Mercer adding graduate programs in Newnan

Friday, March 11, 2011
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By JEFF BISHOP jbishop@newnan.com Mercer University will add graduate course offerings and degree programs beginning this fall, a Mercer senior vice president announced at the Coweta County Development Authority meeting Thursday. Professional Master of Business Administration and Master's of Education (early childhood) degrees will be added to the current undergraduate degree programs offered by Mercer at Newnan's Central Educational Center, said Dr. Penny Elkins.

Elkins said Mercer University expects its enrollment to swell from the 30 students currently at the CEC campus to 1,000 or more. "We have 30 students enrolled right now. We started small," she said. "Our goal is to continue to grow in this area ... Our target is 1,000. Please don't ask us when we'll reach it, but that's the target." She said current projections are that Coweta will eventually become the largest satellite campus in the area. Currently that title belongs to Henry County, with about 750 students enrolled. "Although we don't use the term 'satellite,'" she said. "We prefer the term 'regional academic centers.'" Mercer currently has locations at the main historic campus in Macon, as well as Atlanta, Douglas County, McDonough/ Henry County, Eastman, Forsyth County, Warner Robins, Savannah, and Newnan. The total enrollment for Mercer is 8,236 students. Current Mercer offerings at the CEC are in undergraduate education, professional studies, and public safety. The graduate PMBA program is a little different in that it's a 16-month program that will require students to have some real-world business experience before being accepted. "We're wanting these students to have at least four years of experience in a supervisory role," said Elkins. "It's a very unique curriculum, taught in thematic modules ... it's one of our premier programs." She said students will be encouraged to network with their cohort members, and should draw as much benefit from them as they do from their teachers. "In a sense, it will be like a series of networking events," she said, as they move through themes such as strategic planning, finance, and management. Student retreats are offered as part of the curriculum, she said, with the cost included in the tuition. "They may go to Washington, D.C. to meet with leaders in their fields," she said. "It's a very unique program, and one of which we are very proud." She said Mercer is "excited to be a part of this community." "We want to be your partner," she said. "We want to engage with the community and support the community." She said a "strong sense of collaboration" has allowed Mercer to bring these educational programs to the community through the CEC. "We are working to assess this community's needs and provide educational programs to meet those needs," Elkins said. "We're already here, so it's very easy to expand."

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