PHOTOS COURTESY ECC
A Transfer Agreement ensuring a seamless transition from Essex County College (ECC) to New Jersey City University (NJCU) was signed by the presidents of both institutions in a ceremony on Thursday, July 18. The signing, held on ECC’s Newark campus, will help ensure a clear pathway for students to first earn an Associate degree followed by a Bachelor’s degree and beyond, said ECC’s President, Dr. Augustine A. Boakye.
“This is an agreement that brings two outstanding institutions together who have similar goals and missions. We believe that everyone should have access to a quality higher education at an affordable price,” said Dr. Boakye.
“Today we are executing a plan that will not only support both our institutions, but the communities that we serve.” Dr. Boakye stated that this agreement is one more way that the College can help students first graduate from Essex County College, then continue to grow and succeed.
NJCU Interim President Andres Acebo concurred. “This agreement will be our collective legacy, a program that has been championed through by our concerted efforts.” He said that there will be nearly 40 majors that students moving from ECC to NJCU can pursue at little or no cost.
The state Community College Opportunity Grant (CCOG) program covers the tuition and approved educational fees for eligible community college students which their remaining aid doesn’t pay. At the four-year institution level, the state’s Garden State Guarantee (GSG) program covers the cost of tuition and fees that are not already covered by federal and state financial aid or other scholarships.
Under the terms of the agreement, both institutions will establish procedures for the sharing of campus resources and student support services. The program will be evaluated on a regular basis to ensure its effectiveness.
New Jersey State Assemblywoman Carmen Morales, a former ECC Board of Trustees member, said, “Today marks a significant milestone in education. We are making higher education more accessible and affordable. We are strengthening the community and building a greater New Jersey.”
Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr., a graduate of NJCU when it was Jersey City State College, said, “This agreement is definitely about the students who will greatly benefit from this wonderful opportunity.”
The transfer agreement is for five years.
