For two weeks in June, the campus comes alive again with Norwich students when School of Graduate Studies (SGS) brings its graduating classes to the Hill for week-long residencies. Marked by colored lanyards that designate their program students attend residency and commencement at the end of their Master's programs.

On a different academic schedule than their undergraduate counterparts, 1150 graduate students attend Norwich's Virtual Campus at SGS. Enrolled in one of ten programs, students from all over the country and various parts of the world study in an online environment that is academically rigorous.

All graduate programs operate on a schedule of six 11 week seminars that take 18 months to complete. The culmination of each program is the one week residency on campus at Norwich. Most graduate students have never been to Northfield or Vermont. Although SGS does a thorough job of communicating to students what Norwich is like-- via pictures, videos, and descriptions of history and traditions on their virtual campus--nothing replaces seeing the campus firsthand.

SGS students arrive for a week of gatherings, speakers, and academic work. Students writing a capstone paper or project present their work to the community. Meeting their classmates and professors in person for the first time since beginning their coursework is often a highlight of the experience.

Five programs were on campus for Week One, June 7-13: Master of Business Administration, Master of Justice Administration, Master of Civil Engineering, Master of Science in Organizational Leadership, and Master of Science in Information Assurance. There were 331 students in attendance from 39 states.

The commencement ceremony was held on June 12th. Former Army Chief of Staff and Chairman of the Norwich Board of Trustees, General Gordon Sullivan '59 was the commencement speaker.

The second group of programs will be on campus June 21-27 for Week Two with 430 students from 48 states. Those programs will be: Master of Public Administration, Master of Arts in Military History, Master of Arts in Diplomacy, Master of Education and Master of Science in Nursing. Commencement will be held on June 26 with Vermont Adjutant General Michael Dubie as the speaker.

More information about the graduate school and programs can be found at: www.graduate.norwich.edu.