Degree Completion

On May 30, a new partnership between Rutgers University and Mercer County Community College (MCCC) was formalized. The partnership, a function of Rutgers Off-Campus Programs will expand opportunities for associate degree holders in the Mercer County area to earn Rutgers degrees on MCCC’s West Windsor campus.

The Memorandum of Understanding signing ceremony was hosted by MCCC President Patricia Donohue and Interim Vice President for Continuing Studies Richard Novak. The event was attended by state and county officials and MCCC and Rutgers academic administrators and staff.

“This initiative is designed to meet the needs of thousands of community college graduates who traditionally have faced great difficulty in transferring to a baccalaureate completion program. It recognizes the need for flexible options, such as online and hybrid courses, for those who have work and family obligations,” said Novak.

In a new partnership to be formalized May 30, Rutgers University and Mercer County Community College (MCCC) will expand opportunities for associate degree holders in the Mercer County area to earn Rutgers degrees on MCCC’s West Windsor campus.

Beginning in fall 2013, Rutgers’ newest off-campus degree-completion program will offer three bachelor’s degree programs at MCCC: labor and employment relations, RN to BS in nursing, and political science.

The two institutions will sign a memorandum of understanding formalizing their partnership in a ceremony at MCCC at 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, at 10 a.m., Thursday, May 30. Rutgers Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Richard L. Edwards and MCCC President Patricia C. Donohue will sign the document, officially commencing the partnership.

The bachelor of science degree in Labor and Employment Relations (LER) is a popular program among students enrolled in Rutgers’ Off Campus degree completion programs or those who choose to earn a degree online. With jobs focused on managing and representing people enjoying steady growth, a Rutgers degree in labor and employment relations can give an individual the advantage in the job market.

Offered through the School of Management and Labor Relations (SMLR), the program comprises a flexible combination of online, daytime, weekend, evening, and/or off-campus courses. Yet, these flexible options do not hinder student access to faculty or student services staff at SMLR.

Rutgers officially opened its new Lifelong Learning Center on the campus of Atlantic Cape Community College in Mays Landing at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on September 28 hosted by Rutgers President Robert L. Barchi and Atlantic Cape President Peter Mora. More than 200 guests attended the event.

The two-story, 22,000-square-foot facility enables Rutgers to expand academic opportunities for students from Atlantic, Cape May and surrounding counties who hold associate degrees and wish to earn Rutgers degrees – close to where they live or work – in such popular disciplines as psychology and criminal justice.

“This splendid building demonstrates our strong relationship with Atlantic Cape as well as Rutgers’ commitment to address the growing educational demands of this region,” said Barchi.

As Susan and Ashley Rivenbark begin classes as new Rutgers students this month, they are among the first to walk through the doors of the university’s new Lifelong Learning Center on the campus of Atlantic Cape Community College in Mays Landing.

The Rivenbarks – mother and daughter – are starting the next phase of their college careers as students in Rutgers’ off-campus degree-completion program. Both received their associate’s degrees from Atlantic Cape last spring and were admitted to Rutgers’ program there. Susan plans to complete her bachelor’s degree in liberal studies and Ashley in psychology. They will be among 300 students projected to enroll at that site this fall.

As residents of nearby Hammonton, they see the new facility as a draw for other like-minded individuals wishing to complete their degrees.

“I think it will attract many new people like me from the area who are looking for a great opportunity closer to home,” said Ashley.

Rutgers University’s 22,000-square-foot Mays Landing facility, a reflection of the success of the Off Campus degree program at Atlantic Cape Community College, is slated to open this Fall. The new building positions Rutgers to accommodate increasing regional demand for programs that enable working adults to continue their education close to home.

Designed to enhance the Rutgers student experience, the $7.5 million, two-story structure will house 11 classrooms, a 20-seat computer lab, student lounges, meeting space, and offices. The new educational facility is located on Atlantic Cape’s picturesque, 537-acre campus, nestled in the New Jersey Pinelands on Black Horse Pike (U.S. Route 322).

The ceremonial ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held in late September.