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 Yes, it has been 40 years since we first opened our doors. Our first semester was held in the fall of 1969 at Lenape High School and included 728 full-time students and 323 part-time students. We have been growing ever since.
As the only source of higher education in Burlington County, we now offer courses on two campuses, three centers, McGuire Air Force Base and 20 high schools throughout the county. BCC now serves more than 15,000 credit and non-credit students each semester.
Even though BCC was recently named among the 50 fastest growing community colleges in the nation, we remain committed to our mission of providing all individuals with access to affordable and quality education.
Join us now as we look back through the years and celebrate four decades of meeting the educational goals and workforce development needs of our region.
Events
News
Timeline
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1969 - 1979
Nationally, political protests, platform shoes, Woodstock and the profound use of drugs took center stage. Locally, here in Burlington County, the Freeholders put education first and embarked on a new county venture called a "community college." This mission of providing access to associate degrees and career development to all individuals was set into motion in the Fall of 1969 when BCC's first classes were held within Lenape High School. Soon after, the Pemberton campus was established and the curriculum continually expanded. Among the first graduates were accountants, nurses and engineering students. |
1979 - 1989
"Reaganomics" was introduced and we witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall. There was an increase in economic liberalization which led to the relocation of manufacturing industry to foreign lands including Korea, China and Mexico. Women opted for the use of "Ms" over "Miss" or "Misses" as an expression of independence. The trend of educating women grew and enrollment in colleges and universities was on a continuous rise. BCC saw an increase in students, increase in programs and an increased need to physically expand. |
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1989 - 1999
Personal computers, the Internet and increased economic productivity paved the way for an increase in wealth around the nation and throughout Europe. The World Trade Organization was established, The Free Trade Agreement was signed into law, and scientific developments led to the cloning of a sheep named Dolly. The decade was bursting with growth and expansion of businesses and the need for an improved workforce and advanced technology was at an all-time high. Leading the way to a cleaner environment, BCC was the first public institution in New Jersey to ban public smoking. The College continued to meet the increased demands of education and training by partnering with businesses and increasing the amount of locations throughout the county. |
1999 - 2009
The environment was a hot issue. Concerns over energy supplies and global warming effected everything from our headlines to how we lived and how we talked. Words and phrases like "green technology" and "going green" were as common as a personal computer in each home and smartboards in classrooms. Technology that was born in the 80's was refined in the 90's. Social networking became a way of life and a more environmentally conscience world was trying to make up for lost time by recycling, reusing, conserving and preserving. The tragedies of 9/11/01 marked the start of the "War on Terror" and the economy began to decline around the world. Here in Burlington County, enrollment continued to grow as residents recognized education as a way to secure their personal economy. The arts, technology, environmental studies, allied health and workforce development were among the most popular programs of study. |
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