Removing Barriers, Creating Pathways

One of the goals of the Whyman Center for Transformative Learning is to identify, amplify, and connect innovative poverty-informed practices happening across the College. The work Sheri Stanford of College Readiness has been leading with our K–12 partners is a beautiful example of this work in action.

This story demonstrates so many of the directions Brookdale is intentionally moving toward: removing barriers for students, creating seamless pathways from high school to college, developing authentic employer partnerships, and helping students imagine themselves in professions they may never have previously considered.

This spring, Brookdale’s College Readiness program partnered with Long Branch High School and Monmouth Medical Center to offer the Health Care Career Exploration program (HESC 107), creating a powerful example of how community partnerships can expand educational and career opportunities for students. The College Readiness Now XII funding is administered by the OSHE and the OSHE is a partner in the “College Readiness Now XII” project.

The eleven-week course provided Long Branch High School juniors and seniors with the opportunity to earn college credit while learning in an authentic healthcare environment at Monmouth Medical Center. More than a traditional classroom experience, the course immersed first-generation college students, students from immigrant families, and other historically underrepresented students in the daily realities of healthcare professions while connecting them directly with clinicians, healthcare leaders, and mentors.

“I couldn’t be prouder of these students and all they accomplished throughout the semester said Sheri Stanford, assistant director, College Readiness. “Watching them gain confidence, earn college credit, and begin to see themselves in healthcare careers was truly rewarding.”

“The thing I value most about this work is creating opportunities for students who may not have previously seen college or certain careers as accessible to them,” she continued. “I’m especially grateful for our partnership with Long Branch High School and Monmouth Medical Center. Knowing that students can continue their educational and career journeys through opportunities at Monmouth Medical Center makes this program even more meaningful.”

By partnering with Monmouth Medical Center to offer the course onsite, students experienced firsthand what careers in healthcare look like beyond textbooks and lectures. Participants explored specialized departments including the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), learned to take blood pressure readings, interpreted EKGs, and gained valuable exposure to healthcare workplace culture and expectations.

The program exemplifies Brookdale’s institution-wide approach to provide an educational experience that removed barriers and created clear pathways to college and career success. Aligning educational programs to meaningful careers, providing active and experiential learning opportunities, supporting career exploration, creating a no-cost pathway to completion, and establishing strong on-ramps from high school into higher education, this course embodied each of these principles.

The course aligned directly with high-demand healthcare careers, allowing students to explore professions that offer strong employment opportunities and clear transfer pathways through Brookdale and beyond. Students were not only introduced to healthcare careers; they could envision themselves in those roles through direct interaction with healthcare professionals and exposure to real clinical environments.

Moreover, it emphasized active and experiential learning. Rather than learning about healthcare solely through classroom instruction, students engaged with healthcare practitioners, observed clinical settings, and participated in hands-on learning activities. These experiences helped bridge the gap between academic learning and career application, making future goals more tangible and attainable.

Career and college exploration were woven throughout the semester. During the program’s completion celebration, students engaged in conversations about educational pathways, transfer opportunities, and future enrollment options. For some students, Brookdale had not previously been part of their postsecondary plans. Through the course, they began to see community college as a viable and affordable pathway toward healthcare careers and advanced degrees.

Representatives from Monmouth Medical Center also shared information about volunteer opportunities, employment opportunities, tuition reimbursement benefits, scholarships, and educational partnerships. Students learned that employees are eligible for tuition reimbursement after only three months of employment and may apply for a $10,000 scholarship after one year of service. These discussions helped students understand not only what careers were available, but also how they could realistically access and afford them.

Perhaps most importantly, the program addressed barriers that often prevent students from fully participating in educational opportunities. Many of the students were already attending Monmouth Medical Center through the Big Brothers Big Sisters mentorship program on Wednesdays. Scheduling the course at the medical center created a seamless transition between mentoring and academics while eliminating additional transportation challenges. The program was intentionally designed around students’ existing commitments and schedules, reducing logistical burdens on students and families.

