VISION N A T I O N A L U N I V E R S I T Y ’S A L U M N I M A G A Z I N E A Message from President Potter I am pleased to present this special 40th Anniversary edition of Vision magazine. To gain perspective of how long National University has been around, consider that Lance Armstrong, Kristi Yamaguchi, Jeff Gordon, Winona Ryder, Mark Wahlberg, and Snoop Dogg were all born the year this institution was founded. In 1971, the pocket calculator was just gaining popularity. The first Apple computer was still five years from being introduced and Bill Gates was a high school sophomore. The Beatles had just broken up, the Vietnam War hadn’t yet ended, and many U.S. college campuses were plagued with protests and demonstrations. The beginning of a new decade brought the promise of revolutionary change. Technology was about to explode, new companies were rising up that would transform the business world, and innovations in higher education were on the verge of making it accessible to a broader and far more diverse slice of the population. In the following pages, you will read about the birth and growth of a remarkable idea, and how National expanded from the trunk of a car to become California’s second-largest private, nonprofit university. I invite you to review, decade-by-decade, how your alma mater evolved with the times, navigated out in front of numerous trends, and ultimately set the pace for higher education and lifelong learning in the 21st century. As you read the first part of this magazine, you will appreciate that our history is a remarkable tale of vision and success, encouraging review of the past 40 years and reflection upon the incredible changes that have occurred at National and across multiple sectors throughout society. After reading the second part of this magazine, you will appreciate the incredible opportunities in store for National University and realize the tremendous potential that we face in various communities across the globe. Ideally, you will gain a better sense of the University’s future role, the impact that technology will continue to play in education, and why the world will likely welcome us in untold numbers with open arms. Finally, you will learn why leadership and values have played such a critical role in National’s success, and how those factors link us closely with some of the world’s most successful and celebrated companies and organizations. You will meet several alumni who have the potential to leave a lasting impression, learn about our fastest-growing school, celebrate the National University System’s 10th Anniversary, and discover the many lessons our students are learning from the game of golf. Please enjoy. Sincerely, Patricia E. Potter 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 1 04 13 22 32 56 BOard of trustees Ms. Jeanne Connelly, Chair President, Connelly Consulting LLC Contents 30The changing role of private universities Looking beyond public institutions to meet the demand for an educated workforce 32 04Donald Kennedy Honors National University’s 40th Anniversary The president emeritus of Stanford University reflects on National University’s impact on the educational landscape 08A Leader’s never-ending quest for excellence A special presentation to Chancellor Jerry C. Lee 40th anniversary faces An in-depth examination of Chancellor Lee and alumni who embody the values of National University 34Forty years of leadership and values Shared core values are the keys to success for National University and six groundbreaking organizations 38 alumni who define national university Inspirational stories of former students making the most of their education, their careers, and their lives 56 Golf and Community: Chancellor Lee’s Vision for the Newest System addition The evolution of the Golf Academy and its positive impact on the bigger game called life 58 The National University System Celebrates its 10th Anniversary Six System affiliates share a vision for integrated, flexible, and accessible education 60 School of Health and Human Services Meeting the high demand for an educated and advanced healthcare workforce Mr. Herbert Meistrich, Vice Chair President & CEO, TaylorMade Performance Labs President & CEO, BumperMedic Mr. Thomas Topuzes, Secretary President and CEO, Thomas Topuzes & Associates, LLC Ms. Stacy Allison Professional Speaker, Author Mr. Felipe Becerra Director of Operations/Client Development Creditor lustus et Remedium, LLP Dr. Donald Kripke Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry School of Medicine, University of California San Diego Dr. Jerry C. Lee (Ex Officio) Chancellor, National University System President Emeritus, National University Ms. Jean Leonard Educational Consultant, Retired, JM Leonard & Associates Mr. Michael R. McGill, P.E. President, McGill, Martin, Self, Inc. 10Model educators leading the way for National University Recognizing the accomplishments of six exemplary professors 40 An Ultimate Example of Giving Back A leader in professional nonprofit organizations elevates therapy standards Mr. John Bucher President, John Bucher Real Estate Company Dr. E. Lee Rice Chief Executive Officer and Medical Director Lifewellness Institute 12National University through the decades Take a historic tour through the institution’s growth during its first 40 years 42 Leadership That Transcends Careers From Major General in the U.S. Army to a leader in the energy and public affairs industries 22National University in the next 40 years Forecasting the University’s next four decades 44 Setting the Benchmark for Principals A top high school educator embodies a role model, mentor, teacher, counselor, and coach Mr. Richard Chisholm Managing Director, Education & Nonprofit Group Wells Fargo Securities Mr. Carlos Rodriguez Public Affairs and Communications Consultant Rodriguez & Company Mr. Gerald Czarnecki Chairman & Chief Executive Officer The Deltennium Group, Inc. Dr. Alexander R. Shikhman CEO and Founder, Institute for Specialized Medicine Ms. Kate Grace President, Kate Grace Physical Therapy Physical Therapist, Orthopedic Physician Assistant Mr. Jay Stone Vice President, Van Scoyoc Associates, Inc. 24Meeting the need for degrees Providing the educated workforce that California’s economy requires 26Mapping the future of educational technology High-tech innovations plays a major role in the success of National University 28Building a global gateway to higher education International student outreach shapes the potential for National University’s worldwide expansion 46 Higher Education Advocate Inspires Employees An engineering and technology graduate promotes lifelong learning at Abbott Vascular and the community at large 48 A Healthy Dose of Public Service An MBA graduate inspires working adults with her passion for healthcare initiatives 50 Aspiring Journalist Builds Minority Platform Scholarship recipient aims to build awareness for young African-American women 52 Alumni Who Define National University Thirty-four eclectic alumni profiles: industry innovators, entrepreneurs, and pioneers Ms. Ruthann Heinrich President, Nuance Wines Ms. Cheryl Kendrick Community, National Volunteer Ms. Judith Sweet Senior Vice President for Championships and Education Services, Retired National Collegiate Athletic Association Mr. W. H. Knight, Jr. Visiting Professor of Law, Seattle University Professor and Dean Emeritus, University of Washington School of Law Ms. Jacqueline Townsend Konstanturos Chief Executive Officer Restorative Remedies 2 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 3 President emeritus of stanford Honors National University’s 40th Anniversary Donald Kennedy, Ph.D. President Emeritus of Stanford University. Keynote speaker at national university’s 40th anniversary luncheon Ladies and Gentlemen: Chancellor Lee, President Potter, Members of the Board, my faculty colleagues here, and my friend, Bob Freelen. This is my second visit to National University. The first was in September of 2000—just more than a decade ago. I talked then on the special mission National was undertaking: although we might disagree that education is “wasted on the young,” we would agree that it should not be withheld from their older and more experienced fellow citizens by default! I argued against that state of affairs, in praising the efforts being made here. That was then, when those efforts were in what a biologist would call the ‘logarithmic phase’ of growth. But this is now, when the success story at National University is reaching a kind of crescendo. In the past, you have played a significant role—not only in leading other nonprofit, private institutions along the same path, but also in delivering a sound and successful alternative to the several for-profit alternatives out there. I will first talk about the remarkable progress 4 National University has been made in the following dimensions: first, your standing among the other leading institutions in California; second, your record—outstanding, particularly in comparison with national averages—in recruiting good students and helping them economically; and third, in the breadth and excitement of the new initiatives that have been added over the past decade. overwhelming cascade. Blogs and Internet sites have transformed the communication of actions, events, and circumstances from “the journalism of verification to the journalism of announcement.” So how are learners, whether grown-ups or traditional college students, to make choices about quality and reliability amidst this welter of confident judgments by self-declared experts? These new times surely reconfigure what we all need to do for our students— whether one of them is a 20-year old Stanford undergraduate, or a 32-year-old National University student. They will need to sort through an information universe of variable content and often dubious authority. Clear thinking and sound habits of mind, will support the “intellectual taste” needed to sort the verifiable new knowledge from the earnest advertisements of opinion. Before turning back to that, it’s a good time to review some new accomplishments by National University I mentioned earlier— gains that fulfilled so many of the hopes I gained at my earlier visit. By 2009, you had enrolled almost as many graduate students as NYU and Harvard, and more than Johns Hopkins and most of the other Eastern institutions you could name. Here I cite only data from private, nonprofit institutions. In the state of California, National led both USC and Stanford in graduate enrollment—and in total numbers of students, it ranked 16th nationally. It is surprising to me how little attention has been paid in the education media to these numbers. Were we to search the New York Times or on the Chronicle of Higher Education for enrollment data for private, not-for-profit universities, we’d find references to Harvard, Columbia and NYU. But National will be absent. Of course, often Stanford will be missing, too—and that used to annoy me in my old job. But of course, we understand that we share the provincial consequence of being out here on the wrong coast! When my predecessor in the Stanford presidency became the head of the Rockefeller Foundation, The New York Times headlined it on some interior page: “Rockefeller Post to Head of Coast School.” That really hurt. Here is another metric. The education of students at universities is partially supported by tuition revenue it (Continued on next page) Now I will advance the tape to note the dramatic events that have made the future infinitely more challenging and complex than the environment in which we’ve all been living. Times change, and the world of events, ideas, and the communication media that cover them could not possibly differ more from those prevailing when I first visited here. We weren’t yet an Internet and sociallynetworked society. Information, once comprising targeted and directed streams, has become an 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 5 You have played a significant role... in delivering a sound and successful alternative to the several for-profit alternatives out there. about just what is going on in receives from them or their parents. that sector. It is no surprise that Universities set aside some tuition Congressional investigations have revenue, or gifts, to support able been pushed by Representative students with demonstrated Harkin (D, IA) in order to secure financial need, as National does. more accountability for tax monies Other help comes directly to delivered to these institutions on students from foundations or from behalf of their students. There is the government. But loans are some reason for all of us, including a significant part of all support National and Stanford universities, packages. These loans are made to be troubled about this. Concerns directly by the federal government, of this kind have a way of leaking or indirectly from third-party out to damage more distantly lenders who are federally regulated. related institutions—thus this fuss Statistics are regularly kept by could broaden to include us, despite the Department of Education, and robust voluntary accreditation occasionally reported in media processes (like the one recently outlets like the Washington Post and concluded here) that apply to ALL International Business Times. The critical information here involves the nonprofits under the same standards. proportion of students who, either Having noted that progress, I now during or after they have finished return to an issue that particularly their higher education, default on their loans instead of repaying them. impressed me on my earlier visit. Data completed in 2008 showed A few of us in what I will call the that over the preceding five years, “youth sector” of higher education National