Rohrer College of Business, Kingsway school district establish partnership for future business leaders

Rohrer College of Business Dean Sue Lehrman (seated, right) and Kingsway Regional School District Superintendent James J. Lavender (seated, left) celebrate the establishment of a partnership for a Business Leadership Academy at Kingsway High School. Joining them are (standing, from left) Kingsway Chief Academic Officer Patricia Calandro, Kingsway freshmen Caroline Heino, Elija Gatling and Rylie Martin, and Rowan Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management Jeffrey Hand.

Rowan University’s Rohrer College of Business and the Kingsway Regional School District have formalized a new partnership to establish a Business Leadership Academy (BLA) at the high school.

The BLA, which launches in September, will provide students with the opportunity to begin taking select business classes at Rowan while still in high school. The program, which offers courses at a discounted rate, is open to Kingsway seniors. Summer courses on Rowan’s campus also will be offered for students entering their senior year of high school.

Students completing the academy will receive automatic admission to RCB as long as they meet all admissions requirements set forth by the University.

Through the partnership, Rowan also will award three, $8,500 Rowan Start Scholarships to qualifying graduating students of the BLA. The scholarship funds will be distributed over four years. 

As RCB Dean Sue Lehrman, Rowan Vice President for Strategic Enrollment Management Jeffrey Hand, Kingsway Chief Academic Officer Patricia Calandro and three Kingsway freshmen looked on, Kingsway Superintendent James J. Lavender signed the agreement formally establishing the BLA at a ceremony on Friday, August 26, in the lobby of Bunce Hall on the Glassboro campus.

“Engaging early and meaningfully with top-notch regional high school students, such as those at Kingsway, is critical to our college’s strategic plan and supports Rowan’s focus on enhancing university accessibility for New Jersey students,” says Lehrman.

“We could not be more pleased to be entering into this agreement with Kingsway. We view it as a model for future relationships with other regional high schools.”

The opportunity to take undergraduate courses on Rowan’s campus is huge for Kingsway students, says Calandro.

“Through these collaborative experiences, Academy students will engage in learning that is not only critical to postsecondary academic standards but also college expectations and environments,” Calandro says. “Students will have an opportunity to learn in the college classroom, interact with college professors, and experience the college campus prior to high school graduation.

“These invaluable opportunities create a comprehensive high school experience that prepares students for the transition into higher education and provides additional confidence needed for success in college.”

While the partnership creates numerous benefits for Academy students, it also provides opportunities to Kingsway faculty. Teachers will be paired with RCB faculty to collaborate and identify critical subject-matter knowledge, core concepts, and pedagogical strategies that promote and advance student learning in particular subject areas. RCB will host a “Rowan Day” on campus that will give Kingsway faculty a chance to tour campus, meet and collaborate with professors and advisors, sit in on course sessions and meet Rowan students.

RCB’s new, $63.2 million, 96,500-square-foot academic building, located on Route 322 in the heart of the Glassboro campus, is expected to open next January.

“Partnerships of this kind are equally valuable to the college and universities where many of our students may someday attend, as well as to our faculty members, who are preparing our students for the next step in their journeys,” Lavender says.

About the Rohrer College of Business

The Rohrer College of Business is accredited by AACSB International (The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business)--the premier accrediting body for business programs throughout the world. To achieve this prestigious accreditation, the business program successfully demonstrated a wide range of quality standards relating to curriculum, faculty resources, admissions, degree requirements, facilities, financial resources, and intellectual climate. 

The business program, which boasts a rapidly growing student body of 1,900 students among eight undergraduate programs, empowers students to achieve sustainable careers through professionally oriented programs and real-world immersion experiences, integrating relevant faculty research, entrepreneurial thinking, responsible leadership and community collaboration.

Additionally, the college offers an MBA program, which has been recognized nationally, and a new MS in Finance program that will launch in spring 2017.

About Kingsway’s Academy Programs

Kingsway’s Academy programs prepare students for advanced college study in a particular content area. These four-year programs of academic study are offered to a selected group of highly motivated students who have demonstrated interests and abilities in particular fields of study. Academies include in-depth study of targeted courses on an advanced level, with many courses meeting the requirements of Advanced Placement or college-level work. The Academies address core skills, knowledge, and values that are essential to success in high school and in preparation for acceptance to a competitive four-year college or university. For information, visit http://www.krsd.org/domain/352.

About the Kingsway Regional School District

Kingsway is a limited purpose regional school district that offers its students a rigorous academic program and a myriad of enrichment programs and services for students in grades 7 to 12. Kingsway Regional Middle School (Grades 7 to 8) and Kingsway Regional High School (Grades 9 to 12) cater to the individual needs of our students and promote opportunities for students to pursue their own areas of interest. Our population of approximately 2,700 students is multicultural and reflects the diversity of the communities it serves. Its mission is to ensure that all students receive rigorous and engaging instructional experiences that promote high levels of student achievement, including those with diverse learning needs. For information, visit http://krsd.org/Page/1.