Continuing Education in the Asheville Area

Posted on: July 14, 2008 by Whisper Mountain

The Asheville area is an excellent place for continuing education on a wide variety of subjects. Asheville and its surrounding communities has been headquarters for some of the finest educational institutions in the United States. The University of North Carolina Asheville is nationally acclaimed for its liberal arts focus and has programs for adult learners. Warren Wilson College is widely renowned for its Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, which caters to adult learners by offering classes during summer and winter break for professors who are employed during fall and spring term.

These two institutions of higher education are leading the way in continuing education in the area, but they are by no means the only schools actively serving the continuing education population. Mars Hill College, AB Tech, and Penland School of Crafts also offer continuing education. Working professionals are in need of continuing education and many retired professionals need continued training to take part fully in the workplace and community service, or simply enhance their knowledge or skill in an area of interest. There are plenty of options for adult learners in the Asheville area to do just that.

University of North Carolina Asheville (UNCA)

UNC-Asheville is one of the sixteen schools in University of North Carolina system and it is the only one dedicated solely to the liberal arts. UNCA began as an institution that prioritized the humanities and has flourished into one of the top liberal arts schools in the country. UNCA has also established a North Carolina Center for Creative Retirement (NCCCR) where adult learners can pay an annual membership fee of $40  and receive access to university resources such as the library, and classes. NCCCR members take classes in a variety of useful subjects that can enhance professional skills, nurture creative talents, and allow study in areas where more knowledge is desired such as: computer software, finance, art, and photography.

Mars Hill College

Mars Hill College is a Baptist institution of higher education located in the town of Mars Hill. Adult Access at Mars Hill College is a program that caters specifically to the needs of professional adults. Mars Hill College offers classes in the evening in the areas of business management, teacher and special education, social work and teaching English as a second language. Academically and intellectually gifted and reading classes area also available. Some classes are also available online, on the Moodle platform, and at satellite classrooms in Asheville, Burnsville, Hendersonville, Marion, and Waynesville.

Warren Wilson

Warren Wilson College inherited a distinguished program called the MFA for Writers from Goddard College,  that is designed for the professional adult learner. This low residency program is taught during summer and winter academic breaks so that active professionals can take part. The highly distinguished faculty and students have made the program what it is today, one of the top MFA programs in the nation.

Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College (AB Tech)

AB Tech is located in Asheville and surrounding locations and works especially hard to meet the needs of working professionals seeking continuing education opportunities. Through its close association with the Small Business Incubator and Small Business Center,  AB Tech offers a variety of choices of continuing education classes for the business professional. Many classes are taught at night or on Saturdays. Class topics range from “Marketing Your Business for Success” to “Accounting for Non-Accountants” and “How to Value a Business”. Most classes cost $75-175. The Small Business Incubator is one of the few programs like it in the country, and is housed at the AB Tech Enka/Candler campus, just west of Asheville.

Penland School of Crafts

One of the world’s most highly acclaimed school of crafts is located just outside Burnsville, North Carolina in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Penland School of Craft’s mission is “individual and artistic growth through craft”. It supports this with one to eight-week workshops in a variety of craft mediums, artist residencies, and a top-notch gallery that exhibits the best in student and faculty work, and other craft artists. A complete updated list of classes is available on their website.

Health Care Access in Asheville is Top Notch

Posted on: May 20, 2008 by Whisper Mountain

It’s good to know that one of the nation’s leading heart hospitals is right here in Western North Carolina, at Mission Hospital. Mission Hospital is about a 40-minute drive from Whisper Mountain, and located in the heart of Asheville.

Mission is Known in Western North Carolina and Beyond

Mission Hospital is not just known in Western North Carolina, but is nationally recognized. The Heart Services department of Mission was voted one of the Top 100 best heart hospitals in the nation in 2007 by Thomson. This distinguished award was given to Mission Hospital’s Heart Services for overall outcomes for congestive heart failure, heart attacks, bypass surgery, angioplasties, and other coronary problems.

Mission Hospital Orthopedics: Best in the North Carolina Mountains

Mission is a widely renowned health care leader in Orthopedics as well. In 2006, U.S. News and World Report selected Mission Hospital as one of the top 50 Orthopedics hospitals. Many factors were taken into consideration, including death rates, Medicare discharges, complex procedures, number of nurses to patients, technology, and quality of care. The orthopedic nurses and physician staff agreed that teamwork had a great deal to do with the U.S. News and World Report ranking.

Patients treated at Mission Hospital remark on the quality of care, the professionalism of staff, and the facilities. In addition, there are a multitude of other health care resources surrounding the Mission Hospital district in Asheville, including dentists, women’s health care, chiropractors, dermatologists, cancer treatment, and more.

Asheville North Carolina: A Health Care Hub

Because Asheville is one of the largest cities in the Western North Carolina area, it is a hub for health care services. Many who live in the rural mountain communities surrounding Asheville rely upon Mission Hospital for high quality health care.

Southern Living Green Idea House Proceeds Benefit Mission Children’s Hospital

Whisper Mountain has a special relationship with Mission Hospital. From June 21 to October 12, 2008 the Southern Living Green Idea House will be open to the public for interpretive tours. The admission fee will be $5. A portion of the proceeds from the Green Idea House tour will be donated to Mission Children’s Hospital . Fifty percent of the proceeds from the Green Idea House will benefit children in need of health care. Volunteers from the Mission Hospital Foundation will greet visitors at the Green Idea House while it is open to the public.

The Southern Living Green Idea House  demonstrates home energy conservation. Solar panels, radiant heated floors, and a gray water system are some of the elements of green building technology that went into the Idea House. The three-bedroom 4 bath Green Idea House includes a separate barn with a two-car garage and a guesthouse. Southern architecture, interior design, and landscaping techniques are all incorporated into the Green Idea house.

Whisper Mountain Provides a Heli-Pad for Medical Emergencies

There are times when every second counts, and that’s during a medical emergency. Whisper Mountain has a heli-pad available for community use, should someone need immediate assistance. Once the helicopter is dispatched and airborne, the trip to Mission Hospital takes about 7-8 minutes by air.

The heli-pad is a great addition to Whisper Mountain because it provides peace of mind to residents and their guests. If a medical emergency should arise, the community has the heli-pad in place for faster transfer to one of the nation’s leading healthcare facilities.
In fact, Mission Hospital just did a survey among new residents and having emergency air transport was high on everyone’s list. Mission Hospital offers a service called MAMA – Mountain Area Medical Airlift.