On Rowan Boulevard, Rowan College of South Jersey (RCSJ) is creating a new hub for the Rowan Choice Program.

The Rowan Choice Program is an opportunity for incoming freshman and sophomore students to save money by taking RCSJ classes while living at Rowan University. The program also makes it easier for students to transfer credits from RCSJ toward a bachelor’s degree.

Students enrolled in the program are able to get that college experience of living on campus while paying community college tuition rates and fulfilling 24-30 college credits for general education requirements.  

The retail space is located right next to Rowan University’s Welcome Center, and is one of the premier partnerships offered between the university and the college. 

Michael Plagianakos is RCSJ’s special assistant to the president and has been working on getting the hub up and running. 

“It’s a great partnership with the university and it provides an alternative pathway for some students that need that alternative pathway to get to Rowan University, be a part of the community and be a part of the Rowan family,” Plagianakos said.   

Back in 2014, Rowan University and Gloucester County College (GCC) worked out a partnership that resulted in not only GCC being renamed RCSJ, but along with it came programs such as Rowan Choice. Lucas Valiante, a junior majoring in communication studies, has taken advantage of the program.

“I wasn’t entirely sure if I wanted to attend university at first, so Rowan Choice was a great opportunity to ensure that this was the right path for me to take, with a lesser financial burden but while maintaining the same social aspect as a regular matriculated student may. Rowan offers shuttles to the RCSJ campus, so everything is fairly streamlined and I never had any issues. I made lots of friends my first year at Rowan despite attending classes at RCSJ, so when it was time to transfer, I already had a social circle,” Valiante said.

With students that are enrolled in the program splitting time on both Gloucester and Glassboro campuses via shuttle, the new rowan choice hub gives support to those on Glassboro’s campus in the program and it’s expected to be open next month.

“We’re going to have staff there that are available for those students primarily to be able to meet with advising staffs, testing and academic support, counseling and wellness, all those kind of things will be stationed out of that spot,” Plagianakos said.   

Including tuition, room and board fees the approximate cost for an in-state student doing Rowan Choice is $18,000. 

Those within the program get a 33% discount per credit for tuition, with Gloucester and Cumberland county residents paying $76.38 per credit and out of country residents $95.18 per credit.

They cannot participate in NCAA Division III Athletics, traveling club sports and Greek Life. However, events, clubs, organizations, intramural sports and NJCAA Division III athletics are allowed.

Those interested or seeking further information about Rowan Choice can do so on the Rowan Choice website.  

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