’ Talk with Ron Tarver and Julia Blaukpf

Responding to Social Concerns through Photographic Works

Ron Tarver & Julia Blaukpf

Artists’ Talk

Thursday, September 20th @ 6pm
Marlin Gallery, Lincoln Hall

Free and open to the public thanks to the generous support of the Cultural and Heritage Commission of Camden County

Photographers Ron Tarver and Julia Blaukopf are currently exhibiting work in the Marlin Gallery. Both artists will give a presentation on Thursday, September 20th, at 6:00 p.m. discussing their work, their methodologies, and their careers in the arts. This event is sponsored by the Camden County Cultural & Heritage Commission and admission is free. A closing reception will take place on Wednesday, September 26th from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Refreshments will be served and admission is free. The exhibition is also open Monday through Thursday from 12:00-5:00 p.m. now through September 27th.

Ron Tarver

Ron Tarver

Ron Tarver is a nationally and internationally known photographer, author, and fine artist. His work has been featured in National Geographic, Time, Life, Sports Illustrated, and the Philadelphia Inquirer. His fine art photography has been exhibited in the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. He is co-author of the book We Were There: Voices of African American Veterans, published by Harper Collins, which was accompanied by a traveling exhibition that debuted at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. He currently serves as Visiting Assistant Professor of Art at Swarthmore College, Swarthmore PA.

“An Overdue Conversation with My Father” is currently on display in the Marlin Gallery. “This work involves the appropriation of photographs my father, Richard Tarver, produced in the 1940s and 50s to construct contemporary images that comment on the pervasive legacy of social and racial strife in this country. The more than 300 photographs and over 1000 black and white negatives he made of the African American residents in the small Oklahoma town of Fort Gibson represent a time when Jim Crow laws were still in place. While those laws have since been abolished, their legacy lives on. These reimagined images tie together a troublesome past with an equally troublesome present.” – Ron Tarver
rontarverphotographs.com

Julia Blaukpf

Julia-Blaukof

Julia Blaukopf is a photographer, artist and designer whose work has been exhibited nationally and internationally. Her photographs have been exhibited internationally in Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark; and nationally in New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Portland, Oregon. “I create socially concerned work and focus on visual storytelling through photographs, mixed media works, and large-scale installations. Blurring the lines between fine art and documentary, my focus is on emblems that compose the everyday, i.e., workers, farmers, and families. I have photographed for a women’s empowerment organization in Ghana, a reforestation project in Kenya, and collaborated with artists and organizations alike in Lithuania, Sri Lanka, and the United States. Most recently I documented a collective of indigenous women artisans in Panama called Bonöre. My photographs and installation works are created to raise awareness and foster a mutual understanding between communities on an international level. I implement this into a social arts practice by working as a creative partner with non-profits, ethically-minded businesses, media outlets, and educational institutions.” – Julia Blaukopf
juliablaukopf.com

Blackwood’s Tiffaney Tango Named 2018 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar

Tiffaney Tango from Camden County College is one of 207 Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society members named a 2018 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar and will receive a $1,000 scholarship.

Tango, a Human Services major from Blackwood, was excited and shocked when she heard the news. “I am in recovery now and have been clean for five years. My sponsor was president of the Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society at CCC and she told me about the organization, so I joined and when I was on the website I saw the scholarship and applied.”

Tango also received two other scholarships from CCC, the Addictions Counseling Club Scholarship and one of the Riletta L. Cream Scholarships. “I feel proud because of how far I have come in life,” states Tango. She will graduate this spring as a dual major in Human Services and Addictions Counseling and plans to continue her education at Rowan University next fall.

The Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholarship Program helps new Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society members defray educational expenses while enrolled in associate degree programs. Scholars are also encouraged to assume leadership roles by participating in Society programs and are selected based on scholastic achievement, community service, and leadership potential. More than 1,200 applications were received.