University’s default rate have experienced interesting but on student loans was less than unexpected accidents when a half the national average—a little mature student returns to join a over two percent compared to an curriculum filled with his or her annual national average of around juniors. When I was in charge of the five percent. Human Biology program at Stanford, a woman approached me—I would In data recently reported by the guess in her late thirties, though Washington Post for the year 2010, I would not have risked asking. those national averages showed She’d had a career as an operating very slight increases for default room nurse in Canada following a rates in the public institutions and two-year degree in nursing college. reaching about six percent. The She was curious, interesting, and private nonprofits rose from about determined. She gained admission, 3.7 to four percent. But on average began the program, and in the threethe for-profit institutions default quarter “core” of the program, she rates rose from 11 to 11.6 percent. It flew circles around everyone else, set should be clear that this is a central the curve—and afterward began a element of the growing interest PhD in Health Policy. in Congress to ask hard questions 6 Well, those were the days of rare exceptions; we were glad to have them, but it required a national awakening to see that university experiences for grown-ups represented a great opportunity for them and for the nation. That case is most often made in terms of our society’s new needs for what is often called “workforce development”—how to fill growing gaps in the increasingly trade-conscious world by supplying more engineers, skilled mechanics, computer scientists, managers, and even chefs. There clearly is a role here, and it deserves the national attention it has gotten. Like other new opportunities, this one has attracted entrepreneurs, and the best nonprofits, like National University, have chosen to operate in the way other traditional universities have. That has made them especially attractive to a broad audience of prospective students. They bring us a kind of wisdom that grows out of years of practice and experiences. That suggests some other dimensions National University can add to the lives of these students. We are, after all, not a nation merely of gap-filling specialists—and institutions of this kind can also deliver another and even more important societal value: fulfilling the obligations of thoughtful citizenship in this modern, ever-changing society. So the new challenges we face in educating older, non-traditional students are NOT limited to those occupational or workforce requirements sometimes lumped under the category of “societal needs.” In this age, a central need is for citizens who can, for example, test the value of a proposal or a claim by recognizing and if necessary discounting the special interests of the proposer. That ability belongs among the attributes of what I earlier called “intellectual taste”. I believe there are criteria through which we can evaluate how well we are doing in the task of creating educated citizenship. What kinds of questions should be asked of those who announce their authority on some subject? If an opinion is said to have an evidentiary basis, what is the nature of the evidence? Who designed the test, and was it observed by others—or better yet, confirmed by others? What other attempts at verification have been done? If the result or opinion is agreed to by a majority of others in the community, is that a kind of verification? I would hope for some doubt there. Such questions, ones that involve testing for the validity of claims, result from learned habits of mind, and we can help people learn them. But the actions we must take as teachers entail undertaking real issues, many of them controversial. Sometimes teachers or their institutions back away from that kind of engagement, fearing that assumptions about the social order may be challenged, or that the passion associated with positions on a matter run so high that discourse may be alienating. In his critique of the case of the conservative, Dewey pointed out that “if we once start thinking, no one can guarantee where we shall come out, except that many objects, ends, and institutions are doomed. Every thinker puts some portion of an apparently stable world in peril and no one can wholly predict what will emerge in its place.” That is a caution we cannot accept because it rules out the most difficult questions and allows comfort to displace the kind of hard thinking that builds minds – and in the end promotes self-confidence. That end is important with respect to all the sectors of human study: economics, the organization of social systems, human behavior, and history. The great dilemmas of societies have entailed struggles over competing ideas: communitarianism vs. individualism; authoritarian vs. democratic organization; and federalism vs. regionalism. Confronting such differences is one of the ways we as individuals evolve the principles that we’ll choose to guide our lives. There isn’t an easy alternative. Having said that, I want to take science, a personal commitment of mine for the past 50 years, to make some additional points about how we prepare students for the task of enlightened citizenship. I begin with an argument for the proposition that a broadly spread understanding of science and technology is a public good, and that we really can’t have too much of it. First, we are a curious people, equipped with a lively sense of wonder. Knowledge about the natural world is a mainstream of our culture – absolutely on a par with the arts and humanities, though unaccountably often given second place on the liberal arts menu. Second, our democracy has to decide, in any given year, on a host of issues that have important scientific and technological content: what to do about climate change, how to organize human or robotic exploration of space, how to develop a sustainable national energy policy, how to treat the health potential offered by embryonic stem cells, and the like. To vote intelligently, citizens will increasingly require a level of scientific literacy. Think for a moment about the political poster-children of contemporary scientific and technical controversy. Is global warming a phenomenon with a scientific explanation and a human handprint, or is it an invention made up by those who wish to restructure our economy? You can hear authoritative-sounding arguments for either position, especially in this blog and Internet era. It’s all out there. But in order to decide, every citizen will need a certain healthy skepticism about claimed authority, a willingness to examine credentials, and some comfort about challenging claims. I hope that part of our shared mission is to prepare minds able to work like that. the lack of personal fulfillment in many of these apparently successful people, in these terms: “The traits that do make a difference are poorly understood and can’t be taught in a classroom: the ability to understand and inspire people; to read situations and discern the underlying patterns; to build trusting relationship; to recognize and correct one’s shortcomings; to imagine alternate futures.” Exploring and releasing these missing elements is a way in which we can build a sense of national participation and fulfillment in adult learners – who already have a headstart in the race toward wisdom. I think Brooks may be wrong that these qualities can’t be taught in a classroom—perhaps not “taught”, exactly, but acquired through interactions among groups in a classroom exercise or in an online commons. This task can be a natural part of what you do here. We are, after all, in a new age—and for this still young and promising institution, it should be part of the educational agenda. I wish National University a happy and rewarding 40th birthday—and, as should be said at any such party, MANY MORE! Let me close by taking advantage of a memorable article by David Brooks, the op-ed writer for The New York Times and a frequent contributor to the PBS NewsHour. In the January 17, 2011 publication of The New Yorker, he explores the way we, as “social animals,” achieve status—and how that may or may not be associated with fulfillment, confidence, and composure. Good parenting, good grades in school, and promising professional growth are starting materials for the status portion. But Brooks also describes 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 7 A Leader’s Never-Ending Quest for Excellence Patricia E. Potter At the National University 40th Anniversary Luncheon, January 24, 2011 As we begin the celebration of our University’s 40th year, we would be remiss if we did not recognize the shoulders that have carried us through to this anniversary. Perhaps we do not need to be reminded again of our humble beginnings—but it is incumbent upon our community to recognize not only the catalyst but the agent responsible for the success we celebrate today. It is not only our longevity we celebrate today, but rather the continuation of our work. This anniversary is about our steadfast and ongoing quest for excellence—a quest that will never end. More than two centuries ago, Thomas Jefferson brought forth a vision of universal education dependent upon the essential link between an educated populace and effective governance. Today, Dr. Kennedy reminded us of the importance of that equation. Jefferson believed that society should provide an education “adapted to the years, to the capacity, and the condition of every one.” He understood the importance, the accessibility, and availability of education without regard to one’s “wealth, birth, or other accidental conditions or circumstance.” These principles are familiar to everyone in this audience. 8 Dr. Lee, would you please come to the podium? The achievements of our University would not have been possible without your wise guidance. From the beginning, you have refused to be idle. It is and remains to be your constant and innovative leadership which has brought us not only this far but this high. And so we commemorate our journey and the shoulders upon which we have stood—yours. On behalf of the University community, I am pleased to present to you this token of your leadership in aligning our institutional values with those of Mr. Jefferson’s and his great vision for educational opportunities and an educated citizenry. 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 9 Model Educators Leading the Way for National University The number of full-time faculty at National University has grown dramatically over the past 40 years, along with their prestige. The following six professors (one from each school/college) are representative of their colleagues’ noteworthy success and outreach within their field. Their exemplary work has earned the respect of their peers and the community. Luis Acebal, Ph.D. Michael Pickett, Ed.D. Rae Adams, M.Ed. Shekar Viswanathan, Ph.D. Ann Kelly, M.S.N. Joan Van Tassel, Ph.D. World Traveler Awarded Fulbright Grant Improving the Odds for Native Americans Inspiring the Best in Educators Breaking Ground in Security Technology A Clinician Leads with Compassion and Commitment Decoding Digital Media Luis Acebal, lead faculty for the Spanish language program in the College of Letters and Sciences’ Department of Arts and Humanities, was awarded a Fulbright grant in 2010 to teach literature and language at the Universidad Nacional del Litorial in Santa Fe, Argentina. Michael Pickett, lead faculty for the Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and Casino Management program in the School of Business and Management’s Department of Leadership and Human Resource Management, prepares students for employment in the expanding field of tribal government gaming enterprises. Shekar Viswanathan is professor and chair of the Applied Engineering Department for the School of Engineering and Technology within the School of Engineering and Technology and also serves as lead faculty for the School’s Engineering Management, Homeland Security, and Safety Engineering programs. He has applied his knowledge and experience toward homeland security, materiel security, and safety engineering as a researcher, an entrepreneur, and an instructor. Ann Kelly is lead faculty for psychosocial nursing curricula in the School of Health and Human Services’ Department of Nursing. The Fulbright Program is a prestigious international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. State Department to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. “We are thrilled at the announcement of Professor Acebal’s grant,” said Professor Janet Baker, chair of the Department of Arts and Humanites. “It speaks to the academic depth of our program’s faculty.” Professor Acebal’s Fulbright Grant strengthens his commitment to international education. As a Peace Corps volunteer in Morocco and the Comoros Islands, he taught and developed language and cultural programs. Since joining National University, he has continued his travels to other countries to learn more of their cultures and values. 