So many college students begin a degree program but must stop taking classes for one reason or another before they earn the credits they need to complete their degree. Others just can’t find the time to attend classes during the week and don’t bother to enroll in the first place.

Cathi Cooney attended Camden County College from 1992 to 1996 but only was able to complete about half of the credits she needed to earn an associate’s degree. When the growing responsibilities of raising her young children and caring for her mother made continuing impossible, she was forced to put her higher education on hold.

“Life got in the way,” explained Cathi. “So I quit going.”

When these duties lessened several years later, she decided to try pursuing higher education again. But she still had difficulty fitting a conventionally scheduled class into her busy day, which includes full-time employment as the medical education supervisor for surgical residency programs at Cooper Hospital.
To help students like Cathi, Camden County College developed its Accelerated Weekend College program. This 15-month

series of courses allows students with some college credits to complete their degrees and enables others to take classes they thought they couldn’t squeeze into their schedules.

Accelerated Weekend College meets on Camden County College’s Blackwood Campus in Gloucester Township on Friday evenings, Saturdays and Sundays as well as online or in “hybrid” format. The hybrid format combines face-to-face and Internet instruction to merge personal interaction with convenience.

Accelerated Weekend College students attend up to eight consecutive seven-week sessions. Associate’s degree completion
is available in three areas: business, pre-nursing and liberal arts.

Cathi, who is majoring in liberal arts, is on track to graduate later this year. She says that she is glad to finally be taking advantage of the tuition-reimbursement option offered by her employer. She also looks forward to accentuating her professional credentials with a degree. After finishing at CCC, she would like to enroll at Rowan University to pursue a bachelor’s degree.

“Just to have that goal in sight of graduating in December is exciting,” she said. “This program works for me, and the online aspect is helpful.”

Admission to Accelerated Weekend College is offered year-round on a rolling basis. The next sessions begin in May, July, September and October.