Schools
ECC Renames Main Building in Honor of Longtime President
Yamba was part of school's original faculty
The heart of the campus of Essex County College underwent a name-change this week, when the 37-year-old building previously known as the Megastructure was rechristened in honor of the school’s longtime former president, A. Zachary Yamba.
The ceremony honoring the retired Yamba, who now holds an emeritus title, formally kicked off the college’s 45th anniversary. Yamba retired in 2010 after serving as president for 30 years, making him the longest serving leader of a New Jersey college or university. The 74-year-old educator joined the college faculty when ECC opened its doors at 31 Clinton St. in Newark in 1968. He served as director of humanities and dean of faculty prior to his appointment as president.
“I’m indeed overwhelmed and humbled,” said an emotional Yamba. “Words can’t express or capture my emotions today. I share this tribute with all the visionaries for this College. Today we’re celebrating 45 years of Essex County College serving as a beacon of hope for the residents of the county.”
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“This dedication is long overdue and well deserved,” said ECC Interim President Gale E. Gibson. “Strong leaders must always look to the past in order to guide the future. Dr. Yamba built the foundation of this great college. I am proud to have him as a mentor, to seek his counsel and to learn from his vast experience of serving the students of Essex County College and the greater community.”
“Whenever we think of Essex County College, we have to think of A. Zachary Yamba,” said Bishop Reginald T. Jackson, a member and former chair of the College’s Board of Trustees. “He has built lives, not built a building.”
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During Yamba’s tenure, the college significantly expanded both the scope of operation and the campus itself. Among the physical additions to the Newark campus is the Physical Education Building with a Child Development Center, the Center for Technology, the Center for Health Sciences, and the Clara E. Dasher Student Center. He also established the West Essex campus in West Caldwell and managed the transition of the Essex County College Police Academy in Cedar Grove from the county to the college.
A former two-term president of the County Community College Presidents Association of New Jersey, Yamba is a member of the Board of Regents Emeriti of Seton Hall University. Since his retirement from ECC, he sits on the boards of the 200 Club of Essex County, the New Community Corporation in Newark, and ASA College in New York.
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