Author: sharonsovany

CRANFORD, NJ – UCNJ UCNJ UCNJ of UCNJ County, NJ is proud to announce that student Junaid Ilyas, of Roselle Park, has been selected as a Kaplan Leadership Scholar. Ilyas is one of only 11 students selected nationwide as a Kaplan Leadership Scholar.

The Kaplan Leadership Scholar Program, which is a part of the Kaplan Educational Foundation, targets students at two-year schools who demonstrate financial need, leadership potential, and educational acumen.

While pursuing his degree in engineering at UCNJ, Ilyas also serves as a tutor to his fellow students in the Academic Learning Center and is an American Honors student. Regarding Ilyas’ future, he plans to further his education by pursuing a bachelor’s and master’s degree in mechanical engineering, with a career goal of being a vehicle engineer. Specifically, he plans to be a part of the innovation side of vehicle design, creating ideas that he believes “other gear-heads would go crazy over.”

“Junaid is a dedicated student and is a great example of hard work resulting in tremendous opportunity,” states UCNJ President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin. “The financial support provided by the Kaplan Educational Foundation is transformative, and we are proud of Junaid for being one of only 11 students across the country to be selected for this honor.” Ilyas is the fourth student from UCNJ selected as a Kaplan Leadership Scholar. Marlon Artega (UCNJ ’22) shared his experience being selected as a Scholar, which can be found here.

UCNJ is a public, comprehensive community college that provides quality, affordable, accessible educational programs to the greater UCNJ County region. It is the first of New Jersey’s 18 two-year colleges, serving both career-minded and transfer-oriented students since 1933. UCNJ was named a semifinalist for the 2023 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. For more information on UCNJ, go to https://www.ucc.edu/ and for more information on the Kaplan Leadership Scholar program, go to https://www.kaplanedfoundation.org/

CRANFORD – The UCNJ Foundation recently launched a new student success initiative, the Women 100 Project which helps to raise funds to support UCNJ’s female students. The mission of the project is to empower the next generation of women leaders – a critical endeavor for the success of our community and nation. Through the generous support of Women 100 Project donors, the Foundation was able to develop a new Single Mothers Scholarship to assist eight single mothers who are working toward their degrees at UCNJ, with $500 each.

According to the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, “Just eight percent of single mother undergraduates in the United States earn an associate degree within six years of enrolling in college, compared with nearly half (49 percent) of women in college who are not mothers.” This is why the Women 100 Single Mothers Scholarship is so vital. As shared from one of the recipients, “I am currently unemployed due to COVID. I also have an eight-year-old son and trying to take care of him while on unemployment is really difficult. This scholarship will help me better myself in life,” stated Alexsandra, a Single Mothers Scholarship recipient. This scholarship will aim to ensure that single mothers at UCNJ receive the assistance they need to achieve their dream of a college education.

“This is just the start of the Women 100 Project,” stated UCNJ Foundation Executive Director Doug Rouse. “We look forward to raising more funds and helping to support many female students through programming and scholarships at UCNJ.”

To support the project, a donation of $100 can be made from an individual, corporate, or community leaders. For more information on the Women 100 Project and how you can support this initiative, please visit www.ucc.edu/women100.

CRANFORD – On October 19, 2021, UCNJ unveiled a plaque to dedicate Weidenburner Hall. Formerly known as the Humanities Building, the building was renamed Weidenburner Hall in honor of the nearly $2.7 million donation by the estate of UCNJ alumnus Bruce Weidenburner. This generous donation from Mr. Weidenburner is the single largest individual gift made to the UCNJ Foundation in its history.

Prior to his death, Mr. Weidenburner established this endowed scholarship with the UCNJ Foundation in his parents’ name. As a lifelong resident of Linden, Mr. Weidenburner developed his family’s scholarship to help Linden High School graduates receive a college degree.

Present for the unveiling were Senator Nicholas P. Scutari, Assemblyman James J. Kennedy, UCNJ County Commissioners Lourdes Leon and Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded; and UCNJ Board of Trustees Chairman Victor M. Richel.

“I am proud to be here today to recognize the generosity of a fellow resident of Linden. What a legacy to leave behind. This gift from the Weidenburner family will have a lasting impact on our community for generations to come. I look forward to helping Linden students expand their education by offering scholarships. It is imperative that this generosity helps our students. My office will always be there as a resource for all families seeking these scholarships,” stated Senator Scutari, who represents New Jersey’s 22^nd legislative district which includes Linden.

Mr. Weidenburner, son of former United States Attorney and New Jersey Superior Court Judge Chester Weidenburner and his wife Emily, established this planned gift. Both of Mr. Weidenburner’s parents were members of the inaugural graduating class of the College. In recognition of the donation, which was made earlier in the year, the College’s Board of Trustees and Board of Governors approved naming the building Weidenburner Hall at their joint meeting on May 25, 2021.

“As Mr. Weidenburner graciously chose to honor UCNJ with this transformative gift, we are reciprocating that honor by naming a building in recognition of this generosity. For years to come, not only will students who directly benefit financially from this gift walk our halls, but they will see this family’s name on the building. We are appreciative of the magnitude of this gift and are proud to honor the Weidenburner family,” stated UCNJ’s President Dr. Margaret M. McMenamin.