10 According to the National Indian Gaming Commission, 419 Native American gaming establishments in the United States generated revenues of $26.5 billion in 2009. California tribes account for a significant portion of those revenues, and data cited by the National University Institute for Policy Research indicates that San Diego County has more tribal casinos than any other U.S. county. In 2009, Diverse Issues in Higher Education magazine ranked National University first in California for granting master’s degrees in all disciplines combined to Native Americans. Professor Pickett’s program has partnered with Barona Casino and aims to expand that leadership position to undergraduate programs by appealing to California tribes, which seek to promote their members into casino management positions. Rae Adams is program director and lead faculty for the National Board Certified TeacherProfessional Teaching Development Center, housed within the School of Education. The Center has been selected by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards to serve and inspire teachers regionally by coaching support providers for National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) candidates by facilitating candidate support across California, by identifying scholarship opportunities and by offering NBCToriented curricula. National Board Certification is a voluntary process requiring a rigorous performance-based assessment that can take from one to three years to complete. Once achieved, it is considered a mark of teaching excellence. Over the past five years under Professor Adams, leadership, 20 percent of California’s new NBCTs have been National University alumni, students, or enrollees in NBCT courses. Statewide, National University is one of only three universities that offer a master’s degree incorporating NBCT coursework into the program. Professor Viswanathan is currently working on a new sensor based upon Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) detector principles for the measurement of organic elements (including explosives and hazardous waste) in trace quantities of air and water. He has published articles regarding measurement systems that utilize gas chromatography and SAW sensors with special emphasis on the detection of explosives, airborne contaminants, contraband in cargo containers, and other issues pertaining to homeland security. Additionally, he has developed several air pollution assessment and control technologies. His work in this field has earned him presidential grants from National University. An award-winning nurse and faculty member who has been engaged in clinical practice, teaching and research for a combined 40 years, Ms. Kelly has been named “Psychiatric Nurse of the Year” twice by the San Diego Psychiatric Nurses Society and is a two-time recipient of the Veterans Administration Innovation Award. She professes a “tremendous respect for humanity,” gained in part from working with the homeless for eight years in a professional capacity. At National University, Ms. Kelly has been a 2009 recipient of the Presidential Scholar Award and the 2010 President’s Professorial Award. A Board Certified American Nurses Credentialing Center Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse who is licensed in California and Nevada, she has served as an invesigator in numerous research projects, including a National University study on student nurse stress. Joan Van Tassel, chair of the School of Media and Communication’s Department of Communication Arts, is an award-winning author, journalist, consultant, and researcher in broadcast, print, and online media. For the past decade, Professor Van Tassel has studied, written, advised, and taught about issues relating to digital communication and networking technologies, including the topics of digital media and digital rights management. She is the recipient of a First Place Award from the San Diego Press Club in the category of magazine articles. Her most recent of the six books she has authored or co-authored is titled Media Management: Making, Marketing & Moving Digital Content, published in April 2010. She has produced video packages for ABC News’ Nightline, 20/20, and Good Morning America, as well as for many independent production companies and local and networkaffiliated television stations, earning an Emmy nomination in the process. She has also headed her own consultancy firm, advising clients such as PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte & Touche, and Accenture. 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 11 National University Through the Decades As National University enters its fifth decade, it is a good time to reflect upon the success and achievements of this institution over the past 40 years. The success of our university has been shaped by many diverse factors. There are many milestones to consider, all of which have occurred during times of incredible growth and change. Certain things, however, remain the same. Our values and our mission, for example, have held firm and played a key role in guiding National on a strong, and steady course. The following is a decade-by-decade review of the remarkable path we have followed, along with a timeline to remind us of where we have been, what we believe in, and where we are going in the future. 12 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 13 The 1970s brought dramatic growth and change to colleges and universities across the United States, driven largely by the demands of baby boomers, minorities, and veterans to gain greater access to higher education. 1970s National University in the Dr. David Chigos founds National University 1970 1971 14 First commencement ceremony 1972 California’s second-largest private, nonprofit University. There was, however, an overlooked demographic which encompassed all of those populations: the working adult. In 1971, Dr. David Chigos founded National University to serve the needs of business executives, military officers, law enforcement officials, and others with the desire to learn while they earn. As an executive development specialist for General Dynamics, Dr. Chigos realized that few people could afford to put their life on hold for several years while they pursued a degree, so he tailored a flexible format that accommodated the academically disenfranchised nine-to-fivers. National opened in San Diego on November 22 with a single campus, though The New York Times would later report that Dr. Chigos started the University “almost from the trunk of his car.” There were 27 students that first year, and few would have guessed that National would eventually become In 1972, the State of California granted National University authority to grant diplomas, and it held its first commencement ceremony with 143 graduates. At the time, students were required to have a minimum of five years worth of work experience. Meanwhile, there were many traditional undergraduates who dropped out of San Diego State University to go to work full-time. For those students, the necessity of earning a living precluded the completion of a college degree. Fortunately, that would change. Along with the surge in college and university enrollments, there was another emerging trend in the early 1970s that National University’s leadership was in tune with: the advent of personal computers and the beginning of the technology boom. The year National was 1974 1976 In 1975, the year the first consumer computers were introduced, National University purchased two properties on Camino del Rio South in Mission Valley. Two years later it opened up facilities in Kearny Mesa and the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. In 1977, with the debut of the first Apple computer, the number of alumni surpassed the 1,000 mark and National received accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. and library space, and an alumni base of 3,500. As the 1970s slipped into the history books, word processing software arrived on the scene, and National University was utilizing an innovative computer program that produced paychecks and prepared reports for regulatory bodies. The classroom, the workplace, and the world were experiencing dramatic technological advances, and a university degree was quickly becoming the fastest, surest ticket to advancement and success. A year later, the University’s alumni ranks doubled to more than 2,000 and it offered its first non-business course. It also rolled out one of higher education’s first online, real-time University Management Information Systems on an IBM mainframe. In 1979, it acquired the Cabrillo Pacific College of Law. By the end of the decade, U.S. enrollments in institutions of higher education had surged from 8.58 million to just over 12 million. National University boasted a 15acre campus with 110,000 square feet of classroom, administrative, National University acquires the Cabrillo Pacific College of Law Number of alumni surpasses 1,000 Purchase of Mission Valley properties 1973 founded was the same year the microprocessor and the floppy disk were introduced. 1977 1978 1979 40 TH ANNIVERSARY 1980 | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 15 Between 1970 and 1980, California’s population increased by almost 20 percent from just under 20 million to close to 23.7 million. The Golden State became the world’s eighthlargest economy, creating millions of jobs and fueling the demand for a highly educated workforce. Over the course of National University’s first 10 years, San Diego grew by 37 percent, the state’s capitol shot up 30 percent, Fresno’s population jumped 27 percent, San Jose leaped 21 percent, and Los Angeles took on 435,000 new residents. 1980s National University in the National University Founds its School of Education 1980 As cities grew bigger, they required more schools; and more schools meant more teachers. National responded by founding its School of Education in 1980, producing its first class of five credential completers one year later. Within 10 years, the School of Education would recommend 1982 1983 1984 In 1982, National opened an academic center in Sacramento, followed by Los Angeles and Twentynine Palms in the next two years. The year 1986 saw openings in Fresno, Sherman Oaks, and the Naval Amphibious Base in San Diego; and 1987 was marked by openings in San Jose. In 1983, National introduced a fleet of mobile information vehicles, rolling publicity and admissions outposts that travelled to various sites and events to advertise the growing opportunities for working adults to advance in their careers and increase their earning power. The word was getting out, and the number of alumni practically National University Celebrates its 15th anniversary National University Introduces a fleet of mobile information vehicles 1981 16 In response to California’s boom, National University’s second decade would bring an impressive expansion into new locations and new markets, extending its reach across the state and broadening access to higher education geographically and by discipline. more than 3,000 candidates to the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing, and National would eventually become the state’s leading source of credentialed teachers. 1986 quadrupled between 1979 and 1984. Enrollments were up all over the state. In 1986, National University celebrated its 15th anniversary with a reunion gala. The mood was bright and the institution was in sync with the times. Computer technology was continuing to expand. In 1984, Apple introduced the Macintosh, the first mouse-controlled computer to come with a graphical user interface. In 1985, Microsoft introduced Windows and Word. The world of education was on the verge of a revolutionary transformation. As the 1980s neared its close, big changes were also in store for National. The University was no longer a small, easyto-manage start-up. Like many maturing companies in California, it had reached a new level of sophistication. Growth and success had brought with it a new series of challenges, requiring a new tier of administration and leadership. In 1988, Dr. Chigos resigned. The next year, the board of trustees named Dr. Jerry C. Lee as National University’s second President. Dr. Lee brought a wealth of muchneeded experience, having served as vice president for administration and business, and ultimately as President of Gallaudet University. As the 1990s approached, he would usher in a fresh vision and remarkable new era of sustained growth and accomplishment. By the end of the decade, the institution stood at a vital crossroads. Multiple priorities, a broadly extended series of campuses, increasing financial obligations, and accreditation issues presented complex and National University Opens facilities in San Jose 1987 unprecedented challenges and threatened to bring operations to a screeching halt. National’s founding president, Dr. Chigos, had built something amazing from scratch and enjoyed a tremendous 20-year run, but the time had come to deliver the reigns to more experienced hands. 