Pictured from right are Peggy Yates, director of the Master of Arts in Special Education program at Alma College, and 2024 graduate Tracy Haroff.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story is featured in the Fall 2024 edition of The Tartan magazine. Read more from The Tartan at alma.edu/tartan.
In just a few short years, graduate studies at Alma College have grown from merely an idea to a series of popular programs that are creating a whole new generation of Scots.
The highlights are apparent to any observer of the college’s social media channels or website. The Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing program this past winter took part in its first overseas residency, in Venice, Italy. The Master of Science in Communication and Information Technology (CIT) is set to celebrate its first class of graduates in 2025.
The newer graduate programs have reason to celebrate, too. The Master of Arts in Special Education program recently honored its first class of graduates. A Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) degree was introduced this past fall.
“What I believe we’re seeing is the vision of the ‘Evergreen’ dynamic plan, which sought to offer new avenues for learning, and serve new markets, come to life,” said Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Sean Burke. “For many years, Alma College has done an excellent job of serving undergraduate populations. What we’ve done recently is rise to the challenge of meeting the market’s demands for students with master’s degrees.”
When Alma’s MFA program was designed, organizers wanted to emphasize the concept of “place” within the minds of students — essentially, the idea that respect and love for a writer’s surroundings can influence their work in prominent and beneficial ways. Early residencies brought students to northern Michigan, where they went on hikes and fly-fished in one of the most beautiful regions of the United States.
It was only a matter of time, according to MFA founding director Sophfronia Scott, that residencies would take students abroad. The residency in Venice attracted students to take part in the program and once there, inspired their writing to new heights.
“One student noted, ‘Venice should only exist within a fantasy book … but it’s real!’ His thoughts on world-building had shifted, helping him see that he didn’t necessarily have to create a fantastic location from scratch — the foundation of wonder already exists in places like Venice,” Scott said.
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The Master of Arts in Special Education program, launched in 2023, graduated 19 students in July. The fully-online, grant-funded program will help fill an important need for Michigan by helping train teachers in needed roles, said Peggy Yates, associate professor and director of the program.
“There is a major shortage of teachers in Michigan who have the credentials that we are offering to provide them. I think Alma College is doing its job to alleviate this shortage, which is, quite frankly, a humanitarian cause,” Yates said.
Alma launched its fourth graduate program, the CMHC degree, in May. The limited-residency program is led by Julie Robinson, a licensed clinical professional counselor who has served as an administrator in accredited programs for more than 25 years.
“Similar to special education teachers, there is a severe need for professionals in Michigan who have this type of credential,” Robinson said. “Our students are learning about topics including trauma, marriage and family therapy, substance abuse, grief and bereavement, behavior modification, crisis intervention and more, which benefit our communities as well as provide them with outstanding jobs for many years in the future.”
