Summer 2003

Volume 6 Number 3
A publication of Macon State College

Robins Resident Center an Important Part of MSC's Academic Offerings in Houston County

Dr. Alan Bickford, Macon State College English professor, teaches a class at the Robins Resident Center. Photo by Tiffany Brown

By Sheron Smith

The new Warner Robins Campus may be getting most of the fanfare these days, but Macon State College also serves Houston County in another important arena.

The College is well into its fourth decade of operation at the Robins Resident Center on Robins Air Force Base. Created in 1970 as a collaboration between the University System of Georgia and the Base, the RRC plays a vital role in meeting the higher education needs of military and civilian personnel.

While College officials expect many Robins personnel to take classes at the new Warner Robins Campus, located just a half mile from the main gate of the Base, Macon State’s RRC programs will continue to be available for their convenience.

“We think it’s important to maintain that presence at Robins Air Force Base,” said Mike Hale, who as Warner Robins Campus executive director also provides administrative oversight of the RRC’s programs. “We’ve built strong relationships with the Base in several areas, and the RRC represents one of the most important partnerships we have.”

Macon State offers courses in the University System’s core curriculum at the RRC. The College also offers a 30-credit-hour business certificate program especially designed for military personnel. The certificate meets all the requirements of the Community College of the Air Force, a sort of educational clearinghouse through which military personnel can combine academic work earned at traditional colleges with the technical training they receive during their service. Military personnel and their spouses and children who want to earn the business certificate are eligible to apply for Georgia HOPE grants, which cover tuition and help pay for books.

For more information about Macon State College’s programs at the Robins Resident Center, call Pella Murphy at 327-7307 or email her at pmurphy@mail.maconstate.edu.