By: Rich Wilson
CCC Journalism Program
BLACKWOOD – Professor Eugene Colalongo was an engineer who teaches for the sole purpose to share knowledge and because he enjoys it.
Colalongo was born in the city of Philadelphia and later moved to New Jersey after getting a job with RCA in Moorestown, N.J. Colalongo attended West Catholic High School in Philadelphia, and went on to receive his bachelor’s in science in electrical engineering from the Drexel Institute of Technology. During the duration of his master’s, he worked as a research and lab assistant.
Immediately out of Drexel, Colalongo worked on radar systems for RCA. Colalongo designed the radar antennas and worked in the Aegis program. While working in the program, Colalongo started using computers to automate testing of various modules used in the system.
After working for RCA, Colalongo started to work for Hewlett Packard. It was there he set up process control and automated testing. Hewlett Packard then released their own Cad system for electrical engineers. They were developments that went on to be used in fields of architecture and mechanical design. From then on Colalongo concentrated solely on Cad design.
Colalongo then went on to work with a smaller company in Reading, Pa. It was then he started teaching in Albright College. As to why he decided to become a college professor, Colalongo replied, “While working for a small company in Reading, I started teaching Autocad classes for Albright College and realized I really enjoyed teaching. Shortly thereafter I quit that job and started my own computer aided design company and started teaching Autocad classes for Camden County College.”
As to why he started teaching at CCC, Colalongo said, “Initially the discovery of how much I enjoyed teaching at Albright and then realizing that I could avoid the four-hour drive each day getting to and from Reading by teaching at CCC made the decision a no-brainer.”
Colalongo has been teaching at CCC since 1989. After a career fulfilled with achievements, Colalongo decided to switch to teaching for his enjoyment and to share his knowledge with others.
As to what his greatest achievement was, career or educational, Colalongo responded, “I think being able to remain fairly independent in what I do over the last 21 years and enjoying it has been a great achievement. I was able to keep my business going and do the teaching that I really enjoy.”