A Dad and Daughter duo graduated from Mercer County Community College 32 years apart from each other and both expressed that attending Mercer County was one of the best decisions they made. For some individuals, it can be difficult deciding what College or University to enroll in, but for Dale and Nikole Cook, the answer was simple.

Dale Cook graduated from MCCC in 1984 with a degree in Communications. From the start, Dale knew Mercer was the best fit for him. The college was affordable, well-rated, and gave him accessibility to work a part-time job while attending classes. After Mercer, he went on to finish his degree at William Paterson, which is one of the institutions included in Mercer’s Transfer Agreement. The transfer agreement between William Paterson and MCCC allowed Dale to transfer without losing any course credits.

After receiving his undergraduate degree, Dale went on to work for IBM for about 7 years and is now an employee for Mercedes Benz. Mercer not only prepared Dale for his next step in pursuing his Communications Degree but prepared him for life after college. At that time, Dale did not realize the impact MCCC would have on his daughter, Nikole Cook.

Nikole Cook is a 2016 MCCC graduate with a degree in Criminal Justice. At first, Nikole was inspired to pursue a career in Law Enforcement, but after receiving a successful grade in a challenging Criminal Law course at Mercer, that was when she knew she wanted to attend Law School. After Mercer, she transferred to Temple University where she graduated with a 4.0 GPA and is now a second-year student at Rutgers Law in Camden, NJ.

Nikole stated, “People always talk down Community College, but Mercer actually set me up for succeeding.”

Mercer ensures that transferring from the college to a 4-year institution is as easy as possible and that is what the Cook’s loved about their experience. “The college helped me decide which institution would be the best one to transfer to, considering their degree programs,” said Nikole.

When students are fresh out of high school they sometimes worry about living in a new environment, what career path to pursue, or how they will financially afford a 4-year institution. At Mercer, the college allows you to adjust to a college environment while still living at home and helps students find a career path that drives and motivates them to be successful, all for an affordable cost.

The Cook’s biggest piece of advice for those new students torn between attending MCCC or a 4-year institution is to choose Mercer. Mercer is a place that keeps students grounded and helps you prepare for your future.