Koral Booth Selected as Hudson County Community College Board of Trustees Student Alumni Representative

November 20, 2020

Koral Booth

Mother of four exemplifies determination and student achievement.

 

November 20, 2020, Jersey City, NJ – Hudson County Community College (HCCC) alumna Koral Booth will be sworn in as the Alumni Representative on the HCCC Board of Trustees at the virtual Board meeting on Tuesday, November 24, 2020. She was chosen for the position by HCCC students and will serve throughout the upcoming academic year.

“Koral exemplifies the determination, persistence, and generosity of our students,” said HCCC President Dr. Chris Reber. “Not only was she an excellent student, she was also a true leader – mentor, community activist, and one of the College’s best spokespersons. This is a well-deserved honor.”

Ms. Booth, who enrolled at HCCC as a 37-year-old mother of four school-age boys, earned her Associate of Arts (A.A.) in English degree in May. “It was a difficult decision to return to school because I was sacrificing being a full-time, stay-at-home mom. I wanted something better for myself and for my children. I went for testing, academic counseling, registration, and my first class all in the same day,” she said. 

During the course of her college studies, Ms. Booth lost her mother to cancer and her father to heart disease, but she remained focused on her goals, and immersed herself in college life. With support from her sons and her HCCC family, she made the Dean’s List twice and became a role model for other non-traditional students. Ms. Booth started “The Later in Life Leaders” club for older HCCC students. As a Peer Leader, she mentored students, and provided assistance in the HCCC Enrollment, Student Life and Leadership, and the Center for Academic and Student Success departments. As an Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) English tutor, she helped students hone their writing skills.

Ms. Booth helped bring Alpha Sigma Lambda, an honor society for adult learners at community colleges, to HCCC. She was inducted into several honor societies, including Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) International Honor Society; served as Vice President of Sigma Kappa Delta (SKD) Honor Society for English majors; was a member of the College’s Achieving the Dream core strategic group; and provided leadership as President of The National Society of Leadership and Success. Ms. Booth was honored for Excellence by the HCCC Division of English and ESL. Her other activities and volunteer work include EOF of New Jersey, Student Government Association, LGBTQIA, Literary Club, Black Student Union, Honors Program, Food Pantry Steering Committee, Thinking in Full Color Writing Residency.

Ms. Booth states that Hudson County Community College provided the foundation for her educational and career goals. She will transfer to Saint Peter’s University and enroll in the Dual Degree Program to pursue her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. “I’m beyond thankful for my experiences at Hudson County Community College, and I’m sad to be leaving, but I know that I have nothing to fear because Hudson set me up for success to begin my new journey,” Ms. Booth said.