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Show r i - i Division of New Learning hosts community classes Classes aim to bring Sugar House to campus Feli Anne Hipol Contributing Writer On Jan. 7, Westminster College began its continuing education program. According to the continuing education website, the Division of New Learning is now offering a new continuing education program with two areas, personal enrichment and professional development. Personal Enrichment David Stokes, Director of Continuing Education, said the personal enrichment classes are specifically to try and connect with the community. Stokes said, President Bassis announced last year a change in orientation to the growth of the college. It would be less centralized, and were strongly trying to connect with the Sugar House area. So were targeting several personal enrichment areas to that." According to the continuing education website, its current personal enrichment courses consist of a digital camera basics course, a CPRAED and First Aid course, a lifeguard certification course and a triathlon training course. Johanna Daley, associate director of marketing in the Division of New Learning, was a participant in the digital camera basics course. She said, I finally learned how to take my camera off of auto and use the manual functions to take pictures." According to Stokes, the program will soon add two wine tasting courses. One class will teach students to distinguish between the different types of wines. In the other class students will learn how to combine wine and food. He also said they have several ideas in the making, including earthquake preparedness and energy efficiency at home. In addition to other personal enrichment courses, Daley said, Were working on offering arts appreciation courses, where students can meet performers in the symphony, the ballet, and attend actual performances." Stokes said, Were still working towards partnerships wed like to have with dance groups, the opera, Capital Theatre and the Jazz series a number of other things that would allow people to come together and enjoy the arts Professional Development The professional development courses are to partner with businesses to provide professional continuing education for their employees, said Stokes. This area is really for people that want to gain increased or new skills that knowledge in business, might help them in the work place, he said. There are two professional development courses offered currendy. The courses are Stock Investing in a Volatile Market and Focused Project Management. We have Rob Patterson, whos a faculty member in the school of business, teaching a course now on the stock market and choosing stocks at volatile times, said Stokes. According to the website, the focused project course on Feb. 24 and management course is a one-da- y is taught by, Clark Campbell, author ofthe best selling book, The One-PaProject Manager. This workshop will provide effective applicable business tools, which can be used today by both the novice and the seasoned practitioner to increase project productivity. ge The Process 1 Stokes said he began working on the idea of haring a continuing education program a year ago. I have a good friend who runs the continuing education program at Weber State that Ive been working with in getting ideas of good things to do and how to avoid major mistakes. Daley said, Its been a long process. We just launched it this semester, but weve been working on it for a whole year. Finding people to teach the seminars is one challenge, and getting it all to happen at once. We didnt want to have one program here and another program there, or else it wasnt going to be successful that way, she said. Stokes said the continuing education program currently has partnerships with HWAC, the School of Business and the School of Nursing, but it hopes to expand its partnerships and get all the schools on campus involved with the program. Stokes said he would like to see the program develop and someday offer full programs possibly in the culinary arts or wine tasting fields. When we hit the end of the year, well have a pretty good idea of what we can run for the follovring year, said Stokes. By this time next year, itll be a terrific frill program with courses that will fill For more information, visit westminstercollege. educe. 0 t 1 E I aa 97 year-ol- d alumni in the next issue of The Forum. Leland Paxton, who graduated Westminster in 1 934, reminisces about childhood, college and the hi years since his graduation. f 7 FEBRUARY 9, 2010 |