1988 National University Names Jerry C. Lee as its Second President 1989 40 TH ANNIVERSARY 1990 | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 17 1990s National University in the National University’s progress mirrored California’s economy in the 1990s: It trimmed back early, restructured, then flourished. The end of the Cold War and the advent of a nationwide recession in 1990 resulted in reduced defense spending and a consolidation of military bases. The state lost approximately 600,000 jobs through 1993, and many chose to return to school to retool. Nowhere was this more evident than in San Diego, where the city’s leading private employer, General Dynamics, closed its Convair division in Kearny Mesa. Within 10 years, National University would build its flagship campus and central library on that property. Base closures and realignments also occurred in Orange, San Bernardino, and Sacramento counties, as well as in the San Joaquin Valley and the San Francisco Bay area, all of which would rebound and become major growth areas for enrollment in the 1990s and beyond. For its own part, National University underwent some closures and realignment too, shedding its law school, its flight school, and its Costa Rica campus. It was all part of President Lee’s plan to streamline and reinvigorate growth. National University Reduces its debt by 55 percent 1990 1991 18 San Bernardino and Stockton Centers open 1992 National University Alumni Surpass 50,000 1993 Consequently, by 1991, the University reduced its debt by 55 percent while simultaneously expanding full-time faculty. Although still committed to instructors that included seasoned professionals working in their fields, a new tiered faculty structure emphasized the addition of advancedegreed faculty, a growing corps of assistant, associate, and full-time professors who were dedicated to the University. In response to President Lee’s efforts, National was reaccredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) in 1992. Consequently the University initiated a new wave of expansion, opening new campuses in San Bernardino, Stockton, and Chula Vista. By 1993, the number of National University alumni surpassed 50,000. It was the same year that the University launched its distance education program, using a teleconferencing system that allowed teachers and students to talk, hear, and see each other in real time. In 1994, the same year that the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing approved the University’s Crosscultural, Language, and Academic Development (CLAD) and BCLAD (bilingual) certificate programs, National University alumnus Sandy McBrayer was named the U.S. Teacher of the Year. One year later, the number of credential completers from the School of Education passed the 10,000 mark. From a technological standpoint, the 1990s featured the debut of the World Wide Web, along with the first Web browser, Web server, and Web pages. Two years later, Librarian Jean Armour Polly coined the phrase “surfing the Internet.” Netscape Communications was founded in 1994 and Java premiered in a public demonstration. When Windows 95 was released the following year, it featured a Web browser. In 1998, Netscape announced plans to give its browser away for free. AOL bought Netscape the next year. National University celebrated its 25th anniversary in 1996 by relocating its headquarters to a newly-purchased property in La Jolla. It also opened two new locations in Orange County; one in Costa Mesa, and one in Orange. Breakthroughs in technology enabled National University to offer online classes for the first time that year. One of the University’s first online accomplishments came a year later with worldwide expansion of the Global MBA program, making its curricula accessible to executives on an international scale. In a unique partnership with McDonald’s, the fast food company’s employees were provided with a pathway to earning an MBA. The program was nicknamed “Hamburger U.” The final two years of the decade brought a new location at San Diego’s Fleet Anti-Sub Marine Warfare Training Center, and grand openings were celebrated with new centers in La Mesa, Bakersfield, and Redding. The San Diego Domestic Violence Coalition recognized the University’s commitment to empowering victims of domestic violence with the Guardian Angel Award. By the close of 1999, National University had conferred almost 81,000 bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and teaching credential recommendations, more than double the number at the beginning of the decade. After 30 years of incredible advancement, National was ready to emerge as a statewide and national leader across numerous fronts in higher education. The best was yet to come. National University reaches milestone having conferred almost 81,000 bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and teaching credential Recommendations National University Celebrates 25th Anniversary 1994 1996 1997 1998 1999 40 TH ANNIVERSARY 2000 | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 19 National University welcomed the new millennium with the grand opening of the Spectrum campus and library. These new facilities bristled with the latest in educational technology, boasting a quarter million miles of data and voice cabling that connected close to 400 computers and dozens of classrooms to the Internet, and provided global access to one of the largest electronic book collections in higher education. The events of September 11, 2001 shocked the world, elevated awareness of national security, and prompted the overseas deployment of tens of thousands of military personnel as the United States entered into two wars. Dr. Lee, now Chancellor of the National University System, responded with a message of hope at the 2001 Annual Assembly. National University in the 2000s Spectrum Campus and Library open 2000 20 establishment of the National University System 2001 2002 National went on to distinguish itself as a leader in military education and created degree programs, such as the Master of Science in Homeland Security and Safety Engineering that contributed to a safer and more secure world. Nearly 10 years later, National was selected by G.I. Jobs magazine for the second consecutive year as a “Military Friendly School,” placing it in the top 15 percent of all schools nationwide. Despite uncertain times, this decade was a time of phenomenal growth and expansion for National University. While several colleges and universities closed their doors across the nation, National opened new academic centers in Fresno, Stockton, Rancho Bernardo, and School of Health & Human Services opens 2003 2004 2006 Carlsbad, as well as multiple military sites and Henderson, Nevada. During this time, it maintained one of the lowest tuition rates among private colleges and universities, and even froze tuition at one point to ensure that higher education would remain affordable to those who aspired to better themselves. When wildfires struck Southern California in 2007, National opened its facilities to displaced and evacuated faculty and staff. When budgetary crises threatened thousands of public teacher layoffs in 2003 and 2010, the University responded as a responsible entity within the community by offering scholarships for alumni who received pink slips. Relevance also marked National University’s impact in the 2000s. Responding to trends such the aging Baby Boomer population and the development of digital media, National University opened two new schools in 2005, introducing the School of Health and Human Services and the School of Media and Communication. In 2008, both schools received a brand new home with the completion of the Technology and Health Sciences Center in Kearny Mesa. Between 2000 and 2010, as the bubble burst in many markets and Wall Street weathered dramatic ups and downs, the University’s endowment more than doubled, with assets growing from $150 million to close to $350 million. National currently ranks among the top 200 largest college and university endowments in the nation, according to the National Association of College and University Business Officers. During the past decade, at a time when quality seemed to recede on many fronts, National University redoubled its commitment to be a top-tier institution of higher education. The California Council for Excellence rewarded these efforts by presenting National with two Eureka Awards for Performance Excellence. It was just the second university-level recipient at the time. In 2007, the University’s Student Concierge Services, a pioneering one-stop center for student service, expanded to seven days a week. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 brought public attention to the quality of the nation’s public schools and teachers. For 10 consecutive years since 2000, National has led California in the preparation of credentialed teachers. National University alumni were recognized every year between 1999 and 2009 as a Los Angeles Teacher of the Year, and every year between 2005 and 2009 as a San Diego Teacher of the Year. Five alumni since 2000 National University Launches Student Concierge Service 2007 have been named California Teacher of the Year. Access to higher education continued to be a focal point in the 2000s, as colleges and universities struggled to raise the number of graduates in traditionally underserved minority populations. Few responded like National, which this decade repeatedly ranked among the state’s top colleges and universities serving minorities. It has been intermittently recognized as first in California in granting master’s degrees in all disciplines combined to Hispanics, African Americans, and Native Americans. As a new decade dawns, concerns grow about a shortage of college graduates in California and the increasing scarcity of a highlyeducated workforce to meet the needs of a technology-driven world. Over the past 10 years, the number of graduates and credential completers at National has surpassed the 100,000 mark and currently stands as a community of more than 126,000. As National University enters its fifth decade of existence, its core values of quality, access, relevance, accelerated pace, affordability, and community continue to shape and guide this institution. With a proud 40-year history and the establishment of bold and innovative new traditions in higher education, National promises to remain a pioneer and a leader in the months and years to come. National University Golf Academy opens 2008 2009 40 TH ANNIVERSARY 2010 | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 21 National University In the Next 40 Years National University’s 40th anniversary is a celebration of our history, yet it also provides an opportunity to ponder our future. The following are four perspectives on what the next 40 years may bring in regard to (1) the important role that institutions of higher education will play; (2) the impact that technology will have; (3) the growing global demand among international students for access to colleges and universities; and (4) the importance of private universities. It is challenging to forecast four years into the future, let alone four decades; yet as readers of the following articles will discover, National University is in a unique and enviable position to make an enormous impact and advance its leadership position in the years to come. 22 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 23 California faces a shortage of almost a million college-educated workers within the next 15 years. Meeting The Need for Degrees staff to pursue educational goals while simultaneously working 40 or more hours per week. An educated workforce is vital to California’s economy, and will become even more so in coming years as technology expands in the workplace. National University is an important partner in meeting these needs across the state, and its role is bound to grow. Anyone who doubts that the requirements for employment are rising should listen to National University alumna Georgia Dutro. As president of D&D Tool and Supply, a premier industrial distributor and custom tool manufacturer with multiple facilities in Southern California and Mexico, she oversees an increasingly complex system of business procedures. The company was founded by Ms. Dutro’s grandmother, who started out by visiting construction sites to pick up handsaws and blades for sharpening. Today, the third-generation owner of the family-run business manages the region’s largest privately held industrial supplier. “Gone are the days when a distributor would put up a showroom and warehouse expecting customers would come,” says Ms. Dutro. “With the advent of ‘just-in-time’ inventory for manufacturers, ‘value-added supply’ for technical information, and very sophisticated ‘pull’ inventory systems, the supply industry 24 has had to morph into a very sophisticated operation.” Like many modern companies, D&D requires professional engineers for technical design of precision products such as aerospace tooling. Her employees are responsible for a broad spectrum of technical demands, from the safe handling of hazardous waste emissions to the mastery of complex global pricing strategies and human resource management software. Most challenging of all perhaps, is Ms. Dutro’s need for highly educated IT people who can oversee just-in-time supply chain management, handle the automated vending of tools and equipment; and utilize radio frequency tools for tracking items on shop floors. “All of these areas present promising career opportunities for highly educated personnel,” Ms. Dutro adds, “and it can also present daunting challenges as companies seek to recruit and retain such employees.” As challenging as it is to fill such positions with capable, welleducated workers, things are predicted to grow more difficult in the foreseeable future. California faces a shortage of almost a million college-educated workers within the next 15 years, according to the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), which has issued a report warning that if current trends continue, only 35 percent of working-age adults in California will have a college degree in an evolving business environment that will require at least 41 percent of workers to have reached that level of education. The state’s public institutions currently produce just over 110,000 baccalaureates each year, and private institutions account for another 40,000. According to PPIC, public and private colleges and universities in California would collectively need to increase the production of baccalaureates by almost 60,000 per year (about 40 percent above current levels) to meet projected demands by 2025. The PPIC report, entitled “Closing the Gap,” does provide some encouragement and offers several solutions to mend the problem. For example, it says the educationskills gap could be cut in half by investing in strategies, such as increasing transfer rates from community colleges to four-year institutions—an area where National University shines. Last year, National University and the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office announced a joint agreement making it easier for students at community colleges to transfer to the state’s secondlargest private, nonprofit institution of higher education. Statewide, National is the number one choice for community college students transferring to a private school. It has developed credit transfer information for more than 110 California community colleges, making it easier than ever to transfer credits. With new courses beginning each month, transfer students don’t have to wait; they can often enroll within 30 days of becoming eligible. As part of its joint agreement, National University will waive the standard $60 application fee for community college transfer students. Additionally, to encourage those students, National provides scholarships which pay for the transfer student’s final two classes in his or her degree program. Another advantage that National has in helping the state to raise the education level of its workforce is the access that it has traditionally provided to working adults. Statistics suggest that maintaining an income while pursuing a degree may play a factor in separating part-time from full-time students. