Atlantic Cape hires new college president after extensive national search

With Several New Jersey Communty Colleges ranked inside the top 300 Best Community Colleges in the United States, The Garden State has a valuable educational asset with these 2-year institutions that are inexpensive options for low-income families in New Jersey.

Higher education can be valuable for young adults' professional future, but many universities are in a price range that puts some people's dreams out of reach. That is why Community College enrollment has increased by almost 10 percent since 2023.

Approximately a quarter of all High School Graduates in the United States are opting for 2-year colleges to begin their higher education journey.

The number one state with the largest percentage of 2-year college students who transfer to Universities to further their education is New Jersey. This further emphasizes the importance of educational institutions like Camden County College that won National Awards in 2026.

This South Jersey Community College Names New Leadership

After nine years serving as President, Dr. Barbara Gaba will retire from her position on June 30, 2026, which made it a priority for the Atlantic Cape Community College Board of Trustees to find the 10th president in the school's history.

Atlantic Cape conducted a national search for their next president before announcing this week that they are hiring Dr. Jason Abreu. Currently working as Vice President of Student Affairs at Tarrant County College in Fort Worth, Texas, Abreu will come to New Jersey in the near future to take on this new position.

“On behalf of the Atlantic Cape Community College Board of Trustees, I am proud to welcome Dr. Jason Abreu as the College’s tenth president,” said Chairperson Daniel Money in an online press release. “Dr. Abreu brings more than 20 years of higher education leadership experience, with a strong focus on student success, access, and institutional effectiveness. The Board looks forward to working with him as Atlantic Cape continues serving students and strengthening our communities.”

Dr. Abreu has extensive experience working in higher education leadership, including serving as Associate Vice President of Enrollment Services and University Registrar at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. He earned his Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership along with his Master of Science in Leadership from Nova Southeastern University.

“I am honored to join Atlantic Cape Community College and grateful to the Board of Trustees for the opportunity to serve as the College’s next president,” said Dr. Abreu in the online press release. “As a first-generation college graduate, I know how profoundly higher education can change the trajectory of a student’s life. I look forward to working alongside Atlantic Cape’s faculty, staff, students, and community partners to meet the educational and workforce needs of Atlantic and Cape May counties and to become part of the South Jersey community.”

Reports say that Dr Abreu was one of four finalists for the President position at Atlantic Cape, but the only candidate from outside of New Jersey. One of the NJ finalists was an in-house candidate: Atlantic Cape's VP for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Natalie Devonish.