A satellite University of Nevada, Reno, program taught at the Douglas campus of Western Nevada Community College attracted 32 area students, who said they might otherwise never be able to obtain a master's degree in business.

Time restrictions due to jobs and family and the rising gas prices were among the reasons the students said they could not have considered the program if it wasn't offered in Minden.

The group will meet Mondays and Wednesdays this semester for two classes of the 17 they will be required to take over the next three years. The last classes are scheduled for summer 2008.

"I wouldn't have done it if I had to do the drive again," said Erik Evans, 32, of Gardnerville, who got his bachelor's degree at UNR four years ago. "It was so close. I couldn't pass it up."

Evans, married and a father of a 5-month-old, said he lives five minutes from the community college. He is a software engineer at GE Energy Services, which paid the tuition for Evans and 11 other employees who are enrolled in the class.

About three quarters of the students were financed by their employers to take the MBA program. Tuition for the Carson City-Douglas County MBA Cohort Program is approximately $6,500 for a Nevada resident, according to the Web site.

"I petitioned my employer," said Steve Theriault, 52, of Minden. "If I do well they'll pay, but even if they wouldn't I would still be here. This is a phenomenal program."

Theriault said he had to take an online program for his bachelor's degree because his job as a sales manager at Calculated Industries in Carson City required a lot of travel time.

Theriault said the instructors and administrators have been responsive and understanding about working with the students.

"As long as you do your work, they're willing to work with us," he said. "Everyone in here are working professionals. I love the idea we will all go through this together."

Theriault has a wife and two grown children, one a graduate of UNR.

"I have a very supportive family, otherwise I wouldn't be able to do this," he said.

Charlotte LaCombe, 53, a Carson City resident, works for the State of Nevada in the Business and Industry Workers' Comp section.

LaCombe, married with two grown children, said she received her bachelor's in business administration at UNR in 2002, but would have a difficult time driving all the way to Reno for her MBA. She said she prefers to take courses at a college, rather than an online program.

"I wanted to get an MBA," said LaCombe. "I was approached by the University of Phoenix, but I like human interaction.

"This is a great opportunity. I'm thrilled to be able to drive to Gardnerville for this class."

At Melanie Minarik's Organizational Science class Monday night, 21 men and six women attended. Minarik is one of two instructors who are teaching classes during the first semester of the program, with Jannet Vreeland teaching accounting on Wednesdays.

"The students are extremely enthusiastic," said Minarik, "first of all about getting their MBA and second about not driving to Reno."

Of the classes, Minarik said, "It's intense. It's hard to work full time and go to school two nights a week. It's a big commitment."

Funding came from GE Energy Services and Starbucks Coffee Co., private companies that partnered with UNR Extended Studies and WNCC to create the program.

UNR director of the College of Business Administration Rambiz Raffiee and Carson City coordinator of Extended Studies Reed Scull were on the development task force that put the program together.

Scull said that without the financial backers of the program, it never could have happened.

"In a time of scarce resources, that's the only way we could make programs like this happen," he said. "It's very positive for the community. It's helping over 30 people in the Carson-Douglas area."

Richard Kale is coordinator of academic and student affairs for the program. According to Scull, Kale approached UNR, offering WNCC as a location for the program.

"It's incredible. When we had orientation, every one of the students said they would not be taking this if they had to drive to Reno," said Kale.

"When you look at the needs of the community, we have a need for higher education. We need to be offering not only associate's degrees. We need to facilitate offering of bachelor's and master's."

For more information on the Carson City-Douglas County MBA Cohort Program, visit the Web site www.extendedstudies.unr.edu/carsoncourses or call (800) 233-8928.



n Jo Rafferty can be reached at jrafferty@recordcourier.com or 782-5121, ext. 213.