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 45 percent of 16to 24-year-old full-time college students are employed and work while attending school. By comparison, almost 80 percent of the same aged part-time college students hold down a job while taking classes. “I have long emphasized the importance of education to employees and to a company’s bottom line,” she says. Ms. Dutro says that managers at D&D have attended National University, and she figures that most companies will support and encourage higher learning among employees in the near future if they are to remain competitive and profitable with an increasingly educated international workforce. efforts to bridge the transfer gap between California’s community colleges and public and private universities makes more sense for regional companies such as D&D, as well as for the state and the nation. According to National University’s latest strategic plan, new educational policies and a shifting economic climate bode well for National University. As the demand for an educated workforce increases, the value of agile and innovative educational institutions such as National will only increase. According to the PPIC, the United States is no longer the leading nation in college attendance and college graduation rates. Indeed, it is the only nation in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in which the share of adults with a postsecondary degree is lower among 25- to 34-year-olds than among 45- to 54-year-olds. National University’s accessible model of delivering higher education to working adults, and its laudable National University’s eveningbased classes and one-course-permonth format have traditionally accommodated those with full-time jobs and allowed them to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees. Many business owners, such as Ms. Dutro, encourage their 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 25 Mapping the Future of Educational Technology From its pioneering position in online learning to its wired classrooms and impressive collection of electronic books, technology has played a major role in the success of National University and presented a major source of pride for alumni. The University’s latest five-year plan includes technology as one of five strategic directions. As National University celebrates its 40th anniversary, it is an ideal time to look back upon our numerous technological achievements. It is also a good time to look forward to explore the next generation of technological breakthroughs that will strengthen and expand the University’s mission and goals. A subsequent report by the Consortium, entitled, “The Future of Higher Education: How Technology Will Shape Learning, ”forecasts numerous benefits for colleges and universities, but also warns of substantial challenges that will require significant deliberation and preparation. With the rapid pace of technological change, it is difficult to forecast, prognosticate, or speculate about next year, let alone the next several decades; but researchers and educators are already asking important questions about the future and there has already been considerable discussion and planning on the topic by University leadership. In other words, few institutions can count on waltzing into a wonderland of technological wizardry without the benefit of sound vision and leadership. The swift and radical transitions ahead will be fraught with mind-numbing choices and potentially budget-busting expenses that will demand the best from university governance. There is no denying that technology will continue to dramatically impact higher education. A 2008 survey by the New Media Consortium, a collection of more than 250 colleges, universities, and learning-focused organizations dedicated to the exploration and use of new media and new technologies, revealed that almost two-thirds of respondents believe technological innovation will have a major influence on teaching methodologies over the next five years. 26 Indeed, the U.S. Secretary of Education’s Commission on the Future of Higher Education labeled its 2006 report “A Test of Leadership.” However, while recognizing the difficulties and struggles involved, the Commission recommended that America’s colleges and universities have little choice but to embrace innovation, and urged them “to develop new pedagogies, curricula, and technologies to improve learning.” To National University’s credit, it has been keeping a close watch on the horizon for the better part of two decades now and has approached technological change with a balanced blend of caution and open-mindedness. Under the inspired leadership of National University System Chancellor Jerry C. Lee, National has implemented a series of ambitious five-year plans since 1990 that have provided a steady and dependable roadmap for technological growth and innovation. The University’s latest five-year plan, “National University 2015,” includes technology as one of five strategic directions and outlines 12 specific goals that it will strive to achieve. Among them, National resolves to be a leader in using technology to support student learning, faculty engagement, and sustainability. Additionally, the University aspires to provide mobile and collaborative technologies that will expand the institution’s curricular reach and will support student learning anytime and anyplace; we aim to provide leadership in developing and using the next generation of interactive, electronic teaching and learning tools, and become a model for all institutions in its innovative uses of technology onsite and online for global deployment of educational content. What will it take to be an innovative leader and role model in the implementation and usage of educational technology? Cynthia Sistek-Chandler, Ed.D., assistant professor in the School of Media and Communication and lead faculty for the Master of Science Educational and Instructional Technology program, provides some revealing insights. Professor Chandler, who has been teaching online for National University for more than 10 years, talks about a new generation of education technology students that are becoming very sophisticated, even as usage of such technology grows more and more routine. “Technology is ubiquitous, intersecting with almost every aspect of daily life,” she adds. As one who helps to prepare graduate students for the rapidly growing employment opportunities linked to emerging information and telecommunication technologies, Professor Chandler combines practical software training with the theory and practice of instructional technology. She envisions the emergence of more intuitive and user-friendly programs, along with breakthroughs that will improve intimacy in areas of online learning and strengthen the traditional teacher-student bonds of traditional face-to-face learning. What about the advent of three-dimensional holograms, microcomputers that will fit on an earring or a tie clip, or miniature plasma screens embedded within a pair of eye glasses? If such technologies advance the ability to teach and learn, and if their implementation makes economic and pedagogical sense, then Professor Chandler confirms that faculty and administrators will contribute the necessary input and University leadership will conduct the requisite planning to provide optimal implementation. “We’ve certainly proven our ability as a cutting-edge institution of higher learning to progress in an orderly and sensible manner,” she adds. “I am confident that National University will leverage its knowledge and experience to maintain distinct advantages in the future.” As for predictions of specific gadgetry and technological wizardry, National’s knowledgeable faculty member defers to the observations of authors Ted McCain and Ian Jukes. In their book, Windows on the Future, Education in the Age of Technology, they discourage an exclusive focus on what is “hot” today. The gadgets themselves quickly become obsolete. Rather, like a quarterback who surveys the entire field, institutions, such as National University, will keep new technological developments with the perspective of established educational paradigms. 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 27 National University International Building a Global Gateway to Higher Education As National University celebrates 40 years of remarkable growth in California and the United States, global trends in higher education and a new outreach toward international students are strongly shaping its potential for worldwide growth in the coming decades. Needs for quality education exist beyond the United States, and we hope to deliver that education internationally and become the university of values for learners everywhere in the world. National University International (NUI) was established in 2006 as a National University System affiliate to provide premier online education opportunities to learners from every continent. Initial offerings included English and foreign language programs in Arabic, Chinese, and Farsi. NUI has gradually expanded its mission to become a marketing and distribution channel for National University and the National University System in rapidly growing overseas markets. “National University is known for providing access to quality education to learners through innovative delivery modes and formats,” says NUI Vice President of Operations Jack Paduntin, DBA. “Since its inception in 1971, National University has provided accessible, affordable, high-quality 28 degrees, credential preparation, and certificates for close to 130,000 alumni. Needs for quality education exist beyond the United States, and we hope to deliver that education internationally and become the university of values for learners everywhere in the world.” The need for increased higher education opportunities around the world has been well-documented in recent years. At the 2009 UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education, a report was issued highlighting key drivers in the future of higher education. The report, “Trends in Global Higher Education: Tracking an Academic Revolution,” by Philip Altbach, Liz Reisberg, and Laura Rumbley of the Center for International Higher Education at Boston College, summarized the momentum of change and the “massification” of higher education in what they labeled an “academic revolution.” The report reveals that upward mobility for a growing segment of the world will be dependent upon access to higher education, and that many nations are currently struggling to provide that access. According to The Chronicle of Higher Education, global enrollment at universities and colleges currently stands at 153 million, representing a 53 percent increase over the past nine years alone. “We project that the demand for higher education will continue to grow both domestically and internationally. Technology advancement will transform ways in which education is delivered to learners,” says Dr. Paduntin. “National University International is poised to contribute significantly to connect learners to knowledge and education they need to live in a highly completive, global society. Altbach, Reisberg, and Rumbley agree: these factors point to a growing need for institutions of higher education to better serve international students in the age of globalization and internationalization. The authors of “Trends in Global Higher Education” define “Internationalization” as “the variety of policies and programs that universities and governments implement to respond to globalization. These typically include sending students to study abroad, setting up branch campuses overseas, or engaging in some type of inter-institutional partnership.” NUI has already invoked these central ideas. “There is a desire by students all over the world to obtain their formal education from an American university,” says Dr. Paduntin, emphasizing that NUI creates an easy transition for those students coming to study on campus at either the California or Nevada facilities, or through online programs. “In addition to handling international recruitment and the application process, National University International oversees orientation, housing, and student activities. Our goal is to enhance the learning experience of our international students and add value to the degree they seek,” he adds. Data reveals that most of National University’s international students focus on degree programs in business or technology. The majority of them (about 75 percent) require some English as a Second Language (ESL) studies. NUI’s current recruitment focus is centered largely in China, India, and other Southeast Asian countries. With China and India together representing about 40 percent of the global population, National’s potential for enrollment growth in these countries is extremely promising. “Regarding educational institutions in India, students have a variety of options; however, the number of placements available is extremely limited. As a result, many consider different options, including studying overseas,” says Paras Jaswal, who recruits for NUI. He adds, “Indian students generally approach us for various reasons: attractive programs, cost-friendly tuition structure, positive feedback from currently enrolled students, working in a developed country, and Global enrollment at universities and colleges has increased 53 percent over the past nine years. the great campus locations. We look forward to making National University International one of the most preferred destinations in the U.S. for students from India looking to study overseas.” In China, the status of a U.S.