The Official Student Newspaper of Eckerd College
Volume 8, Issue II Oct. 14, 2016
PEL program to phase out by spring 2017 By Gwen Everhart Contributing Writer The Program for Experienced Learners (PEL) announced on Sept. 9, that the program is closing after Spring 2017. For 39 years, PEL has helped many adults who have fulltime jobs take classes at an accelerated pace without living on campus. PEL students have had the opportunity to pursue one of six different majors: business management, management, human development, organizational studies, humanities and American studies. Many students have taken a specialized track with their major that helps them in their future or current job and must complete the Writing Portfolio requirement like every other Eckerd student. “The closing of PEL is devastat-
ing,” PEL senior Daryl Osburn said. “Not only to the current students at Eckerd PEL, but to anyone hoping to pursue the Eckerd College experience and gain a liberal arts degree. Adults have been coming here for years to gain knowledge and be involved in a hands-on classroom experience.” There are a couple different factors as to why PEL is closing. One is that Eckerd now has to compete with neighboring colleges, such as Saint Petersburg College, University of Southern Florida and University of Central Florida. PEL has also seen its enrollment fall in the past five years. “Online education is becoming a bigger factor in the way adults think about returning to college,” PEL Executive Director Amanda Hagood said. According to Hagood, there has
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been a culture shift when it comes to education for adults. There are not as many majors offered in PEL, and adults nowadays feel the need to pursue a major that directly relates to their job. To some, it seems like Eckerd’s majors are not workforce-oriented, which discourages applicants. Osburn expressed the importance of the way Eckerd faculty teach: in a group setting that closely resembles a workplace environment. She argues that this group setting is unique to Eckerd and that the loss of PEL is unfair to current and potential PEL students. PEL students had the same responsibility as residential students, but they completed coursework at an accelerated pace because they only met once a week with their professors. Evening class times were made to fit the busy lifestyle of
working adults. “Employers recognize the value of an Eckerd education, particularly with its emphasis on writing and communication skills,” Hagood said. “Graduates are often known in their workplaces for strong writing and critical thinking abilities.” Hagood and PEL Associate Dean Margaret Skaftadottir have a goal of ensuring that all seniors and advanced juniors are able to graduate from this program. For students who cannot complete their degrees within the academic year, Eckerd is finalizing Teach Out agreements, which will enable PEL students to easily transfer to other local colleges. They want to make sure that no student is left behind. “[The program] will work with the seniors through Dec. 2017 to provide them with additional courses they need to graduate through a
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mixture of summer courses, residential courses and directed studies,” Hagood said. Hagood also stated that the Saint Petersburg Chief of Police, the Pinellas County Sheriff and multiple City Council members are among PEL’s notable alumni and have an important impact on the local community. She noted that PEL alumni have served in the local military community, with a student population of roughly 15 percent veterans. “The residential students that attend Eckerd go out into the world and make changes, while the students of the PEL program make a change right here, in our very own community,” Skaftadottir said. photo by James Carter Visiting Professor of Management James Welch instructes Cultivating an Entrepreneurial Mindset.
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