When Middlesex College rebranded at the beginning of this year to remove the “County” from its name, it saw the need to destigmatize the perception of community college.
“There is such an immense value of an education that starts at a two-year institution and grows from there,” said Jeffery Herron, Vice President, Institutional Effectiveness, Planning and Compliance at the college. “Middlesex College offers an education that allows you to transfer to great local schools like Rutgers, and does it at a cost that can make a real difference for people concerned about whether they can afford a college education.”
Herron, who has been with the college for 12 years, highlights that the cost to attend Middlesex College is a third of most four-year public schools in New Jersey for the first two years. The college also has long-standing transfer agreements with many premier four-year institutions, allowing students to easily transfer to earn a prestigious bachelor’s degree.
The pandemic has made Middlesex College move to an even more flexible format. It runs courses in person, online or remote live, which provides all of the elements of an in-person class (including group work) through Zoom and in hybrid (partially in-person, partially online) formats.
“The majority of our students work at least part time, and many have families and other outside responsibilities, making flexibility a must,” added Herron.
Middlesex College has a bucolic, sprawling campus in Edison, as well as two urban satellite centers in Perth Amboy and New Brunswick. The proximity of these campuses makes it easy for Middlesex College to provide education and training to students in areas that are in high demand throughout Middlesex County such as healthcare, advanced manufacturing, supply chain management and more.
“As a member of the MCRCC, we have an opportunity to hear first-hand from businesses regarding their workforce needs, as well as develop partnerships that result in training programs tailored specifically for them,” said Herron.
Middlesex County Chamber President Lina Llona has served on the College’s Business Advisory Committee for many years and when the college joined the chamber in 2010, the relationship further blossomed.
“Middlesex College has always been a great community partner and is integral in training and educating the future workforce for the county,” Llona said. “The college is a gem in Middlesex County, serving as a tremendous gateway to higher learning and challenging careers for generations of our residents.”
