The University System of Georgia: a worthy investment, Dec. 2008

The University System of Georgia: A Worthy Investment
Adding Value through National & International Reputation

December 2008

GPC's Continuing Ed Goes Global

Two-year colleges have long been known as access

institutions, giving students an entry point to the world

of higher education. Now, thanks to a nationwide consor-

tium of two-year colleges, that access will extend to the business world as well. And Georgia Perimeter College is helping to lead the way.

The Global Corporate College (GCC) represents a new approach to corporate training. By bringing together leading,

During the 2007-08 academic year, a total of 6,076 students from the System's 35 colleges and universities studied outside the United States, as compared to the 1,850 students who studied abroad during 1997-98.

business-savvy community colleges to share resources, curricula and best practices, the GCC is able to provide companies with quality, consistent training for their em-

ployees whether they are in Atlanta, Los Angeles or even

Mongolia. The Georgia Perimeter College Center for

Continuing and Corporate Education is the GCC's Georgia partner.

"Georgia Perimeter College is no longer a best-kept secret," said Frank Falcetta, assistant vice president for academic affairs, head of the Center for Continuing and Corporate Education and leader of the GCC project at Georgia Perimeter. "Our commitment to economic development and our quality academic reputation will now allow us to help national and global companies educate their employees."

Georgia Perimeter's first contract is with Canada-based

PotashCorp, teaching technical writing to engineers at

Clayton State

their Augusta facility. Other GCC projects currently in development

University went include a contract to create a

from 11 study abroad students in 2003-04 to 48 students in 2007-
08, an increase of 336 percent.

technical college system for the Asian nation of Mongolia and contracts with an international hotel chain and a major airline.

"As the world grows smaller, Georgia Perimeter College's role in it grows larger," Falcetta said. "We can now offer the same quality education on a global scale we provide our students."

Armstrong Atlantic's Eldershostel
The Armstrong Atlantic State University (AASU) Elderhostel attracted nearly 1,500 participants in 2007 who pumped more than $800,000 into the regional economy. The AASU-Savannah Elderhostel program is among the top ten favorite destinations for Elderhostel programs in the country.

Elderhostel is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing learning adventures for people 55 and older. Programs are offered in all 50 states and in 90 countries. In recognizing the popularity of the AASU program, Elderhostel featured Savannah on the cover of its October 2007 guide distributed throughout the United States and Canada. The publication reaches some 425,000 readers across the country.

In 2007, Elderhostel participants in Savannah spent $430,000 in lodging and $255,000 for meals. Visits to museums, transportation costs, and tickets to local events added an additional $120,000 to the regional economy.

"We get partici-

pants from across

the country and

overseas who enjoy coming to Savannah to shop, dine, and see the beautiful sights of

The university takes its name from the Armstrong family that donated its Italian Renaissance mansion--the Armstrong House--in what would become Savannah's Historic District.

our historic city,"

said Diana Anderson, AASU Elderhostel director. "They

return home happy and we hope they share with their

friends about the wonderful offerings that they can find in

southeast Georgia."

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Adding Value through National & International Reputation

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The AASU Savannah Elderhostel offers three sites in the Savannah region: historic district, midtown, Tybee Island. A fourth site is offered in Beaufort, SC. Each year, the AASU Elderhostel program offers some 60 week-long programs with groups of 20 to 40 participants attending each session.

Elderhostel offers in-depth and behind-the-scenes learn-

ing experiences for almost every interest and ability.

Courses may focus on history, culture, nature, and mu-

sic. Participants can undertake outdoor activities such

as walking and biking,

Georgia Southern University practice crafts, and enjoy

boosted its study abroad

study cruises.

numbers from 129 to 361, a

191 percent increase.

Leaves found along a path in the Poas Volcano National Park in Costa Rica create a natural umbrella for South Georgia College students during a 2008 Study Abroad experience.

SGC's Study Abroad Popular and Important
One of the most engaging courses of study that South Georgia College (SGC) offers is its Study Abroad program, which takes groups of students to Costa Rica four times per year in order to experience the culture of a community located outside the United States.

