‘A dream come true’

Rowan College of South Jersey hosted the grand opening on Oct. 29 of its Residence at South College Drive, a place intended for students with special needs who are part of the school’s Academy of Neurodiversity.

The Gloucester County campus building will house residents as they learn personal development skills and independence and provide them with resources to succeed, as well as address their medical needs. Some of the incoming student residents took part in the building’s ribbon cutting.

One of them is Michael Nicolosi.

“I am starting a new chapter, living independently along with some of my friends and neighbors,” he said. ” … I am very excited to be a part of this community.”

The new residence has 24 units that comprise 29,000 square feet close to campus. It includes a meeting room for a social worker, a community room, two common area lounges, green spaces and laundry areas.

The project took 30 years, according to former Rowan president Dr. Fred Keating, who played a major role in its development. The building is the result of a financial partnership with the college, the Housing Authority of Gloucester County (HAGC) and the Gloucester County Housing Development Corporation (GCHDC).

Both the county, the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs and the township also provided funding.

“The Residence at South College Drive is an addition to the housing authority’s portfolio of well-managed properties that are assets to the community and fulfill our mission to provide affordable housing to those whose needs are not met by the general market,” noted HAGC chairman William Bain Jr.

Keating also spoke at the facility’s opening and said he felt confident that Rowan and his successor, interim president Brenden Rickards, will carry the torch of providing opportunity to all of the college’s students.

“Rowan College of South Jersey is honored to have played such an important role in bringing this project to life,” Keating pointed out. “As the institution that anchors both the (college’s) Academy for Neurodiversity and the Adult Center for Transition (ACT), we have always made it a priority to expand opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

“The Rowan College of South Jersey ACT program continues to provide the dedicated social worker who will now assist residents as they settle into their new home,” he added. “The residence’s location on our campus ensures convenient access to the people and services that make up the Academy for Neurodiversity.”

Former state senator Steve Sweeney also played a role in the project, inspired by his daughter, Lauren, who has Down syndrome.

“It’s really a dream come true,” Sweeney observed. “Governments are judged by the way they treat their people. This is the most vulnerable population. To ensure that they have housing – safe, affordable housing – is critically important.

“This county has done something that it’s always done: put its money where its mouth is when you stood up, stepped up and did the right thing.”