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NJ Secretary of Higher Education Honors Newark City of Learning Collaborative with “Equity Trailblazer Award”

Stakeholders from around the state joined the New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education, Rochelle Hendricks, on Monday, November 20, 2017 in Princeton for “65 by 25: Many Paths, One Future – The Equity Imperative,” during which the Newark City of Learning Collaborative (NCLC) received one of four Equity Trailblazer Awards. Presented “in recognition of innovative, exemplary efforts toward achieving New Jersey’s attainment goal,” awards were also presented to the Garden State LSAMP (Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation) housed at Rutgers University-Newark, Gateway to College at Camden County College, and the Rowan College at Gloucester County Work and Learn Consortium.

The Equity Imperative event was hosted by the Secretary of Higher Education in partnership with Aaron R. Fichtner, Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and New Jersey Department of Education Commissioner Kimberley Harrington, as a part of the state’s 65 by 25 campaign which officially launched in September 2017. With a goal of raising the percentage of New Jersey residents that have a post-secondary credential from the current 50 percent to 65 percent by 2025, the initiative is “helping to ensure an innovative, competitive, inclusive and prosperous future” for New Jersey and promoting collaboration between colleges and universities, businesses, and government officials.

In line with the mission and goals of the state, NCLC, which is housed on the Rutgers University-Newark campus, was launched in 2015 to help Newark become a more economically vibrant city by increasing the number of residents that have education or training beyond high school to 25 percent by 2025. Also like the state-wide initiative, NCLC works with a cross-section of stakeholders from higher education, K-12 schools, corporations, city government, foundations, and non-profit organizations to expand Newark’s college-going culture and develop clear pathways for residents to earn degrees or other credentials.

In attendance to accept the Equity Trailblazer Award on behalf of NCLC was Executive Director Reginald Lewis, who said during his remarks, “In just a few short years, we’ve managed to mobilize an entire city to begin to change a mindset in earnest about what’s possible: that many more residents can aspire to attain college and other post-secondary credentials…which gives us hope that 25 by 2025 remains in reach.”

Acknowledging the many partnerships that make the work of NCLC possible, Mr. Lewis highlighted the main take away for the event: collaboration is key to help make New Jersey a stronger and more equitable state.

Read full article at rutgers.edu

 

Lady Cougars keep dominating with win over RCGC

BLACKWOOD – The Camden County College women’s basketball team improved its record to 8-2 by beating rival Rowan College at Gloucester County 61-57 on Nov. 21.

The game was packed to the doors with Cougar and Road Runner fans and the gym was electric when the tip off took place.

An impact player for the Cougars, Olivia Pierman, has shown great strength and leadership on the court as a freshman. About Camden County’s success so far this season and how it will affect the team’s success moving forward, Pierman said, “It is always awesome having a great start. It gives us momentum for the rest of the season that hopefully leads us into playoffs.”

The scoring and momentum of the game was back and forth all 40 minutes. At halftime the Cougars trailed RCGC by five points but that did not stop the Cougars from playing their game.

The tide of the game swung in the direction of the Cougars toward the final stretch as they took the lead with 2:10 left in the game. The Road Runners could not regain the lead as the Cougars played inspired defense at the end of the game. John Merkh, the clock operator at home games, said, “It is always fun to watch these girls play. They play together and that’s why they come out on top more times than not.”

Pierman said beating their rivals was important to the Cougars. “It feels amazing. It is always a good feeling when you beat your rivals. We knew it was going to be a hard game and we were able to come out with the win.”

She noted playing well together matters to the team. “Chemistry has been a big part and knowing what we have to do every game. We do not take any game for granted.”

The Cougars finished the day as the number one team in the conference and a top five team in the region.

To read full article visit ccctimes.net

Bobby Girgenti
CCC Journalism Program

Free training plus a promise of jobs for some Camden students

When she graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Camden last year, Rosemary Irizarry’s future was uncertain. The tech-savvy teen, often an honor-roll student, couldn’t afford her dream school — Stockton University.

“I put money into my savings, then decided to take a break for a semester and find out what I wanted to do, because I felt pressure,” said Irizarry, 19, of East Camden.

