The Bergen Community College Newsletter

Winter 2015

As construction continues on the $26 million Health ProfessionsIntegrated Teaching Center at main campus, two recent devel-

opments reinforced the College’s standing as the region’s leadinghealthcare educator.First, in September, the White House, Vice President Joe Biden,

U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez and U.S. Secretary of Edu-cation Arne Duncan announced Bergen will receive a $15 millionjob-training grant to fund a regional healthcare career pathwayssystem. Bergen will lead a consortium of 12 two-year colleges,more than 20 employers and 10 workforce investment boards toserve more than 2,000 participants, including veterans and theunemployed, by providing training for healthcare jobs such ashome health aides, pharmacy technicians and billing and codingspecialists.“Workforce development remains a critical responsibility of our

nation’s community colleges — including Bergen,” President B.Kaye Walter, Ph.D., said. “The Trade Adjustment Assistance Com-munity College and Career Training grant will continue the Col-lege’s work in training the next generation of healthcare profes-sionals to enter high-skill, high-wage pathways in this growingemployment sector.”Meanwhile, the College officially took the wraps off its newest

health professions program, paramedic science, during an Octo-ber open house (pictured). The associate in applied science pro-gram — the first of any discipline based at Bergen Community

College at the Meadowlands — utilizes on-campus resources suchas an emergency department receiving area to educate currentemergency medical technicians seeking to advance their knowl-edge and employment prospects as licensed paramedics. Off-campus clinical rotations at local hospitals provide a practice-based learning environment to prepare students for immediateentry into the workforce. The inaugural group of students willenter a job market projected by the U.S. Department of Labor togrow “much faster than the average for all occupations.”n

Vitals Excellent for Health Careers

Completion CountsAccording to the National Student Clearinghouse, whichconducted a study on transfer students, 72 percent of

community college graduates ultimately earned a bache-lor’s degree. Only 56 earned one if they transferred withoutgraduating. Other data show similar advantages to grad-uating from a community college before transferring.To raise awareness about these facts, and to encourage

students to “commit to complete,” the members ofBergen’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (PTK), the honor soci-ety of two-year institutions, hosted a series of events (pic-tured top left, bottom left and bottom right) as part of theNew Jersey Council of County Colleges’ New Jersey Com-munity College Completion Challenge (NJC4), a statewideinitiative. Bergen Community College at the Meadowlandshosted the council’s annual NJC4 conference Nov. 1.PTK students also took center stage when President B.

Kaye Walter, Ph.D., (top right) recognized the group’s 225new members at an October ceremony.n

Volume 2, Issue 2

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Curtain Up!Big stage talents… in Bergen County.Anna Maria Ciccone Theatre

The McLean Avenue BandMarch 14, 7:30 p.m.

Ali StrokerMarch 20, 7:30 p.m.

Larry KirwinApril 17, 2 and 7 p.m.

Ben VereenMay 29, 7:30 p.m.

Tickets.bergen.edu or (201) 447-7428 fortickets.

BergenStagesStudents share their talents and begin their paths to stardom.

The Miracle WorkerFeb. 27, 28 and March 5, 6, 7

The Compleat Female Stage BeautyApril 10, 11, 16, 17, 18

Tickets.bergen.edu or (201) 447-7428 fortickets.

EventsSTEM SummitApril 17, 8 a.m.Moses Family Meeting and Training Center

Commencement 2015May 21, 10 a.m.Location: TBD

CampusCalendar

County History FindsHome at Ciarco CenterThe College has added a new chapterto its history. Bringing with it more than300 years of documents, publications andartifacts, the Bergen County HistoricalSociety Library and Archives opened atits permanent home, the Bergen Com-munity College Philip J. Ciarco Jr. Learn-ing Center, Nov. 6.President B. Kaye Walter, Ph.D., who

made the relocation a priority project, said the central location benefits students,faculty, staff and the community at large.“The library, which first opened many years ago in Hackensack, now returns to

home to the county seat — the center of Bergen County,” she said. “As a learningresource, the library remains a natural fit at the College.”The library holds a collection of more than 4,000 documents, publications and

artifacts reflecting the county’s growth from its 1683 establishment to the presentday. Items include an English/Dutch dictionary from 1727, hand-drawn area mapsand even a local resident’s Civil War discharge certificate.Historical society volunteers staff the library on Wednesdays from noon to 5

p.m. and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., enabling free public entry. For moreinformation, visit bergencountyhistory.org. n

Among only seven NJ peers, two Bergen professors have foundseats at the head of the class … Princeton University.By notching Mid-Career Fellowships at the Ivy League insti-

tution, Janet Henderson, Ed.D., and Ilan Ehrlich, Ph.D., have par-ticipated in the nine-month program that has fostered collaborationto tackle issues in higher education and inspired participants toenergize interests both past and present.Henderson, a composition and literature professor who has

taught for more than 40 years, returns to the Ivy League university— she completed a previous fellowship years ago — with a new focus: mass media.“It’s important to educate students on the advantages and disadvantages of

media,” Henderson — who was selected to present her abstract at The Hawaii Inter-national Conference on Arts and Humanities — said. “Our job as educators, whichis historically different from the pre-media era, is to teach students how to selectwhat is true, not true and what is slanted.”Meanwhile, Ehrlich, a history professor, also completed two graduate fellowships

at the City University of New York before starting at Bergen in 2009. A 20th centuryCuba scholar with a book release slated for March, Ehrlich wants to expand advise-ment options for all students — especially for the unique needs of the College’sHispanic population — by creating personalized opportunities."As professors, we see only one side of students in the classroom,” Ehrlich said.

