Hudson County Community College Named Finalist for Three National Awards of Excellence
February 5, 2025
February 5, 2025, Jersey City, NJ – A college-corporate partnership that improves socioeconomic mobility and is a national model for second-chance programs. A professor who reduces achievement gaps through innovative strategies and programs. A manager who champions change and improvement and develops new student opportunities. These are the Hudson County Community College (HCCC) finalists for the 2025 American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Awards of Excellence. The national honors underscore AACC’s priorities and spotlight promising practices among its 1,000 member colleges.
“We are honored that AACC recognized the outstanding and transformative people and
partnerships that mirror our commitment to continually increasing opportunities and
improving outcomes for our community,” said HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber.
“Community is at the heart of all we do at Hudson County Community College. We are
dedicated to improving our citizens’ lives and the regional economy by providing our
diverse community with inclusive, high-quality educational programs driven by collaboration
and innovation.”
AACC named Hudson County Community College’s Dr Azhar Mahmood, Jennifer Valcarcel, and Justice-Involved Undergraduate Success and Training Partnership as finalists for national Awards of Excellence.
HCCC’s Justice-Involved Undergraduate Success and Training (JUSTice) program, a partnership with the Hudson County Department of Family Services and Reintegration, was selected as a finalist in the AACC Outstanding College/Corporate Partnership Award category. The partnership reduces recidivism for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals and removes barriers to socioeconomic mobility through education, training, support, and employment in high-demand fields. JUSTice is the only program in the nation to offer college degrees virtually in a county jail and offers the sole New Jersey state-certified Phlebotomy program. Hudson County Correctional Center installed internet access and purchased 20 computers to facilitate the program. HCCC faculty receive training to provide virtual instruction. On-campus and workplace programs provide industry-recognized credentials in Computer Basics, Culinary Arts, Welding, and more. HCCC Student Success Coaches assist with transitions to employment. The partnership also includes New Jersey Reentry Corporation and area businesses, unions, and nonprofits. More than 89% of JUSTice program participants earned credentials in 2024.
Dr. Azhar Mahmood, HCCC Associate Professor of Chemistry and Coordinator of the Construction Management Program, is one of just three community college educators in the United States selected as finalists in the AACC Faculty Innovation Award category. Professor Mahmood leads substantive and ongoing innovation. He initiated and developed the HCCC Construction Management degree program, recognized as one of the leading programs of its kind in the United States. Dr. Mahmood developed a scalable model that supports closing achievement gaps and received a $300,000 National Science Foundation grant to support student-run construction management businesses. He guides residential, commercial and industrial Construction Management projects from classroom to on-site construction, and arranges field trips, externships and internships to afford students hands-on experience.
Jennifer Valcarcel, HCCC Associate Dean of Career and Transfer Pathways, is one of only three community college managers selected in the nation as finalists in the AACC Rising Star-Manager Award category. She has streamlined processes, built partnerships, enhanced transparency and communications, and developed new student opportunities. Ms. Valcarcel established the HCCC Transfer Council, cultivated internal and external relationships that resulted in new and updated transfer agreements, and created a robust web presence for students. She led the merger of HCCC Career Services and Transfer Pathways; facilitated the CONNECT transfer program that results in tuition savings, dedicated coaches, and more; guided the Transfer Pathways Council to enhance existing agreements, Early College processes, enrollment, and student engagement; updated the College’s Student Success course offerings; and created a monthly newsletter for students, faculty, and staff. Ms. Valcarcel is the recipient of the 2024 League for Innovation in the Community College Excellence Award.
Winners will be announced at the Awards of Excellence Gala on April 15 during the AACC Annual Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.