West Windsor, N.J. - Mercer County Community College's (MCCC) Board of Trustees invites the community to "Building on a Proud History," an Open House on Thursday, Sept. 27 from 4 to 6 p.m. The event will celebrate the opening of Trenton Hall, the college's new academic building located across the street from the current Trenton campus at 102 North Broad Street, as well as newly renovated areas of existing buildings. (Trenton Hall is the former Home Furniture Building.)

Free parking for the Open House is available at the Warren Street Garage at 110 North Warren Street. (Garage entrances are located on both Broad Street and Warren Street.)

The event's historic theme draws attention to the college's strong roots in Trenton. MCCC can be traced back to 1890 when the Evening Drawing School was founded in Trenton. Later the school became known as Trenton Junior College and offered programs focused on industrial arts and engineering in keeping with workforce training priorities. In 1966 the college became MCCC and expanded to West Windsor in 1972.

Observes MCCC President Dr. Patricia C. Donohue, "Today our Trenton campus continues the legacy of improving lives through education and training the county's workforce."

Guests are invited to convene in Kerney Hall, where they will have the opportunity to talk with faculty, staff and students about academic programs offered in Trenton and enjoy refreshments. Tours of the current buildings' newly renovated areas and Trenton Hall will be led by staff and students, and will leave from Kerney Hall and Trenton Hall.

In a presentation at 5 p.m. in Kerney Hall, Dr. Donohue and other officials will describe the college's longer-term plans for expansion in Trenton. Attendees will receive a commemorative MCCC gift.

According to Dr. Donohue, "With expansion and improvements downtown, we will be able to serve more city and county residents, including state workers who are interested in evening or lunchtime classes." Enhancements in the current buildings include a new one-stop student registration and advisement center known as The Commons, a new career center, new science labs, study areas and more. Trenton Hall houses new classrooms, a study lounge, an art studio and a Fashion Design Laboratory.

Programs that may be completed in their entirety at Mercer's Trenton campus include Liberal Arts and Criminal Justice (both Law Enforcement and Corrections). The college's Fashion/Apparel Design program began in Trenton in fall 2011 and its Fashion Merchandising program begins in a ten-week session starting Oct. 2. Also coming soon is a noncredit program to train students as Certified Nurse Assistants.

The registration deadline for the Open House is Sept. 20. To register, click here. For additional information, contact the MCCC President's Office at 609-570-3613 or the Trenton Campus Provost's Office at 609-570-3160.