Bullington County College
Originally founded as Burlington County College in 1966, the doors first opened to 1,051 students in 1969 at Lenape High School. The original Pemberton campus opened later in 1971 and a year later received accreditation.
By 1974, the first off-campus facility in Willingboro is opened to accommodate the growing enrollment. In 1979, the second off-campus facility opened. In 1994, the first classes are offered in the new Academic Center on the main campus. The next year the technology and engineering center is opened, along with a new campus in Mt. Laurel and finally, the WBZC 88.9 FM went on the air.
In 1996, a new library opened on the main campus along with the Integrated Learning Resource Center. And in 1998, the college opened a High Technology Small Business Incubator on the Mt. Laurel campus. By 2001, the college attains the highest enrollment of its history for the fall term. And the new health center opens on the main campus. In 2003, Willingboro was relocated.
In 2006, a partnership with Drexel University was formed to bring bachelor’s degree programs to the Mt. Laurel campus. The next year the ribbon was cut on the newly renovated physical education building. By 2009, the college received a glowing report from the Middle States Accreditation team. In 2011, the grand opening of the Culinary Arts Center in Mt. Holly. In 2015, after a partnership with Rowan University was formed, Burlington County College’s name was changed to Rowan College at Burlington County.
In 2016, Rowan College at Burlington County formed a partnership with NextGen USA to use the college’s Pemberton campus as a regional location for sports-based education, by building leadership qualities in young soccer players. "NextGen USA will breathe new life into the Pemberton campus that will benefit the local communities and give Rowan College at Burlington County a terrific new partner," Rowan College at Burlington County President Paul Drayton said. "This partnership goes beyond soccer fields, and we will score in our goal of improving educational success and leadership abilities of athletes – especially those coming from underserved communities." The program is for boys and girls from 5th to 12th grade.
By 2017 the decision was made to close the Pemberton campus due to several factors, the first being the cost of the needed repairs to the aging campus, the second the population had shifted and the campus was underutilized. Estimates put the cost to rehabilitate the aging main campus at $47 million. By August of 2019, all facilities on the campus were shuttered including the Aquatic Center that was being used by the public and other local schools, it was the only regulation-sized facility in the county. The final public auction was held in October of 2019 marking the end of the Pemberton campus.
The future of the Pemberton campus, as of the middle of 2019 only one offer was made to buy the campus, a nonprofit group that wants to form a Pinelands welcome center and health, recreation, conservation, and agricultural programs. An offer of $132,216 was made to purchase the campus. Based on today’s (2019) money the equivalent of $6,666 the county paid in 1799 to buy the property. The property was then donated in the 1960s to help fund the college. "We want to transform the campus into a center for health research and education, public recreation and natural resource conservation serving the Burlington County community and the students of Rowan College of Burlington County," said Dr. Mark Thomas
As it looks like in 2021, not much has changed. This could have been COVID-related or plans did not happen as they were expected. This had to be one of the least vandalized explorations we have done. We can only hope that it is not too late for this campus and something happens soon. Until next time explores, stay safe.
