Schools
R.E.A.L. Program Helps Adult Learners Reenroll at Stockton College
The college established a program with funds from a $65,000, one-year grant.
The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey has established a new program that will help adult learners reenroll in the college by eliminating certain financial and academic barriers, the college announced.
The ReEnrolling Adult Learners (R.E.A.L.) program was established via funds made available from a one year, $65,000 grant provided by the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education through the Disengaged Adults Returning to College (DARC) Grant program, according to college officials.
The program identifies qualified students and eliminates and financial and academic barriers that prevented them from graduating, college officials said. Qualified students are students 20 years old and over who have been out of school between one and 10 years, have a grade point average (G.P.A.) of 2.0 or greater, and have at least 64 credits from any institution in the State of New Jersey.
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According to college officials, 50 students reenrolled in courses at Stockton this semester and are receiving benefits from the program.
"Degree completion and alleviating student debt are at the forefront of our latest initiative," Peter Hagen, director of the Center for Academic Advising and Planning, said. "The R.E.A.L. program is our response to the call by President Obama to help students leave college with degrees, which puts them in a better position to pay off their student loans."
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The program can help cover certain outstanding fees that have prevented students from taking additional courses, according to college officials.
Instructional materials, including textbooks, are provided to students in need. For students without computer access, there are 10 iPads available. This semester, five of those iPads are on loan, officials said.
New online courses and online versions of existing courses have been created to make coursework more accessible, officials said. This includes a new version of the Liberal Arts Studies major, developed to help students customize a major to graduate as soon as possible.
Exceptions to the residency requirement can be made on a case-by-case basis.
Information sessions will take place on the following dates at the following locations:
Wednesday, April 10, 2013, 5-7 p.m. at the Manahawkin Instructional Site, 712 East Bay Avenue
Wednesday, April 17, 2013, 5-7 p.m.at Kramer Hall, 30 Front Street, Hammonton
Wednesday, May 1, 2013, 5-7 p.m. at the main campus in Galloway
