Testimonials
What our students and faculty say about Continuing Education

Jason Bellini

"I was back in Chico on business when the thought of continuing my education came to me," Jason Bellini noted. Jason knew Chico well, having earned his baccalaureate in English several years earlier. This time he was interested in coming to campus to earn a certificate in literary editing and publishing.

"The certificate program has a quality reputation, and I feel the experience will help open doors in the publishing industry."

Because Jason had already earned his degree from CSU, Chico, he wasn't immediately eligible to register for certain undergraduate courses required by the certificate program.

"It got confusing because my status as a student was unique. I was impressed when the dean of Continuing Education took time out of her schedule to help me figure out my situation. I was always able to come back to the office staff at Continuing Education and count on them to find the answers for me. Through Continuing Education and Open University I enrolled in the courses I needed to make my dream of finishing the certificate a reality.

"I recently completed my certificate program. The advisor and professors were very helpful and encouraging. Through these relationships I now have professional editing and writing experience which will help in the job market."

Jason is one of more than 3,500 Open University students who have gained convenient access to CSU, Chico degree and certificate programs since 2000.

Reiko Akiyama

Reiko Akiyama couldn't be happier in Chico. A student in the American Language and Culture Institute, she came to the University to improve her English skills and develop her ability to teach.

"When I first started taking regular classes, I couldn't understand at all," she smiled, remembering the challenge. "The students use a lot of slang, and everyone speaks really fast," she explained. "In Japan I taught English to students in fifth through ninth grades, but I always felt like kind of a fake. Language study in Japan is very old-fashioned. Almost all the emphasis is on writing and reading, with no help speaking and listening," Reiko observed.

Reiko researched American programs with the help of an agent. She commented that without a doubt "the most attractive thing about Chico State was the ability to take University courses while studying English."

Chico's convenient location was another reason Reiko landed here. "I wanted to be close to friends I have in San Francisco, but I'm a country girl, not a city girl," she emphasized. Without hesitation, Reiko listed the Farmers' Market and Friday Night Concert in the Park among her favorite Chico pastimes.

When asked if she gets homesick living so far from Japan, Reiko shook her head, "I like it here. I'm not homesick! My family e-mails and attaches pictures all the time."

Reiko finds that the most exciting part of her adventures in America is planning to attend graduate school. "I want to teach English to international students. The progress I've made here has given me a lot of encouragement for my future plans." Reiko will continue to pursue her dream as she joins Chico's masters program in teaching international languages.

Since 1979, thousands of international students from more than 80 countries have experienced American education and enriched the academic and cultural communities of Chico through ALCI.

Sherri Phelan

For Sherri Phelan, a special education teacher at Chico's Marsh Junior High, Continuing Education "provided a convenient way to learn new teaching ideas while in the comfort of my own home."

For an active teacher and parent, added convenience meant everything.

Sherri described her experience: "It's a challenge to balance my time between the demands of teaching specially challenged students, professional development, and spending quality time with my family. Through the Apple Bytes online teacher education modules, I had the chance to learn some tips relevant to my teaching—techniques I could use in the classroom immediately. I earned the hours I needed, without cost to my school or myself. What more could I ask for? After the first module about teaching self-discipline and responsibility, I e-mailed my colleagues to let them know of the service, sharing my positive experience."

Since 2001, Continuing Education has delivered high-quality synchronous and asynchronous online degree completion and professional development programming to thousands of people like Sherri.

John Sutthoff

"Where else could I take these kinds of classes?" asked John Sutthoff, a long-time participant in CSU, Chico's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, a learning in retirement organization, that offers courses to people 60 and older. John credits the peer leader structure for the high quality of many of the classes.

"Most of the peer leaders have a phenomenal background. They have enough enthusiasm and get enough personal reward to continue doing this for free. Many have PhDs and are experts in their fields, including one woman who teaches conversational French and a gentleman who teaches geography," he commented.

