Clemente Course in the Humanities

Empowering people and communities through the humanities

For over 25 years, the Clemente Course in the Humanities’ free college humanities courses have empowered adult students around the United States to further their education and careers, become effective advocates for themselves and their families, and engage in cultural and political life. In 2025, Atlantic Cape Community College is offering a FREE 12-week college course for veterans of the U.S. military, regardless of discharge status.

The course will explore themes of war and reconciliation through literature, philosophy, art and history. A high school diploma or GED is not required.

Atlantic Community College is our academic partner for the 2025 class! Stay tuned for information about future class offerings!

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The Program

The New Jersey Council for the Humanities is proud to support the Clemente Course in the Humanities in New Jersey, operating in partnership with Atlantic Cape Community College.

The 16-week course, open to New Jersey veterans and military-connected civilians, offers an opportunity for adult learners to explore themes of war and reconciliation through literature, art, history, and philosophy.

The course is offered free of charge to participants
Books and course materials are provided free
Class meetings will be held on Zoom, with optional in-person field trips planned
Participants can earn transferable college credits at no cost and without using any VA benefits.

The Impact

This course is part of a national initiative developed in 2014 by the Clemente Course in the Humanities to provide a meaningful intellectual community to veterans and military-connected civilians.

Past courses have included veterans of the Air Force, Army, Marines, Navy, and National Guard, as well as friends and family members of service members. Students overwhelmingly report positive experiences and praise the course for building a sense of community.

For Jonathan Ruiz, a U.S. Navy Veteran who participated in a prior course, the experience was one of resonance and healing.

“It really allowed me to process some of my experiences by reading about others’ experiences in different time periods, analyzing different artworks, and having discussions with my classmates,” he said. “This class stretched my mind.”

The Class

the class will be led by an ACCC instructor. A peer facilitator will also help lead class discussion and offer support. Each meeting typically begins with check-ins and a writing exercise.

The reading list is wide-ranging, but texts from previous courses include:

Plato, Republic
Shakespeare, Henry V
Pericles, “Funeral Oration”
Frederick Douglass, “What to a Slave is the 4th of July”
Homer, The Odyssey

And yes, it’s really free of charge! This class is made possible by a grant from NJCH.

Instructors

Akeel Gaines (philosophy)

Akeel Gaines is a Command Sergeant Major - Senior Enlisted Advisor in the United States Army where he has served for over 20 years. Akeel specializes in developing leaders, teambuilding, and people empowerment. A strong advocate for leadership growth and development, Akeel focuses on discovering, developing and deploying people to help reach their maximum potential. Akeel holds a Doctorate Degree in Organizational Leadership from Stockton University. He has one wife and four beautiful children who helped shape the man he is today. Akeel enjoys reading and staying physically fit. He embraces and understands the inherited responsibility associated with leadership and therefore lives by the scripture, To whom much is given, much will be required (Luke 12:48).

Paulie Wenger (history)

Paulie Wenger is a historian interested in traditionally overlooked history. A native of the Pine Barrens, he has worked with institutions such as Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, the Princeton University Art Museum, and Whitesbog Preservation Trust. Since 2022, he has taught history and sociology at Atlantic Cape Community College. He is currently pursuing a PhD in the History of American Civilization at the University of Delaware. Passionate about New Jersey’s past, he is particularly interested in how historical memory shapes our understanding of place and identity.

Jerome Ingram (writing/academic coach)

Jerome Ingram is a native of New Jersey and a graduate of Atlantic Cape Community College, class of 2004. He also has served in the New Jersey Army National Guard since 2005 and currently holds the rank of Major (O-4). After joining Atlantic Cape as an employee in 2018, Jerome started in the Admissions Department (now known as One-Stop) and advanced to the position of Academic Advisor in 2021. Since 2024, he has served as the Assistant Director of the First-Year Experience Program. Jerome earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science from Thomas Edison State University in 2014 and his Master’s Degree in Liberal Studies from the same university in 2023. His passions include writing, traveling, and giving back to the community through mentorship and the development of educational programs.

Ashley Sardoni (literature/writing)

Ashley Sardoni is a senior adjunct faculty member at ACCC, where she has been teaching since 2016. In addition to her role at ACCC, she teaches English and creative writing at Southern New Hampshire University and Stockton University. Ashley graduated from Bloomfield College with degrees in Criminal Justice and Creative Writing. She earned her MFA in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickinson University and is currently pursuing a second master's degree in English/creative writing with a concentration in nonfiction. When Ashley is not working or learning, she spends time with her family enjoying nature, word puzzles, and escape games.

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