A presentation on courses and training offered at the year-old MCC Lahaina Center will be given during its fall kickoff and open house scheduled from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at the center's Kenui Street location.

MCC opened the Lahaina Center last fall. Now, it's offering more college credit and noncredit courses.

People attending classes at the MCC Lahaina Center can earn college credits, gain workplace training and earn four-year and master's degrees through the University of Hawaii Center – all without the long commute from Lahaina to Kahului.

In addition, the Lahaina Center plans to offer college-level courses for high school students and, for youths 11 and older, after-school programs and summer-enrichment activities.

Adam Alexander, who is seeking a master's degree in business administration through the University of Hawaii Center, wrote: "Several times last year, I couldn't get to the class (in Kahului) because the highway was closed. Now I don't have to worry about not making it to class on time or not making it to class at all. And I save four hours per week in commuting time."

Another West Maui student in the same master's program also expressed gratitude for the establishment of the Lahaina Center. Nels Stemm said taking courses at the Lahaina Center "provided more time to focus on my studies and improved my quality of life. Programs like these are keeping people off the pali."

If sufficient interest is shown, the University of Hawaii master's in business administration program can be offered again at the Lahaina Center this fall.

Classes for MCC in Kahului and Lahaina begin Aug. 20.

Courses at the Lahaina Center are delivered in three ways: "live" with an instructor on the campus; through the Hawaii Interactive Television System, or HITS, which is a two-way televised system with the instructor in one place and the students viewing the classes via television at the center; and through the Internet.

"How fantastic to have MCC here in Lahaina," said Lisa Gibson, the co-owner of Warren & Annabelle's. "The drive to Kahului made it impossible for my staff or me to take any courses, but now that it's here in Lahaina, it's so easy to sign up and take courses."

Michael Moore, co-owner of the Old Lahaina Lu'au, said his employees also benefit.

"With the current labor market here on Maui, it is critical to provide training and development opportunities for existing employees," he said. "We feel the expansion of the community college programs to West Maui is an exciting and much-needed move," he said.

MCC Lahaina is supported with funds from the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration, which is administered by the Rural Development Project.

Thursday's open house will include a blessing, site tour and demonstration of the distance-education technology in the center and its teleconferencing services.

Applications and registration for fall 2007 also will be accepted during the open house.

To register for credit courses at MCC Lahaina, follow the college's registration procedures at www.maui.hawaii.edu/start, or contact Mona Stevenson at 984-3286.

Registration information for noncredit courses is available at www.ocet.org or call 984-3231.

For information regarding University of Hawaii Center degree program registration, go to www.umaui.net or call Karen Muraoka, the UH Center Maui director, at 984-3527.