"We have discovered that there are two types of students who would prefer to attend class in the mornings rather than evenings," said Sarah Silver, UCSM Director. "These include parents of young children who have heavy family obligations on weekday evenings and/or people who either work evenings or have flexible schedules."
For spring semester 2007, a new course, Survey of World Literature, will be taught by Emily Shoff on Thursday mornings at the Wilkinson Library. Shoff holds a graduate degree from the Bread Loaf School of English at Middlebury College. She describes the course as a reading and writing workshop for those who would like to explore and discuss some of the world's best literature, continent by continent, with an expert guide. This is one of many UCSM courses that can be taken either for college credit or audited for continuing education and intellectual pleasure.
Mesa State College will award three credits for students enrolled in the UCSM course. Students not needing credit may register with UCSM at a lower tuition, as space permits. UCSM is also planning to offer a daytime Spanish Communications continuing education course.
UCSM's Spring 2007 semester will begin mid-January with a mix of short term workshops and eight- and 15-week courses, including freshman English Composition and Literature, General Psychology, Child Development, Eastern Philosophy, Spanish Communications, and Computer Applications courses. Staff will also be working with Mountain Village Homeowners Association to eventually develop a series of hospitality management and service courses to meet local employer and workforce needs. A number of local students working on state certification will also be enrolled in UCSM's ongoing series of early childhood education courses, which are sponsored by the regional Bright Futures Early Childhood Council.
In addition to developing and managing a year around schedule of credit and continuing education courses held in community classrooms throughout the San Miguel Watershed, including Mountain Village, Telluride, Placerville, and Redvale, the University Centers is a member of the National College Access Network and committed to equitable access to higher education for lower income residents of our remote rural communities. The organization provides professional college and career advisement for middle and high school youth and adults who need information and encouragement on how to access higher education and professional training despite geographic and socio-economic obstacles.
"Just the other day I heard a young mom who recently graduated from a local high school tell her class that it had never occurred to her that she could go to college until she happened to meet a UCSM counselor and was encouraged to enroll," said Silver.
UCSM programs are supported in part by grants from Mountain Village Owners Association, Town of Telluride, San Miguel County, the Telluride Foundation, and by private and business contributions. For more information go to the UCSM website, www.ucsanmiguel.org or call the Telluride office at 369-5255. Early Registration for Spring 2007 courses is scheduled for Dec. 27-29.
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