Saint Leo Adds New Teaching Locations in Tampa Area

September 09, 2008

Saint Leo University is bringing some of its evening academic programs to community college campuses in southern Hillsborough County and coastal Pasco County, both just about an hour’s drive from the main campus in east Pasco County.

Additionally, certain SLU courses will now be available on weekends in west Pasco County.

"We found there are a considerable number of students seeking bachelors’ degrees living in west Pasco County and southern Hillsborough County and the surrounding areas," said Edward Steele, director of Saint Leo’s weekend and evening programs. "In keeping with our core values, one of which is community, we felt we could help these students achieve their goals by offering our courses closer to their homes or jobs."

Saint Leo’s latest Tampa Bay expansion brings the private university’s teaching resources to regional campuses of Hillsborough Community College and Pasco-Hernando Community College. This means student who have completed their two-year degree programs will be able to stay in their local areas and enroll in selected upper-level courses from Saint Leo.

As SLU routinely accepts most educational credits from the participating community colleges, the vast majority of students will have a simple transfer process into their four-year degree programs. In addition, many SLU transfer students may qualify for financial aid.

In Hillsborough County, Saint Leo will open at the newly constructed HCC SouthShore Center, 551 24th St. N.E., Ruskin, at the institution’s University Partnership Center.

Initially, SLU is offering upper-level management courses leading to the bachelor’s degree in business administration. Classes started on Aug. 18 for Saint Leo’s Fall I semester, and begin on Oct. 20 for the Fall II semester.

University administrators are also laying the groundwork to provide bachelor’s degree programs in elementary education and in social work at the SouthShore center in the future.

For information about the SouthShore Center, students should call SLU (813) 840-0259. For more information from a Hillsborough Community College representative, call (813) 259-6100.

In Pasco County, SLU will begin offering upper-level courses at the newly constructed Conference and Instructional Center at the New Port Richey, or West Campus, of Pasco-Hernando Community College at 10239 Ridge Road.

SLU already offers courses at Pasco-Hernando Community College’s North Campus in Brooksville for the bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, as well as for several business administration specialties.

Students will now have those degree paths and more available to them at PHCC’s new Conference and Instructional Center in New Port Richey. Degree program offerings also include the courses needed for the bachelor’s in: social work, health care management, human resources administration, and psychology or computer information systems.

Saint Leo’s New Port Richey location began the Fall I semester on Aug. 18 and will begin the Fall II semester on Oct. 20.

For information on the new PHCC location, students should call (352) 588-7388 or (352) 588-8879.