Spring Break
California campus expands
Naomi Parikh
Issue date: 1/9/09 Section: News
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"There aren't a lot of private universities out there, and they don't know a lot about the co-op program," Carl 'Tobey' Oxholm III, acting director of the Sacramento Center for Graduate Studies and chief of staff of Drexel University, said. "To bring Drexel, a top-tier university, out there is a big deal."
The Center for Graduate Studies offers evening classes for adult learners in four master's degree programs. According to Oxholm, opening the center in Sacramento was part of the "big picture" for Drexel.
"We want to have many nationally ranked master's programs," Oxholm said. "Drexel has unique, experiential learning programs that we want to expand."
Oxholm said the center in Sacramento is a "test site," and that its success will impact any future Drexel expansions.
"We want to see if people like it, and what it can tell us about the region," Oxholm said. "The main idea is that if it works 3,000 miles away, we can do something similar closer to home. But, we won't know for a few years how it goes."
At an open house held on Dec. 4, students had the chance to see the center and its offered classes before it opened. Graduate students Kevin Dowling and Shannon Collins were among the students who attended. Dowling said the center was very impressive, with the advanced technology and classrooms.
"[They] provide for a seemingly interactive and dynamic learning environment," Dowling said. "It's exciting to see Drexel investing so much in a first rate graduate school in downtown Sacramento."
According to Oxholm, California houses about 5,000 Drexel alumni. Opening new classes in Sacramento allows more people to learn about Drexel, and creates new opportunities for current Drexel students.
"This gives us the chance to form more co-op partnerships, as well as different research and job opportunities for Drexel students and graduates," Oxholm said.
Room 104 of the Korman Center shows the classroom in Sacramento via cameras in the nine Sacramento classrooms.
"Out of the nine classes, there are two big ones, which each have two cameras in the room, one at the front and one at the back," Oxholm said. "The other seven smaller rooms have one camera. So, you can get an idea of what the learning experience is like over there, as well."
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