Geneva College′s Adult Degree Programs, which offers both classroom-based and fully online majors, celebrates 25 years of helping adult students earn bachelor′s degrees. On October 24, 1988, the first group of students gathered in the basement of the College Hill Reformed Presbyterian Church for class with Dr. Harry Farra, the primary faculty member of what was then known as the Degree Completion Program.
Three other respected professors joined Farra in offering one off-campus and three on-campus classes that inaugural year- Peter Croisant, Dr. Howard Mattsson-Bozé and Dr. James Sterrett.
The Degree Completion Program was administered by Robert Hough, Emeritus Dean of Adult and Continuing Education. Regarding this milestone celebration, he said, "Who could ever have guessed what God hath wrought with this adult program at the end of 25 years as an integral part of a Geneva education all across Western Pennsylvania."
Hough attributes much of the success of the program, recently renamed Adult Degree Programs, to the "never-ending support and encouragement" of Dr. Jim Boelkins, then vice president of academic affairs.
"Without a question the program has had a significant impact on both Geneva and the many adult students who achieved a dream of completing a college degree," added Boelkins.
Boelkins also acknowledges the contributions of others "who believed in the value and importance of adult education": Ginny Caldwell, Dr. Jim Dittmar, Joann Doedyns and Andrea Korcan-Buzza.
From its humble beginnings two-and-a-half decades ago, the Adult Degree Programs has grown to offer three in-demand majors in a fully online format- Organizational Leadership, Human Resources and Christian Ministry Leadership-and four in an evening classroom format at 11 convenient locations across Western Pennsylvania-Human Resources, Organizational Development, Human Services and Christian Ministry Leadership.
Current Director of the Adult Degree Programs Dr. Ralph Phillips said, "Sure, many details have changed along the way, but the basic idea of delivering a rigorous Christian education program in places and times that are accessible to working adults still drives what we do from day to day."
And while the program has grown, students completing degrees in both formats still receive attention and support from Geneva professors, resulting in an impressive graduation rate that is consistently above the average.
To find out more about the Adult Degree Programs, visit www.geneva.edu/adultdegree.
To request information, visit www.geneva.edu/object/adcp_request_info or call 800-576-3111.
Geneva College invites students to accept the challenge of an academically excellent, Christ-centered education. Offering nearly 40 undergraduate majors, Adult Degree Programs with fully online and campus-based options, and seven graduate degrees, Geneva has programs that place students at the forefront of higher learning. Adhering to the inerrancy of Scripture, a Geneva education is grounded in God′s word as well as in a core curriculum designed to prepare students vocationally to think, write and communicate well in today′s world.
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