Project Red Apple Plus Press Release

ASU, Boerne to Cooperate in Education, Nursing Classes

            Beginning in January, Angelo State University will offer education, nursing and communication classes in Boerne to broaden the educational opportunities available to residents in Kendall County and the surrounding area.

            The Boerne classes resulted from joint discussions between Angelo State University representatives and Kendall County Economic Development Corp. (KCEDC) officials.  ASU and the KCEDC have signed a memorandum of understanding for ASU to provide courses in higher education for the Kendall County area, centered in Boerne.

            As part of the agreement, KCEDC officials have made available space for offices and a classroom in their facility at 1221 S. Main St., Suite 100, in Boerne.

            Dr. Brian May, interim dean of ASU’s College of Graduate Studies, said the joint arrangement will strengthen Angelo State’s presence in the Hill Country and offer new opportunities for Kendall County residents in the future. 

            “We are starting with education and nursing programs because of the existing needs,” May said, “but we will be looking to expand our offerings as more needs are identified.” 

            May worked with Dan Rogers, president of the Kendall County EDC, to finalize details.  Other ASU administrators and faculty members involved in the discussion were Dr. John Miazga, dean, College of Education; Dr. Leslie Mayrand, dean, College of Nursing and Allied Health; Dr. Linda Lucksinger, head, Department of Teacher Education; Dr. Doyle Carter, head, Department of Kinesiology; and Dr. Jim Summerlin, head, Department of Curriculum and Instruction.   

Education programs ASU plans for Boerne include Master of Education degrees for educational diagnostician, guidance and counseling with a school counseling certificate, licensed professional counselor, reading specialist, school administration, and student development and leadership.

            Also planned are a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction with middle and secondary certification preparation; Master of Science in health education; Master of Education with emphasis in special education; Master of Education with preparation for early childhood to sixth-grade certification; and Master of Education in environmental education.

            Students can also earn certifications for superintendent, principal, school counselor, educational diagnostician, master reading teacher and reading specialist.

In the fall 2010 semester, ASU’s College of Education will offer in Boerne generalist Bachelor of Science degrees with certification for early childhood to sixth grade, early childhood to sixth grade all-level special education, and grades four through eight.  In addition, bachelor’s degrees will be offered with certification in English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies, all for grades four through eight.

ASU College of Education faculty, including Dr. David Tarver, Dr. Mary McGlamery, Dr. Kim Livengood and Dr. Aleric Williams, will teach at the Boerne site, Summerlin said.

ASU recently hired Lydia Warden as remote-site coordinator to serve as a facilitator for the site classroom, to recruit students and to work as a liaison between ASU and communities in the Boerne area.

            Miazga said ASU also plans to implement a “2+2” agreement with Alamo Community College in San Antonio, through which students can go two years at Alamo Community College and then earn their bachelor’s degree after two years in Boerne.  ASU operates a similar program with Howard College in San Angelo.

            “It’s a seamless transition with joint planning on degree plans, so students who want to become teachers will be on special degree plans,” Miazga said of the Howard College program.  “They can complete their associate degrees in absentia and continue on in our program, or they can complete their A.A. degree there.”

            Miazga said, “We are going to do the same things with Alamo next fall.  Getting that set up is the first step in bringing students into an undergraduate program.”

Mayrand said that nursing programs available initially will include Licensed Vocational Nurse to Registered Nurse (LVN to RN), RN to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to B.S.N.) and RN to Master of Science in Nursing (RN to M.S.N.).  Nursing classes will begin in the spring of 2010, and Mayrand said advisers will be traveling to Boerne during the fall to help students prepare for coursework.  Several open houses and advising sessions are planned at the KCEDC offices.

            “All of our classes will be hybrid in nature,” Mayrand said.  “The majority of work will be online, and then we will have a minimum of three face-to-face meetings per semester in Boerne.”

May said that ASU’s long-term plan is to establish a permanent facility that would include classrooms and additional space, possibly for fulltime faculty.

            “That would give Angelo State a presence there not only in graduate courses, nursing and education, but anything else we would want to take down there in graduate and undergraduate offerings,” he said.  “It would also help give us exposure for ASU in general for recruiting students in that area to come to San Angelo to get their undergraduate degrees.”

Boerne is 30 miles northwest of San Antonio.

Besides education and nursing classes being planned for the Boerne site, students may also take Introduction to Graduate Studies in Communication.  ASU classes are also being offered in Fredericksburg and Marble Falls. 

For more information on Angelo State’s upcoming classes, interested individuals should contact the ASU College of Graduate Studies at (325) 942-2169 or Warden at the ASU site in Boerne at (830) 331-8521.  Warden can be reached by e-mail at lwarden@angelo.edu.  Information is also available online at http://angelo.edu/hillcountry.

            Prospective students wishing to apply to the College of Graduate Studies may go online to http://angelo.edu/dept/grad_school/applynow.html.