Galveston College
In 1967, Galveston College opened its doors after widespread community support had formed the Galveston Community College District. For more than 45 years, Galveston College has been flourishing as a source of high-quality, affordable instruction in college transfer, career education and adult continuing education. Galveston College’s campus, located just six blocks from the Galveston Seawall at 4015 Ave. Q, is an exceptional environment for learning. About 2,300 credit students enroll in each fall, spring and summer semester. Nearly 4,000 people take non-credit leisure learning or special interest classes annually.
Galveston College has amenities such as a computer-based learning resource center, modern science labs, ceramics, art, music, microcomputer centers, fitness and gym facilities, and intramural/collegiate sports. Galveston College has worked diligently to build strong partnerships with organizations and institutions in our community. The college has developed programs with the University of Texas Medical Branch and Texas A&M Galveston.
Other partnerships help Galveston College be a central educational link to the Galveston Independent School District, local private schools and the University of Houston-Clear Lake. Galveston College now operates its new Charlie Thomas Family Vocational- Technical Training Center at 7626 Broadway. The project was endorsed by the Galveston Recovery Committee and the city of Galveston.
Programs include associate degrees in Welding, HVAC and Industrial Systems. The Charlie Thomas Family Vocational-Technical Training Center is undergoing renovations to accommodate other new programs. Other new degree programs recently introduced at Galveston College include Clinical Trial Coordinator, developed in cooperation with UTMB, and a two-year Associate Degree in Industrial, Mechanical, Civil and Electrical Engineering.
One of the most exciting programs at Galveston College was introduced through the Galveston College Foundation. Through the Universal Access program, Galveston College is rebuilding the Galveston community by investing in its most precious resource, its people. The Galveston College Foundation has raised an endowment of over $3 million that will help every graduate from a Galveston high school, GED program or home school to be eligible for paid tuition and fees for a substantial portion of their higher education and training. In fall 2001 through spring 2012, the Galveston College Universal Access program has funded the higher education of over 4,000 Galveston residents for some $4.8 million.
Galveston College also awards nearly $100,000 in scholarships each year and allows Galveston senior citizens 65 years of age or older to take credit classes without paying tuition. For more information, visit www.gc.edu.
Texas A&M University at Galveston
Texas A&M University at Galveston (TAMUG) is an ocean-oriented branch campus of Texas A&M University – the only branch campus in Texas. This unique university uses its coastal location and the Galveston marine environment to provide degrees in science, engineering, business, transportation and liberal arts.
The university also houses the Texas Maritime Academy, which incorporates academic degree programs with professional licensing for the U.S. Merchant Marine, and officer training for the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC). The campus’ proximity to Galveston Bay, Port of Houston, the ocean and the largest petrochemical industry in the U.S. provides an ideal learning environment for academic programs, student life and oceanrelated research.
Traditional learning environments include classroom buildings, and other student life and recreation facilities. TAMUG offers e-learning through distance education. The Jack K. Williams Library supports group, individual and classroom learning through traditional, print and electronic resources. Marine environments play an important role in providing hands-on experiences for students. Cadets learn to become mariners by training aboard the Texas Maritime Academy training ship. They also receive instruction through a bridge simulator – a teaching resource that uses software to recreate a shipboard environment.
The university’s Waterfront Operations hosts waterborne research projects, labs, training opportunities, continuing education programs and Sea Camp programs. To accommodate the steady increases in student enrollment (approximately 2,000 students), the number of facilities on the Mitchell Campus on Pelican Island are growing or expanding. The campus recently opened the new $54 million Ocean and Coastal Sciences Building, and the $3 million Seibel Student Services Building. And this year, the Mary Moody Northen Student Center was expanded. At a total cost of $29 million, two new residence halls are currently being constructed.
In addition to the nationally acclaimed bachelor’s degree programs at TAMUG, graduate programs include master and doctoral degrees in Marine Biology, and a master’s of Marine Resources Management. The most recent advanced degree program to be added is the master’s in Maritime Administration and Logistics, which provides an MBA-type program for professionals in international trade and port management.
Total research expenditures are more than $5.7 million. With over 17 different laboratories, centers and institutes, TAMUG ranks sixth in Texas for the average number of research dollars per faculty member (for public universities in FY09). More than 1,000 students who range in age from 6 to 18 experience the university’s Sea Camp Program in the Galveston marine environment each year.
University of Texas Medical Branch
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) is committed to educating a diverse health workforce for the future through its schools of Medicine, Nursing, Health Professions and Graduate Biomedical Sciences. UTMB’s focus is on training students to work as part of an interdisciplinary team in a problem-based learning environment. Improving health and health care delivery is at the heart of UTMB’s mission. The students educated today by UTMB are tomorrow’s answer to the serious shortage of health care providers in Texas and beyond, as well as the future pioneers of new and better ways to diagnose and treat illness.
UTMB currently enrolls a record number of about 3,000 students, residents and fellows, and has conferred more than 35,000 degrees throughout its history. It has educated more Texas physicians than any other medical school. Its graduates reflect the populations UTMB serves; in fact, UTMB’s student body is one of the most diverse in the nation. UTMB is a member of the Texas Medical Center (TMC), fostering numerous educational collaborations taking place between the university and other TMC member institutions throughout the Galveston/Houston region.
UTMB also has been re-designated as a Level l Trauma Center, one of three in the greater Houston area. (www.utmb.edu)
