Union County College Board of Trustees Chair Victor M. Richel, Mr. Welsh, and Union County College President Margaret M. McMenamin.

At a recent Joint Meeting of the Union County College Board of Trustees and Board of Governors, Hugh C. Welsh, of Cranford, was sworn in to serve as a new Governor. Union County College Board of Trustees Chair Victor M. Richel and Board of Governors Chair Elizabeth Garcia welcomed Mr. Welsh to the meeting and initiated his swearing in.

Mr. Welsh is the President, General Counsel and Secretary of DSM North America. DSM is a global leader in nutrition, food ingredients, engineering plastics, resins, renewable energy, biomedical materials and fibers. DSM is headquartered in Heerlen, Netherlands, and trades on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange. DSM North America includes 37 sites, 4000 employees and $3 billion in sales.

The U.S. represents DSM’s largest country by sales and is home to more than 30% of DSM shareholders. In Mr. Welsh’s current positions, he provides leadership to DSM’s legal, communications, and government affairs departments.

Prior to joining DSM North America, Mr. Welsh served as the Associate General Counsel for American Standard Companies. He was responsible for mergers and acquisitions, labor and employment, and litigation.

Mr. Welsh’s excellence in leadership is evident through the many awards and honors he’s received. In 2016, he was awarded the NJ Law Department of the Year Award. Mr. Welsh has also received the National Diversity Council Multicultural Leadership Award, US Chamber of Commerce Foundation Global Citizen Award DSM, NJ General Counsel of the Year Award, and the UN Leader of Change Award.

“Mr. Welsh is an advocate for community colleges and we welcome him to the Board. He supports our Foundation and I look forward to working with him as we continue to push forward our mission of ‘transforming our community, one student at a time,’” stated Union’s President Margaret M. McMenamin.

Mr. Welsh holds a Juris Doctor from Seton Hall Law School and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Massachusetts Boston.

From left, in the front row are Union County Freeholder Vernell Wright, Union County College President Margaret M. McMenamin, Union County College Board of Trustees Chair Victor M. Richel, Union County College student Zabrena Grisi, Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen, and Union County Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski.

Union County College Dedicates Veterans Center with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Union County College proudly celebrated its student veterans with a ribbon cutting ceremony to dedicate the Veterans Center on Oct. 9, 2017, located in the Helen E. Chaney Student Services Center at the Cranford campus. Union County College President Margaret M. McMenamin was joined by Union County Board of Trustees Chair Victor M. Richel to welcome attendees. Veteran and Union County College Board of Trustees Vice Chair Frank A. Bolden, Esq. shared a story from his time in the service. Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen spoke about the County’s UC HERO initiative and thanked the College for providing an excellent educational opportunity to veterans. Former US Marine and Union student Zabrena Grisi expressed her gratitude for the Center as place where she could find the comradery she experienced in the military.

Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados, Freeholder Vernell Wright, Freeholder Al Mirabella, Freeholder Angel Estrada, and Freeholder Bette Jane Kowalski joined the celebration. Councilman from Kenilworth Peter Corvelli was also in attendance.

“The Veterans Center embodies our mission to transform our community, one student at a time. Student veterans face unique challenges as they readjust to civilian life, and we are proud to have this space available to help ease the transition. It is an honor to have veterans further their education at Union, and the Veterans Center is a significant way in which we can support them,” stated President McMenamin.

The College provides many services for student veterans. Union is approved to certify eligible veterans to use the education benefit provided by the GI Bill. During the certification process, veterans meet with an academic advisor to determine their major and to establish a plan for completing an Associate’s degree or Certificate. The College also offers referrals to off-campus organizations for veteran-related services. A special feature of the Center is the student lounge. The lounge is a dedicated space for veterans to have a place where they can study, do homework, have a meal, and socialize.

Seated at the table from left are Union County College Board of Trustees Chair Victor M. Richel, Union County College President Margaret M. McMenamin, Kean University President Dawood Farahi, and Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen.

Union County College Signs Joint Admissions Agreement with Kean University

Union County College and Kean University have a long-standing partnership that was recently renewed with the signing of an expanded Joint Admissions Agreement. Union County College President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin was joined by Kean President Dr. Dawood Farahi at Union’s Cranford campus to sign an agreement that provides for a direct transfer of credits to additional degree programs.

“Union County College has long enjoyed a close relationship with Kean University, seeing a significant number of our graduates continue on to finish their bachelor’s degrees at Kean. One of our priorities is to ensure that our students are able to transfer as seamlessly as possible. We are excited that this agreement strengthens our already existing relationship and helps our students,” stated President McMenamin.

Kean President Farahi stated, “Union County College is an important education partner for Kean University, and this agreement continues that strong tradition. With these additional direct transfer programs, we are making it easier for Union graduates to pursue their educational goals and attain Kean’s world-class and affordable education.”

Union County College Board of Trustees Chair Victor M. Richel expressed his gratitude for the continued efforts of Union and Kean to provide county residents with access to high quality and affordable education. Union County Freeholder Chairman Bruce H. Bergen commended both institutions for their support of the County’s workforce development agenda and the goal to increase the number of adults in Union County who have college degrees. All of these achievements are possible from the continued support of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

Also present at the signing were Union County Freeholder Vice Chairman Sergio Granados and Freeholder Christopher Hudak. Union students, faculty, and staff were also present for the momentous occasion.

From left, Union’s PTK President Gissella Gamboa, PTK member Chikwendu Nwachuku, and PTK Vice President of Leadership Edward Gaskin.

Union County College Has Three Students Named 2017 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise

Union County College students Gissella Gamboa of Linden, Edward Gaskin of Rahway, and Chikwendu Nwachuku of Scotch Plains, have each been named as Phi Theta Kappa 2017 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholars and will each receive $1,000 scholarships.

The Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholarship Program helps new Phi Theta Kappa members defray educational expenses while enrolled in associate degree programs. Scholars are encouraged to assume leadership roles in PTK programs and are selected based on scholastic achievement, community service, and leadership potential. Nearly 1,000 applications were received.

Union County College President Margaret M. McMenamin stated, “We are very proud of our PTK Coca-Cola Scholars. They are college leaders today and will be community and business leaders in the future.”

The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation provides $200,000 in funding for the scholarships, with $25,000 set aside for members who are veterans or active members of the U.S. military.

“The Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation has a long history of providing financial assistance to outstanding students at community colleges,” said J. Mark Davis, President of the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation. “We are proud to partner with Phi Theta Kappa, make it possible for more deserving students to achieve their educational goals, and support tomorrow’s leaders of the global community.”

The funds provided by the Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation not only aid college completion, but also give students the opportunity to develop leadership skills and become future leaders in their communities.

“Research shows that Phi Theta Kappa members are four times more likely to complete a college degree than their peers,” said Dr. Monica Marlowe, Executive Director of the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation. “The Leaders of Promise Scholarships recognize students for what they have achieved already and assure that financial need isn’t an obstacle to achieving their academic goals.”

Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of community college students and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The Society is made up of more than 3 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in nine nations.