-based education plays a vital role in recruitment. Max Ben, NUI director of China operations, explains, “The United States has strong influences in China on a cultural level. In general, Chinese people perceive that the education in the United States is the best in the world. They are well aware that most leading scientists in China have been educated in the U.S. over the past 30 years.” These perceptions give students who study abroad an edge when they look to work in their own country’s job market. Mr. Ben continues, “Chinese people generally believe the current business practices in the U.S. will be the standards in China in the future.” The expansion of initiatives truly draws from a diverse set of cultures and geographic locales which allow future business executives, educators, and innovators to work together now at the higher education level. Over the next 40 years, NUI will likely look to further National University’s ability to provide academic offerings in areas of high demand by opening branch campus locations outside of the U.S. As National University celebrates 40 years of excellence in higher education for students in the United States, look to the next 40 years to deliver that standard to an international community, creating a global network of alumni ready to take on the challenges of the next half-century. 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 29 to discounted tuition; outsourcing of remedial and online courses to private institutions; an easing of barriers to out-of-state providers; greater regulatory oversight; and the establishment of a statewide planning board. The changing role of private universities “...the state’s fiscal resources have evaporated” and consequently, all three of California’s public postsecondary sectors are overcapacity. Private colleges and universities in California may play a pivotal role in coming years as the state’s public institutions of higher learning struggle to meet critical demands for an educated workforce, according to a report commissioned by the National University System Institute for Policy Research (NUSIPR). The report, entitled, “Making it Happen: The Role of Private Postsecondary Providers in Increasing College Access and Attainment in California Higher Education,” offers nine recommendations to meet the 30 percent increase in student throughput that is estimated over the next 10 years to keep reasonable pace with workforce demands. By 2025, California will face an estimated shortfall of one million workers with skills learned in college, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. In a previous era, such a prediction might have led to an increase in public colleges and universities, or an expansion of existing campuses, but as the report’s authors point out, “the state’s fiscal resources have evaporated” and consequently, all three of California’s public postsecondary sectors are “overcapacity.” 30 According to William G. Tierney and Guilbert C. Hentschke, California Community Colleges, California State University and University of California each have smaller budgets than three years ago, while facing new challenges, such as growing pension fund obligations, impacted degree programs (in which there are more applications than the campus can enroll), and patterns of increased postsecondary enrollment during periods of economic downturn. Adding to projected demand, the California Postsecondary Education Commission estimates that by 2019, more than 385,000 additional individuals will be interested in enrolling as undergraduates in a public postsecondary institution. Even with the anticipated growth in college and university students, Tierney and Hentschke emphasize that the United States now lags behind other industrialized countries with regard to college participation and graduation, and there are political and economic pressures to push enrollments even higher. The problem is, increasing enrollment through the state’s public postsecondary institutions simply isn’t possible at this point, given current funding realities and the deliberative process and pace of government. For these reasons, Tierney and Hentschke argue that California needs to consider alternative providers. “By no means should private colleges and universities be thought of as a panacea to the state’s capacity problems,” they add. “However, private institutions can play a role in relieving the current stress on the system, and the state has the potential to develop public policies that encourage current and potential private providers to take on additional students without large additional costs to the state.” Private postsecondary institutions enjoy a long and reputable history in California. There are 76 private nonprofit institutions such as National University that are accredited by the Western Association of Colleges and Schools and offer “the full panoply of postsecondary degrees.” Additionally, there is the recent emergence of for-profit institutions of higher learning, which currently comprises the fastest-growing postsecondary sector in the nation. These institutions now comprise 12 percent of the U.S. student population and are expected to continue their dramatic growth; however, they “have come under a great deal of scrutiny and criticism,” according to the NUSIPR report. Dr. Tierney is university professor and Wilbur-Kieffer Professor of Higher Education and director of the Center for Higher Education Policy Analysis at the University of Southern California. NUSIPR is an independent institute that conducts research and publishes articles, policy briefs, and other materials about regional issues, including education, municipal government, economic policy, housing, transportation, infrastructure, and fire preparedness to improve the quality of life enjoyed by the region’s citizens. For more information regarding NUSIPR or its report, visit the Institute’s website at www.nusinstitute.org. Dr. Henschke is the Richard T. Cooper and Mary Catherine Cooper chair in Public School Administration at the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education. There are concerns in Congress that the for-profit sector of higher education is rife with unethical practices, astronomical debt loads, abysmal retention rates, and weak job placement. Consequently, a countervailing tension is that the U.S. Department of Education’s advocacy for states like California to guarantee that licensure requirements for institutions of higher education provide consumer protections and insure that minimum standards are met. Tierney and Hentschke advocate nine solutions that will better facilitate all the state’s postsecondary institutions to overcome current challenges and work together to meet future demands for a highly educated workforce. Their ideas include improved articulation agreements, which would allow smoother transfers between colleges and universities; incentives for timely graduation and public-private partnerships, which would lead 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 31 40th Anniversary faces As National University celebrates its 40th anniversary, it is proud to present an in-depth examination of Chancellor Lee and some of the alumni who embody the values of our institution and capture the spirit of achievement and enlightenment that mark the past four decades of our history. The following is an article matching the University’s leadership and values with six other organizations that were founded in 1971; along with six comprehensive profiles representing a remarkable alumnus from each of our five schools and one college, and highlights of 34 additional alumni who have made an impact in their chosen field or community. Jerry C. Lee Chancellor, National university system 32 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 33 Forty Years of Leadership and Values Six successful entities share three things in Common with National University What do Starbucks, FedEx, and Southwest Airlines have in common with National University? What similar qualities do Charles Schwab, the World Economic Forum, and Doctors Without Borders share with California’s secondlargest private, nonprofit institution of higher learning? Like National University, they were all founded in 1971. Additionally, each of them possesses key values that mirror our own and benefits from leaders who have embodied many of the same admirable traits demonstrated by National University System Chancellor Jerry C. Lee over the course of his remarkable 22-year tenure. The following is a glimpse of these six ground-breaking companies and organizations, along with a comparative look at their CEOs and the core values that align them with National University and Chancellor Lee. Starbucks | Charles Schwab Corporation | Southwest Airlines | FedEx Corporation | World Economic Forum | Doctors Without Borders 34 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 35 Quality: Howard Schultz, Chairman and CEO of Starbucks Access: Charles R. Schwab, Chairman of the Board, Charles Schwab Corporation Like Chancellor Lee, Starbucks Chairman and CEO Howard Schultz is a visionary who was able to conceptualize the future of his industry and create a model that would ultimately raise the bar and set new standards for all competitors. The Charles Schwab Corporation was founded by Charles Schwab as a traditional brick-and-mortar brokerage house. Today his business is one of the world’s most accessible brokers, offering traditional walk-in brokerage services while also providing services via telephone, wireless devices, and the Internet. Impressed by the stellar ambience and espresso of Italy’s coffee bars, Schultz also took note of their ubiquitous presence and social significance. Consequently, he created an incredibly successful business based not just on the quality of the product and the service, but the quality of the surroundings. Chancellor Lee did the same for National University, enhancing more than the quality of the curricula and the faculty. He realized that comfortable, well-appointed facilities complement a quality education and excellent service; they welcome students after a long day at work, and create an environment that is welcoming and conducive to learning. Employees appreciate a quality environment too. Fortune magazine has ranked Starbucks as one of the “100 Best Companies to Work For.” National University has been named by The Chronicle of Higher Education as a “Great College to Work For.” As the first online discount broker in the industry, Schwab enjoys a reputation for making Wall Street more accessible, much in the same fashion that Chancellor Lee has utilized technology and fostered an institutional culture that places higher education within broader reach. In large part, access increases when products or services are affordable. Schwab’s decision to roll back fee hikes helped to facilitate significant growth. Similarly, Chancellor Lee’s attentiveness to cost management and affordability have allowed the University to maintain reasonable per-course tuition rates and remain highly competitive when comparing costs among other private, nonprofit colleges and universities. For example, based upon to the College Board’s Trends in College Pricing report, National’s undergraduate tuition is 59 percent lower than the average private, four-year college. Relevance: Gary Kelly, Chairman and CEO of Southwest Airlines Making brokerage services more accessible is a laudable accomplishment, and certainly factors into decisions such as the San Francisco Chronicle naming Charles R. Schwab “CEO of the Year.” Likewise, making higher education more accessible has earned Chancellor Lee numerous distinctions, such as being named to the International Educator’s Hall of Fame. Gary Kelly is a leader who understands that a product or service has to make sense. It has to address a basic need, and the outcomes have to advance the customer toward his or her desired destination in the quickest, most efficient and affordable manner possible. These are the same principles that Chancellor Lee has underscored in 22 years of leadership; and they describe National University as well as Southwest Airlines (Southwest). Southwest’s customers are able to get to the airport, get on a plane and get to their destination faster, in a more affordable manner, and always in style and comfort with excellent customer service. National’s students are able to enroll in a program, get to class, are and earn a degree or credential faster in a more affordable manner, always with quality, rigor, and excellent student service. Southwest serves many of the same communities and regions that National serves. Like National University staff and faculty, Southwest employees give back to communities through volunteerism and are encouraged to embrace local charitable causes to make a positive and lasting difference. Southwest has been recognized by G.I. Jobs magazine as one of the nation’s Top Military Friendly Employers. In addition, National University has been recognized by G.I. Jobs as one of the nation’s “Military Friendly Schools.” 