NJ College to get National Growth Award

Online, February 3, 2010 (Newswire.com) - NEWARK, NJ (SOMERSET, NJ)--Somerset Christian College is New Jersey's only accredited evangelical four-year college. Established as Zarephath Bible institute in 1908 to train ministers and missionaries in central New Jersey. Its Christian foundation and Biblical roots have maintained through a century of changes. Today Somerset Christian College boasts the highest growth for all similar colleges its size in the US, according to the US Department of Education-recognized accrediting agency--the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE), which is also a member of the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

ABHE Communications Director Carol Dibble, announced yesterday: "Our records indicate that Somerset Christian College has experienced a 51.10% enrollment increase and will receive the Enrollment Growth Award in recognition of outstanding achievement represented by the highest enrollment growth [of all 203 colleges & universities accredited by the ABHE in the United States] from 2008 to 2009 in the 200-399 enrollment quadrant". The award will be presented to the President of Somerset Christian College, Dr. David E. Schroeder, Ed.D., at the February 18th annual accreditation conference in Orlando Florida.

President Schroeder cited God, his dedicated staff, and the college's new adult degree completion program offered in Newark, NJ as the source of the colleges national achievement. Schroeder most recently served as president of Nyack College in New York for 12 years--which experienced significant success in bringing a university education to underserved minority students in New York City--before accepting the presidency at Somerset Christian College in 2007. Somerset's Director of Admissions, Rich Valdes, said: "Seeing more African-American and Hispanic students pusuing Christ-centered higher education is an encouragement to all of us at Somerset Christian College." noting the increase in underserved and minority student diversity as a prime benefit reaped by the recent enrollment growth.

Plans to continue growing in the Garden State are in place for additional undergraduate programs in Business, Counseling, and Biblical Studies at the Newark Instructional Site. For more information on the college or an interview with President David Schroeder, contact Rich Valdes, Director of Admissions at [email protected] .