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Unique education delivery By George Mauzy Bill Szpak is a Pickerington, Ohio, resident who delivers packages for a living, but it was a delivery to his home that may have changed his life. The 41-year-old Federal Express driver was glancing through his mail last January when he noticed a coupon for a free gift from Ohio University's Pickerington Center. Then he realized the center was located almost right behind his house. "Ironically, among my plans for the day was registering for classes at Franklin University in Columbus," Szpak says. "But after spending almost two hours visiting with administrators at the Pickerington Center, I realized this was the place I was looking for, so I immediately enrolled for winter quarter." Szpak hadn't been a student for more than six years. "I had taken classes at two different colleges but never earned a degree," he says. "I didn't like driving to downtown Columbus, finding a place to park and getting home late at night. Because the Pickerington Center is close to my house, it's much easier to attend." The new 15,000-square-foot facility, located in Fairfield County about 15 minutes from downtown Columbus, has seen enrollment increase from 214 students when it opened last fall to about 500 students this quarter. An extension of the University's Lancaster Campus, the center offers early morning, late evening and weekend courses in such areas as business, computers, communications, English, mathematics, economics and career planning. It's nearly doubled its course offerings since opening and this fall created master's degree programs in social sciences and political science. "The center is ideal for many nontraditional students because of its proximity to the Columbus and Pickerington areas," says Assistant Director Stephanie Burcham. "A growing number of students are enrolling here before relocating to our Lancaster or Athens campuses or another institution to finish their degree." In two quarters, Szpak has completed six courses toward a bachelor's degree in specialized studies and already is thinking ahead. "I will soon have 20 years on my job, and I'm thinking about pursuing another career once I get my degree," he says.