Starting this fall, residents of San Benito County will be able
to get a four year degree from California State University Monterey
Bay (CSUMB) right here in Hollister.
Starting this fall, residents of San Benito County will be able to get a four year degree from California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB) right here in Hollister.
A program called the University Center has been set up between CSUMB and Gavilan College. Students will now be able to earn a bachelors of science in business administration from CSUMB without the 45 minute commute, giving residents who may not be able to drive to Monterey each day, a chance to further their education.
Business 306, marketing, and business 310, entrepreneurship will be offered this fall. Business 307, finance, and business 309, operations management will be offered next spring. The courses that aren’t available at the Briggs Building in Hollister will be offered online.
“This will enable people to stay here and that’s great,” Gavilan Board Trustee Tom Breen said. “I think sometimes the people in Hollister feel ignored by Gav, being that it’s 15 minutes away and across the county line, but it all started here in Hollister.”
Gavilan College was originally San Benito Junior College in 1919, moved to the airport in the 1950s and later to Gilroy when the land was purchased for the new campus, according to Breen.
No one from CSUMB was available for comment, but Breen said with the raise in gas prices and time constraints of people’s jobs, he’s thrilled CSUMB has decided to work with Gavilan.
The cost to enroll in the upper division courses will be at the CSU level, and Breen is hopeful that more upper division programs will be brought to the Hollister site in the future.
“I hope we can continue to work with CSUMB and bring more programs because they bring jobs to the area,” he said.
Those who are interested in the University Center can make an appointment to meet with their counselor to learn the requirements for the major. There will be an orientation for both of the fall classes on Tuesday, Aug. 24 at the Briggs Building, Room 3, from 7-9 p.m. For more information log onto business.CSUMB.edu or call the CSUMB School of Business Advising Center at 831-582-4406.
Christine Tognetti can be reached at 637-5566, ext. 330 or at ct*******@fr***********.com.
