Cumberland County College

Cumberland County College is a two-year community college in Vineland, Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. The college enrolls approximately 4,000 students and offers more than 125 programs leading to Associate in Arts, Associate in Fine Arts, Associate in Science, and Associate in Applied Science degrees, in addition to academic, career and short-term training certificates.

Overview

Founded in 1966, Cumberland County College was the first community college in the state to open its own campus. Fully accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Cumberland County College is committed to helping students transfer to a four-year college or university, or towards entry into a career. The college is guided by a five-year strategic plan focused on student success, leadership and service-learning, and economic and workforce development.

History

The State of New Jersey, in 1962, passed the New Jersey County College Act, after which the Cumberland County Board of Chosen Freeholders authorized the founding of a community college. A groundbreaking ceremony took place on December 10, 1965. The original campus, which cost $2.7 million to construct, consisted of three buildings. Today, the 100-acre main campus consists of 11 buildings, including: Phillip Alampi Science Center, Frank Guaracini Jr. Fine and Performing Arts Center, George P. Luciano Family Center for Public Service and Leadership, Shirlee and Bernard Brown University Center, and Paul Navone Healthcare Education Center. On October 17, 1966, the college opened its doors to offer nine associate degree programs to approximately 350 enrolled students. The college’s first class of graduates, in 1968, numbered 151. The Class of 2017, the largest in Cumberland County College’s history, numbered 758.

College Leadership

Yves Salomon-Fernandez, Ph.D. is the current President of Cumberland County College. She assumed her position in June 2016 after serving as Interim President of Massachusetts Bay Community College. She has also served as an adjunct faculty member teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels at various Massachusetts institutions, including Boston College, Salem State University and Cambridge College. A graduate of the prestigious Boston Latin School, Dr. Salomon-Fernandez earned her doctorate from Boston College, her master’s degree from the London School of Economics, and her bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts Boston. She also holds a Certificate from the University of Oxford in England.    

Presidents of the College

• William J. Sample, Ph.D. (1965-1975)

• John Humes, Ph.D. (1976)
• Philip S. Phelon, Ed.D. (1976-1989)
• Roland J. Chapdelaine, Ed.D. (1989-1997)
• Kenneth L. Ender, Ph.D. (1998-2009)
• Thomas A. Isekenegbe, Ph.D. (2010-2015)
• Yves Salomon-Fernandez, Ph.D. (2016-Present)    

Satellite locations

Besides the 100-acre main campus in Vineland, the college maintains three off-site education and training facilities. The Paula J. Ring Education Center in Millville, which opened in 2013, houses the Workforce and Community Education division; STEAMWorks, a makerspace facility, opened in Bridgeton in 2015; and 2017 saw the opening of the Arts and Innovation Center in Millville, containing the Clay College studio and gallery, educational and training classrooms, and entrepreneurial space.    

Academic Profile

Cumberland County College is a comprehensive community college that is accessible, learning-centered and dedicated to serving a diverse community of learners and employers through quality, innovative programs and services. Cumberland offers more than 100 programs of study leading to associate degrees or certificates.

The college’s full accreditation entitles its graduates admission to colleges and universities across the country. Cumberland County College has transfer agreements with 40 four-year institutions, and articulation agreements with the following institutions:  

• Berkeley College
• Cheyney University
• Delaware State University
• Delaware Valley University
• Drexel University
• Fairleigh Dickinson University                                                                            
• Goldey-Beacom College 
• La Salle University
•  Lincoln University (PA)
•  Palmer College of Chiropractic
• Peirce College
• Rosemont College
• Temple University (Ambler Campus)
• University of Delaware
• University of Lincoln (UK, Great Britain)
• University of Puerto Rico
• Universidad del Sagrado Corazón Santurce (Puerto Rico)

Cumberland also has a number of articulation or transfer agreements with colleges specifically for completing online degrees. They include:

• Drexel University
• Franklin University                                                                                                      
• Grand Canyon University
• Strayer University
• St. Joseph’s University (Criminal Justice program)
• Thomas Edison State University
• University of Maryland
• University of Phoenix    

Achievements

• In 2013, Cumberland County College was recognized as one of the nation’s top 50 community colleges by Washington Monthly magazine, ranking 29th in the U.S. and first in New Jersey.
• Cumberland County College was one of 19 institutions in the U.S. to be named an “Achieving the Dream Leader College^[1]” in 2015. This national designation is awarded to community colleges that commit to improving student success and closing achievement gaps.  
• The college launched its First2Go/Primer-a-Ir^[2] program in 2017 to educate prospective students and their families about the financial value associated with earning a college degree at Cumberland County College, as it guides first-time students and their families through the process—from admission through graduation.
• A 2017 report by CNN Money ranked Cumberland County College as having the highest rate of student success of 18 community colleges in New Jersey. ^[3]Cumberland tied for second place among community colleges in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. 
• Cumberland County College’s radiography program is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology, and the Department of Environmental Protection/Bureau of Radiation Protection for the State of New Jersey. Students in the program have averaged an 81.5% completion rate over the last five years, and its graduates have achieved a pass rate of 96.1% on the ARRT Examination (in their first attempt) over the last five years.   