But a year later, she has a promise of employment as a medical coder, thanks to a jobs program involving Camden County College, local nonprofits such as Hopeworks, and the county’s largest employer, Cooper University Health Care.

Launched in September with 13 students, the initiative allows high school graduates and GED-holders — some loaded with other jobs and coursework — to earn a 39-credit medical-coding certificate at their own pace. For most, the program will take 15 to 18 months to complete and include a mix of in-person and online courses.

Afterward, students are guaranteed a full-time medical-coding job with Cooper University Health Care starting at $13.64 an hour. Full benefits are offered 90 days into employment.

“The more they explained the program to me, the more I enjoyed it,” said Irizarry, a Camden County College student and chemistry and medical-coding double major. A month into the program, she said, she’s starting to make flashcards to help her memorize complicated medical terminology and their corresponding codes.

County and state officials, along with top hospital and college administrators, gathered in a 10th-floor Cooper University Hospital boardroom overlooking downtown Camden to praise what the program means for youths in a city with nearly 20 percent unemployment and a median household income of just $25,000.

The certificate costs $12,000 per participant, but that cost is covered by public and private funding and the program is free to students, who must be Camden residents.

To read full article visit philly.com

CCC Named a Talent Development Center for Advanced Manufacturing

Oct-30-17 Department of Labor Names NJ Colleges and Universities to Oversee Seven Talent Development Centers

$8.4 Million in Grants Awarded to Create Career Pathways and Apprenticeships in the State’s Key Industries

TRENTON, October 30, 2017 – The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (LWD) has named Rutgers University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Camden County College, Rowan College at Burlington County, Rowan College at Gloucester County, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology as the recipients of $8.4 million in state grants to oversee the state’s Talent Development Centers (TDC) – creating innovative career pathways and apprenticeships in the Garden State’s seven key industries.

“We are proud to partner with our state’s higher education institutions and trust that their knowledge and infrastructure will be able to expand career pathways and apprenticeships that integrate classroom and work-based learning leading to an industry-valued credential,” said Labor Commissioner Aaron R. Fichtner, Ph.D.

Each TDC will receive $1.2 million in state funds to serve as a “centers for excellence” as anchors for expanded, high-quality, employer-driven partnerships that involve businesses, high schools, colleges, universities, labor unions, and workforce development boards.

These institutions will be tasked with providing credential-focused education and training to dislocated, disadvantaged, and currently employed workers, developing partnerships with employers and establishing career pathways toward an industry-valued credential or degree.

The Talent Development Centers were launched by LWD in 2016, with three TDCs –Advanced Manufacturing, Health Care, and Transportation, Logistics & Distribution. The expansion now to seven TDCs comes due to the program’s success.

The funding for these grants is provided by the Workforce Development Partnership (WDP) program and the supplemental Workforce Fund for Basic Skills (SWFBS).

New Jersey’s Talent Development Centers are part of the ‘65 by 25: Many Paths, One Future’ initiative, working to build a skilled, competitive workforce by helping New Jerseyans find pathways to careers. The ‘65 by 25: Many Paths, One Future’ initiative is a collaborative effort of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the Department of Education, and the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education, focused on increasing the percentage of New Jersey adults who have earned an industry-valued post-secondary credential or degree from 50 percent to 65 percent by 2025.

Read full press release at NJ Department of Labor and Workforce Development

N.J. college hosts free series on Sex, Gender and Sexuality

A New Jersey community college will host a lecture series later this month exploring gender, sexuality and biological sex.

 

“Sex, Gender and Sexuality: Navigating a Shifting Landscape” will consist of six free events at Camden County College’s Blackwood campus beginning Sept. 18.

Ellen Hernandez began serving as the associate director of the college’s Center for Civic Leadership and Responsibility (CCLR), which is hosting this series, in January. Hernandez said she recently read the “Gender Revolution” issue of National Geographic and watched a documentary on transgender children.

“I decided my first project as associate director of the center should be to create a lecture series to make sure everyone is informed about sex, gender, gender identity, expression and sexuality,” she said.

