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Office
of News and Information
January 12, 2004 |
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Events included a press conference and reception, following an introductory meeting of the UT Tyler Palestine Campus development council. The UT Tyler Palestine Campus is making higher education accessible and more affordable for the residents of Palestine and surrounding areas, according to President Rodney H. Mabry and Sen. Staples. “We are so pleased to serve Palestine and all surrounding counties. Providing a quality education to all East Texans is our priority, and it is a great pleasure for us to make obtaining a quality degree more convenient and more cost effective to the students of the Palestine area through the Palestine Campus, saving them the time and money involved in a lengthy commute,” President Mabry said. “Access to higher education is a bridge to a brighter future. The UT Tyler Palestine Campus moves educational opportunities closer to East Texans,” noted Staples. “We owe a duty to the next generation of Texans to continue to build upon our public school, community college and four-year university network that has been established. Good decisions today bring exceptional opportunities tomorrow.” Fall 2003 enrollment at Palestine Campus showed an increase of 20 percent. The Palestine community leaders demonstrated their commitment to the UT Tyler Palestine Campus by establishing an endowed scholarship for its students. The Memorial Hospital Foundation - Palestine, Inc. donated $1.2 million, creating the Memorial Hospital Foundation Endowment. Scholarships are awarded to full or part-time students from Anderson, Leon, Houston or Freestone Counties majoring, in order of preference, in nursing, health-related disciplines or any academic discipline. Students can complete undergraduate degrees in nursing and business management entirely at the Palestine Campus. Additionally, courses are available in technology, health and kinesiology and liberal arts. Students receive instruction from on-site professors and through the innovative technology of interactive video, which allows students at the Palestine Campus to see and communicate with faculty at the remote site, ask questions and participate in classroom discussions. The efforts to bring UT Tyler to the Palestine area began in 1995 at the request of community leaders, led by Dr. Lee Roy Mathis. The nursing program was offered first followed by courses from the College of Business and Technology and the College of Arts and Sciences in 1997. Then State Rep. Todd Staples was instrumental in assisting the University in acquiring its current location, 1820 W. Spring Street, by supporting a special line item in the State budget approved by the 76th Legislature. The UT Tyler Palestine Campus includes classrooms complete with interactive video technology, nursing skills lab, computer lab, library, health assessment lab, conference room and faculty offices. For more information
about the Palestine Campus, call 903.727.2300.
Contact person: Emily Battle, (903) 565-5604
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State
Sen. Todd Staples (R) visited the UT Tyler Palestine Campus Jan.
7 to take part in activities celebrating the success of the campus
and the establishment of a development council.