Ever wondered how to bind books? Need help navigating the intricacies of Spanish wine? The Office of Extended Learning at Cazenovia College has recently expanded their curriculum, and regularly conducts classes for curious residents of all ages. The department offers courses on and off of Cazenovia’s campus that will award participants academic credit towards a degree, as well as non-credit courses that provide pupils with insight into their avocations.
“I love the fact that we are bringing education to people who need flexibility and affordability,” Director Lesley Owens-Pelton said. “You have to have a strong cultural environment and a vibrant arts community, to enrich residents. All of these things add to our area, without them, you start to see store-fronts closing and the tax-base leaving.”
On Feb. 23 the Brewster Inn was host to Cazenovia College’s course “A taste of Spanish wine: Spanish wine basics.” Wine expert Kirk Gibson instructed over 40 residents from Cazenovia and surrounding areas how to properly taste, evaluate and pair the wines. The lesson covered five of Spain’s historic wine regions, Rioja, Priorat, Ribera del Puero, Toro and Jumilla.
The registration fee included numerous wine samples, a food-pairing tasting plate as well as a comprehensive outline participants were able to keep. A second class was offered on March 1, as the course roster filled quickly and many were unable to attend the first session. In the future, the Office of Extended Learning hopes to add New York Finger Lake, and Italian wine-tastings to their long list of offered courses.
Classes are available to all those interested in learning more about a particular subject, whether a student or civilian. Professionals can develop their skills and beginner hobbyists can advance to levels of mastery. Credits earned through the academic courses are fully-transferable and can help part-time students earn an associates degree or reach other educational goals. Registration fees are dependant on the course and financial aid is available to those that apply.
Non-credit courses look to inform and enrich participants about a wide-range of topics, and a number of new classes have recently been made available to prospective pupils. All who are interested can now learn the theories of cake decorating, vegetarian cooking, conversational French, memoir writing, computer graphics and glass-work, among others. To learn more about offered courses visit cazenovia.edu/extendedlearning. To enroll, or purchase classes as gifts, contact the office at 655-7288 or email Coordinator Sherri Benedict at [email protected].
