Honors
128 Founders Hall        724-738-3722

Director
Cindy LaCom

Secretary
Julie Graham

Slippery Rock University’s Honors Program is designed to enrich the university experience by fostering a student-centered learning environment and helping each student develop her or his individual potential as a life-long learner. Designed to encourage critical thinking and communication skills, honors courses emphasize reading, writing and research and encourage students to assume responsibility for their learning experiences, both on and off campus, through discussion-based classes and by participating in service-learning opportunities. Students in the program are fine scholars, but they are also committed to taking full advantage of their years spent at Slippery Rock University by participating in the extra-curricular and travel opportunities which the program offers.

All honors courses fulfill liberal studies requirements, which means that participation in the program will not extend a student’s stay at Slippery Rock University. To graduate with an honors designation, students must complete a minimum of seven honors courses (21 credits) while maintaining an overall QPA of 3.25 or higher. Students may select from a variety of specially-designed courses in the following departments: communication, computer science, English, government and public affairs, history, mathematics, music, philosophy, biology, chemistry, geography, allied health, and environmental science.

Students also have the opportunity to take Great Books courses, which are geared toward extensive reading in a specialized area. Content of these seminars varies from semester to semester and have included, The Holocaust (Germany), Latin American History (Panama), Galileo (Florence), and Irish Playwrites (Ireland). Because a research component is required, this course can be especially valuable for students contemplating graduate education. In addition, the program has an honors thesis option, which would count as a 3-credit 300-level course.

Honors students enjoy a number of benefits, both in and out of the classroom, including seminar-style classrooms where enrollment is typically capped at 20 or 25 students per class; early registration privileges; and learning experiences through national and international travel opportunities. In recent years, students have presented at national honors conferences in Chicago, Los Angeles, Brooklyn and at regional conferences in Puerto Rico, Gettysburg, and the Adirondacks. In addition, courses are offered every spring and summer, which include travel abroad; in the past, students have traveled to Turkey, South Africa, and Ecuador.

The program is open to all qualified students, regardless of their major field of interest.

Interested students must enroll formally by completing an application and submitting a one-page typed essay in which they discuss what they hope to gain from their university experience. If you are interested in participating, please contact Dr. Cindy Lacom at 724-738-3722 or by e-mail honorsprogram@sru.edu

Institute for Community, Service-Learning, and Nonprofit Leadership

Lowry Center                                         724-738-2414

Director
Alice Kaiser-Drobney

Director for Non-Credit Programs
Laurel Dagnon

Secretary
Becky Cress

Slippery Rock University students, joined by faculty, staff and others lead the way to make a difference. SRU’s nationally recognized Institute for Community, Service-Learning, and Nonprofit Leadership operates a system for leveraging knowledge to develop socially responsible, civic-minded youth. The Institute prepares young people, in partnership with their communities, to use personal strengths, academic preparation, and community resources to address pressing social needs. As a result of their interaction with the Institute’s Care Break Program, which offers a series of community service projects in cities across the United States, students connect intellect, class room experiences, as well as interpersonal and personal passion to purposeful action that adds value to their lives.

Community service, volunteerism, and service-learning are significant elements in the curricular and co-curricular experiences of Slippery Rock University students. The climate for service at Slippery Rock University is dramatic:

• The new I-Care House, located in New Castle, PA, connects campus outreach into a local community.
  
• The university supports the AmeriCorps program where thirty-five students earn up to $1800 toward payment of their tuition.
  
• All elementary and special education majors participate in a service-learning workshop and complete a minimum of two service-learning components in their coursework.
  
• Environmental studies majors complete 100 hours of service for graduation.
  
• Sport management majors provide 200 hours of service prior to graduation.
  
• More than eighty faculty include service-learning or volunteer projects as part of their course requirements.
  
• More than 140 classes with service-learning components are offered across all academic colleges each semester.
  
• International experiences are beginning to include service-learning opportunities.
  
• Service learning is one of the three required components in the Honors Program.
  
• Faculty plan Care Breaks as part of their academic spring semester courses.
  
• Many new academic departments, each year, produce new service-learning ideas as they explore how service-learning fits into their academic disciplines.

Through the Institute and the Department of Government and Public Affairs, students can earn a national certificate from American Humanics, the nation’s only certifying body for entry-level human services and nonprofit professionals. The certificate is offered at fewer than 100 colleges and universities across the United States and is linked to eighteen major nonprofit organizations such as Big Brothers, Big Sisters, American Red Cross, YMCA, and YWCA. This program and the AmeriCorps program provide students with the skills necessary for a career path or a personal goal of working in a non-profit, non-governmental organization. The courses in the Humanics Certificate are intended to meet and enhance the three criteria for service-learning experiences: training for, participation in, and evaluation of meaningful public service opportunities. All students are invited to visit the Institute for Community, Service-Learning, and Nonprofit Leadership that is located in Lowry Center and are encouraged to become involved.

