Bergen Cerullo Center Tops Two-Year Tutors
PARAMUS, N.J. – The Association for the Coaching and Tutoring Profession has selected the Bergen Community College Cerullo Learning Assistance Center to receive the “Learning Center of Excellence Award” for two-year institutions, recognizing it as the nation’s best among its peers. ACTP serves as a professional organization for academic coaches, student success professionals, tutors, tutor coordinators and administrators.
“We are deeply honored to receive this recognition and sincerely appreciate the dedication and hard work of our tutors and staff,” Cerullo Center Manager Candice Kaup Scioscia said on behalf of her colleagues. “This award once again establishes the Cerullo Center as a preeminent community college learning assistance center offering an array of services unmatched by most community colleges in the United States.”
Writing Center Supervisor John Findura, Ed.D., and Academic Coaching Supervisor Kelli Hayes will travel to Orlando, Florida this month to accept the award at the ACTP Annual Conference, where they will also provide remarks to those in attendance.
The honor marks the latest major award for the Cerullo Center, which previously received recognition from the National Tutoring Association and the National College Learning Center Association as one of the nation’s top tutoring centers.
The Cerullo Center represents an important offering in Bergen’s portfolio of support resources that seek to ensure students can remain enrolled and on a path toward earning a college degree. In 2022, federal government officials such as then-First Lady Jill Biden, Ed.D., visited the College to recognize the institution’s approach to support services such as the Cerullo Center as a best practice in higher education.
The Cerullo Center provided no-cost, one-on-one, walk-in and in-class tutoring for more than 5,000 students making 30,000 visits last year. More than 100 peer and professional tutors assist students in 250 subjects. The center also offers workshops, academic coaching and supplemental instruction as part of its multi-faceted approach. It maintains a math and science walk-in center, writing center and English language resource center among its support services.
Khairia Fazal, dean of learning support, has led the tutoring center for more than 20 years. A donation from Bergen County residents Henry and Edith Cerullo led to a rededication of the student resource in 2003.
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.
Photo Caption: Bergen Community College professional tutor and alumnus Samir Parajuli works with current student Ashley Aizaga.
What's Related