Beaverlodge, Alberta 

The opening of the new Beaverlodge Community Access Point (CAP) today celebrates one concrete example of the many ways Grande Prairie Regional College achieves its mission of "Creating connections to knowledge, experience and community one life at a time."

GPRC is very pleased to announce the new Beaverlodge CAP site, housed in the Beaverlodge Public Library, and to introduce Shelly Longson who will now assume the dual role of Librarian and CAP site Coordinator.

Michael O’Connor, Chair of the GPRC Board of Governors, was among those present to officially open the facility, the sixth cap site hosted by GPRC, which is equipped with high speed internet access and educational technology designed to support individual distance study in a wide range of programs.

"It is our role to assist and provide access to education for all Albertans in our region," says O’Connor. “This CAP site will provide access to post-secondary education not only for current GPRC students who live in Beaverlodge but for the whole community. We are strengthening the growth of our communities through education.

The Community Access Point (CAP) is designed to support options for education in rural and remote communities of northern Alberta and NWT, and the network of over 80 sites is supported through Alberta-North, a collaboration of Athabasca University, Grande Prairie Regional College, Keyano College, Northern Lakes College, Portage College, NAIT and Aurora College.

Students can access the CAP site for learning support and for access to computers and high speed Internet. Learning support includes help with education planning, funding, time management and research skills. CAP Coordinators provide assistance with exam preparation, and can offer exam supervision when students are completing courses.

Bill Persley, Chairperson of Alberta-North’s Board of Directors congratulates Grande Prairie Regional College and the community of Beaverlodge on the installation of their new CAP Site. "Our partnership is committed to providing affordable and equitable access to university and college-level education to northern learners. By supporting CAP Sites like this one, Alberta-North is able to provide on-site facilitators to assist with learning support services, meaningful information about courses and the tools and resources learners need to build readiness and develop skills for learning."

For further information or comment contact:
Lynne Ness, Communications Coordinator
Community Relations, Grande Prairie Regional College
780-539-2951
lness@gprc.ab.ca