International Initiatives
114 Carruth Rizza Hall             724-738-2057

Director
Donald E. Kerchis

International Student Advisor
Pamela Frigot

International Student Admissions
Kelly Slogar

Secretaries
Denise Barger, Brenda McKissick

International Student Services
To promote multi-cultural awareness, the university actively seeks international students. In recognition of their unique needs, the Office of International Initiatives admits international students, providing support services, such as orientation to the United States and Slippery Rock University; immigration information and assistance (processing work for visa and passport renewal, extensions of stay, work permits, etc.); support for the Internations Club; registration; counseling and personal adjustment problems; and community liaison services.

Study Abroad Opportunities
Slippery Rock University provides students with a global understanding of the world so that they may gain the international understanding necessary to be informed citizens. The university encourages its students to explore the appropriateness of studying abroad. This can be an integral part of the students’ university experience, providing personal growth, cultural understanding and job opportunities.

Study abroad programs are conducted during the academic year, summer, and during winter vacation. Over 250 students annually study overseas. The following represents the current study abroad opportunities with which Slippery Rock University is formally associated.

• Australia (Melbourne) – Established in 2001, students can earn 12-15 credits studying at Victoria University.
• Austria (Vienna) – This popular overseas program is located in beautiful Vienna, Austria, where students can earn 12-15 credits each semester. Emphasis is on German language, and culture, and music.
• Bulgaria (Blagoevrad) – Established in 1992 with the American University in Bulgaria. Students may earn 12-15 credits per semester.
• China (Nanjing) – Established in 2001 with Nanjing University. Students can earn 12-15 credits per semester in Chinese language, history, and culture. (A minimum of one semester of Chinese is required.)
• Costa Rica (San Jose) – Students can earn 12-15 credits per semester studying at the University of Costa Rica.
• England (Middlesburgh) – Established in 1991 with Teesside University. Students majoring in business and liberal arts may earn 12-15 credits per semester.
• France (Cannes) – Students can earn 12-15 credits per semester studying at The College Internationale de Cannes. Emphasis is on French language, culture, history and business.
• Germany – Since 1982 students fluent in German may study at 1 of 12 German universities earning 12-15 credits per semester in their major and German.
• Hungary (Budapest) – Established in 1989 with the Semmelweiss University, physical education students can earn 12-15 credits during the spring semester.
• Ireland (Dublin) – Education majors student teaching in the fall semester can teach in selected Irish public schools and live with Irish host families.
• Ireland (Limerick) – Students can spend the fall semester at the University of Limerick where they can earn 12-15 credits in liberal arts, physical education, and business.
• Japan (Osaka) – Kansai Gaidai University and Slippery Rock University have exchanged students since 1979. Students can earn 12-15 credits per semester in Japanese language, business, social sciences, and humanities (a minimum of one semester of Japanese is required).
• Korea (Chuncheon) – Established in 1988 with Kangwon National University, students can earn 12-15 credits per semester emphasis is on Korean language and culture. (A minimum of one semester of Korean language is required.)
• Mexico (Mexico City) – Established in 1996 with Iberoamericana University in Mexico students may earn 12-15 credits per semester.
• Poland (Poznan) – Established in 1994 with the Academy of Fine Arts in Poznan. Students can earn 12-15 credits per semester in art.
• Russia (Moscow) – Established in 1993 with the Pushkin Institute where students can earn 12-15 credits per semester. (A minimum of 1 semester of Russian is required; summer intensive Russian language classes are available).
• Scotland (Edinburgh) – Established in 1991 with Queen Margaret College. Students majoring in communications may earn 12-15 credits per semester.
• Slovakia (Bratislava) – Established in 1991 with Comenius University and the Academy of Fine Arts. Students majoring in liberal arts and art may earn
  12-15 credits per semester.
• Spain (Madrid) – Every semester students can study just outside Madrid at the Universidad de Alcala de Henares, where they can earn 12-15 credits. Emphasis on Spanish language, culture and history.
• Spain (Seville) – Every semester students can study in Seville at the Institute of International Studies, associated with the University of Seville, where they can earn 12-15 credits. Emphasis on Spanish language, culture, history and business.
• Wales (Aberystwyth) – Established in 1997 with Aberystwyth University. Students can earn 12-15 credits per semester in all majors.
  

