July 6, 2007 - 2:29am
Powell River students are realizing they don’t need to leave home to start their university education.
Professors and staff at Malaspina University-College’s Powell River campus want local students to see the many benefits that come with spending their first year in post-secondary education in their home community.
“We offer several excellent university courses,” said Carol Sansburn, Malaspina’s Powell River campus coordinator and educational advisor. “If students stay in Powell River for their first year of studies, they will get a lot more personal attention from their instructors because the class sizes are smaller.”
There are several university courses available on the Powell River campus, from psychology and anthropology classes to English, history and theatre, all of which are completely transferable to other schools. Students will have a variety of choices to prepare them for their continued education and help them decide what they want to take.
“Students can get an excellent education while living at home and saving a lot of money. It’s a win-win situation,” said Sansburn.
“I’ve been to a lot of different universities and I can hardly believe how great the teaching is here,” said Michael Thoms, a history professor on the Powell River campus. “The teachers are all incredibly dedicated.”
Thoms, who received his PhD from UBC, has been teaching in Powell River for four years and loves the community atmosphere. While he has a great deal of experience and could teach anywhere, Thoms seems more than satisfied to call the Powell River campus home.
“There’s just a really positive, robust learning environment here,” he said. “University should be fun and should create a great atmosphere for learning, personal growth and discovery - that’s how it is in Powell River.”
Michael Armstrong, who will be teaching Theatre 100 at the Powell River campus, the first time that course has been offered, thinks students will get a better education taking their first year in a smaller community than at a larger university with huge class sizes.
“It’s very beneficial for students to do their first year here,” he said. “With smaller class sizes comes greater attention and personal contact with teachers. On this campus, teachers are on a first name basis with their students, often have coffee with them and do everything they can to accommodate them.”
For students like Sarah Wate, taking courses in her home community gives her the opportunity to save money and spend another year with her familybefore leaving to take her BSc in nursing.
“With such an increase in cost-of-living expenses, I feel really lucky to take my first year at home,” she said. “The class sizes are definitely an advantage and the professors are very supportive. I can work and live with my parents while going to school, which saves me a lot of money.”
Those savings can be sizeable - students taking their first year in Powell River can easily save themselves $7,000 - $8,000 in living expenses if they can live at home while going to school.
Students will also have the opportunity to apply for several new bursaries this year. Any student applying and enrolling will be eligible for a $400 bursary applied to tuition. Applications for these awards are available on the Malaspina website and at the front desk of the university-college. There’s also an opportunity for seniors to take advantage of these great classes, as tuition is free to people age 65 and older.
Malaspina’s Powell River campus is open all summer. Students can register for classes right away, but early registration is encouraged. Classes start Sept. 4. For more information, please contact Carol Sansburn at (604)485-8028 or sansburn@viu.ca or visit the website at www.pr.viu.ca
Tags: In the Community
