Cumberland County College was a public

community college A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an "open enrollment" for students who have graduated from high school (also known as senior s ...

in Vineland and Millville,

Cumberland County Cumberland County may refer to: Australia * Cumberland County, New South Wales * the former name of Cumberland Land District, Tasmania, Australia Canada *Cumberland County, Nova Scotia United Kingdom *Cumberland, historic county *Cumberla ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...

. It became the Cumberland Campus of Rowan College of South Jersey (RCSJ–Cumberland) on July 1, 2019 as part of a merger with Rowan College at Gloucester County. The historic merger is the first of its kind in New Jersey.

History

Founded in 1966, Cumberland County College was the first community college in the state to open its own campus. 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 90-acre RCSJ Cumberland Campus consists of 12 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.

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, study areas and offices. The University Center marked its 10th anniversary in 2018 by hosting an inaugural Distinguished Alumni Induction ceremony.

Satellite locations

Rowan College of South Jersey maintains two additional education and training facilities in Cumberland County. The Paula J. Ring Education Center in Millville, which opened in 2013, houses the Workforce and Community Education division; 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.

Notable alumni

Nicholas Asselta Nicholas Asselta (born August 17, 1951) is an American Republican Party politician, who served in the New Jersey Senate from 2004 to 2008, where he represented the 1st Legislative District. In the Senate, Asselta was a member of the Budget and ...

(born 1951), politician who served in the New Jersey State Senate from 2004 to 2008, where he represented the 1st Legislative District. *

R. Bruce Land R. Bruce Land (born June 24, 1950) is an American Democratic Party politician who represented the 1st Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly from 2016 to 2020. Early life Land grew up in Millville, New Jersey and graduated ...

(born 1950), politician and former corrections officer who has represented the 1st Legislative District in the

New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 Session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts f ...

since 2016Assemblyman R. Bruce Land

New Jersey Legislature The New Jersey Legislature is the legislative branch of the government of the U.S. state of New Jersey. In its current form, as defined by the New Jersey Constitution of 1947, the Legislature consists of two houses: the General Assembly and the ...

. Accessed August 18, 2016. * Soraida Martinez (born 1956), artist, designer and social activist known for creating the art style of

Verdadism Verdadism is the word created by artist, designer and writer, Soraida Martinez, to describe her art. The word is a combination of the Spanish word for truth (Verdad) and the English suffix for theory (ism). This contemporary art style, created in 1 ...

References

External links