Hernandez said she took the lead from CCLR Director John L. Pesda and used the information she gathered from articles and online research to find experts on areas related to LGBT issues. Presenters will include artists, educators, faith leaders and therapists. Dr. Jacqui Bowman and Quincy Greene of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia will present “The Science behind Biological Sex” Sept. 28, in which they will explain biological processes and complexities for sex assignment and sex determination. Additionally, Danna Bodenheimer of Walnut Psychotherapy Center and local nephrologist Dr. Thomas Delgiorno will participate in “Talking about Gender Change,” an Oct. 12 panel.

Hernandez said registered participants can receive professional-development credits if interested. However, she said the course will also help people become more informed citizens, and CCLR will encourage audience participation.

“You’re getting information that you may not have, which I think is vitally important at this time,” Hernandez said. “It gives us a chance to ask the questions that need to be asked so that people have accurate information; there is so much information out there through social media that is inaccurate, that is misguided, that is frankly discriminatory in its nature. We have to make sure people really know the facts.”

Hernandez said “people are dying over ignorance,” noting the 22 trans people killed in 2016 and 17 in 2017.

“The current president and his administration have proposed policies that exclude and discriminate against LGBTQ people and are going to set back the progress that’s been made,” Hernandez said. “I think we owe it to ourselves to become armed with information and to support and protect one another.”

“Sex, Gender and Sexuality: Navigating a Shifting Landscape” will kick off 7 p.m. Sept. 18 at Camden County College’s Blackwood campus, 200 College Drive, Blackwood, N.J. Subsequent sessions will be held on Thursdays through the end of October at the same time and location.

Contact CCLR Project Coordinator Valerie Concordia at vconcordia@camdencc.edu for more information. Visit http://bit.ly/2ixKePh for a brochure.

Source: www.epgn.com

Police train in De-escalation technique at Camden County College

GLOUCESTER TWP. — It seems like a simple equation: distance plus cover equals time.

That formula, though, can help save the lives of police officers and the people with whom they interact, said Sgt. Scott Swenson, a 16-year veteran of the Baltimore Police Department. Establish a distance between the officer and the person in crisis; trust other officers to cover and protect yourself, and take note of existing obstacles to use for cover; and, most importantly, buy time to calm the situation down, rather than ratcheting up the tension.

Swenson was at Camden County College’s Blackwood Campus Thursday for a one-day training session for law enforcement officers on de-escalation techniques, working as an instructor but also learning from others techniques to take back home with him.

The Police Executive Research Forum, a 41-year-old law enforcement training and policy nonprofit, and the Camden County Police Department sponsored the training in Integrating Communications, Assessment and Tactics (ICAT). The goal: teaching officers to keep volatile situations from escalating, while still keeping themselves, their colleagues, the public and even the suspect safe from harm.

The formula was one of the tricks of the trade shared by Swenson, who helps oversee training for the 3,000-officer force. In 2015, Baltimore police came under fire after the death of Freddy Gray while in police custody — a death that touched off riots and violence in the city, and, along with the death of Michael Brown and subsequent riots in Ferguson, Missouri, began a still-brewing national debate over police brutality, tactics and the use of deadly force.

“This training really is the best,” he said. “I’ve seen others, and frankly, felt they fell a little short.” The emphasis on communication and assessing situations before acting, something long highlighted by Camden County Police in training its officers, set ICAT training apart, Swenson added.

Read the full article at courierpostonline.com

As its Camden factory grows, Holtec looks to fill jobs in city

Dozens of Camden residents interviewed Tuesday for jobs at Holtec International as the company makes efforts to become one of the largest employers in the city.

Holtec, a company that designs equipment for power plants, held interviews at the Camden County One-Stop Career Center for labor, welding, machinist, and technician jobs. About 40 people interviewed, and they were predominantly Camden residents, said Jack Johnson, a human resources manager for Holtec.

The energy company, which won $260 million in tax credits to move from Evesham, began its transition earlier this year to its city campus, located on the Delaware River in south Camden.

