Rowan College at Burlington County announced plans to transform the Mt. Laurel campus into the ultimate modern campus experience for students, faculty and staff.
“Our students have mirrored the growth of the county toward Mt. Laurel,” Rowan College at Burlington County President Paul Drayton said. “We can better serve them by placing more resources in the location they prefer.”
Conveniently located near the intersection of Interstate-295 and Route 38, the Mt. Laurel campus opened in 1995 and within a decade became the college’s most popular destination for students. Last year, more students attended class in Mt. Laurel than all other locations combined. The Pemberton campus, the college’s original home, now ranks third behind Mt. Laurel and online.
“Uniting the college in Mt. Laurel will save millions of dollars in operating costs that will be reinvested in programs and improved facilities for students, faculty and staff,” Drayton said.
The announcement came after a comprehensive facility study that proved the college did not have the demand to fill its current facilities and that Mt. Laurel could handle current and future need largely by converting underutilized space, adding on to existing facilities and eventually building a student center that will include a student success center, the library, dining facility and serve as the focal point of the campus.
“Our goal is to create a ‘wow’ factor when students, parents and community members arrive on campus,” Drayton said. “When we are finished, the Rowan College at Burlington County Mt. Laurel campus experience will rival those found at four-year universities.”
The timeframe to complete the transition and modernization of the Mt. Laurel campus is still being determined. There were no changes announced for the college’s other facilities in Mt. Holly, Willingboro and the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. During that time, a reuse study of the Pemberton campus will be led by Burlington County’s Economic Development and Regional Planning Director Mark Remsa. Drayton invited Pemberton Township Mayor David Patriarca to serve on the reuse committee.
“Our community has benefitted from hosting the college for nearly 50 years, but now that the decision has been made to move the operation to Mt. Laurel, I gladly accept the opportunity to work with Rowan College at Burlington County with repurposing the property in a way that will not only benefit our community, but also be sustainable for future years to come,” Mayor Patriarca said. “As Mayor, I feel it is necessary to have a seat at the table during this important transition for both the college and Pemberton Township.”
Transitioning the main campus to Mt. Laurel and phasing out the campus in Pemberton will improve the ability of faculty and students to collaborate and ensure student success. Faculty members have been looking for a solution to the challenge of having two main campuses.
“Bringing the campus community together in one location will make it easier for students and faculty to engage with each other and collaborate, which is critical to academic success,” said assistant math professor William Whitfield, who is president of the faculty association. “We are very excited about the future of Rowan College at Burlington County in Mt. Laurel.”
The campus modernization announcement was accompanied by a new management structure that places a greater priority on student success. A new department, Enrollment Management and Student Success will be led by Michael Cioce, currently serving as executive director of enrollment management, who will officially rise to vice president of the new department in August.
“Mike cares deeply about our students and growing our partnership with Rowan University that is creating a path to a $30,000 four-year degree from two of the finest institutions in the country,” Drayton said. “Mike has been a critical part of the team that is transforming our college into a national model and he is uniquely talented to lead this new and extremely important department.”
The latest announcements continue to create further excitement a month after the college rebranded itself as part of its historic partnership with Rowan University and announced the opening of the Workforce Development Institute — a national model of shared services among county and college resources that will align training for the skills needed by the workers and employers of today and tomorrow.
“These improvements will make an excellent campus even better,” Student Government Association Vice President Lauren Ortiz said. “They send a message that the college pays attention to what students need to succeed and are willing to make smart investments and commitments to our success as students. This is an exciting time to be a Rowan College at Burlington County student.”