Through College Readiness initiatives, the College has consistently worked to identify and remove barriers related to transportation, food insecurity, financial strain, family responsibilities, and limited access to higher education opportunities. Programs are designed to meet students where they are, bringing college experiences directly into the communities they serve while providing the support necessary for students to succeed.

This approach builds upon previous College Readiness initiatives in Long Branch. In Spring 2025, Brookdale offered a Business Meta Majors course at the Long Branch Higher Education Center after transportation barriers were identified as a significant challenge for students. The location allowed students to walk directly from their high school to class. At the same time, Monmouth Medical and Brookdale partnered to provide dinner each week to address food insecurity during extended evening sessions. These efforts demonstrated that when barriers are removed, students are better positioned to engage, persist, and achieve their goals.

The success of the Health Care Career Exploration program was made possible through the collective commitment of Brookdale Community College, Long Branch High School, and Monmouth Medical Center. Long Branch High School invested significant time and resources in identifying students, engaging families, and supporting participation. Monmouth Medical Center welcomed students into its facility, provided access to healthcare professionals, and created meaningful opportunities for exploration and mentorship.

At the program’s conclusion, students gathered to celebrate their accomplishments alongside instructor Noreen Morgan; Sylvia Jacobs, Director of People, Belonging, and Impact at Monmouth Medical Center; Susan Luongo, Coordinator for the Center for Professional Development, Innovation, and Research; and Jean Straker-Darbeau, Clinical Educator for the Emergency Department.

The celebration marked more than the completion of a college course. It represented the creation of a pathway. Through intentional partnerships, and experiential learning, students gained college credit, explored career opportunities, built professional networks, and developed a clearer vision for their futures.

Every effort to remove barriers, simplify pathways, and connect students to meaningful opportunities helps students feel not only welcome, but wanted. College Readiness’s HESC 107 demonstrates that when academic programs are intentionally designed to support students facing the most significant barriers, the learning experience improves for everyone and ensures that students have access to opportunity and the support necessary to achieve their goals.

BULLET POINTS:

• Brookdale’s College Readiness program partnered with Long Branch High School and Monmouth Medical Center to offer HESC 107: Introduction to Health Careers, allowing high school juniors and seniors to earn college credit in an authentic healthcare setting.
• The course exemplified Brookdale’s commitment to access, equity, and student success by bringing college instruction directly into the community and reducing barriers to participation for first-generation and historically underserved students.
• Students engaged in active, experiential learning through exposure to healthcare professionals and hands-on activities, including visits to specialized hospital units and demonstrations of clinical skills such as taking blood pressure and reading EKGs.
• The program strengthened career and college exploration by connecting students with clinicians, healthcare leaders, volunteer opportunities, employment pathways, tuition reimbursement programs, scholarships, and transfer options.
• The onsite location at Monmouth Medical Center minimized transportation challenges by aligning with students’ existing Wednesday mentorship schedule through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, creating a seamless educational experience.
• The initiative intentionally addressing barriers that can limit educational access, including transportation, scheduling, and exposure to career opportunities, while creating clear pathways from high school to college and employment.
• The collaboration among Brookdale, Long Branch High School, and Monmouth Medical Center demonstrates the power of community partnerships in preparing first-generation college students, students from immigrant families, and other historically underrepresented students for postsecondary education and in-demand careers.
• At the conclusion of the eleven-week program, students celebrated their successful completion with a recognition ceremony, reflecting on how the experience expanded their understanding of healthcare careers and influenced their future educational plans.
• The HESC 107 model aligns with Brookdale’s mission of transforming lives through accessible, high-quality education and meaningful community engagement, while illustrating how innovative partnerships can help students envision and achieve their academic and career goals.

The contents of this article were developed under a grant from the State of New Jersey that is administered by the New Jersey Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE). However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the State of New Jersey or the OSHE, and you should not assume endorsement by State Government.