(from l.) Bergen County Executive James J. Tedesco III, Freeholder Steve Tanelli, Freeholder Chair Pro Tempore Joan Voss, Ed.D., College President Michael D. Redmond, Ph.D., Freeholder Chair Germaine Ortiz, Freeholder Vice Chair Mary Amoroso, Freeholder David Ganz and College Board of Trustees Secretary Joseph Barreto.
HACKENSACK, N.J. – Joining the nationwide celebration of U.S. community colleges, Bergen County Executive James J. Tedesco III and the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders have each signed proclamations recognizing April as Bergen Community College Month in Bergen County. The county executive and freeholders presented the proclamations to College President Michael D. Redmond, Ph.D., and Board of Trustees Secretary Joseph Barreto at the April 3 freeholders meeting.
“Community colleges like Bergen educate nearly half of the nation’s undergraduate students,” he said. “We open doors to higher learning for many students who may not have otherwise believed it to be possible. With the continued ardent support of Bergen County Executive James J. Tedesco III and the Bergen County Board of Chosen Freeholders, we can continue to make students’ dreams realities.”
Longtime supporters of the College, County Executive Tedesco and Freeholder Chair Germaine Ortiz, echoed the president’s sentiments.
“Every year, Bergen Community College helps thousands of students unlock their potential and reach for new educational and professional opportunities,” County Executive Tedesco said. “We are proud to recognize and celebrate Bergen for the important role it plays in improving the lives of our residents, growing our economy and preparing our communities for the future.”
“The residents of Bergen County have a great institution in Bergen Community College,” she said. “The school offers a great, affordable education and a path towards a four-year degree, attaining vocational expertise that helps them enter the immediate job market, or retooling their skills for the careers of tomorrow. All members of the Freeholder Board were happy to support and recognize the efforts of the teachers, administrators, and students at the school by making April Bergen Community College month.”
As part of the 30-day Bergen Community College month celebration in the county, the institution will host numerous events that invite the community to campus. They include:
*A series of workshops that will assist students fill out their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which can help them become eligible for programs that can help pay for college – even by making it tuition-free. Visit one.bergen.edu/fafsa for more information.
*An April 25 collegewide open house from 3:30 to 7 p.m. at the main campus at 400 Paramus Road in Paramus. Visit bergen.edu/openhouse for more information.
*The April 30 opening of its state-of-the-art STEM Student Research Center at 11:30 a.m. and the unveiling of the $50 for 50 donor wall at 3 p.m. The College will also host government leaders for a luncheon prepared by culinary students.
More than 1,000 U.S. community colleges provide higher learning opportunities for 41 percent of the nation’s undergraduate students each year. On average, community college graduates earn an additional $6,600 annually over those who did not earn an academic credential after high school.
The state’s largest community college, Bergen offers programs in fields such as aviation, business administration, culinary arts, fashion design and nursing. Alumni have transferred to institutions such as Yale, the New Jersey Institute of Technology and the University of California, Berkeley. The College maintains campus locations in Paramus (main), Hackensack (Philip Ciarco Jr. Learning Center) and Lyndhurst (Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands) while also offering online classes. Its main campus features facilities such as the Health Professions Integrated Teaching Center, the Emil Buehler Trust Observatory and Stryker Manufacturing Lab, which provide students with hands-on, practice-based learning opportunities. Day and evening classes take place throughout the week – including a “weekend college” program.
Based in Paramus, Bergen Community College (www.bergen.edu), a public two-year coeducational college, enrolls more than 14,000 students at locations in Paramus, the Philip Ciarco Jr. Learning Center in Hackensack and Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands in Lyndhurst. The College offers associate degree, certificate and continuing education programs in a variety of fields. More students graduate from Bergen than any other community college in the state.
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