2008 Woodie Awards
RSSMiniversity offers fun classroom atmosphere
By Alli Echelman
Issue date: 10/26/07 Section: Lifestyle
Your head gradually inches towards your desk and your eyes slowly shut as the murmur of your professor's lecture about derivatives lulls you to sleep.
Miniversity is here to put some life into your excruciatingly lackluster schedule.
Miniversity, short for miniature university, is a program that was started over 20 years ago to offer noncredit courses to both students and faculty.
"Miniversity offers enrichment-based courses that allow students to explore their interests in a fun environment, without the pressure of being graded," said Jeff Abel, graduate assistant to the student affairs office.
The courses offered by Miniversity provide a novel concept: fun in the classroom.
"It's all about gaining skills and having fun," Abel said.
There are a wide variety of courses offered, such as Basics of Belly Dance, Foundations of Magic, Rock Climbing Basics and Learn to Make Sushi.
In addition to being entertaining, the courses add to a student's academic experience, Abel said. They teach students information that they wouldn't necessarily learn in a traditional classroom.
"I took A&S [Arts and Sciences] Step By Step Career Prep, which taught me a lot about how to act during an interview and how to make a good resume, which is really helpful," Mark Forwood, '08, said.
Miniversity tailors its courses to meet the desires of the students.
"This year more language courses were requested so we added intro courses for Spanish, Italian and French," said Ginger DeBias, program coordinator of student activities. "We try to offer students what they want,"
Courses are kept very small, which allows the students and instructors to interact on a more personal level.
DeBias has been at Lehigh for 25 years and has been coordinating the Miniversity program for the past 10.
The program tries to change the course selection each semester, but some classes are such a hit that they are brought back each session.
Miniversity is here to put some life into your excruciatingly lackluster schedule.
Miniversity, short for miniature university, is a program that was started over 20 years ago to offer noncredit courses to both students and faculty.
"Miniversity offers enrichment-based courses that allow students to explore their interests in a fun environment, without the pressure of being graded," said Jeff Abel, graduate assistant to the student affairs office.
The courses offered by Miniversity provide a novel concept: fun in the classroom.
"It's all about gaining skills and having fun," Abel said.
There are a wide variety of courses offered, such as Basics of Belly Dance, Foundations of Magic, Rock Climbing Basics and Learn to Make Sushi.
In addition to being entertaining, the courses add to a student's academic experience, Abel said. They teach students information that they wouldn't necessarily learn in a traditional classroom.
"I took A&S [Arts and Sciences] Step By Step Career Prep, which taught me a lot about how to act during an interview and how to make a good resume, which is really helpful," Mark Forwood, '08, said.
Miniversity tailors its courses to meet the desires of the students.
"This year more language courses were requested so we added intro courses for Spanish, Italian and French," said Ginger DeBias, program coordinator of student activities. "We try to offer students what they want,"
Courses are kept very small, which allows the students and instructors to interact on a more personal level.
DeBias has been at Lehigh for 25 years and has been coordinating the Miniversity program for the past 10.
The program tries to change the course selection each semester, but some classes are such a hit that they are brought back each session.