Johnson said in an interview Tuesday that he was unsure how many of the applicants would receive job offers. Those who do get hired will likely start within the next month. He added that in addition to seeking employees to hire immediately, the company was looking for candidates that it can consider when positions open up in the future.

Read the full article at philly.com

Mountain Bike racing comes to Camden County College

GLOUCESTER TWP. – Mountains? Who needs mountains for a mountain bike race? Especially in South Jersey?

 

So says George Sokorai, a Wenonah resident and the man behind The Challenger, a four-race event that weaves its way through wooded trails on the campus of Camden County College.

“Cycling gives you a sense of freedom,” said Sokorai, who says he rides six days and 80 miles during a typical training week. “As a kid, that’s really that first time you experience that is on a bike.

“It’s also a sport that entire families can enjoy together. We’ve hoping this is the first of many events here at Camden County College.”

Sokorai is expecting 400-450 riders, ranging in age from 7 to 65, to be at the starting line on Saturday. Races begin at 8:30 and run through early afternoon with different categories and age groups.

There are four different categories of racing for riders. The course travels a 7.5-mile loop through the wooded trails with an elevation of 500 feet at the peak.

Category 1 (Professional/Elite, 8:30 a.m. start time) will complete three laps, Category 2 (Intermediate/Sport, 10:30 a.m.) will ride for two laps and Category 3 (Beginner, noon) will travel over one lap. A Category 4 (Novice, first-timers, 1:30 p.m.) will run on a separate 5-mile course, which is less demanding.

Riders can pre-register for the race online (until Thursday at 8 p.m.) for fees ranging from $20-$35 depending on category and age group. Fees go up $10 on race day.

Read the full article at courierpostonline.com

The Role of Engineering Technology in Education Today

Camden County College Engineering Professor Reports to U.S. Congress on the Role of Engineering Technology in Education Today

Calls for Increased Awareness of Field of Study and Employment

WASHINGTON – Last month, Camden County College (CCC) Engineering Professor and former Dean of the Division of Business, Computer, and Technical Studies, Dr. Melvin Roberts, was one of eight select members of a panel called to Capitol Hill, Washington, DC to present report findings to members of the House Manufacturing Caucus and the Senate Competitiveness Caucus. Their report, published by the National Academy of Engineering, shows that while workers in the engineering technology (ET) field play an important role in supporting U.S. technical infrastructure and the country’s capacity for innovation, there is little awareness of ET as a field of study or category of employment in the U.S.

Dr. Roberts serves as Chair of the Two-Year College Division of the American Society for Engineering Education and was asked to join a panel consisting of three Deans—one from CCC, one from Western Carolina University, and one from Texas A&M—as well as an Emeritus professor from MIT, and managers from IBM, BMW, and Boeing. Each of the eight panel members presented data about the state of engineering education in the U.S. today. Dr. Roberts focused on community college engineering programming.

A summary of the findings presented by Dr. Roberts and the panel is below. The full report is available for download here.

Summary of Findings

There are numerous similarities between traditional engineering and engineering technology.Though, in comparison, if engineers are viewed as being responsible for designing the nation’s technological systems, engineering technicians and technologists are those who help build and keep those systems running.In 2014, there were nearly 94,000 four-year engineering degrees, nearly 18,000 four-year ET degrees, and more than 34,000 two-year ET degrees awarded in the U.S.

 

While federal employment data group the work of technicians and technologists together, the report separates those with four-year degrees in ET or other fields (technologists) from those with two-year degrees in ET or other fields (technicians).Of the roughly 400,000 people employed in ET in 2013, an estimated 80 percent were working as engineering technicians.

 

The committee that conducted the study and wrote the report carried out a survey of employers of engineering technicians and technologists and found that 30 percent of nearly 250 respondents had never heard of ET education.In addition, one-third of respondents said they did not know the difference between work performed by engineers and work performed by engineering technologists.Within academia, leaders of two-year and four-year ET programs should engage in discussions with leaders in postsecondary engineering education about the similarities and differences between the two variants of engineering and how they might complement each other while serving the interests of a diverse student population, the report says.The ET education community should consider ways to make the field’s value more evident to K-12 teachers, students, and parents, as well as to employers.