Study Abroad is certainly about making memories and having fun. But it's much more than that. In addition to the basic lessons that everyone learns when experiencing a new culture for the first time, a trip to Costa Rica offers valuable insight into a culture committed to peace and environmental responsibility. The lessons learned benefit the students in ways they cannot imagine, and likely won't fully realize for years to come.

Study Abroad accomplishes several key objectives. First and foremost, the students who participate see firsthand life in another country. It's an opportunity that many may not ever be able to experience again. The trip is affordable and relatively short (10 days to 5 weeks, depending on the time of the year), and students receive credit hours for participating.

South Georgia College, like Georgia and the United States in general, is making great strides in energy conservation and instituting environmental-friendly policies. For example, SGC began a campus-wide recycling program this semester that has been embraced by faculty, staff and students. As more students become eco-con-
scious, the variety of such policies on campus will

Costa Rica is an interesting country and makes for a unique trip. Located in an area that is historically unstable, Costa Rica is an anomaly. It has no

Ten years ago, Geor-

expand. Those who have been a part of the Costa Rican experience could play a

gia State's J. Mack Robinson

pivotal role in the growth of on-cam-

College of Business helped found

pus environmental awareness.

military and boasts a literacy rate of

a business college in Tbilisi, Republic

96 percent. Additionally, it is one of

of Georgia. The college has aided the Additionally, the SGC community

the most eco-friendly nations in the

republic in the transition to a market- and Georgia is becoming more

world (even more so than the United States), according to the 2008 Environ-

based economy and enrolls nearly 2,000 students.

diverse in terms of population. Students who have experienced other

mental Performance Index (EPI). It ranks

cultures and are bi-lingual have a distinct

fifth in terms of EPI, and first in Latin America.

advantage over others and are better able to

make international students (and staff) feel more wel-

Costa Rica respects its rich biodiversity. Environmental

come and at home.

responsibility is woven into the very fabric of its culture. As a result, students who participate in Study Abroad gain a new perspective on environmental awareness and activism at a time when these issues have never been more important.

"Studying abroad is one of the best things a student can do to enrich his or her knowledge of the world," says Dr. Carl McDonald, Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs at SGC. "We all need to become global citizens."

The University System of Georgia: A Worthy Investment December 2008

Adding Value through National & International Reputation

3

North Georgia has Top Ranked Cadet in Country
As one of only six senior military colleges in the United States, North Georgia College & State University has a unique mission and campus culture among its Georgia peer institutions. So much so, that North Georgia is designated as The Military College of Georgia and as a state leadership institution for civilian and military students. Students in the university's Corps of Cadets, which represents about 15 percent of the student body, have the option of commissioning as officers into the Army or the Georgia Army National Guard upon graduation.

Beginning in 2009, North Georgia will be the state's first institution to offer an online master's degree in international affairs, a program that will hold great appeal for service members who want to further their education.
The University of Georgia (which ranks fifth among doctoral institutions in the new "Open Doors" report) and Georgia Tech account for the vast majority of USG students who study abroad, having sent 2,086 and 1,001 students overseas respectively during the 200708 academic year.

Center, Earl Porter gives instructions to fellow members of the Mountain Order of Colombo, that specializes in military mountaineering and is well-respected on the North Georgia campus.
In the next three years, North Georgia will produce 70 officers for the Guard and is on target to meet a national defense need to commission 100 Army officers annually by 2015.
North Georgia graduates who serve in the Guard and in the Army have been deployed in service around the world, including the current Global War on Terror.
"North Georgia's exceptional military education program is geared to help these officers be productive, effective leaders in a global world," said Keith Antonia, director of cadet admissions.
Georgia College & State University experienced a 169 percent study abroad increase, going from
106 to 285 students.