36 Accelerated Pace: Frederick W. Smith, Chairman and CEO of FedEx Corporation As a charter pilot early in his career, Frederick Smith frequently transported spare parts for companies that couldn’t wait for the passenger airlines to deliver timesensitive packages. His appreciation for the value of time led FedEx to become the world’s largest express transportation company, providing fast and reliable delivery to every U.S. address and to more than 220 countries and territories. As a university administrator early in his career, Chancellor Lee noticed that students didn’t want to wait several months to enroll in classes. Consequently, he led National University to become California’s second-largest private, nonprofit university by providing fast and reliable pathways to graduate and undergraduate degrees and credentials to every corner of the state, the region, and increasingly the globe. Under Mr. Smith’s leadership, FedEx ascribed to the Baldrige Performance Excellence program and was the first service company to win the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. Under Chancellor Lee’s leadership, National University has also ascribed to the Baldrige program, and has twice earned the Eureka Award for Performance Excellence (also known as the “Baby Baldrige Award”) from the California Council for Excellence. Affordability: Klaus Schwab, CEO of the World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab founded the World Economic Forum as a not-for-profit foundation committed to improving the state of the world. Under his stewardship, it has grown into a global partnership of business, political, and intellectual leaders that is addressing the world’s most pressing issues. Under Chancellor Lee’s stewardship, the National University System has grown into an impressive network of affiliate institutions and partnerships that are addressing the most pressing issues of higher education, vocational training, and lifelong learning. The World Economic Forum’s motto is “entrepreneurship in the global public interest,” and Mr. Schwab believes that economic progress and social development are inextricably linked and reliant upon one another. In other words, stability and prosperity thrive when life’s essential needs are affordable and accessible. The same is true with education; when it is affordable and accessible, it brings stability and prosperity to communities. Chancellor Lee has long recognized this notion, backed by Mr. Schwab’s “stakeholder” theory for businesses that envisions enterprise within the context of community, where success and prosperity among a broad diversity of constituencies are connected directly or indirectly to neighboring corporations, companies, and organizations. The Atlantic Council has honored Mr. Schwab with its “Global Citizen Award” in recognition of his vision and ability to place a better life within reach for more people. Similarly, Chancellor Lee has also been recognized for his similar vision and skills, garnering distinctions such as the “Sertoma Man of the Year Award.” Community: James Orbinski, M.D., Past President, Doctors Without Borders Doctors Without Borders was founded on the premise that all people have the right to medical care regardless of race, religion, creed, or political affiliation. Under Dr. Orbinski’s leadership, the organization has addressed numerous global humanitarian emergencies. He has advanced the notion that access to healthcare and essential health technologies are critical to global health issues, especially for large populations of underserved citizens. By de-emphasizing the borders that often divide nations and people and taking the stance that we are all citizens of the world, Dr. Orbinski has been able to unite countries and bring them together as a global community to address the most basic needs and offer widespread solutions to common challenges. Strong leadership and a clear sense of values have historically drawn people and organizations closer together and provided the purpose and focus to deliver progress and improvement. It is quite remarkable for an entity to survive for 40 years; it is more remarkable still to thrive after four decades. The purpose and direction provided by Chancellor Lee’s leadership and his emphasis on values have placed National University on par with some of the most admired and successful companies and organizations in the world, and created a secure foundation for future growth and impact. National University was founded on the premise that all people have the right to an education. Under Chancellor Lee’s leadership, National has addressed numerous concerns regarding higher learning in the 21st century. He has advanced the idea that access to undergraduate and graduate degrees and essential educational technologies are critical to a broad spectrum of global issues, especially for communities that have been traditionally underserved in higher education. By removing many of the traditional barriers that have often blocked entire communities from attending colleges or universities, Chancellor Lee has made National a consistent leader in conferring degrees to numerous minorities in a broad host of disciplines, addressing numerous societal needs and providing a highly educated citizenry that looks to expand on a global scale in coming years. 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 37 40 alumni who define national university 38 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 39 Stephanie Thal BA, Behavioral Science, 1989 College of letters and sciences An Ultimate Example of Giving Back Graduates who earn their Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from National University will likely be familiar with the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT). This professional organization, comprised of more than 29,000 members, exists for the advancement of marriage and family therapy and the common business interests of those practicing in the field. It attracts therapists who are dedicated to elevating the standards of their practice, provides opportunities for leadership, shapes the future of the profession within California, and helps to define the community of marriage and family therapists across the state. It speaks highly of the College of Letters and Sciences, and of the Psychology Department in particular, that alumni, such as Ms. Thal, would rise up to the highest levels of organizations, such as CAMFT, and contribute so richly to the betterment of her peers and colleagues. Ms. Thal is a past president and former board member of CAMFT. After a long, distinguished, and successful career as a marriage and family therapist, she remains extremely active with the association and currently serves on its Ethics Committee, where she is responsible for developing a code of ethics for the profession and reviewing ethics complaints. 40 As an alumna and adjunct faculty member, she has contributed untold hours as a volunteer and made many sacrifices to improve her profession in her spare time. In recognition of those efforts, Ms. Thal was honored as a Distinguished Clinical Member by CAMFT at its annual conference in 2009. What has she gained from years of dedication and involvement? For Ms. Thal, the answer is simple. “The thing that has given me the biggest thrill as a volunteer in my profession is helping my colleagues better their own professional lives,” she says. “There have been many times over the years where I have thought to myself, ‘this is so fulfilling. I could quit now and be quite content.’” Ms. Thal’s involvement with CAMFT has paid other dividends. She has built up an impressive network of professional contacts, having met fellow practitioners from all over California. Her volunteer work is also inextricably linked to her public service. A few years ago, after she completed seven years on the CAMFT Board, she was appointed to the California Mental Health Planning Council by California Director of Mental Health Stephen W. Mayberg. She serves on the Council’s Human Resource Committee, which addresses workforce development issues in the mental health industry. “Concurrent with my being appointed, Proposition 63 passed, putting much needed funding into the mental health system,” Ms. Thal explains. “As a result, graduates of Marriage and Family Therapists (MFT) schools could have more career opportunities in public mental health. Curriculum will be changing so that students will be better trained to work in public settings.” Proposition 63 (also known as the Mental Health Services Act) was approved by voters in November 2004. It provided increased funding to the California Department of Mental Health for personnel and other resources to support county mental health programs and monitor progress toward statewide goals for children, transition-age youth, adults, older adults, and families. The Act addresses a broad range of prevention, early intervention, and service needs along with the necessary infrastructure, technology, and training elements to support this system. Ms. Thal rigorously attends Board of Behavioral Science Examiners (BBS) meetings, since initially becoming licensed, and in the wake of Proposition 63, attended the BBS trainings for educators. She has an unparalleled understanding of laws and regulations, which in turn, translates into the most current, upto-date knowledge and expertise in her classrooms. Her students have received cutting-edge information that won’t be required to be taught until 2012. A current resident of Kern County, Ms. Thal maintained a private practice in Kernville, California until recently. After teaching at the Costa Mesa campus for many years, she now teaches and is lead faculty advisor for the MFT program in Bakersfield. She says that she follows students beyond the classroom and mentors many of them long after they graduate. “The students are very aware that my interest in them goes far beyond the one or two classes they may take from me,” Ms. Thal continues. “My students, just like my colleagues all over the state, know exactly how dedicated I am to them and to our profession. I hope that they will follow in my footsteps, serving the best interests of National University and marriage and family therapists everywhere.” The thing that has given me the biggest thrill as a volunteer in my profession is helping my colleagues better their own professional lives. 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 41 Evan Gaddis MBA, 1980 School of Business and Management Leadership That Transcends Careers Alumnus Evan Gaddis utilized his education at National University to chart a remarkable rise and an exemplary career in the U.S. Army, and then to successfully transition from a leader in the military into a leader in industry and public affairs. Earning a master’s degree while he was in the armed services, thenCaptain Gaddis advanced from a captain responsible for recruiting in San Diego to become a major general serving as commander of all Army recruiting, responsible for more than 12,000 employees and a budget of $401 million. After Gen. Gaddis retired from the Army in 2001, he was appointed as president of the Gas Supply Manufacturers Association. In 2005, he was selected to serve as president of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) following a nationwide search by its Board of Governors. NEMA is a trade association for the electrical manufacturing industry. Headquartered near Washington, D.C. with offices in Mexico and China, its membership is comprised of approximately 450 companies which manufacture products used in the generation, transmission and distribution, control, and end-use of electricity. NEMA promotes the competitiveness of the U.S. electrical product industry through the development of standards, advocacy in federal and state legislatures and executive agencies, and the collection and analysis of economic data. 42 “We’re working to produce more efficient and safer products,” says Gen. Gaddis. “We also do a lot of lobbying and work with governmental and regulatory entities. One of our most important projects right now is insuring the more efficient flow of electricity.” Gen. Gaddis made more than a few trips to the nation’s capitol while serving his country in the Army and is no stranger to the halls of Congress and the ins and outs of the political process. His experience as a Major General working with committees and subcommittees in Washington, D.C. has helped to place his organization in a position to make a major difference. NEMA was named as the official partner with the National Institute of Standards and Technology by Congress in the 2007 Energy Act for the development of a Smart Grid. Gen. Gaddis describes the Smart Grid as “electricity with a brain.” He says it is about combining cutting-edge technology, energy storage and distribution, and energy-efficient appliances to add intelligence to the nation’s electric power infrastructure and delivery systems. The basic concept is to add monitoring, analysis, control, and communication capabilities to the national electricity delivery system, which in turn maximizes the output, improves reliability, decreases interruptions, lowers utility bills, and reduces energy consumption. “Working on the Smart Grid places us in the sweet spot for what the federal government is trying to accomplish in regard to keeping a clean environment and generating jobs in emerging green industries,” Gen. Gaddis