(MAHWAH, NJ) -- Ramapo College of New Jersey awarded degrees to its first cohort of students who participated in the innovative partnership program with Passaic County Community College, Ramapo@PCCC. The program enables Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degree holders of selected programs to continue their education toward a bachelor’s degree from Ramapo while attending classes on the PCCC campus.

Seven students, who hail from Passaic, Paterson and Wayne, earned their degrees in one of three majors: Social science, psychology, and humanities and global studies. “This is especially notable because these students not only engaged in a new program and a new partnership but did so during a very challenging time,” said Patricia Laprey, director of the degree completion program at Ramapo College.

Laprey applauded the collaboration between the faculty at Ramapo and PCCC, who worked together to create the third-year curricula offered in each major. “Their collaborative and student-centered efforts created a seamless academic pathway for these students to earn their Ramapo bachelor’s degree.”

The innovative Ramapo@PCCC 3+1 programs are for associate degree graduates of and current students enrolled in humanities, criminal justice and psychology at PCCC who wish to attain a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies, social science or psychology at Ramapo College. Students with an associate’s degree take their third year of Ramapo’s bachelor curriculum at PCCC and complete the fourth year of coursework on Ramapo’s Mahwah campus.

“This partnership builds on both Ramapo and Passaic’s commitment to two principles:  affordability and student success,” said Dr. Christopher Romano, vice president of enrollment management and student affairs for Ramapo College.  “Seeing this first cohort of graduates of the Ramapo@PCCC program is an exciting milestone in our partnership and we cannot wait to also celebrate the successes they experience after graduation.”

Earlier this year, PCCC opened its University Center on the Paterson campus. Funded by the PROSPER grant, a federal Title V grant, the University Center will offer the Ramapo@PCCC program a presence on campus, where Ramapo staff will be co-located with PCCC staff, to pursue the goal of propelling students towards bachelor’s degrees and good jobs.