Extension gives students options
Utah State University’s Extension services provide thousands of students off campus with the opportunity to earn a degree.
Students unable to attend classes on campus can take classes at a number of branch campuses, centers or satellite sites throughout Utah as well as sites in Colorado, Nevada and Wyoming, said Weldon Sleight, associate vice president for university Extension and associate dean of continuing education Extension administration.
Branch campuses are located in places such as Brigham City and Uintah Basin Centers can also be found at Snow College, Dixie College and Weber State and satellite sites can be found in every Utah county.
Satellite sites are even available in other countries and continents such as Asia, Sleight said.
“We have students studying throughout the world,” Sleight said.
Fifty degrees are available at the branch campuses and centers, and 25 degrees are available through satellite classes.
About 8,000 students off campus are enrolled in Extension classes, and 5,000 on-campus students take Extension classes in the evenings.
Between 400 to 500 students graduate with degrees through the Extension programs each year, Sleight said.
Most students taking Extension classes are “non-traditional” students, Sleight said, in that they are commonly around the age of 35 and generally are married, have children, a job and other community responsibilities. Because of this, the majority of Extension classes are offered in the evening to accommodate the schedules of these students. For example a three-credit class that would be held three times a week for one hour on campus would most likely be held once a week for a three-hour period at a branch campus, center or satellite site.
Sleight also said some Extension students are students who because of financial reasons could not stay at school but because of the Extension programs are still able to take classes wherever they are.
“It takes a lot of struggling and juggling but the sacrifice ultimately increases their quality of life,” Sleight said.
Extension classes are taught mostly by USU faculty and Sleight said that new satellite and Internet technology has enabled more faculty to teach more classes because the university no longer has to drive and fly the faculty to different locations. Instead, professors go to the library and teach the class while it is broadcast over monitors at different locations in the state.
The new technology has also made it possible for more students who live in small areas to take classes where as in the past they would have had to travel to somewhere like Ogden and Salt Lake City where many other students were taking the course.
In addition to making a difference in the lives of those able to get their degrees, Sleight also feels that the Extension classes benefit rural economies. Because elementary education majors can get their degrees while in a small town they are more-likely to stay there giving the area better teachers. In the same light, those receiving their business degrees through Extension programs commonly open businesses in the smaller town they live in helping the economy grow, Sleight said.
Most of all however, the Extension programs give educational opportunities to those who otherwise may never have the chance to get their degrees.
“USU is very much appreciated by these folks that are place- and time-bound and want a degree,” Sleight said.
“If you ever want to cry for joy and happiness, come to one of our graduations and listen to our non-traditional students speak of the sacrifices they made to get their degree,” Sleight said.
Students interested in finding the Extension site closest to them and register for classes can go to the Extension Web site http://Extension.usu.edu. A list of the classes and degrees available is also on the Web site. Some Extension classes are also offered online.