Bergen Community College

Bergen Community College mathematics professor and alumnus Robert Fusco serves as the department chair of mathematics within the Division of Math, Science, and Technology.

Fusco has held several positions at Bergen including Tutor Supervisor, Associate Professor, Developmental Mathematics Coordinator, and Grant Coordinator since September 2005.

“I have spent much of my education career tutoring students, teaching, and designing developmental and college mathematics skills programs for liberal arts and STEM students,” he said.

Fusco was an undergraduate student at Bergen, and he recalled that he met many outstanding professors during his time as a student.

“As an engineering student, I started tutoring mathematics as a way to improve my mathematics skills,” he said. “As my graduation date approached, I found I was more interested in mathematics than engineering.”

When he transferred to a four-year college, Fusco changed his major to pure and applied mathematics. He continued as a tutor and then became a teaching assistant (T.A.) in the supplemental instruction (S.I.) program. Once he graduated, he applied for the role of mathematics tutorial supervisor at Bergen and soon realized that he had a passion for education and teaching.

As a mathematics tutorial supervisor, he worked closely with the developmental and college mathematics departments. After he designed several new programs, including in class tutoring, a walk-in tutoring center, and a technology learning center, Fusco was promoted to a tenure track instructor at Bergen. As a tenure track faculty member, Fusco worked on a Title V grant and designed an emporium-based Mastery Guided Self-Paced mathematics skills program. He assisted in the design and implementation of degree-oriented developmental course designed to provide students with the specific developmental skills to ensure student success in their college level courses.

Fusco also instructs developmental skills mathematics courses. He said, “Many people and students view developmental skills education as “gate keeper” courses, but I view developmental skills education as the ‘gate’ to higher education.”

“Each day I have a responsibility to learn from colleagues, learn from the parents and the community, and especially learn from the students,” he said. “Each day I have an obligation to students to provide a caring, safe, and equitable learning environment.”

Since Fusco started teaching, he has learned strategies to make a positive impact on students. He said, “Be open minded, embrace diversity, respect the old and the new, but most important, to never forget, my (our) smiles, my (our) laughter, my (our) compassion, and my (our) ability to ‘walk a mile in some else’s shoes.’”

Although Fusco’s students tell him that they “cannot do math” or that they “never understood math,” he has discovered that the students, in many cases, have tried to “memorize what to do” and “have not been taught ‘why.’” He said, “Once they see the ‘why,’ they understand and they tell me ‘Hey, this is not that difficult, I can do this.”

Reflecting on why he decided to work at Bergen, he said, “I decided it would be nice to give back to the community.” As an educator, Fusco is “dedicated to being a lifelong learner” and he enjoys working with the “wonderful students” at the College.

“I have spent well over 20 enjoyable years as an educator,” he said. “I am looking forward to spending several more years expanding and assisting students develop the skills necessary for them to become successful college students.”

Fusco graduated with his master’s degree from Phoenix University in 2012.

Based in Paramus, Bergen Community College (www.bergen.edu), a public two-year coeducational college, enrolls more than 13,000 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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