Hudson County Community College Receives Inaugural ACCT National Impact and Success Award for Groundbreaking Programs

November 12, 2025

HCCC is the sole community college to earn the national honor.


November 12, 2025, Jersey City, NJ – On the heels of earning a regional award for student success programs, Hudson County Community College (HCCC) received the inaugural Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) 2025 Impact and Success Award.

The ACCT Impact and Success Award acknowledges programs and initiatives, board leadership, and policies that lead to tangible results in student achievement and workforce development. As the Northeast Region award recipient, HCCC was in the running with four other community colleges across the country for the national honor. Award criteria include improvements in student accessibility, completion and retention outcomes, and the expansion of basic needs programs and services.

Hudson County Community College (HCCC) received the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) inaugural national Impact and Success Award.

Hudson County Community College (HCCC) received the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) inaugural national Impact and Success Award. HCCC Trustees Emeriti Bakari Lee and Pamela Gardner, President Dr. Christopher Reber, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Assessment Dr. Heather DeVries, Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Darryl Jones, and  Dean of the School of Business, Culinary Arts, & Hospitality Management Dr. Ara Karakashian accepted the award.

“This award is owned by all members of our inspirational HCCC family,” said HCCC President Dr. Christopher Reber. “Everyone contributes to the outcomes recognized here, including exemplary teaching, learning, support services, community engagement, and other activities in service of our mission. Collectively, these outcomes have resulted in record increases in HCCC student retention, graduation and goal attainment over the last five or more years.”

HCCC was selected for creating and implementing programs that remove barriers to higher education. For example, the Hudson Scholars program provides proactive advisement, academic intervention, and financial stipends. Having served more than 4,000 HCCC students to date, the program is being expanded to serve all HCCC students. Hudson Online now includes 25 fully-online degree programs offered at in-county tuition rates for all, underscoring the College’s commitment to affordability and flexibility. Workforce Development features apprenticeships, partnerships with local trades unions and employers, and training for court-involved individuals, among other career pathways. The Hudson Helps Resource Center provides holistic wraparound services including food pantries, emergency funding, mental health support, and childcare resources to address challenges that impact student completion. Credit for Prior Learning and ReUp Education have supported nearly 2,000 returning students in re-enrolling to continue their degrees.

Dr. Reber also thanked Trustees Emeriti Bakari Lee and Pamela Gardner; Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Darryl Jones; Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and Assessment Dr. Heather DeVries; Dean Ara Karakashian; and Associate Professor of Business Elana Winslow for attending the ACCT conference and accepting the award on behalf of HCCC. Ms. Winslow also accepted the Outstanding Faculty Award for the Northeast Region.

ACCT Awards recognize the outstanding contributions made by community colleges and their leaders to meet the needs of their communities. "Community colleges are uniquely committed to making high-quality higher education accessible to all people," said 2024-25 ACCT Board of Directors Chair and Bellevue College Vice Chair Rich Fukutaki, "serving as gateways to meaningful careers and continuing education for many. Our ACCT Association Awardees represent the best of the best in community college leadership."