Designations

• Hispanic Serving Institution: Federal Title V grant funding assists with strengthening institutional programs, facilities and services to expand the educational opportunities for first generation Hispanic Americans and other underrepresented populations.
• Military Friendly® School:^[4] This designation is awarded to the country’s top colleges that are doing the most to embrace military students and dedicate resources to ensure their success both in the classroom and following graduation.

University Center

In May 2006, Bernard Brown and his wife Shirlee donated $1 million to establish an endowment to assist with the operating costs of a facility that would enable students to earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree on Cumberland County College’s campus. The $6 million Shirlee and Bernard Brown University Center opened in February 2008. The modern 17,423-square-foot facility features 12 classrooms with cutting-edge technology, study areas and offices.

Eighty percent of Cumberland’s graduates are the first in their families to earn a college degree. Following graduation, many Cumberland County College students continue their education at the University Center in bachelor’s and master’s degree programs offered through partnerships with prominent universities. The college’s on-campus university partners are: Fairleigh Dickinson University, Georgian Court University, Montclair State University, Seton Hall University and Wilmington University.    

Student Life & Athletics

• Cumberland County College offers its students the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of clubs, organizations and activities, social and civic programs, student government, and leadership experiences.
• Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society of two-year colleges, has a chapter on Cumberland’s campus, as does Alpha Beta Gamma (business), Kappa Delta Pi (education), Lambda Alpha Epsilon (criminal justice studies), Lambda Nu (radiologic and imaging sciences), and Mu Alpha Theta (mathematics).
• Athletic teams for men’s and women’s soccer, basketball, and cross country, and men’s baseball and women’s softball are offered. The teams compete in the National College Athletic Association Division III Region XIX, and the Garden State Athletic Conference.
• In 2014, the Dukes baseball team claimed their first regional championship to earn a trip to the World Series as the No. 1 ranked team in the country. In 2017, Dukes Baseball was again ranked the top seed going into the Division III World Series with a winning 55-8 season record, the best in Cumberland’s history.
• The Dukes women’s basketball team, in 2015, captured its first Region XIX Conference Championship. The team, which became known as the “Super Six” because the squad was made up of just six players, posted a 22-1 season record going into that year’s nationals.
• The 2015 women’s softball team climbed within the top of the national rankings to win its first Region XIX championship, finishing sixth at the national championship tournament.    

Notable alumni

• Nicholas Asselta, a politician who served in the New Jersey State Senate from 2004 to 2008, where he represented the 1st Legislative District. 
• Harold U. Johnson Jr., a former Freeholder and Superior Court Judge, Family Division, Cumberland County, New Jersey.
• R. Bruce Land (born 1950), politician and former corrections officer who has represented the 1st Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly since 2016^[5]

Notable Campus Events

• In place since 2004, the college’s One Book-One College reading initiative encourages reading for pleasure, critical thinking, global awareness, and multicultural understanding. The program is highlighted each year with a visit to the campus by a featured author. Cumberland has hosted these acclaimed authors: James McBride, Jodi Picoult, David Guterson, Erin Gruwell, Jeannette Walls, Amy Hill Hearth, Steve M. Lopez, Sonia Nazario, Joyce Carol Oates, Carlotta Walls LaNier, Luis Carlos Montalvan, Christina Baker Kline, and Bret Anthony Johnston.
• The college’s first Business Leaders Summit, in 2017, was highlighted by Google’s Executive Leadership Coach Steve Vinter and Michelle Drolet, CEO and co-founder of Towerwall, an information security company. The event brought together the region’s business and industry leaders for meetings, interactive seminars, discussion groups and networking opportunities.   
• The Criminal Justice Society has hosted several nationally-recognized experts, who discuss current issues and challenges, as part of its Distinguished Speaker Program. Guests have included: Michael Smerconish, New Jersey State Police Superintendent Carson Dunbar, the late Miami Police Chief John Timoney, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and Philadelphia Police First Deputy Commissioner Christine Coulter. 
• The Justice Studies program coordinates informal “Coffee with the Cops and Careers” events which bring law enforcement representatives and students together to discuss career requirements. Participating agencies have included, Federal Bureau of Investigations, Homeland Security, New Jersey State Parole Board, New Jersey State Police, and local police and sheriff departments. 

See also

• New Jersey County Colleges

External links

• Cumberland County College official website

References

Coordinates: 39°26′28″N 75°03′25″W / 39.441°N 75.057°W / 39.441; -75.057