Hudson County Community College President Nominated to USDA - HACU Leadership Group
July 3, 2024
Dr. Christopher Reber, President of Hudson County Community College, was recently nominated by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) to serve as a member of the United States Department of Agriculture-HACU Leadership Group.
July 3, 2024, Jersey City, NJ – Hudson County Community College (HCCC) President Dr. Christopher Reber is passionate about strengthening higher education. He leads and supports initiatives to close achievement gaps, prioritize student success, expand online programs, and create diverse pathways for students to complete certificate and degree programs that lead to long-term employment with family sustaining wages. Nationally recognized for his advocacy of diversity, equity, and inclusion, Dr. Reber is called upon frequently to provide insight and expertise on issues facing community colleges.
Recently, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) President and CEO Dr. Antonio R. Flores nominated Dr. Reber to serve as a member of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)-HACU Leadership Group. In this capacity, Dr. Reber will collaborate with presidents and chancellors from colleges and universities across the nation as well as USDA senior representatives to improve and expand opportunities for Hispanic students in agriculture-related fields.
“I am confident that President Reber’s vast experience and dedication to higher education will make a significant contribution to the Leadership Group, helping us achieve our shared objectives even more effectively,” wrote HACU President Dr. Antonio Flores in his nomination letter to USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack.
The ten-member USDA-HACU Leadership Group provides guidance and strategic direction to ensure the Hispanic community equitably participates in and benefits from USDA education and employment programs, resources, and services. The group recommends policies and programs to strengthen USDA partnerships with Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) and HACU. The USDA-HACU Leadership Group was created through a Memorandum of Understanding, which was renewed in 2022. The 34-year partnership is the longest HACU has had with a federal agency. Past initiatives generated internships, cooperative agreements, and fellowships.
“I am honored to have been nominated to join this distinguished group of leaders and to engage in their important work of helping ensure there is equal accessibility to all USDA opportunities for the men and women of one of the fastest growing segments of our population,” Dr. Reber stated. “I am proud to lead and support our long-standing Hispanic-Serving Institution and honored to be a member and partner of HACU.”
Agriculture is the Garden State’s third largest industry, earning $1.5 billion in annual revenue. New Jersey produces more than 100 crops, according to the USDA Farm Service Agency-NJ State Office. HCCC offers a host of programs for students that address natural resources/agricultural challenges. These include building a hydroponic mushroom farm that supplies the HCCC Culinary Arts program; conducting soil assessment projects; offering degree programs in Environmental Studies; and much more.