Van Loan School in Midst of Exciting New Direction

The Van Loan School at Endicott College has always been more than a physical building—it’s been Endicott’s epicenter for adult learners to gain the skills they need to advance their careers, whether in Beverly, Mass., Boston, or online.

But space is still important, and Van Loan received a major revamp in that department. When the first phase of the new Samuel C. Wax Academic Center finished this spring, Van Loan moved from its spot near Tupper Manor to the heart of main campus. And new Associate Provost, Dr. Chrystal Porter, welcomed the opportunities this will bring for the entire College.

“I think the move will cause an explosion of idea generations for the College,” says Porter. “To date, whenever you combine members of Van Loan with members of the day school, fantastic ideas result. The change in proximity will help us all be more aware of each other’s programs and work. I also anticipate that our day students will take advantage of the wonderful programming that we offer.”

Along those lines, Van Loan is also introducing two new Fifth Year master’s programs in athletic administration and bioinformatics and revising the full-time Master of Business Administration curriculum. Endicott undergraduate students interested in these accelerated offerings can complete their master’s degree with a tuition discount and modified admission requirements.

Other new academic offerings include a concentration in international education as part of the Doctor of Education program, a Master of Education in Social Emotional Development, and revising the Master of Science in Homeland Security Studies to include courses in public health.

“We feel that we have only scratched the surface with where and how we offer our programs,” says Porter. “The majority of our programs have been targeted to students within New England, so as the College begins to re-brand, we want to position ourselves to be attractive nationally and internationally. As part of this task, we know we will need to grow our online options and we have already started developing the infrastructure to create quality online experiences by introducing e-learning developers who work with our instructors in achieving this.”

In keeping with Endicott’s focus on experiential learning and graduating with a degree and a resume, Van Loan is also expanding its focus on career and internship growth opportunities. Says Porter, “Because many Van Loan students are working adults, it is difficult to participate in traditional internships. So to keep with Endicott's mission of supporting our students’ professional development, Van Loan is introducing programming that will allow our students to get professional coaching and professional development.”

Also, prior learning assessment courses will be expanded to include the graduate level, and undergraduate Van Loan students will study abroad for the first time this summer when they experience a week-long trip to Madrid.

“We want our students to connect with their program and with Endicott,” says Porter. “The goal is to grow Van Loan's size, but our core will remain the same in making ourselves available to our students. We care about our students and are vested in their experiences and their success.”

To learn more about Van Loan and its associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral offerings, visit vanloan.endicott.edu.