LA FERIA — Jackie Keys drives 45 minutes to class twice a month to earn a master’s degree in health care management at Our Lady of the Lake University’s RGV campus.
“This is an enjoyable experience attending Our Lady of the Lake in La Feria,” Keys said.
And on her off day from school she still drove in from McAllen yesterday to take part in the grand opening celebration of the school and open house.
Keys attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony that drew many school and city leaders from town and across the state.
Our Lady of the Lake University is furthering its mission of going into communities and opening up schools where they don’t exist.
The campus first opened in 2011 and was housed at a nearby school the La Feria School district rented to the university.
More than 100 people attended the celebration to take a tour of school’s extension.
OLLU President Diane Melbe said it’s so great to have a permanent home in La Feria.
The school offers bachelor degrees in criminal justice and psychology, master’s and Ph.D. degrees.
Melbe said the classes are convenient for working professionals and people who want to stay very close to their families.
The school holds classes in the evenings and during the weekends.
The building is a state of the art education facility that includes seven classrooms and administration offices.
Keys, 29, said she planes to continue her education and land a job nearby in the medical management field.
She said the school’s convenient location helped her make her decision to apply to Our Lady of the Lake.
Keys said she likes the small classroom size and close-interaction student setting.
“Our professors respond quickly to questions by email and engage students to talk to each other,” Keys said. “I didn’t experience that in my previous college experience.”
