“Berkeley College Day” Celebrates 90-Year History in New Jersey
Tuesday, September 28, 2021
Senior Associate, Media Relations
973-200-1048
Chanel-Donaldso@BerkeleyCollege.edu
Photo Caption: Berkeley College celebrated its 90th anniversary with commemorative cherry tree-planting ceremonies in the four New Jersey communities where its campuses are located on Tuesday, September 28 and Wednesday, September 29, 2021. Sheila Y. Oliver, New Jersey Lieutenant Governor; M. Teresa Ruiz, New Jersey Senator Pro Tem; Joseph Lagana, New Jersey Senator; Craig J. Coughlin, New Jersey Assembly Speaker; Lisa Swain, Assemblywoman, New Jersey; Keith Kazmark, Mayor of Woodland Park; John E. McCormac, Mayor of Woodbridge; Richard LaBarbiera, Mayor of Paramus; Ras J. Baraka, Mayor of Newark; Pasquale “Pat” Lepore, Director, Passaic County Board of Commissioners; and Cassandra “Sandi” Lazzara, Passaic County Commissioner, were among the dignitaries to pay tribute to the College at the events.
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Berkeley College celebrated its 90th anniversary with commemorative cherry tree-planting ceremonies in the four New Jersey communities where its campuses are located on Tuesday, September 28 and Wednesday, September 29, 2021, coinciding with a proclamation issued by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy declaring September 28, 2021, as “Berkeley College 90th Anniversary Day.”
“Besides our continued focus on student success where the student always comes first, Berkeley College maintains its dedication to being a part of the local community and giving back,” said Kevin L. Luing, Chairman, Berkeley College Board of Trustees, of the College which has graduated more than 65,000 students since its founding in 1931.
The festivities included dignitaries who paid tribute to the College. In Woodland Park: Keith Kazmark, Mayor of Woodland Park; Pasquale “Pat” Lepore, Passaic County Commissioner Director; and Cassandra “Sandi” Lazzara, Passaic County Commissioner. In Woodbridge: Craig J. Coughlin, New Jersey Assembly Speaker, and John E. McCormac, Mayor of Woodbridge. In Paramus: Joseph A. Lagana, New Jersey Senator; Lisa Swain, Assemblywoman, New Jersey; and Richard LaBarbiera, Mayor of Paramus. In Newark: Sheila Y. Oliver, New Jersey Lieutenant Governor; M. Teresa Ruiz, New Jersey Senator Pro Tem; and Ras J. Baraka, Mayor of Newark.
Oliver, who served as the keynote speaker at the Newark ceremony on September 29, shared her long history with Berkeley College, which she said dates back to 2004 when she was elected to the New Jersey General Assembly and represented Woodland Park, NJ. “The marriage of Governor Phil Murphy and Lieutenant Governor Sheila Oliver occurred in the Berkeley College building in Newark,” she recalled of her first meeting with the New Jersey Governor, which she said took place at Berkeley's Donald M. Payne, Sr. Library.
“A tree is symbolic,” said Michael J. Smith, President of Berkeley College. “The trees that we plant today are going to be here into the future. When Berkeley celebrates its 180th anniversary, with our children’s children’s children, the story of Berkeley will continue to be told,” Smith added.
Berkeley College officially opened its doors on September 28, 1931, in East Orange, NJ. As the premier secretarial school in the area, Berkeley offered a one-year, career-focused program to help prepare women for the workforce. Today, Berkeley College has maintained its legacy of career preparation. Visit BerkeleyCollege.edu/AlumniSpotlight to read alumni success stories.
Click below to read more about each ceremony:
Zaccaria Park in Woodland Park, NJ
Town Hall in Woodbridge, NJ
Paramus, NJ, Library Bandshell
Washington Park in Newark, NJ
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 Newark, Paramus, Woodbridge, and Woodland Park, NJ, and in Midtown Manhattan, NY, with more than 4,900 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 eight consecutive years. U.S. News & World Report named Berkeley College (NJ) one of the Best Regional Colleges in the North in its 2022 edition of the Best Colleges Survey. In 2021 Berkeley College (NJ) was also recognized for the first time as a Top Performer on Social Mobility among colleges in the region. The website address is www.BerkeleyCollege.edu.
The mission of Berkeley College is to empower students to achieve lifelong success in dynamic careers.
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