In honor of Black History Month, the County College of Morris (CCM) Art and Design Gallery held an exhibition – Black Art Matters – honoring the accomplishments of African-American artists in New Jersey.

The Black Art Matters exhibit runs through March 31st.

“The exhibition offers the opportunity to explore the achievements, culture and heritage of New Jersey’s African-American artists through their work,” says Todd L. W. Doney, director of the gallery and professor of visual arts at CCM. To accomplish that, Doney reached out to Jersey City artist and friend, Alvin Pettit, to curate the exhibit. Pettit is director of the Mary McLeod Bethune Life Center in Jersey City and is well connected to the state’s visual arts community.

A Baltimore native and New York based fine artist, Pettit is firmly situated within the figurative sculpting and painting traditions. Growing up in the 70s and 80s, his home was filled with paintings by his father and grandfather and that, combined with the fact that his family was heavily involved in the Civil Rights movement, led him to recognize the importance of using art as a tool for social awareness.

The Black Art Matters exhibition highlights African-American artists from New Jersey including Yvonne Bandy, who teaches graphic design at CCM; Tyler Ballon, recipient of a Congressional Art Competition award; and Cory Ford, whose work earned a first place award at the Greenpoint Gallery (Brooklyn) 2014 People’s Choice Show.

The title Black Art Matters is used to emphasize the point that art created by African-Americans is part of the history of visual arts in the United States and worldwide, notes Pettit.

“The significance and impact African-American Art has had on society is immeasurable,” says Pettit. “It is woven into the fabric of civilization and the recognition it deserves is long overdue.”

The Art and Design Gallery is located in the Sherman H. Masten Learning Resource Center on CCM’s Randolph campus, 214 Center Grove Road. Gallery hours are Monday and Wednesday, noon to 5 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday, noon to 8 p.m.; Friday, noon to 4 p.m.; and the first Saturday of the month, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

CCM Named National Center of Excellence for Cyber Security Education
The First Community College in New Jersey to Gain this Distinction

County College of Morris (CCM) has become the first community college in New Jersey to gain designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE 2Y) through a program sponsored jointly by the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security.

The designation, offered through the National IA Education and Training Programs (NIETP), recognizes CCM as an institution with a proven track record for information security education and awareness. Only 41 community colleges across the country, or less than 3 percent, hold the same designation, according to the NIETP program office.

“We are deeply grateful to Professor Patricia Tamburelli, who with her husband and adjunct professor, Joseph Tamburelli, had the foresight and undertook the hard work to ensure CCM was able to obtain this designation,” said Dr. Anthony J. Iacono, CCM president. “Their expertise, exceptional work and dedication to students are the reason CCM stands out in higher education. Students who choose CCM can expect to receive a high-quality education and opportunities that they will not find elsewhere.

“The Department of Information Technologies and its chair, Professor Nancy Binowski, also need to be commended for gaining this recognition, which places CCM as a national leader in the area of cyber security, as does CCM’s Board of Trustees for its vision and ensuring the resources are in place for such programs to flourish. What the Tamburellis have accomplished not only is good for CCM but can also be expected to serve Morris County and New Jersey in many ways including helping people to obtain great jobs.”

“Joe and I are so pleased and honored that CCM has earned this designation,” said Professor Patricia Tamburelli, who, along with her husband, teaches information technology at the college. “We also are deeply grateful to Nancy Binowski who has been a true champion for making this vision a reality.”

To obtain the designation, CCM needed to demonstrate that its cyber security curriculum is aligned with national standards, that the college contributes to providing a pipeline of professionals who can assist with protecting against cyber attacks, and that it is a resource for the community in the area of information security.

The college currently offers a certificate program in information security and an Associate in Applied Science in Information Technology with both a digital forensics and information security track. Also offered is an Associate in Science in Criminal Justice with a specialization in computer forensics.

In 2015, the Department of Information Technologies established the Center for Cyber Security at CCM to serve as a comprehensive resource for students, faculty, staff and the community in the area of cyber security. Also in 2015, the Tamburellis formed a cyber defense competition team at the college, the Cyber Centurions, which came in seventh place at its first competition at the Mid-Atlantic Regional College Cyber Defense program that year. In addition, the department each semester offers cyber security workshops for the community, the most recent of which was a session for the Morris County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

Along with recognizing the excellence of the college’s educational programs, the CAE-CDE 2Y designation means that CCM students now can apply for scholarships through the National Science Foundation to continue their cyber security education at four-year institutions.

The CAE designation was established to increase the nation’s understanding of cyber defense and to address the critical shortage of professionals in the information security field.

The other CAE institutions in New Jersey are Fairleigh Dickinson University, New Jersey City University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Princeton University, Rutgers University and Stevens Institute of Technology.

Former President Elected to Shakespeare Theatre Board

Dr. Edward J. Yaw of Convent Station, who retired as president of County College of Morris (CCM) earlier this year, recently was elected to serve on the Board of Trustees of The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey.

Yaw was elected, along with Edward C. Leithead, III of Chatham, to join the board of 22 distinguished community volunteers as trustees of the theatre group.

Under the leadership of board President Thomas Keffer and Honorary Chairman Thomas H. Kean, the trustees provide oversight and resources for the theatre’s finances, operations and executive staff and enhance the institution’s services and public standing.

A highly respected supporter of the arts, Yaw retired as president of CCM at the end of August after serving 30 years in that leadership role. He was appointed to the position of President Emeritus of CCM effective September 2016.

Yaw was named the second president of the college in 1986, following the retirement of CCM’s first president, Dr. Sherman H. Masten. He first joined CCM in 1980 as Dean of Academic Affairs. Prior to that, he served as Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at Adelphi University in New York.

Yaw is widely respected by his peers and has been elected to serve on various professional and educational councils working with state officials. He also serves on the boards of the Morris County Chamber of Commerce, Morris County Human Relations Commission, the Urban League of Morris County and the Morris-Sussex-Warren Counties Workforce Investment Board.

“Both Ed Leithead and Ed Yaw bring to our board tremendous enthusiasm for the theatre and its mission,” stated Keffer. “In addition, we will benefit from Dr. Yaw’s long history as an education leader, and Ed Leithead’s expertise in corporate management and financial matters.”