New University Center Will Open Downtown

East Stroudsburg University will open a satellite “campus” in Historic Downtown Bethlehem that will have an aim of helping working adults and transfer students complete unfinished degrees.

The university’s Lehigh Valley Center will open this fall, occupying 10,000 square feet of space at Mayor John Callahan and officials from the university announced the downtown business district’s newest tenant during a news conference on Tuesday.

The new college center is expected to add between 800 and 1,000 student trips to the downtown each month and as many as 11,000 yearly.

“Our institutions of higher learning have always played an integral role in the city of Bethlehem, and today, still continues to serve as an economic driver, " said Callahan, who noted that East Stroudsburg will be the city’s fourth institution of higher learning, joining , and , which has a center in South Bethlehem.

"Occupying space in a commercial building in the downtown ensures dynamic growth, increased town-gown relations, while keeping properties on the tax roles.”

East Stroudsburg University has already signed up to be a title sponsor of Musikfest on Main Street with the Downtown Bethlehem Association.

More than $1 million in renovations have been done to the building at the corner of Broad and Guetter streets, including $650,000 for common areas and $400,000 for the new university center. Building owner has been working with ESU for nearly a year to convince it to come to Downtown Bethlehem, Callahan said.

The center will include three 40-seat classrooms; two seminar/conference rooms; one 34-seat computer lab; a student lounge and reception area and office space for administrators and faculty.

Initially, the university will offer bachelor’s degree completion programs in public health, with concentrations in health services administration or community health; hotel, restaurant and tourism management; and computer security, according to Jennifer Serowick, the university’s director of extended learning.

ESU is also planning to offer several graduate programs, beginning with a master of education in reading with a reading specialist certification.

“This is a great day for East Stroudsburg University,” said university President Robert J. Dillman. “We know many people out there are juggling a career, a family, and finances in these trying times. Our aim is to offer them opportunities to advance in supportive and convenient environment, and the Lehigh Valley Center is certain to do just that.”

Students interested in enrolling should apply as soon as possible by calling ESU’s Office of Admission at (570) 422-3542 or online at www.esu.edu/applynow. Additional information may be found at www.esu.edu/lehighvalley or by calling ESU’s Office of Extended Learning toll-free at 1-877-422-1378.