Hudson County Community College Hosts Fourth Annual Teaching and Learning Symposium on Social Justice in Higher Education

March 5, 2025

Presenters included elected officials and nationally acclaimed public policy experts, educators, interfaith leaders, community activists, attorneys, and others.


March 5, 2025, Jersey City, NJ – College is not a one-size-fits-all route to a better future. From science and technology to the arts and humanities, academic programs reflect rapidly evolving industries where students of all backgrounds can thrive and improve their communities and regional economies. High quality, dedicated learning environments and dynamic approaches reinvigorate today’s leaders and prepare tomorrow’s leaders to access opportunities and prosper.

Hudson County Community College (HCCC) welcomed educators, business and civic leaders, community groups, and students as presenters and participants in the HCCC 2025 Teaching and Learning Symposium on Social Justice in Higher Education. Presentations were held February 24-28, 2025. Each day, elected officials and renowned education experts, attorneys, scientists, clergy, community advocates, and thought leaders from throughout the United States provided expertise and exchanged ideas in hour-long presentations.

Now in its fourth year, the HCCC Teaching and Learning Symposium on Social Justice in Higher Education is a national model featuring acclaimed guest speakers, workshops, and panels, and the first of its kind offered by a New Jersey higher education institution. Nearly 1,800 thought leaders, educators, and activists from 30 states and several countries attended virtual synchronous sessions this year.

Dr. Antonio Flores, President, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities; Steven M. Fulop, Mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey; Dr. Paula Roberson, Director, HCCC Center for Teaching, Learning, and Innovation; and Dr. Christopher M. Reber, HCCC President.

Hudson County Community College (HCCC) held its fourth annual, weeklong Teaching and Learning Symposium on Social Justice in Higher Education, February 24-28, 2025. Pictured here at the opening day ceremonies: Dr. Antonio Flores, President, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities; Steven M. Fulop, Mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey; Dr. Paula Roberson, Director, HCCC Center for Teaching, Learning, and Innovation; and Dr. Christopher M. Reber, HCCC President.

The symposium began on Monday, February 24, with opening remarks from Dr. Paula Roberson, Director of the HCCC Center for Teaching, Learning, and Innovation and the driving force behind the symposium. Dr. Darryl Jones, HCCC Vice President for Academic Affairs, introduced Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, U.S. Senator Cory A. Booker delivered the Symposium Charge, and Dr. Christopher Reber, HCCC President, introduced the symposium keynote speaker, Dr. Larry D. Johnson, Jr., President of Guttman Community College of the City University of New York (CUNY).

Opening-day presentations also included:

  • The “Cost” of Leadership in Higher Education, Dr. Larry Johnson, Jr. with session host Dr. Paula Roberson;
  • Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) featuring Antonio Flores, HACU President and CEO, with Dr. Reber, and HCCC Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Dr. Yeurys Pujols;
  • The Pursuit of Happiness: Awareness, Advocacy, and Inclusion of People with Intellectual Disabilities in Higher Education featuring Dr. Kenne Evans, Registrar/Admissions & Registrar, Tarrant County Community College, Texas; and Danielle Lopez, HCCC Director of DEI for Accessibility Services; and
  • We Are Still Here: On Native Identity and Activism with Megan Red Shirt-Shaw, Director of Native Student Services, University of South Dakota; and Denise Knapp, HCCC Coordinator/Associate Professor of Human Services.

Topics covered in sessions throughout the week included: Justice is a Bridge: Community-centered Approaches to Governance; Howard University Students: Social Justice Studies; Immigrant Justice; Course & Curriculum Reform Across STEM Disciplines; The Black Woman Leader; Words on Fire: The Power of Incendiary Language; Disability Advocacy in Higher Education; Governor Murphy’s Clemency Initiative; New Jersey Reparations Council; College and University Presidents’ Panel; League of Women Voters: Your Voice = Your Vote; Faith Leaders’ Panel; Operationalizing Love; Social Justice in the Constitution; WE ACT for Environmental Justice; The Haitian Immigrant Injustice Experience; Immigration in the News; HCCC Student Reflections; Expungement Information Session; and Clean-up of the Passaic River.