Atlantic Community College

Atlantic Cape Community College

Overhead view of Mays Landing campus
Type	Public community college
Established	1964
President	Dr. Barbara L. Gaba
Students	6,500
Location	Mays Landing, Atlantic City, Cape May Court House, New Jersey
Campus	541 acres (2.19 km2)
Nickname	Buccaneers
Affiliations	Middle States
Website	www.atlantic.edu

Atlantic Cape Community College is an accredited, co-educational, two-year, public, community college located in both Atlantic County and Cape May County in New Jersey. Atlantic Cape enrolls more than 6,000 students. Its main campuses are in the Mays Landing section of Hamilton Township in Atlantic County, Atlantic City, and Cape May Court House.

Situated on 541 acres (2.19 km²) in the New Jersey Pine Barrens, Atlantic Cape's Mays Landing Campus is 15 miles (24 km) west of Atlantic City's boardwalk, 45 miles (72 km) from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and 115 miles (185 km) from New York City. The college offers more than 40 transfer and career degree programs as well as continuing education professional development and training services. It awards Associate in Arts, Associate in Science and Associate in Applied Science degrees. The college operates nationally recognized casino career and culinary arts programs. The college operates an extension center in Atlantic City and a full-service location in Cape May County.

In 1936, there were plans to open junior colleges – now known as community colleges – in Atlantic City, Camden, and Trenton, New Jersey, but this did not come to fruition due to lack of state funding. In the 1950s during the Post–World War II baby boom, there was a movement in the United States to increase the number of community colleges. In 1962, the New Jersey Legislature authorized the establishment and committed to funding such institutions in the state, after efforts of local freeholders, county superintendents, and citizen groups. The Citizens Centennial Committee on Adult Education for Atlantic City pursued a college for the area. After a study by local freeholders and educators, the New Jersey Department of Education approved the establishment of an Atlantic County community college in December 1963. On April 14, 1964, Atlantic Community College was officially organized, only the second community college in the state at the time.