Embry-Riddle to open Crestview campus

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is opening a Crestview campus in February, prior to the March 19 beginning of spring term.

"We already had a large student population from the north end of Okaloosa County and we were looking for a location, and with the Base Realignment and Closure that brought the 7th Special Forces (Airborne) to the area, the south side of Crestview was the perfect location," said Ron Garriga, director of academic support for ERAU Fort Walton Beach campus, which works closely with Eglin Air Force Base students.

Work is underway to complete the new campus, located on the second floor of a building at the corner of South Ferdon Boulevard and Southview Drive, above Pelican Real Estate.

"We are thrilled to be so near completion of this project," Garriga said. "We hope to announce plans for our grand opening event at the end of February and have students in the classrooms in March."

Garriga, who is also the director of academic support for the Hurlburt Field teaching site and the CHOICE Aviation Institutes at Choctawhatchee and Crestview high schools, said people have been calling about the Crestview campus ever since signs went up in November 2011 marking the new location.

"People are excited about classrooms closer to their work or near their home," he said.

Part of the impetus for the Crestview location was growth in the aviation industry.

"ERAU is the front runner in knowing the needs of the workplace when it comes to aviation related jobs and we have seen the growth around the Crestview Airport and in aviation related contracts that make up this area of Florida," Garriga said.

"Degree programs for Associate in Arts and Bachelor in Science degrees that will be taught on-ground in our Crestview classrooms will include AS/BS degrees in professional aeronautics, technical management, and aviation maintenance," Garriga said.

"We will also offer on-ground Master of Aeronautical Science and Master of Business Administration in Aviation degrees," said Ashley McCallum, associate director of academic support, who will oversee the Crestview campus. "We also offer certificate programs and preparation for airframe and powerplant license."

Courses are nine weeks in duration, shorter than the traditional full semester. Four classrooms will offer state-of-the-art audiovisual technology learning centers with classes of 25 to 30 students each.

"The Crestview campus will also feature Eagle Vision," Garriga said. "It is real-time audio/video feed into a classroom in another area of the globe. We find that students still feel as if they are in that classroom regardless of the location of the physical classroom.

"Eagle Vision is live interaction and the students build relationships with the instructors," he said. "It is an amazing modality that engages the student."