OCEAN CITY — A total of 22 new Ocean City University graduates symbolically crossed the state and collected their diplomas this week after earning degrees through the public education program.
The Ocean City University program was created 17 years ago by long-time public servant and former City Clerk Kathy Mathias as a means to educate resort citizens on the workings of their municipal government and held them become more engaged in their community. Over the course of 10 weeks or so, the 22 students who graduated this year learned about all aspects of the city’s government before earning their diplomas during Monday’s Mayor and Council meeting.
“The Ocean City University program was the brainchild of my predecessor and mentor Kathy Mathias,” said Chavis. “The program promotes civic engagement. It aims to provide a better understanding of the government’s role and its relationship with its citizens. It helps build a relationship of trust with the government and encourages working together to make a difference in the community.”
The Ocean City University program started in 2004 with an initial class of 17 students. In the 17 years since, a total of 303 degrees have been issued through the public education program developed by Mathias and carried on by Chavis. The curriculum covers all facets of local municipal government over the course of the 30-hour commitment.
“This is a big commitment for the students,” said Chavis. “Ocean City University is a 30-hour program. Others in the program also completed the Citizens Police Academy, which is another 30-hour commitment, and the Community Emergency Response Team program, also a 30-hour commitment.”
Completing the Ocean City University program and earning degrees this week were Laura Anderson, Allen Beck, Birgitt Brevard, Rudolph Brevard, Andrea Creswell, Jessica Cropper, Margaret DeGeorge, Barbara Dougherty, Christopher Ferguson, Andrew Friedman, Cindy Gentilcore, Anne Giannelli, Edward Hulbert, Kathleen Kaluzienski, Jeff Kyger, Jake McAteer, Kurt Quemore, Ekaterina Saduyan, Beverly Sandulli, Sherry Thens, Narantsetseg Tuya, and C. Newton Weaver.
Andrea Albrecht, Margaret DeGeorge, Ekaterina Saduyan and C. Newton Weaver also completed requirements for a master’s degree in municipal citizenship by completing both the Ocean City University program and the Citizen’s Police Academy. Saduyan and Weaver also completed the requirements for a doctorate degree in municipal citizenship by completing the Community Emergency Response Team program. For Andrea Creswell, it was her second time completing the Ocean City University program.