John retired after working 35 years at Chico State, five of those in the President's Office. After retiring, he said, "In many ways my wife lit a fire under me to get out and about. Now I'm involved in all kinds of organizations, but I always find time for the Osher folks. I think if it weren't for them, a lot of my retired peers would get stuck in the poker, golf, cards routine and forget about the rest of the community."

The variety of courses offered is one of the things that initially got John interested in Osher. "Crackerbarrel is the longest running course in the program, but there's everything from watercolors to chemistry," he explained.

In 2004, through the generous support of The Bernard Osher Foundation, CSU, Chico opened an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. John is one of more than 500 seniors who participate each semester in these activities.

Don Benner

Don Benner, human resource director of the Redding Rancheria, joined colleagues Chief Executive Officer Tracy Edwards and Chief Operating Officer Stacey Carmen in completing the Leadership Development Program, a seven-course series dedicated to enhancing organizational effectiveness through the development of effective, inspired leaders.

Don commented, "A number of our tribal members participated in the leadership program because it was an exciting learning opportunity for our team. While we are all very busy, we found it to be an excellent use of our time. We enjoyed the chance to interact with University faculty and community leaders to discuss current government issues and new management techniques."

Don added, "It was great to have taken the time to take a step back and look at how we view ourselves and the people and communities we serve. I have been able to use a number of the creative approaches we covered to improve my day-to-day management of 150 employees, resulting in better communication and service."

For more than 30 years, CSU, Chico has provided programming specially designed for local and state government leaders. In 2001, with the support of the CSU Commission on the Extended University, Continuing Education established the Northern California Local Government Leadership Institute. Today the Institute has served more than 600 individual clients through open enrollment and custom government leadership programs.

Kent Sandoe

Since 2002, Kent Sandoe, CSU, Chico management information systems professor, has assisted Continuing Education in establishing a systemwide partnership with O'Reilly Media, a California-based technical book publisher.

For the last several years, Kent has been working with his colleagues to help develop and test next generation print and online publishing technologies in the classroom. Kent recently became one of the first professors in the country to beta test a new print and online book platform—the first of its kind—to allow for the convenient mixing of content from a variety of leading publishers and authors.

Kent commented, "It has been a wonderful experience working with Continuing Education in establishing a relationship with O'Reilly. The traditional textbook industry has been slow in developing and maintaining value for both the student and the professor, especially in information technology."

Kent continued, "Through our professor-driven efforts we are changing how faculty and students look at the traditional textbook and how we can deliver high value, relevant alternatives that support the learning outcomes for the student."

O'Reilly Media is active in supporting the development of academic technologies in the California State University system, and contracts with Continuing Education for marketing consultation.

Massimo Pigliucci

For five days in June 2003, CSU, Chico hosted Evolution 2003—the Joint Meeting of the Society for the Study of Evolution, Society of Systematic Biologists, and American Society of Naturalists. More than 1,100 scholars and students from around the world came to Chico, making it the largest professional conference ever to take place on campus.

"As executive vice president of the Society for the Study of Evolution, I was closely involved with the local hosts in organizing the Society's 2003 meetings in Chico," commented Massimo Pigliucci, professor of ecology and evolution, Stony Brook State University of New York.

He remarked, "My experience of both the organizational phase and the actual event was absolutely positive. I was pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere in Chico—both the town and the campus. We accommodated 16 concurrent sessions, with close to 700 oral presentations, four symposia, and 250 posters. I would highly recommend the location for future meetings of either our or other comparable professional societies."

The Chico News & Review reported an invasion of "name-tag-wearing, backpack-toting scientists," with one local food establishment reporting a 35 percent jump in sales. The total local economic impact was estimated to be more than $700,000.

Building upon this professional conference success, Continuing Education recently managed Botany 2006, the joint annual meeting of the Botanical Society of America, the American Society of Plant Taxonomists, the American Fern Society, and the American Bryological and Lichenological Society. Botany 2006 attracted more than 1,300 scholars and had special historical significance, as it was the 100th anniversary celebration of the Botanical Society of America.