International Business Internships
Every summer students may secure internship positions in England and Scotland for 10 weeks, earning up to 12 credits working for British companies, organizations or multinational corporations.

Summer Programs
Summer courses are offered by Slippery Rock University professors at eight overseas centers. The programs vary from three to four weeks, and three-to-nine credit hours may be earned. Current summer programs are conducted in:

• Canada (Stratford, Ontario)
• Costa Rica (San Jose)
• France (Cannes)
• England (London)
• Ireland (Dublin)
• Russia
• Spain
• Germany (Calw)

January/March Seminars
Selected courses will have an overseas component during January or March.

Honors Cultural Seminar
During spring vacation selected honors students will be provided a cultural experience in an international setting.

Financial aid received by students may be applied to SRU sponsored programs. Special travel stipends are available to SRU students. The Office of International Initiatives also provides students with assistance in making travel arrangements, passport application, international student I.D., and international youth hostels.

Admission of International Students
See section titled Admission to the University

Lifelong Learning
124 North Hall                                       724-738-4480

Dean
James Kushner

Administrative Assistant
Tawnya Curatola

Departments
Alumni Relations
Career Services
Center for Lifelong & Community Learning
Continuing Education
McKeever Environmental Learning Center
North Hills Center

Programs
Institute for Learning in Retirement
Pittsburgh Disabilities Employment Project for Freedom
Regional Learning Alliance

In keeping with its commitment to public education, SRU provides high quality programming in continuing education, off-campus programs, and distance learning options. Credit courses, non-credit courses, workshops, seminars, and web-based courses are scheduled at times and in locations that are particularly convenient for the part-time, non-traditional student. This permits the student to complete most of the required coursework in a variety of degrees and professional certificates while holding a full-time job. Classes are regularly scheduled at the Slippery Rock University North Hills site and at other sites in western Pennsylvania. Web based courses can be started at anytime and completed at the pace of the student.

In addition, non-credit courses, leisure education, customized courses and programs for business and industry, business consulting services, short-term workshops, Institute for Learning in Retirement, Pittsburgh Disabilities Employment Project for Freedom, and the Regional Learning Alliance are all integral parts of the Lifelong Learning function.

The offices of Alumni Relations, Career Services, Center for Lifelong & Community Development, Continuing Education, McKeever Environmental Learning Center, North Hills Center & Office of Corporate Partnerships have resources to develop specialized programs to meet the professional and personal enrichment needs of virtually any group, organization, business, or population. Further information is available through the Dean, or any of the offices.

Alumni Relations
Russell Wright Alumni House                                                    724-738-2018

Director
Michael Saraka

Secretaries
Deborah Kedanis
Dorothy Thompson

Slippery Rock University has more than 45,000 living graduates. They are employed in a multitude of professions and live throughout the world. Alumni are encouraged to join the Slippery Rock University Alumni Association, a separately incorporated organization that is devoted to serving the university and its alumni. One-year complementary memberships are provided to graduating seniors.

The scope of the association is dependent on the continued alumni affiliation with the university through association membership. Among the services that are provided by the Slippery Rock University Alumni Association are insurance programs, regional chapters, and the publication of the quarterly newsletter The Rock Insider. Significantly, the Alumni Association maintains seven scholarships. Six of the scholarships, the Madeline F. Stoops Scholarship, the Hallie Dugan Smith Scholarship, Eisaman Alumni Scholarship for Sophomore Students, the Maree McKay/Esther Smiley Scholarships, the Carl and Norma Laughner Scholarship, the Maggie Meise Scholarship, and the Watson Family Scholarship, are for academic excellence. The N. Kerr Thompson Scholarships are for athletics (see Scholarships).

The association also sponsors Homecoming and Alumni Reunion Weekend as well as special projects and events throughout the year. Additional information on the Alumni Association as well as upcoming events can be found on the alumni web site at www.sru.edu (click on “Alumni and Friends”).

Career Services
103 Maltby Center                                                     724-738-2028

Associate Directors
Anthony Linnan
John Snyder

Secretaries
Deena Edwards
Carolyn Leslie

Career Services offers services to assist students in planning and securing a satisfying career. The services include appointments for selecting a major and career counseling, career interest inventory assessment, on-campus professional interviews, on-campus and off-campus job fairs, job vacancy listings, video-taped mock interviews, administration of several standardized tests including Praxis, LSAT, MAT, and the GRE Subject tests, and resource information about summer and professional employers, graduate schools, and job search preparation and strategies. Career Services provides a technology-based career resource center that is equipped with Dell computers, HP laser printers and supporting software. DISCOVER, a computerized vocational guidance program is available to assist students to engage in career assessment and exploration. Students are able to respond to internship and employment opportunities advertised on the internet to access employer information, and to develop quality resumes and cover letters in printed form or for electronic transmission.

