Extended Education

SMC’s Malibu Campus Offers High School Concurrent Enrollment and Emeritus Programming for Palisadians

By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

After two decades in the making, Santa Monica College’s satellite Malibu Campus on Civic Center Way recently celebrated its first anniversary—and offers several educational options for Palisadian students and lifelong learners.

“The three-acre campus, SMC’s first in Malibu, includes a two-story educational building with a dedicated art studio and a classroom for science; a multipurpose physical activity space, which will double as an emergency operations center, should the need arise; a 100-seat lecture hall with raked seating; a computer lab; and two general education classrooms,” read a press release from SMC. “Designed by QDG Architecture with numerous sustainability features, the campus fulfills the city’s ‘dark skies’ standards. A one-story wing of the campus will house a Los Angeles County Sheriff’s substation, marking the first time since the early 1990s that Malibu has had a police substation within city limits.”

The campus opened its doors on February 13, 2023—the first day of the Spring 2023 semester—and celebrated with a ribbon cutting and open house in April. SMC Superintendent/President Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery said at the time that it took “tremendous teamwork to make SMC Malibu a reality.”

There are four types of classes offered by SMC at the Malibu Campus: credit (can be used toward an associate degree or transfer to a four-year college or university), noncredit (short-term vocational and workforce preparation courses and certificates), emeritus (noncredit and adult education courses, offered for free, designed for older adults) and community education (class, seminars and workshops available at a low cost).

SMC Associate Dean for Malibu Alice Meyering has been with Santa Monica College since December 2007, starting in the president/superintendent’s office, working with community relations and public programs. She then oversaw the school’s community education program (fee-based, not-for-credit programming) before joining the Malibu Campus as associate dean.

When describing her favorite aspects of the Malibu Campus, Meyering said she likes that it is spacious, yet intimate.

“This is the reaction I get from all the students too, people are just so happy when they come into the building,” Meyering said. “They feel like they have space to breathe … We really try to do our best to give our students and our faculty the best service.”

Some of the credit classes that were available during Spring 2024 at the Malibu Campus were Western Art History I, Beginning Oil Painting, Stellar Astronomy with Laboratory, Introduction to Business and General Psychology.

One of the ways that high school students in Pacific Palisades can prepare and gain experience for college is by taking courses at SMC’s Malibu Campus during “tuition-free Summer concurrent enrollment.”

“How great is it for high school students to get college credits before they even graduate high school?” Meyering said. “And it’s free to them. They only have to pay for books, so that is very, very minimal. I think it’s a great deal.”

Palisades Branch Library will host a seminar for teenagers about the high school concurrent program on Wednesday, April 24, from 4:30 to 5 p.m. in the Community Room.

The campus will offer a “full lineup of interesting and fun for-credit classes” in Summer 2024—and the classes are “completely tuition-free” for California residents. The only requirements are having completed the eighth grade, and approval from a parent, school counselor and principal.

This summer, the Malibu Campus will offer several for-credit courses, including business, psychology and photo, which Meyering described as a “popular class.”

“Cameras are free for students who want to take the class, so they don’t have to worry about buying a camera,” Meyering said. “They can check out a camera from the department.”

Priority enrollment for the courses opened on March 25 and extends to April 30, while general enrollment is set to begin May 7. The classes will all begin the week of June 17.

When it comes to emeritus courses—designed for learners aged 50-plus—the Malibu Campus offered Drawing, Painting, Poetry and Fiction, Autobiography, and Current Events as part of its Spring 2024 programming.

SMC’s main campus is located at 1900 Pico Boulevard—described as “the central location for most of Santa Monica College’s classes and services.” Most satellite campuses, including Malibu, are linked by a free shuttle bus.

Additional satellite sites include Airport Campus near the Santa Monica Airport, Bundy Campus (the largest satellite campus), Center for Media and Design (housing the Design Technology Department, as well as the college’s only bachelor degree program: Interaction Design), Emeritus Campus (designed for older adults) and Performing Arts Center (a complex that includes The Broad Stage).

SMC previously offered educational options in Malibu, dating back to the 1970s and early 1980s, according to the press release, recently through the Malibu Senior Center in City hall as part of the college’s Emeritus Program and evening credit courses at Webster Elementary School.

Those looking for additional information can reach out to Santa Monica’s Malibu Campus directly, or keep an eye on the website for additional informational webinars and seminars.

“We’re very happy and feel very fortunate to be here to serve this community,” Meyering concluded. “We want everyone to know that we want everyone to come here, and that’s what we’re here for. We’re here to help.”

For more information, visit smc.edu and smc.edu/summerexperience.