“Camden County College is proud to hear Ms. Tango is one of the 2018 recipients,” states CCC President, Donald A. Borden. “As a community college, we always strive to not only provide excellent academic programs that lead to jobs, but also opportunities for students to enter leadership roles that prepare them for their chosen careers. The Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise national scholarship is a wonderful resume builder for our students and Ms. Tango certainly exemplifies the qualities of the scholarship.”

Tango’s professor, Leroy Stanford offers his congratulations and support, stating, “Tiffany has served as co-secretary for the Addiction Counseling Club as well as a member of the Diversity Club here on campus. Tiffany participated in various community support advocacy projects the Addiction Club support last year and I look forward to having her back in a leadership role for the club and the next phase of success for the Addiction Counseling Program and Camden County College.”

A total of $207,000 is awarded through the Leaders of Promise Scholarship Program. The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation provides $200,000 in funding for the scholarships, with $25,000 set aside for members who are veterans or active members of the U.S. military. The remaining amount is supported by donations to the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation and provides seven Global Leaders of Promise Scholarships, earmarked for international students.

“The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation has a long history of providing financial assistance to outstanding students at community colleges,” said Jane Hale Hopkins, Executive Vice President and President-Elect of the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. “We are proud to partner with Phi Theta Kappa, make it possible for more deserving students to achieve their educational goals, and support tomorrow’s leaders of the global community.”

“Research shows that Phi Theta Kappa members are four times more likely to complete a college degree than their peers,” said Dr. Monica Marlowe, Executive Director of the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation. “The Leaders of Promise Scholarships recognize students for what they have achieved already and assure that financial need isn’t an obstacle to achieving their academic goals.”

Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The Society is made up of more than 3.5 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 10 nations. Learn more at ptk.org.

CCC Soccer Ranked #4 in the Nation

Today the NJCAA released the 2018 Men’s Soccer Pre Season Rankings and Camden County College’s Soccer Program is ranked #4 in the Nation.

First year Head Coach Kevin Nuss will look to completely improve the program with more structure and accountability on the field and in the classroom!

See the national rankings

Foundation Board Looking for a Few Good Men & Women

The Camden County College Foundation Board of Directors is seeking new faces for its general membership.

Founded in 1992, the CCC Foundation supports the College mission to provide accessible, affordable and high-quality education to all who can benefit from such opportunity. The CCC Foundation raises money to fund scholarships for students, supply enrichment opportunities for faculty and enhance instructional equipment and technological capabilities of the institution. In addition to awarding $250,000 in student scholarships annually, the Foundation hosts several fundraising events and alumni events each year.

Efforts to meet this challenge are steered by the Foundation board of directors, which is made up of local leaders who donate their money, time and talents toward continuing the Camden County College 50-year tradition of academic excellence and student success. Leading this 21-member resource team are chairman John R. Dillon of Morgan Stanley, who resides in Moorestown; vice chairman Louis R. Moffa Jr. of Montgomery McCracken, who resides in Cherry Hill; secretary Silvia Moffa of L.J. Zucca, who resides in Gloucester Township; and treasurer Kurtis J. Stroemel of HR&S Financial Systems, who resides in Voorhees.

Applications are being accepted for additional volunteers to serve on the board. Prospective members should be available to attend quarterly meetings of the full board as well as monthly meetings of their respective committees and several college events per year.

For additional information or an application, contact development associate Melissa Daly at (856) 374-4946 or mdaly@camdencc.edu.

Camden Gateway to College Program Receives National Award

Camden Gateway to College Program receives 3rd National Award

Gateway to College Delegates
Camden Gateway delegates – Left to Right: Calvin Ferguson, George Bonett, Margo Venable, Scott Oliver, Faith Grant, Irvin Sweeney, (Missing – Katrina White)

The Gateway to College program at Camden County College received another Program Excellence Award at the 2018 Gateway to College National Peers Learning Conference (PLC) held in Portland, Oregon from July 23rd to 25th. The theme of the conference was Gateway to Program Success: Accelerating Achievement. This was the third consecutive national award to be presented to the Camden Gateway program by the National Network for exceeding all the benchmarks (in 2016-17) used to assess the performance of Gateway centers nationwide. Camden Gateway has earned this prestigious award each year since it was introduced.

