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Jim Hartzell, Director of Marketing
P.O. Box 660
Georgetown, DE 19947
(302) 856-5780
FAX (302) 856-5020
james.c.hartzell@wilmcoll.edu
Wilmington College Educates Department of Corrections Employees through BCJTA
June 19, 2007—Dover, DE. Wilmington College and the Delaware Department of Corrections (DOC) are continuing a multi-year cooperative educational project this fall. For eleven years, Blue Collar Jobs Training Act (BCJTA) funding, through the State of Delaware Personnel Office(Now the Office of Management and Budget), has provided over $167,000 to pay tuition and other fees for selected DOC employees to take prescribed Wilmington College courses. The courses are part of a ten-course Certification Program in Criminal Justice designed by the College for the DOC. BCJTA funds alone provided first year funding. Since the second year, depending on the funding level, various divisions within the DOC have supplemented BCJTA funding so that the program has continued uninterrupted. This has meant a commitment of over $40,000 by the DOC divisions.
Over 40 students have enrolled in the program through a selection process developed by the DOC with assistance from Wilmington College. Over thirty of them have completed the program. Evaluations of the Program continue to be highly favorable according to both the students in the program and DOC officials. According to Jim Hartzell, Marketing Specialist with Wilmington College, “Students are telling us that the program is giving them the knowledge to apply for promotions and the incentive to keep on pursuing their degree. They report a better understanding of criminal behavior which enables them to increase public safety as they perform correctional duties.”
According to Carl Danberg, Commissioner of the Department of Corrections, the program benefits the Department and the individuals: “As of the fall of 2006, thirty-four (34) individuals had completed the certificate program...we have reports from supervisors and managers that indicate these individuals are highly motivated professionally,” Danberg said.