By Angela Thomas
CCC Journalism Program
BLACKWOOD – Dr. Marge Hamilton reflects on her tenure as Camden County College’s vice president of academic affairs as she prepares to become a college president in Ohio.
Roosevelt Hall includes the office of Dr. Marge Hamilton. By Angela Thomas, CCC Journalism Program
After 29 years of service to Camden County College, Hamilton will become president of Lane Community College in Oregon this summer. She recently spoke about some of the achievements of which she is most proud.
“I really love the grassroots building of all the health-related programs. Those programs are near and dear to me,” Hamilton said. “I’m also excited for the new Rutgers University Camden Board of Governors Building. It’s going to be a total health and science center. Under my guidance we were asked to take a leadership role in establishing it in Camden.”
Hamilton said she did not know who would replace her but a nationwide search for her replacement may occur.
She said she plans to introduce herself to the people of Lane Community College by opening her door to talk about currently hot issues like race and immigration and by meeting with the staff.
Hamilton said she hopes several things for which she was responsible at Camden County College will continue after she leaves.
“I think I was good at strategic planning and accreditation. I got us off warning and set up us for success,” she said. “I’m so proud we cranked up the completion rate through tutoring and support services. We used to stress teaching and now we are stressing learning. I would love to see the completion agenda to continue to be pushed. I love seeing the numbers of graduates increase every year. I would love to see CCC continue the huge push on the health sciences fields.”
Hamilton’s secretary for the last nine years, Helen Erskine, said she had mixed feelings about her boss’s upcoming departure.
“As much as I love her and I’m going to miss her, sometimes change is good,” Erskine said. “With a new president and vice president, I’m looking forward to new ideas. Fresh ideas will be good for CCC.”