Ms. Emily Froimson, President of the Gateway to College National Network applauded the Camden Gateway to College program as a symbol of excellence, as she presented the award to its Director, Irvin Sweeney.

The Camden Gateway to College delegation attending the conference included Executive Dean Dr. Margo Venable, members of the Gateway Administrative team and four Gateway students. Two of the Camden students were selected as panelists for the national Student Panel discussion.

The Gateway to College program was also presented the first Equity Trailblazers Award (in November 2017) at the “65 by 25 Summit” by the Honorable Rochelle Hendricks, Secretary for Higher Education, for advancing the objective of the state of New Jersey: to raise the percentage of New Jersey residents that have attained a post-secondary credential from the current 50% to 65% by 2025, thereby helping to ensure an innovative, competitive, inclusive and more prosperous future for the state.

The Gateway to College program at Camden County College enables young people age 16 to 20 (who may have dropped out of school or at risk) to complete their high school education in a collegiate environment and earn college credits at the same time. The program is supported by the Camden and Pennsauken School Districts, Camden County College and the Gateway to College National Network.

50th Commencement Activities

Please join us Friday, May 11, 2018 at 10 a.m. in the Truman Courtyard on the Blackwood Campus on College Drive and Peter Cheeseman Road in Blackwood, NJ.

This year marks the 50th commencement at Camden County College. To celebrate, we have created four videos highlighting the impact of the College on our students.

Other highlights include:

  • Congressman Donald Norcross will announce the winner of the Alumni Trustee for 2018-2019 and provide remarks about the importance of civic leadership.
  •  Keynote speaker William J. Wilhelm has a long and rich history with Camden County College as a student, an administrator, a faculty member, and a volunteer. He is a living record of the history of the College.
  • Gloucester Township Chief of Police, Harry Earle, will accept the 2018 CCC Outstanding Alumnus Award. Chief Earle graduated from CCC in 1992 and served in various positions throughout his career with the Gloucester Township Police Department including Detective, Patrol Sergeant, Lieutenant assigned as a Watch Commander, Lieutenant assigned as the Traffic Safety Bureau Commander, Captain assigned as the Operations Commander, and Deputy Chief of Police before becoming Chief of Police in 2010.
  • Student speaker George Givens, a Business major from Camden, offers his remarks to the graduating class.
  • CCC student, Caitlin Hoffman, will perform the National Anthem.

 Interesting facts about our 2018 graduating class:

  • There are 1,626 graduates.
  • The class of 2018 is one of the largest graduating classes of Camden County College and perhaps the brightest, having earned well over $2.5 million in scholarships.
  • Two-thirds are women; one-third are men.
  • 71 are graduating with more than one degree or certificate.
  • The youngest is 17 and the oldest is 67.
  • Most are natives of Camden County. Some are from other areas of New Jersey. Some are from other states including Pennsylvania, Delaware, California, Florida, and New York. A number of you have travelled quite a bit farther – from twenty-three countries to include Algeria, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Greece, Hong Kong, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Venezuela, and Vietnam.
  • Quite a number of our graduates serve in a branch of the United States military, and 40 are veterans
  • 155 graduates earned a perfect 4.0 grade point average.
  • 75 graduates are nursing graduates who have completed requirements for an associate in science degree while also earning a diploma in nursing from Our Lady of Lourdes School of Nursing and 4 have completed certificates in Nursing.
  • Over 80 percent of our graduates have juggled the responsibilities of the classroom with the responsibilities of the working world, holding part-time or full-time jobs while pursuing a degree or certificate.