FOR RELEASE: Thursday, April 19, 2007
Program Offers Chance for Advancement
It's a very good program for our employees who have not been able to complete a bachelor's degree through other means. It is an important service that opens doors for people.- Thomas Flowers, vice chancellor for instruction and dean of students at the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton
The Bachelor of Science in Education with a concentration in human resource development in the College of Education and Health Professions is offered by distance education, linking Fayetteville with two-year colleges around Arkansas to meet the needs of working adults for a university education without leaving jobs or families.
Compressed interactive video allows the students to take part in class discussions with the UA instructor in Fayetteville as well as with students at other distance-learning sites throughout the state. They also take online courses on their own.
Program curriculum focuses on the "people" skills and effective strategies leaders use to facilitate change and improve workforce performance to benefit individuals, teams and organizations. These skills are ideal for many career and leadership positions. Undergraduates also obtain a solid academic base to pursue graduate studies.
For many of these students, the cohort weekend held each semester in Fayetteville may be the only time they visit the college campus, although many will return to walk in commencement ceremonies, to make an etching of their names engraved on Senior Walk and to cheer on the Razorback sports teams.
During cohort weekend, the students meet on a Friday evening for dinner followed by a program with an invited speaker. Then they break up into their classes for instruction Friday night and Saturday morning.
Thomas Flowers, vice chancellor for instruction and dean of students at the University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton, said officials are very pleased to be associated with the human resource development program and noted it is has been particularly beneficial to some of the college's employees.
Several students in the first cohort at UACCM were college employees who have advanced professionally since earning the degree, he said. One former secretary now works as an assistant registrar and another works as an assessment coordinator.
"It's a very good program for our employees who have not been able to complete a bachelor's degree through other means," Flowers said. "It is an important service that opens doors for people."