Michael O. Garvey, University of Notre
Dame Public Relations and Information
The
University of Notre Dame's Satellite Theological Education Program
(STEP) will launch a full-service Web site Sept. 1 (Sunday).
"This
is a true landmark both for our program and for Notre Dame,"
said STEP director Thomas C. Cummings. "We want to place
the academic resources of the University in the service of the
whole Church, and this new Web site will make those resources
much more available."
STEP,
an initiative of the University's Institute for Church Life (ICL),
deploys various distance learning technologies to place a theological
education within the reach of interested people worldwide. Founded
in 1999, the program has aired a series of interactive videoconferences
for ministers and laypeople in the Catholic dioceses of Erie,
Pa.; Richmond, Va.; Reno, Nev.; Belleville, Ill., and El Paso,
Texas, as well as the archdioceses of Chicago and Atlanta.
During
the 2000-01 academic year, STEP began to offer six-week Internet
courses in theology through the ICL's Web site.
During
the 2002-03 academic year, STEP will offer 10 on-line courses
and 12 CD-ROM lectures through the new Web site, at http://step.nd.edu,
where students also will be able to register, enroll and pay tuition
fees.
This
year's STEP courses and lectures feature many members of Notre
Dame's faculty including Lawrence S. Cunningham, O'Brien Professor
of Theology; Rev. Brian E. Daley, S.J., Huisking Professor of
Theology; Nathan D. Mitchell, associate director in the Center
for Pastoral Liturgy; Jay P. Dolan, professor of history; Maura
A. Ryan, associate professor of theology; and Rev. Michael J.
Baxter, C.S.C., assistant professor of theology. Also featured
will be Zeni Fox, associate professor of pastoral theology at
Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology at Seton Hall
University; William C. Spohn, professor of religious studies at
Santa Clara University; Jane Regan of the Institute for Religious
Education and Pastoral Ministry at Boston College and Bishop Donald
Trautman of Erie, Pa.
Participants
receive a certificate of completion upon the conclusion of each
course.
