WSC Campus to Host Thousands of Guests this Summer; Return of graduate studies, Wednesdays at Western and wrestling camp among the offerings
May 25, 2010 -- School may be out for summer for most, but thousands of guests still flock to the Western State College of Colorado (WSC) campus in the warmer months.
The Western State College of Colorado campus in summertime.
The return of graduate studies to Western is just one of the highlights for the summer of 2010 at the college. Starting in July, studies will begin for the master of fine arts (M.F.A) in creative writing, and in August for the master of arts in education.
Three concentrations in the creative writing degree will be offered: mainstream/genre fiction, poetry with an emphasis in formal verse and screenwriting. Three tracks are being offered in the master of arts in education program: teacher leadership, reading leadership and educational administrator leadership.
Both programs are low-residency, meaning students will convene for summer sessions then do the majority of coursework from abroad.
The creative writing M.F.A summer session will take place during the same time as the already popular “Writing the Rockies” creative writers’ conference, which is held annually on the WSC campus.
Several other camps and conferences bring in guests to the campus as well. One of the biggest is the 47th Annual Rocky Mountain Wrestling Camp, which will bring more than a thousand wrestlers this June.
The camp is directed by WSC Head Coach Miles Van Hee, who led the Mountaineers to their second Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference title this year.
Other popular conferences include the Search and Rescue Academy, the Law Enforcement Explorer Conference and the Colorado Columbine Girls State citizen leadership program for high school girls.
One of the biggest organizers of summer events is the Extended Studies program at Western. Among their offerings is the “Wednesdays at Western” program, which offers inexpensive day-trips for locals and visitors alike. This year’s offerings include: introduction to fly-fishing, a Taylor Park tour with longtime WSC professor of history Duane Vandenbusche, a geology tour of the Black Canyon with WSC professor emeritus Bruce Bartleson and an astronomy class with WSC professor of communication and theatre Mike Brooks.
Class prices range from $10 to $25.
One last place to see a surge of summer activity is the new $28 million College Center. The Ruby Cinema at the Prosser Theater is a state-of-the-art movie theater, complete with digital 3D capabilities, located within the College Center.
Story by: Luke Mehall, assistant director of public relations and communications
Written for the Summer 2010 Crested Butte Magazine
