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 The Student Development and Campus Life Department supports students in reaching their educational goals at Berkeley College. The Department works in a cooperative relationship with faculty, College staff, and students to provide a safe and secure environment that fosters students’ intellectual, psychological, physical, social, and professional development. A diverse range of programs, activities, and services are designed to enhance the student experience at Berkeley College.
Orientation provides new students with information regarding the services available at the College. The program acquaints students with their peers and faculty, helps students feel comfortable in their new surroundings, and encourages them to become active participants in campus life.
Berkeley has developed multiple orientation programs designed to meet the specific needs of incoming students, whether day or evening, just out of high school or adult, attending on-site or online.
Orientation is mandatory. It is available online for both evening and online students. A second orientation session for day students focuses on support services.
The diversity of the student body at Berkeley College enhances the experience here and contributes to the cultural enrichment of the community. Many ethnic and multicultural events are planned and coordinated by students and staff to promote understanding of the similarities and differences among cultures. They help form relationships that can last far beyond the college years.
At Berkeley College students are encouraged to join or form student organizations that address their interests and concerns. Whether social, cultural, academic, or recreational in purpose, student organizations offer opportunities to network, share and lead. Many locations, for example, have academic organizations such as fashion, business, accounting, and paralegal clubs, while others have social and cultural organizations such as poetry, community service, music, and international clubs.
Community service has always played an important role at Berkeley College, and students are provided ample opportunities to work with organizations or participate in programs that benefit the greater community. These include, but are not limited to, Habitat for Humanity, the American Cancer Society, the March of Dimes, the American Conference on Diversity, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the American Red Cross, Community Blood Services, the Humane Society of Bergen County, the ALS Association, as well as many local community charitable activities. In addition, courses offered through the Academic Service Learning program provide the opportunity for students to earn course credits while making a difference through hands-on learning with a community service organization.
Berkeley College is also committed to protecting the environment and engages both students and staff through a program called Project GreenPath.
Berkeley College encourages and empowers students to develop their leadership, sportsmanship, and interpersonal skills through a variety of athletic programs and recreational activities. Some locations offer intercollegiate sports while other locations provide students the opportunity to engage in club sports or intramural events both on- and off-campus.
Activities include, but are not limited to, basketball, soccer, softball, volleyball, cheerleading, flag football, paintball, and bowling. Berkeley College encourages students to participate in the various athletic and recreational programs, and open tryouts are offered for the varsity-level programs.
Berkeley College recognizes that each student’s opportunity to learn extends beyond the classroom. In fact, the metropolitan area becomes the classroom for Berkeley students. Within just a few miles of any of Berkeley College’s seven locations are theaters, museums, merchandising centers, concert halls, malls, amusement parks, zoos, golf courses, bowling alleys, beaches, ski resorts, and much, much more. Field trips, guest speakers, and social and cultural events, both in the city and the suburbs, contribute to the Berkeley College experience.
Trips are routinely scheduled to such locations as the United Nations, the New York Stock Exchange, the National Bar Association, the Liberty Science Center, Broadway, Times Square, Great Adventure, and local professional sporting events, among others.
The Berkeley College Online Campus is vibrant and adds value to the college community. In addition to having the option of participating in any on-site activities, programs, events, or clubs, online students have their own student organizations, such as the Online Book Club, the Fashion Club, the Poetry Club, the Parents’ Café, and the Healthy Café. Online students can also participate in various discussion boards, contests, and community outreach programs through Blackboard and can volunteer to become a peer mentor for new online students, assisting them with their transition into the online community.
All students have a voice in Berkeley College governance through the Student Government Association (SGA). Although the College’s Board of Trustees is ultimately responsible for final policy decisions, student comments and recommendations are encouraged and heeded. Elected SGA officers meet regularly and act as a liaison between students and administration. The Association also serves in an advisory capacity in planning campus activities and events. Residence Hall Associations (RHA) serve the interests and concerns of resident students.
Berkeley’s Leadership Development Institute provides emerging leaders with the opportunity to receive additional training from staff and faculty who specialize in this field.
A student must apply for admission to the Institute and have exhibited an interest in and potential for leadership. Students selected for the Institute meet quarterly at different locations, with each meeting focusing on a different aspect of leadership. Subjects include peer mentoring, developing and determining learning outcomes, instituting and maintaining change, the role and implementation of assessment planning, and conflict management, to name a few.
As participants, students not only get the opportunity to meet student leaders from other locations, but also to visit other Berkeley locations and attend events off-site throughout the year. At the conclusion of the program, students celebrate their participation with an informal graduation ceremony and create a student development transcript that chronicles their involvement in the life of the College.
Students who attain high academic achievement may join a variety of honor societies in recognition of their accomplishment. For example, Sigma Beta Delta is for students enrolled in business, management, and administration Baccalaureate programs; Alpha Sigma Lambda is for adult students enrolled in Baccalaureate programs; Lambda Epsilon Chi is for students who have attained excellence in Paralegal Studies; Mu Kappa Tau is for marketing students; the Financial Management Association is for students in Financial Services; and Phi Theta Kappa is for students enrolled in Associate’s degree programs. Students who choose to join these societies participate in a formal induction ceremony and receive ceremonial cords that are worn during commencement.
A friendly community spirit distinguishes the residence experience at Berkeley College. Living in close proximity with others sharing a constant exchange of ideas is one of the most educational and enjoyable aspects of campus life. Residence halls are available at the Garret Mountain and Westchester Campuses. Numerous residence facilities are available in Manhattan and the nearby boroughs for students who attend the New York City Midtown Campus and the Lower Manhattan Extension Center. Additional information is available at the campus Admissions Department.
The bond between Berkeley and its alumni continues after graduation. Berkeley has an active Alumni Association that sponsors numerous functions each year providing graduates with opportunities to network professionally, cultivate friendships, and remain connected with the College.
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