Scott Brady

2005 marked the tenth consecutive year of live, distance education programming to English language students of the Nevada-California International Consortium of Universities and Colleges (NIC) in Tokyo, Japan.

Each semester, regularly scheduled general education courses from either the College of Humanities and Fine Arts or the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences are offered live, via two-way videoconferencing from the studio classrooms in Meriam Library to NIC students across the Pacific. The course work, initially delivered via satellite, shifted to two-way videoconferencing in 2001.

Over the last few semesters, Scott Brady has presented the human geography course live to Tokyo. Many of the students in Tokyo plan to come to the United States to finish their degrees. These classes not only allow them to start earning college credits, but also give them opportunities to practice their English skills with their Chico classmates.

"It's a unique experience for both the Chico and the Japanese language students. The live television link allows us to extend and share the University experience in some very remarkable ways. The students learn from each other by sharing their culture and language. For many, this is the first time they have established relationships with international students. The experience is tremendously rewarding for them," commented Scott.

Since 1995, more than 400 CSU, Chico students, and over 300 Japanese students have had an opportunity to participate in these innovative Tokyo-bound University courses.

Bobbi Cena

Bobbi Cena, a recent liberal studies online graduate, made the trip from Virginia with her family to take part in commencement ceremonies with her fellow classmates in Chico.

"I always knew eventually I would go back to school. With Chico Online, I realized it sooner than I thought possible," stated Bobbi.

"Like many people, I chose to put my career on hold so I could raise my children," she said. "They needed me when they were younger, and I knew the importance of being a mom. When a friend of mine told me about the program, I read about it and was impressed. I met some amazing professors and friends online during the process. They would send out messages to keep us informed so we would know what was happening on campus.

"I loved the convenience of scheduling, which allowed me to be active in my teenagers' lives, keep my job, and have time to work on finishing my degree. My family was very supportive of my efforts as they knew that since I was five I had always dreamed of becoming a teacher. Now with the degree from CSU, Chico, I can pursue that life goal."

With more than 30 years of experience in distance education, CSU, Chico is recognized around the world as a leader in the delivery of online instruction and degree completion programming. Thousands have participated and received degrees through Chico Distance & Online Education. Many never have an opportunity to visit the campus and some visit campus for the first time for graduation.

Marlene Grant

"Staying relevant and up-to-date with emerging science and new approaches in psychotherapy and mediation is challenging. I realized this in my own professional practice and knew many of my colleagues in the area were traveling hundreds of miles outside our region to attend professional continuing education conferences. So I started to think of how I could be part of the effort to create and present high-quality programming that could make a positive difference," remarked Marlene Grant.

Marlene serves the community by providing psychotherapy, mediation, and educational services through contracts with the Superior Court of California and for individuals through her private practice.

"I met with Clare Roby of Continuing Education and discussed CSU, Chico's efforts already underway with the In Service to Families, Children, and the Courts conference series. I agreed to join the new advisory board created to address the regional need for professional development programming for people who serve the courts and the children and families who find themselves in tragic situations. I was very impressed with Clare's positive vision that together we could develop appropriate educational opportunities for professionals seeking continuing education in association with their license renewal and career development," continued Marlene.

As a result of the collaboration between Marlene, Butte County Superior Court Family & Children's Division, and other concerned professionals who serve on the advisory board, Continuing Education has expanded its professional development and conference offerings. Marlene's vision for a multi-day conference focused on issues faced by children who experience trauma was the inspiration for the In Service program's signature event, the annual Children in Trauma conference held each January. First presented in 2003, the Children in Trauma conference has attracted more than 750 participants from across California.

Marlene added, "When people ask me what to expect from our conferences, I tell them: ‘Come prepared for a day to remember, knowing you will return to your office exhilarated from the learning, with knowledge that is directly transferable to practice.'"

