Program offers non-traditional students option to attend college

NEWTON — Sussex County Community College and Project Self-Sufficiency have joined forces to offer a new program to local women and men who may be facing obstacles in their pursuit of a college education. Community members joined in attendance at the kick off event on Tuesday at Project Self-Sufficiency in Newton.

These non-traditional students can come from all walks of life, including young adults who have never enrolled or older adults who did not attend college for a variety of reasons.

Todd Poltersdorf, Director of Admissions at SCCC, said the institute of higher learning and PSS have been working together for many years.

“We're looking at new prospective students in the community of Project Self-Sufficiency who want to go to college but may need some additional resources and help in doing so,” Poltersdorf said.

PSS will update prospective students about the opportunities available at SCCC, then those students can come to the campus and receive help with the enrollment process.

Project Self-Sufficiency's Executive Director, Deborah Berry-Toon added that PSS and SCCC have had a working relationship for nearly 30 years, dating back to when both entities were housed on the campus of Sussex Technical School.

“Sussex County Community College is entwined with the history of Project Self-Sufficiency. We were both new organizations at the time that Project Self-Sufficiency was founded. In fact the college and the high school each offered Project Self-Sufficiency the use of their custodial closets and that is how and where we opened our doors,” she said.

Since then, each institution has provided support to the other in many ways, with college personnel volunteering at the Project Self-Sufficiency Career Center or with agency personnel recommending specific college programming to agency participants.

Campus to Campus“The Campus to Campus program provides a more formal structure and allows us to expand our current relationship to support potential students throughout their entire college career and beyond,” Berry-Toon said.

The program starts with information sessions at Project Self-Sufficiency which are designed to introduce potential college students to the services provided by both institutions. Participants also have the opportunity to take skills assessment tests, get high quality childcare, explore different majors, and receive case management as well as access to a wide variety of community services.

The process allows potential and current students at Sussex County Community College to access support at either institution. Participants in the Campus to Campus program do not need to already be enrolled as Project Self-Sufficiency participants in order to start taking advantage of this new program. In turn, Project Self-Sufficiency participants do not need to already be students at the college.

“[Tuesday's] event was very well received,” Berry-Toon said, “We were particularly delighted to be able to hear from two students who have already made productive use of the services at Project Self-Sufficiency to enhance their academic careers at Sussex County Community College.”

Current Project Self-Sufficiency participant Kira Shaffer recently graduated from Sussex County Community College with an Associates’ Degree in Fine Arts with the assistance of opportunities for support offered on both campuses.

One of the students Berry-Toon mentioned was Samantha VanderVelde, the young mother of a toddler, who recently completed the phlebotomy course at SCCC and has been certified as an EKG Technician through the college.

“Since graduating from high school, my goal has been to further my education, but single parenting and working part-time makes fitting in classes very difficult,” she said.“The road to enrolling in college courses could have been very challenging if not for the support I received from Project Self-Sufficiency and Sussex County Community College. I never thought that I could have gotten this far, and the support I received from both Project Self-Sufficiency and Sussex County Community College has been invaluable.”

The Campus to Campus program is just one of the innovative programs offered at Project Self-Sufficiency which allow participants to enhance their skill sets and embark on the path to true economic self-sufficiency.

“We are proud and excited to be able to partner with our colleagues at Sussex County Community College in this significant endeavor. Undoubtedly, the Campus to Campus program will serve as a model for other communities,” Berry-Toon surmised.

“The program will be open for students looking to do both credit and non-credit programs, and the registration fee will be waived,” Poltersdorf added.

Information sessions about the new Campus to Campus program will be held at Project Self-Sufficiency on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., from August through November. Evening sessions will take place on the first and third Tuesday of each month, from 6 until 8 p.m. Potential students are invited to attend upcoming information sessions on Aug. 4 and 6, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., or on Aug. 18 and 20, from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. Evening sessions will be held on Aug. 4 and 18, from 6 until 8 p.m.

For information about the programs and services offered by Project Self-Sufficiency, visit www.projectselfsufficiency.org or call 973-940-3500.