 

The committee examined supply and demand within the ET workforce and found no clear indication of a shortage or surplus of engineering technicians or technologists.However, this does not preclude the possibility of market imbalances in certain geographic areas and recognizes that with the evolution of new engineering systems, new skills will be required in order for the U.S. to compete in the marketplace.

 

The National Science Foundation should consider funding research on factors affecting matriculation, retention, and graduation in ET, the report says.For example, understanding why black students graduate at higher rates from ET programs than they do from engineering programs and why women are less-engaged in ET than they are in engineering may allow programs in both domains to better attract and retain more diverse student populations.

 

In addition, research is needed to better understand the reasons for the apparent loose coupling of degree attainment and employment in ET, the report says.People with ET degrees work in a broad range of occupations, and those employed as engineering technologists have a diverse degree background.For example, 12 percent of engineering technologists have a four-year degree in ET, while 39 percent of them have engineering degrees, according to the National Survey of College Graduates.

 

There are significant, data-related limitations to understanding differences in degree histories, specific job attributes, and educational and employment choices of those working as engineering technicians and technologists, the committee found.The report recommends ways for the National Center for Education Statistics and nationally representative surveys — such as the American Community Survey — to consider collecting additional data on these populations.

 

“The U.S. innovation economy, like all others in the world, depends on its highly educated engineers, engineering technologists, and technicians,” said NAE President C. D. (Dan) Mote, Jr.”This report spurs both greater understanding of the contributions of workers with ET-skills and further expansion of ET education in the U.S.”

 

The study was sponsored by the National Science Foundation.The mission of the National Academy of Engineering is to advance the well-being of the nation by promoting a vibrant engineering profession and marshalling the expertise and insights of eminent engineers to provide independent advice to the federal government on matters involving engineering and technology.

Formal Installation Ceremony of 5th President of Camden County College

NJ College Presidents and Dignitaries Visit Campus to Celebrate

Blackwood, NJ – On Thursday, April 6th, Camden County College will welcome its Fifth President, Donald A. Borden, in an academic ceremony. Students, faculty, dignitaries, and delegates from all of the NJ community colleges and local universities will gather in the Dennis Flyer Theater of Lincoln Hall on the Blackwood campus to support President Borden in his new leadership role. The ceremony begins at 11 a.m.

President Borden’s appointment as President of CCC was announced via press conference last June. In academia, presidents are usually inaugurated several months later in an academic ceremony. President Borden chose to tone down the pomp and circumstance of the event, add more students to the agenda, and focus on addressing the state of the College and the direction the College will take moving forward.

“Our continued success is due in great measure to our faculty, who are committed to ensuring our students’ dreams are fulfilled,” states President Borden. “They are the foundation that will ultimately continue our tradition of developing minds, enhancing skills, and enriching the lives of thousands of students who will leave here to achieve success in a myriad of ways.”

The event begins with two long held traditions: a musical procession of works and the presentation of the College Mace and Presidential Medallion. After the national anthem and invocation, new traditions will begin.

As part of President Borden’s desire to foster student involvement and his desire to always put students at the forefront, students from the College’s performing arts and music programs will be offering entertainment to excite the community about a prosperous future. Additionally, three student government members were chosen to speak on behalf of the student body: Business Administration major, Vanessa Inigo of Clementon, Elementary and Secondary Education Major, Katelynn Rozzell of Pine Hill, and Chemistry and Mathematics Major, Zachary Weintraut of Sicklerville.

Other speakers include Math Professor and President of the CCC Faculty Association, Dr. Kelly Jackson, President of the Camden County College Board of Trustees, John Hanson, and the Honorary Dr. Ed McDonnell, Deputy Director of the Camden County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

Following the ceremony, attendees are invited to walk through the Marlin Art Gallery and the Campus Sculpture Garden to peruse the powerful art and sculptures on display. Camden County College welcomes its 5th President on its 50th Anniversary with a new sculpture—Rise to Excellence. The sculpture will be unveiled between Roosevelt and Taft Hall to commemorate the momentous installation of President Borden.