Historic HCCC-NJCU Connect Program Transfer Agreement Launched

On Dec 14, 2023

New Jersey City University (NJCU) and Hudson County Community College (HCCC) have introduced and launched HCCC-NJCU CONNECT — a program that was created to provide highly visible, inclusive, and barrier-free transfer pathways to guide students and their families from high school, through studies at HCCC, and on to a timely graduation from NJCU.

This agreement will enable a seamless transfer experience from HCCC to NJCU as HCCC students take the next step in their academic journeys and pursue their bachelor’s degrees at NJCU in one of 15 academic major disciplines after completing their associate degree at HCCC.

A critical element of the partnership will allow every credit earned at HCCC to transfer to NJCU. In April, NJCU announced the most significant overhaul of its general education curriculum in decades — reform which makes NJCU a statewide leader as the most transfer-friendly public university in the state. NJCU is the only four-year institution in New Jersey to do this.

The HCCC-NJCU CONNECT program, announced in June, will officially launch in January, 2024, with the signing of the agreement. Students will be dually-enrolled and have access to all programs and facilities at both institutions throughout their programs of study.

Reflecting on the impact of the agreement, HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber stated “We both serve large communities of traditionally underrepresented students. Many students at both institutions are the first in their families to go to college. Many of these students are navigating monumental barriers to pursue their education. When they succeed, it is life-changing for the students, their children, their families, and their communities, and the outcomes ripple throughout generations.”

“The work we are doing lives and breathes within our community,” NJCU Interim President Acebo said at the ceremony. “Help doesn’t always come from the outside – the most sustained focus of our work must be rooted within the communities that we serve. You can’t be for the community if you’re not in the community.”

Acebo added: “This historic announcement for both institutions builds upon NJCU’s nearly century-long commitment to providing a socioeconomically diverse population with access to an excellent education as a catalyst to social mobility. This is a pillar of our commitment to being one of the public anchor institutions in Hudson County and surrounding communities. NJCU recently announced the most significant overhaul of its general education program in decades. Our intentional work alongside our partners at Hudson County Community College will only further the distinction that NJCU is now the most transfer-friendly public university in the State of New Jersey. The partnership between NJCU and HCCC provides tools to change the trajectory for students who enroll in the community college, make the transition to the four-year institution, and engage fully in the opportunity to earn a bachelor’s degree.”

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