Berkeley College Newark Networking Breakfast Highlights New Initiatives and Community Partnerships
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
Senior Director, Communications and External Relations
973-200-1099
KME@BerkeleyCollege.edu
Photo Caption (L to R): Yolanda Floyd, EdD, Principal, Gateway Academy Charter High School, BRICK Education Network; Diane Recinos, EdD, President of Berkeley College; Luis Collazo, Campus Operating Officer, Berkeley College in Newark; and Maya Curry, Vice President, Communications and Programming, Newark Regional Business Partnership; at Berkeley College’s second annual Newark Networking Breakfast on Thursday, May 2, 2024.
Business partners, community leaders, and alumni focused on collaboration and education during Berkeley College’s second annual Newark Networking Breakfast on Thursday, May 2, 2024. Keynote speakers included Yolanda Floyd, EdD, Principal, Gateway Academy Charter High School, BRICK Education Network, and Maya Curry, Vice President, Communications and Programming, Newark Regional Business Partnership.
“Today, we come together with a shared purpose of fostering connections and strengthening the bonds that tie our community together,” said Luis Collazo, Campus Operating Officer, Berkeley College in Newark. “Berkeley College prides itself on the support we provide our students and we hope you will partner with us in helping our students achieve their full potential.”
Collazo announced that Berkeley College will welcome more than 300 high school students to its Newark campus later this year, as the new home of Gateway Academy Charter High School. He also discussed the success of the Newark Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), which was held on campus last year.
Floyd spoke about the mission of the BRICK Education Network in building a holistic, pre-cradle to career pipeline for students and families in the City of Newark.
“Our tagline – ‘More Than a School’ – is exactly what we live,” Floyd said. “We came to realize that to help students be successful we had to focus on more than just what was happening in the classroom. … We know this work is not possible without the dedicated efforts of local businesses, nonprofits, and community leaders.”
Curry shared the work of the Newark Regional Business Partnership (NRBP), which represents more than 300 organizations, small businesses, nonprofits, and educational institutions in the greater Newark region. The NRBP highlights the work of member organizations and hosts topic-based networking events to create connections.
“We’re very happy to be here at Berkeley College and in the City of Newark, supporting the business community at-large and helping to bridge those connections that can help us all to be competitive and successful in the market,” Curry said.
Diane Recinos, EdD, President of Berkeley College, shared Berkeley College initiatives including Continuing Education certificates and courses that can meet the needs of professionals seeking to advance in their careers, and the Newark Promise Grant, an opportunity for qualified residents of Essex County to pursue a degree without incurring any loans for tuition and fees.
“One week from today on May 9 our graduates will cross the Commencement stage, just a few blocks from here at Prudential Center,” Recinos said. “Our graduates join the ranks of 66,000 Berkeley College alumni from around the world, and I am so excited to see what the future holds for them.”
Mary Ann Chimento, Director, Corporate and Community Relations, Berkeley College, discussed the benefits of the Berkeley College Corporate Learning Partnership program, which offers a 30 percent tuition reduction toward most degree programs to members and their immediate families.
“Education is key to company growth and retention,” Chimento said. “Remember, we are never too old to learn. We are never too late to dream. We are all open to collaboration – we are a community.”
Photo Caption: (Left) Yolanda Floyd, EdD, Principal, Gateway Academy Charter High School, BRICK Education Network, delivers remarks during Berkeley College’s second annual Newark Networking Breakfast on Thursday, May 2, 2024. (Center, L to R) Sarita Sisco, Business Development Officer, Visions Federal Credit Union; Mary Ann Chimento, Director, Corporate and Community Relations, Berkeley College; and Carilyn Melendez, Financial Wellness Officer, Visions Federal Credit Union. (Right) Maya Curry, Vice President, Communications and Programming, Newark Regional Business Partnership.
About Berkeley College
Berkeley College, founded in 1931, is a career-focused institution accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that offers students Master’s, Bachelor’s, and Associate’s degree and Certificate programs in more than 20 career fields. The College also offers Continuing Education programs to enhance career credentials.
Berkeley College has campuses in New York City and in Newark, Woodbridge, and Woodland Park, NJ, with more than 3,500 students enrolled. In addition, Berkeley College Online® serves a global population. U.S. News & World Report has named Berkeley College among the Best Colleges for Online Bachelor’s Programs and among the Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Veterans, for 11 consecutive years. Berkeley College is also ranked among the Best Regional Colleges/Universities in the North in the 2023-2024 edition of the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges survey. The website address is https://BerkeleyCollege.edu.
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