CAMPUS CEREMONY

New Jersey City University held a special ceremony for students who have successfully completed a series of workshops through “Choices”, a women’s health and leadership project funded by the Office on Women’s Health in the United States Department of Health and Human Services and administered nationally by the National Latina Health Network (NLHN) and on campus by NJCU’s Council on Hispanic Affairs. Utilizing a female-centered approach to discuss issues related to sexuality, gender, relationships, health, culture and leadership, and working specifically with Latinas between the ages of 18-25 enrolled at minority serving institutions (NJCU is designated a Hispanic Serving Institution), Choices seeks to increase HIV prevention knowledge and reduce the risk of contracting HIV among the target population. Gathered with Dr. Carlos Hernandez, left, NJCU president; Hugo Morales of Union, NJCU managing assistant director of marketing and CHA chair; and Cynthia Vincent, right, of Jersey City, coordinator of NJCU’s New Pathways to Teaching Program who is serving as Choices project coordinator, were several NJCU students who have completed the educational programs on the prevention of HIV/AIDS and sexually-transmitted diseases and infections, from the left; Katrina Farino of Union City, a sophomore majoring in mathematic; Jennifer Castro of Linden, a junior majoring in accounting and finance; Bianco Soto of Jersey City, a junior majoring in English and secondary education and Shirley Velarde of Cliffside Park, a senior majoring in biology.