Stockton, AtlantiCare Announce Community Health College In Atlantic City

POMONA, NJ — Atlantic City will be home to the new Stockton-AtlantiCare College of Community Health under a strategic alliance announced Wednesday by Stockton University and AtlantiCare. The two institutions said the effort is intended to expand health care education, strengthen career pathways and improve community health across southeastern New Jersey.

As part of the alliance, AtlantiCare has committed an initial amount of $15 million to Stockton to support academic programming, workforce initiatives and other efforts tied to the partnership’s goals. According to the announcement, the college will align education, clinical care and workforce development to prepare more health care professionals and create new opportunities for students and working adults.

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The college will support expansion of Stockton’s existing programs in nursing, health sciences, social work and public health, while also creating opportunities for new undergraduate and graduate programs aligned with regional needs. Respiratory therapy is expected to be among the first programs launched through the alliance. Potential growth areas listed in the announcement include physician assistant studies, nursing, radiology technology, medical laboratory science, rehabilitation therapies, behavioral health, speech language therapy, health leadership and other allied health fields.

“This is a proud moment for AtlantiCare because it reflects the work we are doing to build a stronger healthcare future,” AtlantiCare President and CEO Michael Charlton said. “That future depends on people, and we have a responsibility to help prepare the workforce this region will need. Through this alliance with Stockton University, we can help more students and professionals learn here, train here and build careers here, strengthening the communities they call home.”

Stockton President Joe Bertolino said the alliance reflects the university’s mission of expanding opportunity and preparing workers in critical fields.

“By partnering with AtlantiCare to establish the Stockton-AtlantiCare College of Community Health, we are creating a powerful model that connects education directly to workforce needs,” Bertolino said.

According to the announcement, the alliance is designed to create a clearer bridge from classroom learning to clinical experience and employment, while also supporting career advancement for working health care professionals, including AtlantiCare employees. Joint initiatives may include curriculum development, clinical education, professional training, data analytics and shared academic resources.

The partnership builds on what the announcement described as decades of collaboration between the two institutions, including internships, rotations, academic affiliation agreements, community service initiatives and classroom learning opportunities. Stockton and AtlantiCare said the new college also reinforces Atlantic City’s role as a center for education, health care and economic opportunity in the region.