NEWS & EVENTS

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Ocean County College and the OCC Foundation are pleased to partner with the Social Justice Academy, under the direction of Dr. Nicole Pulliam and Dr. Vernon S. Smith at Monmouth University, to bring a two-week immersive experience for teaching professionals at OCC, led and moderated by Dr. David Ford and Dr. KC Lubniewski.

The workshop, which began on July 10 and runs through July 21, is the first of its kind for community colleges in New Jersey and will explore topics such as systematic racism, gender equality, social inequality and human rights. Educators at Ocean County College will have the opportunity to engage in open discussions, ask questions and develop action plans to promote social justice in their communities.

“Ocean County College and our Foundation recognize the importance of equity, diversity, inclusion, access and belonging in higher education, and strive to provide a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students,” said Dr. Eileen Garcia, Vice President of e-Learning and Learning Enterprises at Ocean County College. “Through initiatives like the Social Justice Academy seminar, the College hopes to create a more diverse and equitable community that fosters growth and success for all members.”

The Monmouth University Social Justice Academy, funded by the Grunin Foundation, provides professional development opportunities led by experts in diversity, equity and inclusion to foster growth in social justice issues in education.

“Supporting this seminar is just the beginning of the Foundation’s efforts to promote social justice as a pillar of our organization and OCC as a whole,” added OCC Foundation Executive Director Ken Malagiere. “We look forward to continued, meaningful progress in this important area.”

The Social Justice Academy at Monmouth University is led by Nicole Pulliam, Ph.D. (Director), chair and associate professor in the department of Educational Counseling and Leadership, and Vernon S. Smith, Ph.D. (Assistant Director), department chair and associate professor in Educational Counseling and Leadership and former Program Director for Educational Counseling. Both leaders are respected scholars whose research centers around diversity, inclusion and social justice advocacy.

Dr. David Ford is an associate professor and department chair of Professional Counseling. He is a board-certified counselor and approved clinical supervisor whose scholarly and advocacy work supports Black men in higher education and Black Greek-letter organizations, queer and transgender people of color, HIV/AIDS, and the intersection of religion/spirituality and sexual orientation. Dr. Ford is the past president of the New Jersey Counseling Association and currently serves on the planning committee for the National Cross-Cultural Counseling and Education Conference for Action, Research, and Change and the Board of Directors for the LGBTQ Scholars of Color Network.

Dr. KC Lubniewski earned a doctorate from West Virginia University in special education and acquired additional certification in multi-categorical special education and early childhood education. She specializes in collaboration, differentiated instruction, and teacher training. Dr. Lubniewski is a member of the Council for Exceptional Children, and American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. She served as an executive board member of Esperanza Community Services Center and also as an executive board of the Teacher Education Division for the Council for Exceptional Children.