The CSU-Pueblo continuing education campus at 2864 S. Circle Dr. in Colorado Springs, Colo. officially opened on Oct. 24.  More than 50 people including community members, students and faculty, attended the grand-opening ceremony.

President Leslie Di Mare cut the ribbon, marking the formal opening of the new campus, which has been holding classes since July.  Di Mare addressed the crowd, saying CSU-Pueblo is committed to reaching out to those who desire a higher education, not only in Pueblo and Colorado Springs but also across the state.

The new location, on the second floor of the Phoenix Tower building, takes the place of the former Citadel campus and houses six state-of-the-art classrooms, an administration office with advising and a large meeting facility that can be used as classroom space.

Jon Ullmann, program manager for CSU-Pueblo Continuing Education in the Colorado Springs area, said the opening was an important milestone but they are not finished expanding. There are two more floors in the Phoenix Tower that are in the process of being remodeled and will be ready as soon as the need arises.

Ullmann praised everyone involved in the transition to the new campus.

“We started work in May and held the first classes in July. We turned the lights off at the Citadel on June 28 and started classes here at the tower the next Monday,” Ullmann said. “We are very proud of the new facility.”

James Malm, dean of CSU-Pueblo Continuing Education, believes the tower location will attract more students to the program.  It is close to the interstate and there is plenty of parking available.  Although there is a small continuing education center on Fort Carson, soldiers will find the tower campus is convenient to base as well and will host many of the classes they need.

The continuing education program offers general education courses as well as several complete degree programs including history, sociology and criminology.  There is a broad independent study program with credits that are fully applicable towards a degree from CSU-Pueblo.

To accommodate students with difficult schedules, there are accelerated evening and weekend classes.  These flexible options make the continuing education program very popular among the area’s active-duty military and their families.

Malm pointed out that there are several students living in other countries that are currently enrolled in continuing education through the distance-learning program.  The courses are the same as those meeting on campus, but much more accommodating and all work is done online.  These students can earn their degrees from CSU-Pueblo without ever visiting Colorado.

Along with the Pueblo campus, which is housed in the University Village at Walking Stick, the Fort Carson Army Education Center and the new Colorado Springs tower campus are able to serve a large number of students in classrooms and online, making the division of continuing education one of the largest areas of potential growth at the university.