On Thursday, Dec. 4, 2014, the Hudson County Community College Foundation held its 17th Annual Holiday Extravaganza. The annual Distinguished Service Award was presented to Hudson County Executive Thomas A. DeGise (third from left). Pictured with Mr. DeGise from left are:
- HCCC President Dr. Glen Gabert
- William J. Netchert, Esq., Chair of the HCCC Board of Trustees
- Hudson County Freeholder Anthony Romano
- HCCC Foundation Chair James Egan
- HCCC Vice President for Development Joseph Sansone
Fundraising gala celebrating the College’s 40th
Anniversary grossed $208,000; Hudson County Executive Thomas A. DeGise was
honored for his support.
December 9, 2014, Jersey City, NJ – Hudson County Community College
(HCCC) Vice President for Development Joseph Sansone announced today that the
HCCC Foundation’s 2014 gala fundraiser was the most successful to date. Mr.
Sansone said the 17th Annual “Holiday Extravaganza” grossed a
record-breaking $208,000. The event was held on December 4th at the
College’s Culinary Conference Center in Jersey City. Proceeds from the event will
be dedicated to scholarships for deserving students, faculty development
programs, and the College’s physical expansion.
In celebration of the College’s 40th Anniversary, the theme
of this year’s gala was “Travel back to the Beginning ... 1974.” The décor and
menu reflected trends and cuisine that were popular in 1974. A PowerPoint
presentation ran throughout the evening and displayed cultural icons of the
time of the College’s founding, including TV shows, movies, music, national
politics and fashion that were prominent in 1974. The evening’s hospitality
hour and gourmet dinner feast were prepared by the chefs/instructors of the
College’s nationally acclaimed Culinary Arts Institute. Students from the HCCC
Culinary Arts/Hospitality Management program provided the stellar service
during the event.
Another highlight of the event was the special recognition of Hudson County
Executive Thomas A. DeGise, who was honored for his steadfast support of Hudson
County Community College and its students with the 2014 HCCC Foundation
“Distinguished Community Service Award.” Mr. DeGise has been particularly
instrumental in supporting the College’s physical expansion. Since he became
the County Executive in 2002, the College has completed from-the-ground-up
construction of three new facilities – the Culinary Conference Center
and Library Building in Jersey City’s Journal Square, and the North Hudson
Higher Education Center in Union City. In addition, HCCC has renovated several
other buildings in the Journal Square area, including 2 Enos Place, 70 Sip
Avenue, and One PATH Plaza.
The Hudson County Community College Foundation is a nonprofit 501 (c) 3
corporation giving tax-exempt status to contributors. Since the Foundation was
established in 1997, it has provided over $2 million in scholarships to more
than 2,000 students.
In addition,
the HCCC Foundation established the Foundation Art Collection eight years ago
to coincide with the initiation of the College’s Fine Arts studies program.
Presently, the Collection includes nearly 800
paintings, lithographs, photographs, sculptures, and other works-of-art
that are displayed throughout all of the buildings on the College’s Journal
Square Campus and at the North Hudson Higher Education Center. Artists in the
Collection include: Donald Baechler, Leonard Baskin, Elizabeth Catlett,
Christo, Willie Cole, Edward S. Curtis, Marcel Duchamp, Lisa Parker Hyatt,
Rockwell Kent, Joseph Kosuth, Valeri Larko, Roy Lichtenstein, Reginald Marsh,
Méret Oppenheim, Robert Rauschenberg, Man Ray, Mickalene Thomas, and William
Wegman. The Foundation also hosts a series of lectures called “Arts Talks,”
which feature prominent artists and art authorities and scholars and are open
to the general public.
The HCCC Foundation’s Board of Directors also
organizes and holds an annual Golf Outing, “Night at the Races,” and the HCCC
Employee Scholarship Luncheon. There are other events held throughout the year
to build scholarship funds for students specifically from Hudson County’s
northern and western municipalities.