Bergen Community College: Bergen Innovation Center Brings Real-World Into Classroom

Press release from Bergen Community College:

November 29, 2023

Bergen Community College President Eric M. Friedman, Ph.D., cut the ribbon on The Innovation Center at Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands at a November 29 event.

“After years of transition, I am incredibly proud to say this location will now fulfill its promise as a first-choice destination in higher education for southern Bergen County,” President Friedman said. “All it took was a little imagination and innovation.”

President Friedman said he worked with faculty, staff, students and industry partners to develop the “innovation center” concept in response to the explosive growth of information technology and business careers that require hands-on experiential learning.

“When I became president in 2021, I knew this location had untapped potential,” he said at the ribbon-cutting event. “I knew we could do more to serve the residents of the southern communities of Bergen County. In response, I led a series of goal-setting exercises that researched community educational needs and pushed stakeholders to vision for the future. I encouraged innovation built on student and community interest. It had to be tied to preparing students for the region’s in-demand jobs. That led us to design this ‘innovation center’ that prepares students for the ‘real world’ from day one.”

The Center encompasses an entire floor of the College’s Lyndhurst location and represents the latest initiative in Bergen’s commitment to developing programs that prepare students for employment in thriving workforce sectors. The demand for information technology professionals continues to outpace available talent, as the U.S. Department of Commerce has estimated the global shortage of cybersecurity professionals at more than three million; gaming industry leader Activision Blizzard has said “talent is scarce” for the current 30-50,000 gaming-related employment positions currently open across the sector. County Executive Tedesco and Commissioner Zur applauded the College’s efforts to create pipelines to employment.

Based in Paramus, Bergen Community College (www.bergen.edu), a public two-year coeducational college, enrolls more than 13,000 students at locations in Paramus, the Philip Ciarco Jr. Learning Center in Hackensack and Bergen Community College at the Meadowlands in Lyndhurst. The College offers associate degree, certificate and continuing education programs in a variety of fields. More students graduate from Bergen than any other community college in the state.

This press release was produced by Bergen Community College. The views expressed here are the author’s own.