Hudson County Community College Partners with City of Jersey City in JC Summer Works’ and Jump Start Saturdays Program
August 15, 2014
New initiative provides Jersey City high school juniors and seniors with internships, mentoring, introductions to the college application process, and more.
August 15, 2014, Jersey City, NJ – Last month, Hudson County Community College (HCCC) began a partnership with the City of Jersey City’s Summer Works program.
The Summer Works initiative is designed to provide Jersey City high school juniors and seniors with internship opportunities at companies in the private sector, leading nonprofits and City government offices. The program also has a component called “Jump Start Saturdays,” which provides enrichment and guidance sessions on Saturday. Dr. Paula Pando, HCCC Vice President for North Hudson Higher Education Center and Student Affairs, has been working with Jersey City Deputy Mayor Vivian Brady-Phillips on formulating and arranging the particulars of the program since Spring of this year.
In the Summer Works program, the College is providing internship opportunities at Hyatt, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase Jersey City Medical Center and other establishments for the high school students enrolled in the program.
On Saturday, July 12th, the College held the first Jump Start Saturday with a “College Experience Day” for approximately 30 students at the College’s Culinary Conference Center. Throughout the daylong session, which included breakfast and lunch provided by the College, HCCC Dean of Student Services Michael Reimer and staff members from the College’s Admissions, Financial Aid, and Counseling offices helped acquaint the students with the college application process (how to select a college and major, the financial aid application process, student financial literacy). Additionally, counselors assisted students in exploring career options. Deputy Mayor Brady-Phillips was also in attendance.
The College also organized and provided about 60 students with an Environmental Science Day on Saturday, July 19th. That daylong event, which was facilitated by the HCCC Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) faculty Dr. Nadia Hedhli and Dr. Sivajini Gilchrist, began at the College’s Conference Center. Following a discussion on careers in STEM fields, the students viewed and discussed a documentary film on climate change, then traveled to the Essex County Environmental Center in Roseland.
Dr. Pando said the College will host another session for about 100 students on Saturday, August 23rd. Dr. Hedli worked with the City on the agenda for the day which will begin at the HCCC Culinary Conference Center. That the morning, in conjunction with the City’s “Stop the Drop” program, Dr. Gilchrist and other professors will assist the students in developing environmental resolutions for Jersey City that the students will present to the members of the City Council. In addition, the students will learn more about HCCC and the College’s Environmental Science program. After lunch, the students will travel to the Essex County Environmental Center in Roseland.
“We were very happy to partner with the City in this endeavor,” said HCCC President Dr. Glen Gabert. “We hope this prepared the young people in our community to make informed decisions on their education, and encouraged them to consider careers in the sciences and mathematics. We look forward to collaborating on other such projects with Mayor Fulop and the City of Jersey City in the future.”