User:USM

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[edit] UNVERSITY OF ST. MARTIN

Founded on the principle that education can improve the quality of life for people on St. Martin and in the region, the University of St. Martin (USM) continues to be steadfast in its commitment to the community. For some 16 years, USM has been offering students the opportunity to discover their potential and helping them realize their academic and professional goals. At USM it does not matter whether the student is the first member of his or her family to attend university or whether he or she is following in the footsteps of others. The supportive environment and challenging programs at USM help prepare students for successful careers and responsible lives.

At USM it is all about benefits.

• The benefits of being able to choose from a variety of non-degree and degree programs. The degree programs range from Associate of Arts to Master of Arts in Education and Business Administration.
• The benefits of quality academic and adult education.
• The benefits of being at home in the Caribbean with family and friends while pursuing an education.
• The benefits of affordable tuition and small classes where personalized attention is the norm.
• The benefits of having a variety of extra curricular activities and clubs to participate in.
• The benefits of easy transfer to several schools in the U.S., Europe, and Canada if students choose to do so.

With its student-centered focus, USM is committed to offering students a quality and academic education that will provide students with a solid foundation to enter their chosen career fields or to pursue further academic studies.

Founded in 1989 by the Honorable Dr. Albert Claudius Wathey and the Honorable Ambassador Dr. Hushang Ansary as an annex of Johnson and Wales University, the University of St. Martin began its transformation into its current phase in 2000, with a renewed emphasis on business and liberal arts. Under current USM President Josianne Fleming Artsen, the facilities (Phase I) were reconstructed after being destroyed by Hurricane Lenny in 1999, and USM’s peach and white facilities overlooking the Great Salt Pond in picturesque Philipsburg now stands as a testament to the institution’s re-commitment to education on the island.

With Phase II, which includes more classrooms, and Phase III, which includes dormitories, still in the planning stages, USM continues to grow as one of the region’s top institutions. USM continues to build its reputation for excellence via its continuous development of programs and partnerships with other education institutions in the region and around the world such as Florida A& M University (FAMU), L’ Université Paris XII Val-de-Marne, Florida Metropolitan University, Florida State University (FSU), University of South Florida, University of Tampa, Johnson & Wales University (JWU), Berkeley College, Pace University, University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) and Mount Saint Vincent University in Canada (MSVU).

USM, in cooperation with the UVI, offers students the opportunity to obtain an Associate of Science in Computer Science and Master of Arts in Education and Business Administration, while through MSVU, USM students can obtain a Bachelor of Business Administration. The cooperation agreement with MSVU is so well received that students have even transferred from Canada to St. Maarten to complete their degrees here.

Through its Adult Enrichment Program (AEP), USM continues to cater to the needs of the community. The English as a Second Language program, General Equivalency Diploma, and College Preparatory Program are more recent responses to the needs of the St. Martin community to prepare men and women for successful transitions into the community and college life.

Today, USM, with its motto “Your Key to a Brighter Future,” enrolls close to 400 full-time and part-time students on its campus. The university continues to offer a quality, affordable liberal arts education in a culturally diverse environment. USM prides itself on having more than 275 alumni, many of whom continue to excel as accountants, managers, business owners, government administrators, teachers, and other professionals.

Rooted in the tradition of the University of St. Martin is its strong relationship with business, civic and community organizations. The university, while offering special programs and services to institutions and corporate partners, gains strength from these partnerships and derives benefits for its students from the networks these relationships provide.

The future of the University of St. Martin will be shaped by its values while catering to the needs and expectations of the students. By providing students with quality instruction and personal attention, USM provides the virtues of a small arts and business college with curricular richness and disposition of a large university. The broad range of non-degree and degree programs will undoubtedly continue to increase in numbers as USM looks towards a bright future.

UNIVERSITY OF ST. MARTIN 1 Soualiga Road. PO Box 836 Philipsburg St. Maarten Netherlands Antilles Tel: 599-542 5171/ 542 3156/ 542 3674 Fax: 599 542 5226'

Visit the University of St. Martin online at: www.usmsxm.edu or www.usmonline.net