A year ago, the Hudson County Community College Center for Teaching, Learning and Innovation presented a first for New Jersey higher education — a national symposium dedicated to teaching and learning practices to promote social justice in colleges and universities. The symposium, the college says, was enormously successful, and many of the nearly 500 registrants from seven states and 47 colleges and universities encouraged HCCC to make this an annual event.
So, beginning Monday, Feb. 27 and continuing through Friday, March 3, HCCC will present its second annual “Teaching and Learning Symposium on Social Justice in Higher Education,” free of charge to all who wish to attend.
Nearly 40 presenters and panelists include nationally prominent educators, authors, college and university presidents and trustees, community advocates and leaders and students who will examine how social and racial issues impact employment, health and the health care system, the environment, mental health, spirituality, the justice system, corporate responsibility and youth advocacy.
“We are exceedingly proud to present this comprehensive symposium. It has been a full year in the making,” HCCC President Christopher Reber said. “Realizing that the need for teaching about social justice grows more essential every day, Dr. Paula Roberson, the founding director of our HCCC Center for Teaching, Learning and Innovation has worked passionately to prepare a roster of important topics and to engage expert presenters from across the United States.”
Reber said the symposium will begin with welcoming remarks from Dr. Brian Bridges, secretary of Higher Education for the State of New Jersey and former Vice President of Research and Member Engagement at the United Negro College Fund (UNCF).
The keynote address will be delivered by Wayne A. I. Frederick, president of Howard University and distinguished Charles R. Drew professor of surgery.
Among the symposium’s expert presenters and panelists are Johnetta B. Cole, former and first female African American president of Spelman College; John K. Pierre, chancellor of Southern University Law Center; Jacquie Abram, author of Hushmoney; Matthew J. Platkin, NJ attorney general; Jessica Pryce, child advocate, social scientist, TED presenter and executive director of the Florida Institute for Child Welfare; Sarah Ketchen-Lipson, Fulbright scholar and assistant professor, department of Health, Law, Policy and Management at Boston University; and former James McGreevey, former New Jersey governor and chairman of New Jersey Reentry Corporation; Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez and more.
Information about the HCCC “2023 Teaching and Learning Symposium on Social Justice in Higher Education” may be obtained by contacting Roberson at proberson@hccc.edu or (201) 360-4775 The complete program of sessions is available at https://www.hccc.edu/page/symposium–agenda.html.
Those interested in attending any or all of the virtual sessions must register at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJwtd–yvrDIqE9wYs_f5u1ba04fbi4cmdVHK.
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Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, a place where he has served on and off since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on Facebook Live, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to West Hudson to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.