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Federal, State, and local politicians, as well as members of the local community
gather on the College quad to celebrate the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the
NEW Center for Academic Development.
Federal, State and local government officials
attended Bloomfield College’s Groundbreaking
Ceremony for the new Center for Academic
Development (CAD) held today, Monday, September
18 at 10 a.m. on the College’s Quadrangle
located on Liberty Street. In attendance
were Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. (8th
Congressional District) Assemblyman Craig
Stanley (District 28) and Bloomfield Mayor
Raymond McCarthy, as well as members of
the surrounding communities.
The construction for the new 12,500 sq.
ft. Center for Academic Development began
this summer. Funding, totaling $3,000,000
was provided in part by a grant of $1,825,000
from the US Department of Education under
the Title III Strengthening Institutions
Program. Funding of $1,000,000 was also
provided by the State of New Jersey and
additional funding has been provided by
other sources, including a generous grant
from the Booth Ferris Foundation.
“With the assistance of the U.S.
Department of Education grant and the building
of the Center for Academic Development,
Bloomfield’s dedication to academic
and professional success is further strengthened
to meet the ever-changing needs of a modern
economy,” said Congressman Pascrell,
who during his remarks stressed the importance
of access to higher education for all students.
Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr. addressing the audience.
Pascrell acknowledged Bloomfield College
as an “exemplary institution of New
Jersey and the Eighth Congressional District” and
spoke about his sense of “Bloomfield
pride” and the day he visited the
campus in September 2004 to announce the
federal grant. “With tutoring and
academic support provided by the Center
for Academic Development on all levels,
the graduates of Bloomfield College will
be ready to compete in today’s competitive
job market. I am proud to fight for Bloomfield
College.”
The new building will house the following
programs: The Center for Academic Development,
Student Support Services (SSS) STAR Program,
and Services for Students with Disabilities.
The building will have barrier-free accessibility
to Schweitzer Hall dormitory and include
state of the art computer labs, classroom
space, offices, computer smart rooms and
an assisted technology lab for students
with disabilities, where students will
receive academic support with services
such as, tutoring, workshops, study groups
and placement testing.
“The Center for Academic Development
will benefit all members of the College
and its surrounding communities and will
enable us to continue to fulfill our mission
and be fully committed to the values of
excellence, access, and opportunity,” said
Richard A. Levao, Bloomfield College President. “With
this new building the College’s dedication
to personal and professional success will
be strengthened to meet the ever-changing
needs of a modern economy.”
(l-r)Marion Terenzio, Richard A. Levao, Congressman Bill Pascrell, Jr., Josephine
Cohn, Assemblyman Craig Stanley, Mayor McCarthy, Shavon Ford, Bill McDonald,
John Fallon, Anthony Bastardi
Congressman Pascrell and President Levao
were joined on the podium by Bloomfield
Mayor Raymond McCarthy, Dr. Marion Terenzio,
Vice President for Academic Affairs and
Dean of Faculty; James C. Kellogg, Chair,
Buildings and Grounds Committee and Board
of Trustees; John Delucca, Interim President,
Alumni Association and Co-Vice Chair and
Board of Trustees; Shavon Ford, Student
Government Association President; Reverend
Dr. Nancy Schluter, Board of Trustees;
Reverend Todd Shumpert, Director of Spiritual
Life & College Chaplain, and Josephine
Cohn, Assistant Vice President for Academic
Development, who was recognized as being
the “backbone of the CAD development
project.”
Cohn was recognized for her many hours
of dedication to the project and the grant
process along with faculty and staff members:
Carolyn Spies, Professor of Psychology
and Faculty Representative to the Office
of Academic Affairs; Martha LaBare, Associate
Professor in English, who served as Interim
VP for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculty
at the time of the grant, and Bill McDonald ’84,
Assistant VP for Budget and Special Project
and Construction Activity Director, Title
III.
Special guests in attendance included:
Mr. Frank Digesere, Bloomfield Superintendent
of Schools and Dr. Lynn Mertz from the
Association of Independent Colleges and
Universities of New Jersey.
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