CT Post, January 3, 2010
New Teaching Pathways Program Offered At Housatonic
Joint
Effort with SCSU Can Lead to Teacher Certification
Housatonic Community College (HCC) next semester is unveiling
a new Pathways to Teaching Careers major in conjunction with Southern
Connecticut State University ( SCSU).
The program, said Elizabeth Steeves, the HCC professor coordinating
the program, will allow students to complete two years at HCC, receive
an associate degree, then transfer seamlessly into the School of Arts & Sciences
at Southern for their final two years. Students also can apply to SCSU’s
School of Education to pursue a Connecticut teacher’s certificate.
“ The program was created in response to a State of Connecticut study
that showed a shortage of biology, chemistry, English, foreign language,
mathematics and physics teachers in urban areas,” she said.
Students from urban areas who are trained as teachers are likely
to go back to urban areas to teach, she said. Housatonic, being an
urban college, is in a good position to recruit such prospective teachers.
“ It’s natural that a community college would offer a teaching
program because teaching is such an important part of our mission,” she
said. “Who better to prepare students to teach than those with such a
strong commitment to teaching?”
The benefits of the program are many, she said. Students have the option
of pursuing a degree in their major field as well as a certificate,
she said. They also have the advantage of early advising.
In addition, she said, students have the benefit of more personalized
attention and more affordable tuition.
Registration for the spring semester is going on now. In- person registration
will be conducted Monday through Friday, from 9 a. m. to 4 p.m. through
Jan. 22; by fax, mail, or dropping off a registration form and
payment information in the drop box in Lafayette Hall through Jan.
15, or online at www. hcc. commnet. edu through Jan. 25.
Formal registration sessions will take place Thursday, Jan. 7, from
10 a. m. to 6: 30 p. m.; and Tuesday, Jan. 12, from 10 a. m. to 6:30
p.m. Late registration sessions will take place Tuesday, Jan.
19, from 2: 30 to 6: 30 p. m.; Wednesday, Jan. 20, from 10 a. m. to
4 p. m.; and Thursday, Jan. 21, from 2: 30 to 6: 30 p. m. A special
registration session for senior citizens and high school partnership
students will be held Thursday, Jan. 21, from 10 a. m. to noon.
Classes start Friday, Jan. 22.
For more information, contact Admissions at 203- 332- 5100 or the Registrar’s
Office at 203- 332- 5088.
Anson C. Smith, Public Relations Coordinator
Housatonic Community College
900 Lafayette Blvd.
Bridgeport, CT 06604
Tel: 203-332-5229, Fax: 203-332-5247
E-mail: asmith@hcc.commnet.edu