Undergraduate students are encouraged to contact the office for information about summer and/or part-time off-campus employment opportunities. The office web page provides more details about services and staff www.sru.edu/career

Center for Lifelong and Community Learning
Downtown Slippery Rock                                         724-738-1601

The center serves the continuing education needs of area businesses and individuals in the town of Slippery Rock and the surrounding area.

Slippery Rock University’s Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR) is located in the Center for Lifelong and Community Learning.

Continuing Education
124 North Hall                                                        724-738-2633

Director
Richard Comings

Secretary
Barbara McGinnis

Continuing Education exists to serve and support the personal enrichment, professional development, and training needs of the people and businesses of Western Pennsylvania. Programs, workshops, and seminars are developed for all ages-children, adults, retirees, and senior citizens. Offerings are available at a Slippery Rock University site or at a client’s site of choice.

An integral part of Continuing Education is the Center for Lifelong and Community Learning. This center serves as a training and personal enrichment site for community and professional development programs and workshops. The offerings here come through either Continuing Education or the Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR). Being separate from, but near the main campus, affords the users of the facility ample free and convenient parking and the amenities of a smaller and more intimate facility dedicated solely to their needs. The facility includes a branch office for Continuing Education, the office for the Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR), two classrooms, and a computer laboratory. Videoconferencing is available at the Center

The Institute for Learning in Retirement (ILR)

The Institute for Learning In Retirement (ILR) at Slippery Rock University is a member-directed organization, providing lively learning experiences for mature adults who share a love of learning. The ILR is an affiliate of the Elderhostel Institute Network. The nominal membership dues cover as many classes in the ILR program as one wishes to take as well as other member benefits. The office and instructional site for the ILR is located at the Center for Lifelong and Community Learning in downtown Slippery Rock. Free and convenient parking is readily available. For additional information please call 724-738-1604 or email: learning.retirement@sru.edu.

McKeever Environmental Learning Center
Sandy Lake, PA                                                                      724-376-1000

Director
Francis Bires

Secretary
Karla Markl

The McKeever Environmental Learning Center is a public service institute for the State System of Higher Education administered by Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. It is the only facility within the system dedicated to the specific mission of providing environmental education to the citizens of the commonwealth. The center has been in operation since 1974, providing exemplary programming for students of all ages in the form of resident or day field trips, teacher workshops, educational seminars and special events for the public. Students from both private and public systems of higher education also complete eight weeks of their student teaching assignments at McKeever to enhance their teaching skills as future educators.

North Hills Center
Wexford, PA                                                                   724-933-8150

Executive Director of Corporate Partnerships
Patrick Gerity

Site Coordinator
Constance Bell

Secretary
Tracie Nehilla

Slippery Rock University’s North Hills Center was established to meet the needs of the community of lifelong learners in the Pittsburgh area. At SRU in the North Hills graduate and undergraduate credit classes are offered in the evenings, Saturdays, and during the day to accommodate working adults who have other responsibilities. Noncredit classes are also available in computer software applications, nonprofit management skills, long term care administration, and a variety of other subjects.

The North Hills Center houses the Slippery Rock University Office of Corporate Partnerships that provides continuing professional development and training programs throughout the western Pennsylvania area. This office develops productive relationships with business, industry, community and government in order to best serve the region’s workforce and economic development needs. The Office of Corporate Partnerships specializes in developing creative solutions to business’s training, performance, and productivity challenges. This office also has expertise in writing Customized Job Training Grants and Guaranteed Free Training contracts for those businesses that are qualified. Contact the North Hills Center for additional information.

Pittsburgh Disabilities Employment Project for Freedom

The Pittsburgh Disabilities Employment Project for Freedom, is a partnership involving Pittsburgh area businesses, the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation and the university’s Division of Lifelong Learning. Its mission is to expand employment opportunities for those with disabilities. SRU hosts this program at the North Hills Center.

The Project for Freedom has trained people with disabilities in various technical oriented careers since 1998. These programs enable students to gain employment and lead rich and productive lives.

The Project for Freedom consistently strives for 100% placement and enjoys an extremely effective placement rate. Funding for the program is provided by the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR), the Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services (BVS), and the Veterans Administration and is contingent upon meeting the eligibility requirements of the agency.