Bainbridge Expands International Education
Long involved in international education endeavors and study-abroad opportunities, Bainbridge College (BC) has expanded its scope in recent years with a more concerted effort that includes: a cooperative agreement with Syktyvkar State University in Syktyvkar, Russia; involvement with various educational institutions in Belize through the Consortium of Belize Educational Cooperation; and increased cultural presentations sponsored by the college.
This fall, BC coordinated the return visit by Balalaika, the high-energy Russian folk music group from Syktyvkar that BC brought to Georgia about 10 years ago. BC also had its first Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence, launched a new web link for the BC International Education Club and is offering a spring trip abroad for education majors.
BC's early childhood education majors will have the opportunity to do part of their field work in elementary school classrooms in Belize as part of their

North Georgia's Corps of Cadets recently received national recognition, when one of its cadets, Captain Earl Porter, was named the top-ranked cadet in the country, out of more than 4000 students.

Balalaika performs for Bainbridge College.

The University System of Georgia: A Worthy Investment December 2008

Adding Value through National & International Reputation

4

course Exploring Socio- Spending a November afternoon with them, BC's Ful-

Cultural Perspectives on bright Scholar-in-Residence answered their diverse ques-

Diversity in Educational tions. She showed them map skills to understand where

Contexts.

Valdosta is in relation to other places in the world, includ-

ing her Russian city where she teaches American students

"What better way to study at St. Petersburg State Polytechnic University.

diverse educational sys-

tems than in a classroom Theses public events enhance multicultural understand-

in another country?" said ing among the communities in the rural BC service area.

Vice President of Aca-

They provide a glimpse of life of other cultures for citi-

Dr. Chumovitskaya speaks at BC demic Affairs Dr. Mariam zens, some of whom have never left their home county let

Faculty event.

Dittmann.

alone ventured to adjacent Florida or Alabama. The op-

portunities also offer insight into U.S. life to visitors from

BC's Belizean activi-

other countries as noted by the BC Fulbright Scholar and

ties include a May travel writing course with Dr. Patrick Balalaika members.

Smith, who will take BC students to several places in

Belize, and a project in the initial stages with the Na-

Building on its strong legacy of international education

tional Library Services of Belize, which has not had a

efforts from its original annual International Night, BC

book budget in 10 years, said BC Library Director Susan annually observes International Education Week (IEW)

Ralph. That project will also include staff exchanges.

on the main campus in Bainbridge and its Early County

Site in Blakely.

BC's Coordinator for International Educa-

tion Programs, Dr. Tracy Harrington, who

A recent study

Drawing standing-room-only audiences this

serves on a task force advising the Univer-

showed that Georgia year were IEW talks by students and pro-

sity of Belize for transformation into new

students who study

fessors who are from other countries or

directions to become Belize's national

overseas have a six-year

have studied abroad. Several students

university, said the focus on Belize is

graduation rate of 89 percent expressed increased interest in inter-

appropriate for BC. Most colleges in

more than 50 percent higher

national education and study abroad

that country are two-year institutions

than the University System aver-

when they heard a fellow student

like BC. Other advantages are that

age. This dramatic difference in aca- speak of her years living in Israel

it is a three-hour flight from Atlanta,

demic achievement suggests that where she worked as a midwife.

an English speaking, stable, two-party

study abroad helps students fo-

democracy, and a small country that of-

cus on their academic goals

In addition to presenting for IEW, fac-

fers an enormous diversity culturally and

and makes them more

ulty and staff members spoke during Fall

in natural habitats in that small area.

motivated to complete

Semester faculty orientation about diverse

their degrees.

travels to Africa, Spain, China and Belize,

"It is the perfect laboratory for social and

providing information on how to apply for

natural studies," Dr. Harrington said, noting

such professional development opportunities.

the biology studies BC has conducted there. Belize also

allows BC students to have short-term courses, which

reduces costs, and courses that are relevant for students

and faculty.

Courses at BC in Russian art and architecture attracted much attention this fall when the college hosted its first Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence, having previously featured lectures by other Fulbright Scholars at institutions in the University System of Georgia (USG).

Through her gifted lectures on Russian art and architecture in the regular classroom, in special evening presentations and on the civic club circuit, Dr. Maria Chumovitskaya of St. Petersburg, Russia, influenced the perspectives of many in southwest Georgia.

She also touched lives beyond the BC service area. Among them were at-risk sixth graders in Valdosta, some of whom have never been outside of Lowndes County.

North Georgia College and State University students in St. Petersburg, Russia.

The University System of Georgia: A Worthy Investment December 2008