Port Townsend, Wash. — Goddard College, the national leader in low-residency education, is expanding its offerings in Port Townsend with three, new low-residency bachelor’s degree programs. To inaugurate these programs at their Fort Worden residency site, the College will host a launch celebration on Tuesday, September 25th, 2012, from 10 a.m. to Noon at JFK Hall in Fort Worden State Park.
The new degrees offered at Goddard College in Port Townsend are the Bachelor of Arts degrees in sustainability, health arts and sciences, and individualized studies. These low-residency degree programs are the first of their kind in the Port Townsend area, and offer adult learners the chance to study from home while receiving individualized guidance from faculty advisors and attending a rigorous, eight-day residency at Fort Worden each semester.
The celebratory event includes remarks by the Honorable Lynn Kessler; Mayor David King; Goddard College President Dr. Barbara Vacarr; as well as a poetry reading by Joseph Bednarik of Copper Canyon Press and a special appearance by the four-man acrobaticalist performing arts troupe, NANDA.
Goddard President Dr. Barbara Vacarr said Goddard is the ideal college to launch these programs.
“As higher education continues to be out of reach for many Americans, Goddard’s affordable, high-quality adult degree programs are more relevant than ever to bring to new areas,” she said. “Our Plainfield, Vermont campus has been successfully running the low-residency adult degree program, founded by Evalyn Bates, since 1963. We are pleased to launch these new programs in Port Townsend, and we have skilled admissions counselors ready to help students get started.”
In addition to the launch celebration, which is open to the public, Goddard will host a visiting day, providing prospective students with the chance to meet faculty members, talk with admissions counselors, have lunch with current students, and see the residency culture in action.
“Many adult learners don’t know that they can maintain their busy lives and earn their degrees at the same time,” said Port Townsend Campus Director, Erin Fristad. “Goddard’s low-residency model is ideal for adult learners. The visiting day on September 25th is a great way to be introduced to Goddard, to see firsthand how a low-residency program works. And, our launch event with NANDA and honored guests will be a lot of fun.”
Prospective students interested in the Master of Fine Arts in Interdisciplinary Arts program, which has its residency from September 21-29, have the option to participate in a workshop, “Prepare to be Surprised! Using Open Space Technology to Build Cultural Leadership and Community” with guest artist William Cleveland.
The visiting day on September 25th begins at 10 a.m. with the launch celebration, and culminates with a residency site tour ending at 5 p.m. RSVP at goddarddev.wpengine.com/VisitingDay
About Goddard College
The mission of Goddard College is to advance cultures of rigorous inquiry, collaboration and lifelong learning, where individuals take imaginative and responsible action in the world.
Initially founded in 1863 as the Goddard Seminary in Barre, Vermont, Goddard College later moved to its current Plainfield, Vermont campus and was chartered in 1938 by founding President Royce “Tim” Pitkin. In 1963, Goddard became the first American college to offer low-residency adult degree programs. Now offering accredited MA, MFA, BA and BFA degree programs from the main campus in Plainfield, Vermont and sites in Seattle and Port Townsend, Washington, Goddard’s low-residency education model offers the best of on-campus and distance education, with experienced faculty advisors, rigorous on-campus residencies, and the freedom to study from anywhere.
About NANDA
Characterized by a calculated chaos of comedy, high-energy, kung-faux fighting and irreverent pop culture parodies, NANDA has been performing original, action-packed theater shows since 2004. Also incorporating dance, juggling and acrobatics, NANDA performances are a mishmash of classic vaudeville, circus and modern live entertainment innovation. This fall NANDA will be touring their show “The Jacket” to theatres throughout the West Coast. For more information, visit www.nandatown.com
Note: While Goddard College encourages support of Washington State Parks, a Discover Pass is NOT needed to attend this event.
