Hudson County Community College President Named to 2021 NJBIZ Education Power 50

September 24, 2021, Jersey City, NJ – Hudson County Community College (HCCC) is proud to announce that HCCC President Dr. Christopher M. Reber has been named to the NJBIZ Education Power 50 List for 2021. The list recognizes education leaders who are responsible for managing New Jersey higher education organizations, making policies that affect the institutions, or who are directly responsible for imparting knowledge to students, apprentices, and the community at large. This year’s list honors the ways educators, and colleges and universities, demonstrated resiliency and forward thinking in navigating the pandemic and ongoing public health emergency.

The NJBIZ profile notes: “…Reber gained wide attention when the school cancelled the debt incurred by 2,000 students over three semesters during the pandemic.” In an August interview, Dr. Reber told NJBIZ: “The number one goal we have is to try to avoid students dropping out. Because of the nature of our student body, the likelihood [is high] that if they stop now, they’ll never come back to us or to any higher degree.”

Under Dr. Reber’s leadership since the COVID-19 pandemic began HCCC has supported food pantries on the Journal Square and North Hudson campuses; distributed more than 1,100 Chromebooks and laptop computers as well as 50 Hot Spots; made more than 5,500 reheatable meals prepared by the College’s Culinary Arts Institute available to the College and Hudson County communities; offered courses, programs and services remotely and online; launched a COVID-19 vaccine incentive program that provided $100 to 3,000 students who demonstrated they were fully vaccinated; partnered with the North Hudson Community Action Corporation (NHCAC) to administer COVID-19 vaccines on the HCCC North Hudson and Journal Square campuses; offered financial counseling and emergency assistance to students; and much more.

“I am honored to be recognized by NJBIZ and acknowledged with my esteemed colleagues,” Dr. Reber stated. “I share this honor with everyone at HCCC – trustees, students, faculty and staff. As our students often say, ‘Hudson is Home.’ We are a family and work together to ensure a culture of care that supports all of our members and our neighbors in the community is fully realized at all times.”

Dr. Reber became the eighth president of HCCC in July 2018, and has made student success, and equity, diversity and inclusion the hallmarks of his administration. Prior to arriving at HCCC, Dr. Reber served as president of Community College of Beaver County (CCBC) near Pittsburgh, PA. Earlier in his career, he served for 12 years as Executive Dean of Venango College of Clarion University of Pennsylvania. His career also includes 18 years at Penn State Erie, The Behrend College, where he served as the Chief Development, University Relations and Alumni Relations Officer; and as Chief Student Affairs Officer. He also led continuing and cooperative education programs at Lakeland Community College near Cleveland, Ohio.

Dr. Reber holds a bachelor’s degree from Dickinson College; a master’s degree from Bowling Green State University; and a Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh.  He also holds a post-graduate certificate from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education.

The NJBIZ profile on Dr. Reber and the other NJBIZ Education Power 50 may be viewed at https://njbiz.com/2021-njbiz-education-power-50-z/.