Among area community colleges, Garrett has distinguished itself with its small size, its warm atmosphere and -- above all -- its fabulous setting. The 62-acre campus overlooks Deep Creek Lake and the Wisp ski area in the Allegheny Mountains of Western Maryland. The surrounding forests, rivers and farms offer a natural outdoor classroom for students interested in nature-themed concentrations, including Adventure Sports, Agricultural Management, and Natural Resources & Wildlife Technology.
In fact, the two-year college has earned a strong reputation in each of these three areas.
Garrett was the first college in the country to offer a program leading to a degree in Adventure Sports. (Students who concentrate in the subject at Garrett can transfer their credits to Frostburg State University to complete the degree.) Students learn by doing, with hands-on coursework in white-water rafting, mountain biking, skiing, backpacking, hiking and rock climbing. It's not all fun and games, though: Students also must take required courses in the liberal arts and sciences.
The Agricultural Management program is offered jointly by Garrett and the Institute of Applied Agriculture at the University of Maryland, College Park. Courses are offered at the Garrett campus and are taught by University of Maryland professors who either appear in person or lecture via computer or interactive video. A farm plot at the Garrett campus gives students the opportunity to incorporate practical skills (such as livestock or dairy cattle management and agriculture marketing) into their classroom learning.
The degree program in Natural Resources and Wildlife Technology also offers students the chance to conduct field studies to discover the interconnectedness of all elements within the environment. This degree prepares students for employment with government agencies, private companies and nonprofit organizations in a variety of natural resources, wildlife and environmental fields, including -- but not limited to -- the following: Wildlife management, forest management, parks/recreation/interpretation, fisheries management, ecotourism, wetlands management, soil and water conservation, water quality monitoring, agricultural inspection and environmental consulting.
In addition to these programs, Garrett also has capitalized on its pastoral setting in a very different way. In recent years, faculty and students have pioneered the use of advanced telecommunications and computer technology to serve the needs of rural communities. The school is a recognized national leader in this area.
Other majors include agricultural mechanization, biology, business administration, mathematics, psychology and sociology -- to name a few.
Founded in 1971, Garrett offers programs leading to Associate in Arts degrees, Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degrees, and a variety of one-year certificate programs, along with diverse non-credit classes.
With its modern dormitory, Garrett Hall, the school also offers a rich campus social life. Approximately eight percent of the school's 700 students live on campus, and the dorm is a hub of activity, with a recreation lounge used for meetings, social interaction and games. Both residential and non-residential students also gather frequently at the Lakers Cafe, the primary dining facility on campus.
On-campus clubs address such diverse interests as agriculture, pottery and wildlife. Students also take full advantage of the natural surroundings. They ski together at Wisp Ski Resort, rock climb in nearby West Virginia, enjoy water sports in Deep Creek Lake and make good use of the area's 150 miles of state-maintained forest trails.
Overall, Garrett prides itself on its family atmosphere. This is a small school where faculty members are encouraged to take a personal interest in students' progress. As a result of this individualized attention, Garrett students typically outperform other community-college graduates when they transfer into four-year programs.
In fact, the two-year college has earned a strong reputation in each of these three areas.
Garrett was the first college in the country to offer a program leading to a degree in Adventure Sports. (Students who concentrate in the subject at Garrett can transfer their credits to Frostburg State University to complete the degree.) Students learn by doing, with hands-on coursework in white-water rafting, mountain biking, skiing, backpacking, hiking and rock climbing. It's not all fun and games, though: Students also must take required courses in the liberal arts and sciences.
The Agricultural Management program is offered jointly by Garrett and the Institute of Applied Agriculture at the University of Maryland, College Park. Courses are offered at the Garrett campus and are taught by University of Maryland professors who either appear in person or lecture via computer or interactive video. A farm plot at the Garrett campus gives students the opportunity to incorporate practical skills (such as livestock or dairy cattle management and agriculture marketing) into their classroom learning.
The degree program in Natural Resources and Wildlife Technology also offers students the chance to conduct field studies to discover the interconnectedness of all elements within the environment. This degree prepares students for employment with government agencies, private companies and nonprofit organizations in a variety of natural resources, wildlife and environmental fields, including -- but not limited to -- the following: Wildlife management, forest management, parks/recreation/interpretation, fisheries management, ecotourism, wetlands management, soil and water conservation, water quality monitoring, agricultural inspection and environmental consulting.
In addition to these programs, Garrett also has capitalized on its pastoral setting in a very different way. In recent years, faculty and students have pioneered the use of advanced telecommunications and computer technology to serve the needs of rural communities. The school is a recognized national leader in this area.
Other majors include agricultural mechanization, biology, business administration, mathematics, psychology and sociology -- to name a few.
Founded in 1971, Garrett offers programs leading to Associate in Arts degrees, Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degrees, and a variety of one-year certificate programs, along with diverse non-credit classes.
With its modern dormitory, Garrett Hall, the school also offers a rich campus social life. Approximately eight percent of the school's 700 students live on campus, and the dorm is a hub of activity, with a recreation lounge used for meetings, social interaction and games. Both residential and non-residential students also gather frequently at the Lakers Cafe, the primary dining facility on campus.
On-campus clubs address such diverse interests as agriculture, pottery and wildlife. Students also take full advantage of the natural surroundings. They ski together at Wisp Ski Resort, rock climb in nearby West Virginia, enjoy water sports in Deep Creek Lake and make good use of the area's 150 miles of state-maintained forest trails.
Overall, Garrett prides itself on its family atmosphere. This is a small school where faculty members are encouraged to take a personal interest in students' progress. As a result of this individualized attention, Garrett students typically outperform other community-college graduates when they transfer into four-year programs.