USU to particpate in travel study program
The Utah State Continuing Education Department has joined forces with the Palmyra New York Education Center to offer a new travel study program to USU students starting fall semester 2005.
The program will give students the opportunity to take classes while traveling in the East to cities such as Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Niagara Falls and more, Randy Hayes, center director, said. Students attend a United States history based “field trip” every other week during the semester.
The biggest draw is the traveling, Hayes said.
“Many students are tired of the routine, tired of campus and just need a change,” Hayes said. “This is a change. [Students] can travel, get away from campus, but still keep up and take a few classes.”
The center was eager to have USU participate in the program because of the large continuing education and satellite program the university is “somewhat famous for,” Hayes said. Currently, according to the programs Web site palmyrainn.com, all accredited academic classes will be through USU’s Continuing Education Department.
Students can pick from more than 80 classes, ranging in all subjects and levels. Up to four classes can be transmitted at a time into classrooms for students, and if just one student is enrolled in a class the satellite feed could be transmitted directly into their room on the television, Hayes said. Online classes are also an option for students as well.
Hayes said that most students will likely take between eight to 10 credits during the semester in New York. On the weeks the students travel, they will be in class for the first half of the week and then travel for the last half and over the weekend. Classes will be taped for the students to watch later and the bus travel will allow students to continue to study, Hayes said.
About 75 students from other universities are already signed up for the travel study program, which can accommodate 175 students. Hayes said the center waited to advertise at USU to give other universities an opportunity to send students, because USU is more likely to have the greatest interest due to the classes being offered through the university.
Students from all over the country participate in the program with the majority coming from Utah. Hayes said the Utah majority is likely because of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ historical sites in the area.
“The program is not run by the LDS Church, but that added intrigue does draw a lot of students,” Hayes said.
Participating students will stay at the Palmyra Inn. The program, which includes airfare, room and board, transportation and food is about $3,900. It is estimated that students will then pay $157 per credit.
The program runs from Aug. 29 to Dec. 16. Students interested can visit the programs Web site at www.palmyrainn.com to find out more information or register. Registration is open until the program is filled.
-hilaryi@cc.usu.edu