To the Editor:
In the 1980s, I taught Atlantic County College classes at the Upper Township Middle School, Middle Township High School, Cape May County Vocational School, at storefronts in Rio Grande, and in trailers in Rio Grande. Wherever/whenever Cape May County students reached out for education, Atlantic County College was there.
When New Jersey denied Cape May their own community college, Cape May joined Atlantic County to become Atlantic Cape Community College. Much to the credit of the freeholders (then), they envisioned an architectural beauty (it took many years of environmental strife), but the magnificent structure was completed and opened. For many years, the building was flooded with students seeking a better future.
Atlantic Cape offered a full range of classes and many clubs for students. We had an ESL (learning links) program in Wildwood for many years and are awaiting to restart in Rio Grande. We also provided no-cost social media and other short-term professional development programs for employees in Cape May County.
Over the years, we offered Kids College and a food pantry at the Cape May County campus. Prior to the pandemic, we hosted a farmer’s market in the parking lot. We began to offer UAS (drone) classes at the Cape May County campus. A nursing skills class will be offered at the Cape May County campus in January 2022.
The dwindling number of high school students graduating from Cape May County schools is definitely a primary factor in our enrollment decline. The population of Cape May County has shifted.
In addition, the lack of transportation to reach the campus is a contributing factor and more students are taking online classes than ever before. This was a trend prior to the pandemic.
Perhaps for these reasons, a section of the beautiful building in Court House could be repurposed for some other activities. I am certain that if residents requested services, we would be more than willing to provide them.
Currently, Atlantic Cape has dual credit agreements with all the high schools in Cape May County. All students who enroll in six credits receive a free laptop; they also receive three free credits.
Recently, we honored three Cape May County women as Women of Wonder at the Flanders Hotel. All proceeds go to scholarships for Cape May County women.
Every year, at our annual spring scholarship banquet, many scholarships are designated for Cape May County residents only.
We have a scholarship for Cape May residents who enroll in an associate’s degree (AAS) program. We are offering drone courses beginning this January, which prepare students for FAA licensure.
We hired a retired Air Force colonel to teach maintenance and repair at the Cape May County campus. Other activities include hosting a Business Plan Competition and opening a business resource center this spring.
I have been a teacher at Atlantic Cape for a long time. I care deeply about our mission and our future.
As always, we continue to provide a quality education that transfers to all states in our nation. That is the mission of our community college. Atlantic Cape is the college in Cape May County: We have been, and we always will be.
– EFFIE RUSSELL
Ocean City
ED. NOTE: Effie Russel is an English professor at Atlantic Cape Community College.
