Students unfamiliar with the campus' newest building, Gray Wolf, likely have no idea of the wealth of experience and breadth of programming available from the six colleges offering programs through the University Center of North Puget Sound.

However, the secret is quickly getting out; more than half of the UC's approximately 400 students are transfers from community colleges.

Students have about 30 unique degree programs to choose from at the UC, ranging from the traditional to the cutting edge. Students may select from popular programs like the Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, or the specialized Bachelor of Science in Christian Ministry.

The UC's unique method of delivering instruction from a satellite location makes programs possible that otherwise could never be practical to offer in Everett, says Gretchen Rowe, coordinator of Student Services.

One such program, the BA for Planning and Environmental Policy, is offered at Huxley College of Western Washington University.

"Ten students are enrolled...[and] students are also in that same class from Neah Bay, Poulsbo and Port Angeles. Combining the students at all sites creates a large enough cohort to make the program a reality," said Rowe.

Interactive video conferencing, a technology also central to instruction at the UC, allows students from over 100 miles away to take part in the courses.

Students familiar with old-fashioned telecourses, where one could watch a class from the convenience of the couch, will need to throw out the stereotypes about dull lectures, fuzzy screens and tests by mail.

IVC is a fully interactive system of instruction, whereby instructors speak to and hear from students via large projection screens. The screens not only transmit the instructor's voice and image, but also provide views of each classroom participating in the course.

One such course, Fundamentals of Ecology, unites students from three campuses. Eight UC students attend, bringing total course enrollment from a hard-to-sustain 17-student class to a robust 25, according to instructor Brian Hauge. Hauge credits IVC with resurrecting the program from a 10-year hiatus.

Residents of 20 cities currently take advantage of the UC's programs, coming from as far south as Olympia and as far north as Ferndale, according to Rowe.

"It's so good," says UC student Jamie Crawford of the Fundamentals of Ecology course. "I would have to commute from Everett to Bellingham otherwise." Crawford is not only impressed by the convenience of the technology, but by the quality and warmth of her instructors.

"Both my instructors gave out their home numbers. You don't get that at a University." Crawford also cites the small class size as helpful. There are less than 30 students in her class, compared to 50 or 60 at other universities, according to Crawford.

Crawford is not alone in her praise. More than 80 percent of UC students are female, and programs are offered online, weekends and evenings, making the UC particularly appealing to working mothers and professionals wishing to advance their careers without leaving their jobs.

EvCC also uses some of the same course delivery methods, such as eLearning and hybrid classes, which mix in-person and online content, so that students transferring to the UC will find many familiar features. Students also retain access to many EvCC services, including the library, while having full rights to services at the university they enroll in.

Still, the UC is not for everyone. "I would rather go all online at University of Phoenix because it helps me stay on track and I do not have to carry big folders and backpacks around to every class," said EvCC student Daniel Scanlon, when asked about how he plans to pursue his Bachelor's.

The UC is working hard to attract new students; in addition to marketing efforts, talks are currently underway to further expand course offerings at the UC, despite the reality of a down economy and cut backs which are occurring at all state-funded institutions.

"We are in the discussion phase with several programs and hope that the outcomes are positive," said Rowe, who encourages students to stay tuned for news of additions such as the weekend Master of Business Administration degree program from WWU, which begins in January.