Hudson County Community College Board of Trustees Awards Tenure to Four Faculty During Women’s History Month

March 21, 2024

Instructors recognized for their excellence in advancing student achievement.


March 21, 2024, Jersey City, NJ – The Hudson County Community College (HCCC) Board of Trustees has awarded tenure to four faculty members. Heather Connors, Karen Hosick, Laura Samuelsen, and Carrie Rong Xiao have earned tenure in recognition of their excellence in teaching, scholarly achievement, service to the College and the community, and fulfillment of their professional responsibilities.

The award of tenure reflects Hudson County Community College’s commitment to providing its students with a quality education led by highly qualified and respected professionals. Tenure is awarded based on excellence and the promise of candidates’ continued achievement demonstrated through excellence in teaching, scholarly achievement, contributions to the College and community, and fulfillment of professional responsibilities. Tenure-track faculty at HCCC engage in a rigorous multi-year process in which they hone their teaching and professional development skills and submit a portfolio demonstrating excellence in the four areas listed above. Upon the award of tenure by the Board of Trustees, faculty are promoted to the rank of Assistant Professor, effective the following academic year.

“The entire College community is proud of these instructors who are exceptional in their respective fields, from the humanities and social sciences to STEM,” said HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber. “We value their contributions and congratulate and thank them for the dedication, extraordinary talent, experience, and passion they bring to teaching our students. It is especially significant that their tenure awards coincide with our celebration of Women’s History Month.”

Hudson County Community College instructors Heather Connors, Karen Hosick, Laura Samuelsen, and Carrie Rong Xiao.

Pictured here: Hudson County Community College instructors Heather Connors, Karen Hosick, Laura Samuelsen, and Carrie Rong Xiao.

Heather Connors, who possesses more than 18 years of experience in higher education, teaches Composition I and II, Basic Reading II, Basic Writing II, and Technical Writing. She received her Associate of Arts degree in Liberal Arts - English degree from Middlesex County College, Bachelor of Arts degree in English from The College of New Jersey, and Master of Arts degree in Writing Studies from Kean University. Her teaching philosophy relies on collaborative exchanges. Her pedagogical and research interests include collaborative learning, digital rhetoric and literacies, peer review, and contingency faculty issues. Heather has presented her research at regional and national composition conferences.

Karen Hosick is an Instructor and the Coordinator of the Personal Fitness and Exercise Science programs. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Athletic Training/Exercise Science from Ithaca College, and a Master of Arts degree in Exercise Physiology from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Karen began serving the College in 2019. She previously taught Emergency Care and Red Cross certification in First Aid/Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)/Automated External Defibrillator (AED) at Montclair State University; monitored and advised students in exercise science internships; and served as a laboratory manager for the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Karen is a member of the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) and the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM).

Laura Samuelsen has served at the College as an Instructor of Academic Foundation Mathematics since 2015, teaching Basic Math, Basic Algebra, and College Algebra. Laura is also as an Assessment Coordinator for the School of Humanities and Social Sciences. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the University at Albany - State University of New York (SUNY), Master of Science degree from New Jersey City University (NJCU), and certification in Effective College Instruction focusing on establishing a productive learning environment, using active learning techniques, promoting higher order thinking, and assessing to advance learning. Laura is involved in curriculum development at the College. She is a member of the Mathematics Association of Two-Year Colleges of New Jersey (MATYCN).

Carrie Rong Xiao, who joined the College in 2019, teaches Financial Accounting and Managerial Accounting. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with experience in corporate and governmental accounting at Kaiser Permanente in New York and California. Her years of practice explaining taxes is the result of her instinctive desire to teach. Her compassion and caring as a teacher earned her recognition as an HCCC Spotlight Employee. Carrie holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Tianjin Normal University in China, and a Master of Business Administration degree from Virginia Tech University. She serves on the Curriculum and Instruction and the All College Council Development and Planning Committees. She is a member of the American Institute of CPAs.