Recent Sussex County Technical School graduate Vincent DiMuccio, right, started taking courses through Sussex County Community College in his sophomore year, giving him the opportunity to earn an associate degree while still in high school. He is pictured with his Sussex Tech counselor, Bina Varkey.
Taking full advantage of opportunities to earn college credits while in high school, 251 students from across New Jersey’s county vocational-technical schools graduated with an associate degree this year in addition to a high school diploma. The students accumulated at least 60 credits throughout their high school education – the equivalent of a two-year head start on college.
“We continue to see a rise in the number of students earning associate degrees while attending their county vocational-technical school,” said Dr. James Pedersen, superintendent of Essex County Schools of Technology and president of the New Jersey Council of County Vocational-Technical Schools (NJCCVTS). “That reflects the commitment of our schools to support students in earning college credits as well as the ambition and focus of our students.”
Each of the state’s 21 county vocational-technical schools has articulation agreements with their county college, and other two and four-year colleges and universities, that enable students to earn credit for college-level work as part of their high school career and technical education program. Several schools, such as Cumberland County Technical Education Center (CCTEC), have agreements that provide a clear and accessible route for students to accumulate all the credits needed for an associate degree.
“At RCSJ we have two main pathways of education opportunity being Academic and Career & Technical Education. Partnering with Gloucester County Institute of Technology and Cumberland County Technical Education Center is an obvious fit because the programs the students are in at the high school level continue to academic and technical degrees as well as certificates at the collegiate level. This May, we proudly awarded 51 degrees to CCTEC students and 10 degrees to GCIT students,” stated Dr. Frederick Keating, RCSJ President. “We also have a fit for high achieving students with options like the Pathway to Medicine. Our goal is to educate and motivate our local talent to stay here in South Jersey.”
Faith Johnson is among the CCTEC graduates who participated in the school’s Early College High School program in partnership with Rowan College of South Jersey to earn an associate degree this spring. She will attend Stockton University and pursue a degree in literature this fall.
“I get to begin my life two years earlier and move more at my own pace,” Johnson said of entering college with her associate degree. “Because I finished two years of college, I am also financially set and won’t have to take out big student loans. But, most of all, those credits I am taking with me are a reminder of all the hard work I’ve done to get to this point.”
Born with cerebral palsy, Johnson said her mother never limited her dreams, but rather gave her confidence to set and reach goals. That support, combined with the guidance she received from the CCTEC counselors, helped her achieve this most recent goal of attaining her associate degree.
Faith Johnson is among the CCTEC graduates who participated in the school’s Early College High School program in partnership with Rowan College of South Jersey to earn an associate degree this spring.
At some county vocational-technical schools, the students work with counselors to customize their own plan for earning an associate degree. Recent Sussex County Technical School graduate Vincent DiMuccio started taking college courses in his sophomore year, online and over the summer, in anticipation of combining those credits with the ones he could earn through a dual enrollment opportunity presented to seniors in his Law and Public Safety program.
“Our presentation on dual enrollment sparked the idea for Vincent to work ahead so he could earn not one, but two years’ worth of college credits before graduation,” said counselor Bina Varkey. “He comes from a big family and understood the value of earning these credits at a discounted rate, and he also was eager to begin his career in public service.”
DiMuccio will transition into the 3+1 Ramapo at Sussex Program. With an associate degree in criminal justice under his belt, he will begin the program as a junior at Sussex County Community College and then transition to Ramapo College for his senior year for an even greater cost savings.
“I plan to head right into the police academy and work toward becoming a state trooper,” said DiMuccio. “I will be 21 right at the time I finish, which will allow me to pursue this career option and begin helping others.”
Of the 251 students graduating from a county vocational-technical school this month with an associate degree, 54 are from Bergen County Technical School District, 51 from Cumberland County Technical Education Center, 37 are from Ocean County Vocational Technical School, 26 from Camden County Technical Schools, 25 from Somerset County Vocational and Technical Schools, 22 from Essex County Schools of Technology, 10 each from Gloucester County Institute of Technology and Salem County Vocational Technical School District, six from Hudson County Schools of Technology, four from Middlesex County Magnet Schools, three from Mercer County Technical Schools, two from Sussex County Technical School, and one from Morris County Vocational School District.
