Twenty-five students from St. Lucia will receive master degrees of educational guidance and counseling from Lynchburg College on January 19, 2008. This program is supported by the World Bank and St. Lucia Ministry of Education and offered by the Lynchburg College School of Education and Human Development in Lynchburg, Virginia, U.S.A.
The graduation ceremony will be held at the Sandals Grand St. Lucia Spa & Beach Resort at 5 p.m. Jan. 19. Dr. Kenneth Garren, president of Lynchburg College, is the commencement speaker. The invocation will be done by Cynthia Weekes, director of special education for St. Lucia, and greetings will be made from the Ministry of Education by Marcus Edward.
LC professors Jeanne Booth and Steve Nielsen started the coursework in March 2006 on the master's program in counseling for St. Lucia counselors. The two-year, 36-credit program concluded this month.
In 2003, Lynchburg College (LC) established a program to increase the education and training of special education teachers in St. Lucia. Most of St. Lucia's special education teachers had two-year degrees. On August 6, 2006, the first 40 teachers completed 27 credit hours, giving them a third year toward a bachelor's degree. The teachers earned their credits through three courses during each of the summers of 2004-2006 in which Lynchburg College provided professors to teach the classes.
Last school year (2006-07), four St. Lucia students studied at Lynchburg College to complete or work toward completing their undergraduate degrees. This year (2007-08), another 11 are studying at LC toward either the bachelor's or master's degree.
Lynchburg College is also hoping to expand its work in St. Lucia by providing international service opportunities for students from the United States to work in St. Lucia. Programs in nursing, education, and international relations are planned.
For more information, contact Shannon Brennan at 434/544-8609.