Landmark College Opens West Coast Success Center
Landmark College, the global leader in educating students who learn differently, has announced plans to open a Landmark College “Success Center” in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2021. LC is recognized worldwide for college-level options for students who have executive function challenges, learning disabilities (such as dyslexia), ADHD, and autism. This west coast expansion will help meet the increasing demand for learning support for students enrolled in the College’s online programs.
“Over the course of the past several years, there has been escalating interest in the Bay Area for additional resources that help students who learn differently,” said Dr. Peter Eden, president of Landmark College, whose main campus is in Putney, Vermont. “LC’s full-time, residential program in Vermont draws students from across the United States and the world, and our rapidly growing online initiative, LC Online, serves students literally anywhere - but this targeted expansion will allow for even more direct support for online students and parents in the Bay Area.”
For many years, Landmark College has offered Online Dual Enrollment for high school or gap/transition year students with learning and attention challenges as an opportunity to earn college credits while still in high school. In addition, LC also offers online course options for college-level students, which are currently being expanded in order to bring effective educational methods to students who learn differently but will not study on LC’s Vermont campus.
Landmark College has had a presence in California for many years. It previously offered a one-week transition-to-college program each summer on the campus of UC-Berkeley, a program that has now been adapted into a five-day Online Boot Camp offered in the summer.
LC’s west coast expansion includes the hiring of Sandra Fishler as its new regional director for Landmark College’s online programs in the Bay Area. Fishler (pictured right) is based at the Compass High School in San Mateo, LC’s close partner, which is the initial site for LC’s Success Center operations. Landmark College has also provided domain expertise as a participant in Compass’s recent online webinar series.
“Having Sandra onsite demonstrates our commitment to students and families in the Bay Area, and reaffirms our promise to bring Landmark College practices and instructional supports to students who have not had such opportunities, until now,” said Dr. Manju Banerjee, vice president for educational research and innovation at Landmark College.
Sandra comes to LC from HotChalk, Inc., where, as director of academic affairs, she collaborated with many university partners. Her role is the first step in what Landmark College projects to be a growing support system and capability for online students on the west coast.
“I am extremely excited to bring my expertise in higher education and online programs to the Bay Area,” said Fishler. “The resources Landmark College provides for students who learn differently are immeasurable, so this expansion of online programs in the Bay Area, with development of direct, additional support to those nearby, is important for many students currently not receiving the help they need.”
In her role, Fishler will liaise with schools, educators, and education professionals on the west coast to build connection with the College’s online programs. LC has also expanded its recruitment efforts on the West Coast: Sharon Farrell is the new assistant director of west coast admissions, who will work alongside Fishler as well as from her home in the Bay Area; and Landmark College alumna Erica Loveland oversees recruitment in the west coast market area that includes California, Oregon, and Washington.