To date, the In Service program has hosted more than 25 one- and two-day conferences, providing continuing education for more than a thousand professionals throughout California. In 2003, the University Continuing Education Association (UCEA) recognized the In Service program for excellence and presented Continuing Education the Western Region Innovative Non Credit Programming Award.

Katherine Hickson

For Katherine Hickson, a senior communication studies student, Continuing Education was the place to go to take a summer course.

"I enrolled through Continuing Education for a summer internship with a biotechnology firm. I had a goal of taking an internship as part of my major, but found it difficult to schedule during the regular semester. Taking it during the summer allowed me to concentrate on the internship and make the most of the experience," Katherine stated.

She added, "The internship gave me a lot of experience and knowledge, and allowed me to see how a technology business is run. I used my communication and editing skills to help in their public relations and event coordination efforts. It worked out very well, and they asked me back this summer.

"I would highly recommend students taking advantage of the summer timeframe to take a course or internship. It's the perfect opportunity to take the class you need to graduate or get that internship that will reflect well on your resume," said Katherine.

Continuing Education has a rich history of supporting students like Katherine through the administration of special session courses and May-June Intersession.

Beginning in 2000, the California State University system embarked on an effort to increase state-support of summer courses. In cooperation with this effort, Continuing Education initiated May-June Intersession, an accelerated pre-summer special session.

David Robinson

In 2001, David Robinson joined a group of 25 managers selected by their directors to participate in the California Department of Corrections Leadership Institute, administered through Continuing Education.

"I was very pleased and excited to be nominated by the Deputy Director of Paroles and Community Service to attend the Leadership Institute," said David, currently a Correctional Administrator in the Office of Substance Abuse Programs.

David added, "At that time, the program was well established and had an excellent reputation for providing quality leadership education and for its applied focus of addressing current challenges in the department. It was extremely intriguing how the entire course series centered on the development of improvement projects. I had a chance to team up with colleagues from different departments and facilities from around the State to develop applied solutions that have made a difference. In fact, parts of our original project have been successfully implemented in my department."

Today, David manages the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's Family Foundations Program and the Community Prisoner Mother Program. With David's outstanding leadership, both programs have been nationally recognized for their success in making a positive difference in thousands of people's lives.

"It is so rewarding when young women make that life-changing decision to concentrate on what's really important in their lives—their children and their families. Many truly become rehabilitated, contributing to their families and communities, and leave the prison system for good," concluded David.

From 1996-2003, the California Department of Corrections Leadership Institute provided executive leadership training to 300 CDC managers and serves as a model program for correctional programs nationwide. Today, Continuing Education continues to provide California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation with training needs assessment and consultation.

Wendy Marsters

"Retaining and supporting new teachers is an ongoing challenge. Not only do they have the task of starting a job and establishing their careers at a new school, but they have to understand and follow state teacher induction requirements, which can be complex and daunting. Assisting teachers through this induction process is something I do as a support provider for the Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment program (BTSA)," explained Wendy Marsters, science teacher at Paradise High School.

Wendy is currently the support provider for Kelly Holliday, a colleague, who also teaches science courses at Paradise. "Through the NECTEC (Northeastern California Teacher Education Collaborative) project," said Wendy, "my peer-support is formally combined with a portal which hosts online professional development modules." These modules help Kelly and other beginning teachers understand the requirements, provide a means for meeting the standards online, and conveniently keep track of the progress for completion of state requirements.

"It has been a great experience working with Kelly and supporting her through the induction process. I remember my first few years of teaching, and I understand those challenges. It's been rewarding to support her and share the day-to-day experiences of how we teach and improve our laboratory experience for our students," added Wendy.

In 2003, CSU, Chico was awarded a three-year, million dollar California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC) grant to improve the quality of K-12 teacher education in our region through NECTEC. The program, administered through Continuing Education, targets more than 4,000 teachers and is supported through a partnership with Educational Testing Service (ETS), Butte County BTSA Induction Program, North State BTSA Induction Program, Tri-County BTSA Induction Program, and CSU, Chico Education Services Center.