From
the President
Dear friends,
We're off and
running again. The beginning of the fall semester saw some nice "firsts"
for Southwestern. The first residents of the new residence hall on Warren
Avenue have moved in and made the place theirs. The freshman women living
there are delighted with their accommodations and, by their second day
on campus, were lording it over the freshman males who live in Wallingford.
This year's freshman class is terrific. Their ACT/SAT scores and their
high school grade point averages are the highest in quite a few years.
As if to underscore
their brightness, the college issued the freshmen blindingly colored
tie-dyed T-shirts to wear for their first day on campus. The last time
I wore tie-dye was about thirty years ago, but I, along with many others
in the campus welcoming party, put on the shirts and joined in the fun.
The college's orientation for new students changed this year, giving
much more emphasis to breaking the ice, lowering anxiety, and helping
the frosh make acquaintances and friends. It seems to have worked well.
The college has
launched two new academic programs. Our master of education in special
education was eagerly received by teachers and school administrators
who are struggling to meet the needs of their students. We're the first
private college in our region to offer this program. We are confident
our new online degree completion programs in pastoral studies and business
administration will also fill an important need; over 100 are enrolled
online for our first eight-week session. We're the first private college
in Kansas to offer a complete online path from associate's degree to
bachelor's degree.
With 1,200 students
on board, the addition of talented new faculty, and the promise of cool
fall days just around the corner, there is great energy on our campus.
I hope you will join us for some or all of Homecoming Weekend-Thursday,
Oct. 18 through Sunday, Oct. 21-and learn more about the great things
your college is doing.
Best regards,
Dick Merriman
From
Professional Studies
Consider
for a moment what Southwestern College was like 10 years ago.What comes
to mind is a beautiful campus of 85 acres on The Hill in Winfield. Now,
consider Southwestern College today. Over the years, Southwestern has
taken a leadership role in transforming the institution in ways that
continually meet the ever-evolving educational needs of students. Unheard
of 10 years ago, professional studies is one such transformation. With
an average age of 35, today's professional studies student completes
six-week classes in the evenings or on Saturdays at centers in downtown
Winfield or in east and west Wichita. Typically, a professional studies
student works full-time and balances work, community, and family responsibilities
to earn a degree.
So, what's next for Southwestern College as the needs
of students evolve? With the approval of the Higher Learning Commission
(North Central Association), it's online learning. Anywhere, Anytime
Learning.Online Education.Asynchronous Learning.Distance Education.all
describe the newest wave in higher education. According to the International
Data Corporation the number of students enrolling in higher education
distance learning courses will continue to grow consistently over the
next five years from 710,000 to 2.23 million. By 2002 the number of
students taking distance learning courses will represent 15% of all
higher education students - up from 5% in 1998.
It's easy to see why online learning is becoming so
popular. Online learning provides students with a flexible learning
environment without the time/location constraints of traditional classroom-based
courses. Online students can complete coursework 24/7 using a computer
with an Internet connection to engage in virtual discussions with other
students in their class, to submit assignments, to take quizzes or to
check course-specific Internet links established by their instructor.
Online courses appear to best meet the needs of students who live/work
in rural areas or in gridlocked urban areas, or those in positions that
require frequent travel.
Is there someone you know who could benefit from a college
degree, but who has professional or family obligations that keep him
from going back to school? Or maybe you know someone who would like
to complete a bachelor's degree but simply can't commit two or more
years of her life to traditional classes? You can be proud that Southwestern,
your own college, is a leader in providing alternatives for these learners.
Karen Pedersen
Vice President for Professional Studies