“When I advise a student one-on-one, I see them as a three-dimensional person.”Fellows will present their findings to peers.n

Faculty Focus

Spring• Spring 1: January 20• Spring 2: February 12• Spring 3: March 24

Summer• Summer 1: May 26

Register at my.bergen.edu.

A Schedule for All Seasons

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1. Together with faculty, staff andstudents, many of Bergen’s 130veterans enrolled under the Post9/11 GI Bill participated in theCollege’s annual Veterans Dayremembrance.

2. The Cerullo Learning AssistanceCenter’s John Findura, MargaretRoidi, Khairia Fazal and Luis DeAbreu accepted the Frank L.Christ Outstanding LearningCenter Award from the NationalCollege Learning CenterAssociation at the group’sconference in Albuquerque, N.M.

3. Volunteer knitters organized bythe Division of ContinuingEducation and the BergenCounty Technical Schools gavethe homeless the gift of warmth.

4. Latino Heritage Month 2014closed with a banquet featuringfestive food, student recognitionand dancing.

5. At the annual holiday openhouse, Bergen faculty and staffenjoyed treats prepared byhotel/restaurant/hospitalitystudents.

6. STEM Career Day opened eyes tojob opportunities in science,technology, engineering andmath.

7. Students like Elizabeth Staub,studying in Seville, Spain thissemester, represent Bergen’scommitment to participatingglobal educational opportunities.

8. The Bergen Community CollegeFoundation raised more than$120,000 for studentscholarships at the Nov. 21Medallion Awards Dinner at theRockleigh.

9. “Youth Empowerment throughSports and Academics” offeredworkshops and an eveningbasketball game for prospectivestudents.

10. Bergen professor Kil Yi,attorney Roy Cho, professorWin Win Kyi and Dr. VictorHartanto led the paneldiscussion during “AsianAmericans in Suburbia.”

11. As an honored guest of theParamus Sunrise Rotary,President B. Kaye Walter,Ph.D., lit the group’s customarymeeting candle and accepted adonation for scholarships.

12. Students in the horticultureprogram outfitted thegreenhouse with holiday plantsand arrangements to benefitscholarships.

13. President B. Kaye Walter,Ph.D., discussed the College’shealth professions initiatives onNJTV News with Mary AliceWilliams.

14. Guest speakers, staff andfaculty like Kathy Pignatelli ledprofessional developmentworkshops at the College’sbiannual Day of Service andCommunity in October.

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Alums AwardedThe educational journey of more than 48,000graduates began at Bergen. At the fifthannual alumni dinner Oct. 9, the College rec-ognized three members of that group — andan accomplished faculty member — duringan evening ceremony at Bergen CommunityCollege at the Meadowlands. (From left): Honors Alumni Network

Founder Steven Chung (‘12) received the Dr.Judith K. Winn School of Honors OutstandingAlumni Award; Bergen Assistant to the Ath-letic Director Elaine Korinko (’79) earned theAlumni Hall of Fame Award; Bergen VicePresident of Facilities Planning, Operationsand Public Safety William Corcoran (’76) col-lected the Living Legacy Award; and non-alumnus Associate Professor Joseph Sivo,Ph.D., won the Rising Star Award.Sponsored by the Alumni Network, the

yearly dinner serves as the group’s signatureevent. n

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Technically, Bergen Opens High School

Last semester, the College partnered with the BergenCounty Technical Schools to establish an Applied Tech-nology High School at the Paramus campus, enabling aninaugural class of 30 high school freshmen to earn both ahigh school and associate degree in less than six years.n

InsideBergen is a publication of the Office of Public Relations. Send feedback to lhlavenka@bergen.edu.

Bergen Strikes a PoseThe red carpet runway to Paris, Milan andNew York now includes a stop in Paramus.With the hopes of inspiring the next CalvinKlein or Betsey Johnson — and preparingthem to enter an industry just across theHudson River with 180,000 employees earn-ing $10.9 billion in total wages — Bergen hasglamorized its fashion design offerings.Coupled with its existing Division of Con-

tinuing Education offerings (an open house,pictured below, took place in the new designstudio at main campus last semester), a de-gree program in fashion apparel design remains in development to offer hands-on labs on topics such as sewing, draping and pattern-making coupled with core

general education classes. Bolstered by the College’s

fashion passion, the trend-set-ting students of “F.A.B.” (Fashionat Bergen) club sponsored thesecond annual “Rip the Runway”show at main campus in Novem-ber (pictured above). n