It’s a hiring that might fly under the radar, but it speaks to the changing trends in higher education — and business in general: Hudson County Community College has hired an associate dean of STEM, it announced Friday.
The Jersey City school said in a news release that Burl Yearwood will serve as associate dean of science, technology, engineering and math, joining HCCC from LaGuardia Community College in the City University of New York system, where he was chair of the Natural Sciences Department.
“We are very happy to welcome Dr. Yearwood to the college,” HCCC President Chris Reber said in a prepared statement. “He is an academic administrator who is a champion for student success. He is passionate about the education, retention, graduation and transfer of diverse students who are underrepresented in higher education and particularly in STEM. Dr. Yearwood is also committed to recruiting, developing and retaining diverse faculty who will inspire and motivate students.”
Yearwood, a chemist with a Ph.D. from Wayne State University in Michigan, is conducting research involving the analysis of environmental toxins in Newtown Creek River, a federal Superfund site in Long Island City, New York.
“I am excited to be joining Hudson County Community College,” he said in a statement. “I look forward to working with faculty, staff, students and the community to grow the STEM programs at HCCC. I also look forward to working with others to develop innovative solutions to help our students succeed in STEM.”
