Four-year programs help local college grow

By Lynn A. Wade

Nevada Daily Mail

In its inaugural year, Cottey College's fledgling baccalaureate programs are off to a start that's small in numbers and big in opportunity and individual adaptation, according to an update on the college's accomplishments presented by Cottey College President Dr. Judy Rogers on Wednesday.

The college's first-ever third-year students numbered 17, in the three programs the school offers through its Institute for Women's Leadership and Social Responsibility -- International Relations and Business; English with a focus on women's literature, and Environmental studies. Nine of the students, studying the international relations and business curriculum, are doing so abroad, in the countries in which they might be working after graduation.

Next fall's enrollment in baccalaureate programs stood at 37 on Wednesday, and Rogers said she's confident they'll reach the goal of 40 students by the time the fall semester begins.

In the future, the college hopes to add opportunities in psychology and liberal arts and has made significant progress toward that end, but an accreditation team must review and approve the programs before they become official offerings of the college. The liberal arts program, Rogers said, "will have wider appeal to more students of diverse interests. What we're trying to do here is present a wide enough field of studies that we can appeal to a larger group of women.

"We are convinced that to meet the needs of women today we must offer exceptional four-year programs that focus on women's careers and professions, women's leadership, social responsibility and global awareness."

The institute also offered its first distinguished speaker series, offering public presentations on a variety of topics relating to women's leadership, and another series is planned for next year.

"It would be wonderful for high school students to come and listen," to these presentations as well as community members, all of whom are welcome at speaker series events, offered with no admission fee.

Rogers also highlighted the President's Leadership Class for area high school students. In the eight years since its inception, more than 100 women have participated in the class, some of whom have chosen Cottey College as the next step in education.

She noted, too, that although it's a tough economy in which to "grow a college," Cottey College has weathered a few tough years by "tightening our belts," Rogers said; and endowments have revived to a level of $87 million -- still not the pre-recession $100 million, but rebounding, nevertheless.

Enrollment has remained strong, Rogers said, and the long-term "Defining Moment" fund-raising campaign has so far gleaned $21.7 million.