Webster graduares first students, adds director

The local campus for Webster University now has 100 students enrolled for the spring 2000 semester, a 15 percent increase in enrollment over the spring semester 1999, according to Nancy Lahmers, director of the university.

Lahmers, who hails from Pittsburgh, Pa., came to Springfield seven years ago, establishing a law office where she practiced until January of this year, when she joined Webster University as director.

Webster, which has 78 locations worldwide, offers a complete master of business administration degree online as well as in the classroom.

Lahmers said that several Springfield students are combining online and local classes to complete their degree programs.

Besides Lahmers, the local campus has two other full-time employees. Angela Johnson is university representative and Chris Dunham is community relations representative. Dunham is also a student pursuing a master's degree.

The local campus is able to operate with a small staff because administrative duties are shared with the main campus in St. Louis.

Thirty-seven adjunct instructors local professionals teaching in their field of expertise make up the balance of the staff. Lahmers began her association with the university as an instructor in legal ethics last year.

Webster University focuses on the business community. The school has a 10-member advisory board comprised of local businesspeople to make sure the courses offered are what are needed.

"Input for the business community is vital to college operations," Lahmers said.

Classes are held 5:30-9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday to accommodate the students' work schedules. Each class meets once per week for nine weeks.

Besides the MBA degree program, the university offers such specialty degrees as master of human resource management, master of human resource development, master of health services management and master of computer resources.

Four new summer courses will be available this year. Dana Randall, executive director of the Springfield Symphony, will teach a class in marketing. James Brown, data analyst manager for Cox Health Systems, will be instructor for a class in financial analysis of health systems. Susan Munoz, corporate director of human resources at DT Industries, will teach a class on compensation management. Russell Aldredge and Dale Nimmo, owners of R & D Innovations, will teach an Internet management applications course, which will include a section on e-commerce.

"It's a different twist on getting a masters degree to have people employed in their field teaching the classes," Lahmers said.

She added that many local companies are paying for students' courses of study, with some employers providing full tuitions.

Two students have completed their course requirements and earned their degrees one graduating in December of 1999 and the other in March of this year. A third student is scheduled to graduate at the end of May.