LIFELONG LEARNING IN OUR COMMUNITY – Great Basin College

Great Basin College has offered academic credit classes in rural Nevada for over fifty years, but did you know it also offers non-credit courses year-round for community members of all ages? “There are classes for kids like Youth Karate and Beginning Dog Obedience; classes for teens including Driver Education; and many, many more for adults,” according to Angie de Braga, Director of Continuing Education and Community Outreach. 

“We really have something for everyone. For those interested in art, we have several ‘Bob Ross’ Oil Painting classes scheduled, as well as studio classes in Ceramics and Glass Beadmaking. I’m really looking forward to a presentation on ‘Georgia O’Keeffe’s Sky’ coming to us from the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the University of Nevada, Reno on September 26. Additional presentations on Basques in Nevada and History of the White Pine Mining District are being planned,” she says. Other GBC non-credit classes starting in September include Effective Communication for Healthier Relationships, Understanding Autism, Weight Loss 101, and Adult Beginner Tap Dance as well as Conversational Spanish, Personal Growth Mastermind, and QuickBooks training. “I’d also encourage people to get tickets now for the annual Father Daughter Ball on October 4th, as we sell out every year,” de Braga notes.

Continuing Education’s office is located in the Community Outreach Center at Great Basin College. The physical address is 1025 Chilton Circle. One of the department’s main purposes is to develop short-term programs that teach people the skills they need to get employed. About five years ago, Continuing Education developed a Paralegal program that can be completed in nine months. Students learn how to do legal research and draft many types of legal documents. As a result, there are now many GBC paralegal graduates working in Elko, Battle Mountain, Ely, and Winnemucca. Continuing Education also oversees the “Commercial Driver’s License Class A” training program, where individuals can learn to drive a tractor-trailer rig and get their CDL Class A license in six weeks. “There is a huge demand for drivers right now, and our students are getting high-paying jobs with different companies in this area. We are fortunate to have support from local industry members. Full scholarships are available to students who qualify,” says de Braga.

In addition to these courses, GBC has teamed up with University of Nevada, Reno to bring new professional development opportunities to Elko. A series of classes leading to certification in Nonprofit Management will be taught by university instructors on campus at Great Basin College. The program is designed for people working in rural areas, and topics include Grant Writing; Marketing and Social Media; Financial Sustainability; Strategic Planning and Leadership; and Legalities of Non-Profits. Other UNR classes that are not part of the nonprofit program are available in Elko on a class-by-class basis such as Managing and Supervising People and Problem Solving: The Art and Science behind Better Decision-Making.

For details, call Great Basin College
Continuing Education at 775-753-2231 or go to www.campusce.net/gbcnv. 

You may also stop by Continuing Education Monday through Friday, from 8:00am–5:00pm. Great Basin College is a member of the Nevada System of Higher Education and governed by the Board of Regents. The college is regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.