adds. Advancing the Smart Grid requires leadership, vision, collaboration, consensus-building, and strategic planning. In Gen. Gaddis’ role, he serves as a key liaison between two partnering communities: his client manufacturers and the legislative body of the federal government. Each community possesses a unique culture and a process by which each engages with other entities to promote mutually beneficial outcomes. The ability to facilitate cooperation and planning between two large groups to identify and foster areas of collective interest and generate the desired results are valuable and irreplaceable traits in any institution or organization, including National University. Gen. Gaddis was able to hone such skills during his years as an Army general. He has been able to successfully transition those abilities into the civilian world, demonstrating his talents as a leader for NEMA amid some of the most complex and demanding cross currents of public interest, shepherding his organization’s agenda through what is often a labyrinthine maze of bureaucracy, while maintaining his vision and focus. These were just the set of abilities that National University was seeking when it recruited a blue ribbon panel of distinguished reviewers to provide objective and expert input regarding its latest fiveyear strategic plan. The University invited Gen. Gaddis to join the panel, which met in Washington, D.C. in the fall of 2009, to set a sure and steady course through uncertain and rapidly shifting times. “We were honored to have Gen. Gaddis with us,” says National University Interim President Patricia Potter, who convened the panel to review National’s strategic plan. Other reviewers included Stephen Trachtenberg, president emeritus of The George Washington University; Karabelle Pizzigati, member of the board and immediate past board president of the National Association of State Boards of Education; Winston Tabb, Sheridan dean of Libraries and Museums at The Johns Hopkins University; and Bruce Joseph, chair of Copyright Practice, at the firm of Wiley Rein LLP. “It was a privilege to serve with this distinguished group of people on such a worthy and important project,” says Gen. Gaddis. “I am happy to contribute to the University that meant so much to my success; and one which has served so many veterans and active duty military personnel so well over the years.” Thanks to Gen. Gaddis’ leadership and abilities, his dedication and involvement in National University, and the future interests of his country, the nation’s energy policy and the University’s future success stand to flourish in the months and years to come. 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 43 Kurt Madden Preliminary Administrative Service Credential, 1989 School of education Setting the Benchmark for Principals Like numerous other alumni from the National University School of Education, Kurt Madden has distinguished himself as one of the top educators in his field. He is the principal of Scripps Ranch High School, the top-performing comprehensive high school in the San Diego Unified School District in 2009. America’s high schools are a community within a community. They are often the focal point of a neighborhood, a point of civic pride, a beacon for academic and athletic achievement, and a springboard for burgeoning youth as they plan and prepare for a brighter tomorrow. In recent years, high schools have become some of the most scrutinized institutions in society. Principals such as Principal Madden are held accountable to federal and state standards, as mandated by the U.S. government’s No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, and California’s Public Schools Accountability Act of 1999. His school is assessed annually by benchmarks, such as the Academic Performance Index (API), an annual report card for schools, which measures performance and progress based on the results of statewide tests for students grades two through twelve. 44 In the two academic years preceding this one, the API score at Scripps Ranch High rose by 46 points. In 2009, Principal Madden sent more seniors to college than any other high school in San Diego County, producing 91 seniors with a grade point average of 4.0 or higher. As further testament to Principal Madden’s administrative skills, Scripps Ranch High School was among 19 select San Diego County high schools and middle schools named as California Distinguished Schools in 2009 (32 percent of which were headed by principals who are National University alumni). It is also a National Blue Ribbon School. To be invited to apply for Distinguished School honors, schools must meet a variety of eligibility criteria, including designated federal and state accountability measures based on No Child Left Behind (NCLB), Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP), and the API requirements. Scripps Ranch High School has accelerated in all three categories. “I am very grateful that National University gave me the possibility to achieve my goal, which was to be a leader in education,” says Principal Madden, who considers himself to be an accessible, hands-on administrator who leads by example. But administrative skills represent just one of the many facets a successful principal must possess. The head of a high school must also be a mentor, a role model, a counselor, a teacher, and a coach. “I make it a practice that we’re out before school to meet the students,” Principal Madden explains. “Our administrative team makes over 500 class visits per month. Almost 70 percent of my day is spent out on campus. You’ll rarely find me in my office.” Principal Madden also conducts what he calls “power walks,” blocking out one day per month on his calendar to visit three or four classes, observe his teachers at work and learn firsthand what’s working and what isn’t. “I’m out there tasting it, smelling it, touching it,” he adds. “It’s a very powerful exercise.” Success rarely comes overnight for high school principals, and it certainly didn’t for Madden. He has spent 23 years at seven high schools in three different districts, working in diverse positions that include athletics and counseling. He worked at an inner city middle school prior to coming to Scripps Ranch. The cumulative lessons learned from experience have provided the National University alumnus with a broad range of perspectives and provided him with an appreciation for the unique culture and circumstances one finds in different neighborhoods and at various schools. A leader who is appreciated for his work ethic, Principal Madden isn’t one to rest upon his laurels or remain content with past achievement. Although Scripps Ranch was ranked number one in the San Diego school district for its test scores, he is quick to point out that his high school was only ranked number five in San Diego County. And with four other schools scoring higher, he and his administrators made it a point to visit those campuses this school year to investigate best practices and discover where there is room for improvement. Principal Madden’s goal is for Scripps Ranch to be the first high school in California to reach an API score of 900, and he believes it is “very attainable.” But beyond the metrics and scores, he appreciates that his students are more than numbers, and their development relies upon more than academic performance. That is why he says he will continue his power walks and spend a majority of his days out mingling with and getting to know his students. 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 45 Edwin Mahieu MS, Software Engineering, 2003 School of Engineering and Technology Higher Education Advocate Inspires Employees In 2009, the National University School of Engineering and Technology (SOET) provided alumnus Edwin Mahieu with a Certificate of Appreciation for his dedication and support “to the vision and mission of education.” Mr. Mahieu, an engineering manager at Abbott Vascular in Temecula, California, has been instrumental in developing offsite graduate and undergraduate programs at his workplace, which have enhanced the careers of several of his colleagues while also benefitting Abbott. He is an awardwinning employee with 22 years of service to his company and has remained actively engaged with his alma mater and his community. “I am a big advocate of providing opportunities to those who want to learn and grow,” says Mr. Mahieu, who volunteers and donates to National University and organizations such as Compadres Bank and Kiva (two organizations which help disadvantaged people in Third World countries start businesses that will allow them to build a foundation that will grow over generations) and United Way. “Whether I’m promoting higher education, micro-lending for startup businesses, or supporting local charitable organizations, it’s all rewarding.” 46 made it to college, Mr. Mahieu was more inspired than most. He was determined to elevate himself and his family, both educationally and financially. He knew; however, that the long drive was not practical for most people, and might dissuade some of his colleagues from following in his footsteps. Along with the Learning & Development department at his company, he worked with SOET faculty to establish programs onsite at the company’s facilities in southwest Riverside County. Starting out at as a technician at Abbott (then Advanced “I was tremendously inspired by Cardiovascular Systems), Edwin, both as a student and as Mr. Mahieu was someone who an advocate of higher education was quickly able “to grasp the big to his fellow workers,” says John picture.” His appreciation for how Bugado, a professor emeritus at different departments integrate and National University and one of Mr. operate together as a team took him Mahieu’s most influential faculty from the production line, engineering, members. “His passion, energy, and and finally into a manager’s position. leadership were critical factors in It also instilled in him a broader view developing off-site engineering and of community. management programs.” Those programs have been in place for “My experience at work and as a almost two years now. student led me to realize the value of lifelong learning and education,” In addition, earning a master’s Mr. Mahieu explains. “I experienced degree contributed to Mr. Mahieu’s what these opportunities could do advancement, and he says it has for me and wanted to share those helped a number of his colleagues benefits with others around me. achieve their career objectives When you improve yourself, I think within the organization. there’s a natural inclination to help Always returning to the bigger others around you. It’s an incredible ripple effect that has the potential to picture, the SOET graduate is quick to point out that having expand exponentially.” As a working adult who commuted 120 miles from Temecula to Mission Valley and back twice a week and every other weekend, Mr. Mahieu set an example of what was possible for an ambitious employee. The son of working class parents who never highly educated engineers at Abbott Vascular has the potential to contribute to a better quality of life for hundreds of thousands of patients who benefit from the company’s combination of cuttingedge medical device innovations and world-class pharmaceuticals designed to improve cardiac and vascular care. “We have more knowledgeable engineers who have a better understanding of the approach behind the business,” he adds. “This helps to advance Abbott as an industry leader and one of the top companies to work for.” As residents of one of Southern California’s wine-growing regions, Mr. Mahieu and his family are currently developing a winery on their five-acre property in Temecula as a hobby. He refers to the Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petite Verdot vines that he has been planting as “the fruits of our labors.” Professor Bugado refers to Mr. Mahieu as “the fruit of our labors,” a loyal and dedicated alumnus who has transformed his life, contributed to his company, and given back abundantly to his community. “He is an exemplary graduate and a role model for many other graduates to follow,” Prof. Bugado adds. I am a big advocate of providing opportunities to those who want to learn and grow. 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 47 Mary Evert MBA, 1980 School of Health and Human Services A Healthy Dose of Public Service Alumna Mary Evert has enjoyed a long and distinguished career in healthcare, where education, opportunity, and public service frequently go hand-in-hand. An occupational therapist who became a supervisor at Rancho Los Amigos Hospital in Downey, Ms. Evert’s budding leadership skills were put to the test early in her career as a founding team member of the Sharp Rehabilitation Center in San Diego. With a husband in the Navy and a newborn child, Ms. Evert went back to school to earn her MBA, selecting National University, one of the first institutions of higher education in the nation to recognize and serve the needs of working adults, homemakers, and other non-traditional learners. “My husband went to sea, and I wasn’t willing to let someone else raise my children, so of course National appealed to me,” she explains. “It allowed me to remain a stay-at-home mom and study and advance within my profession at the same time.” Ms. Evert earned her degree in 1980 and once again, moved up the ladder in her profession. She was elected president of the Occupational Therapy Association of California and ran the statewide organization for two terms right after graduating from National University. 48 “National was really a launching point for my career,” she adds. ”That MBA really made a difference.” In 1981, Ms. Evert was elected as chairman of the board of directors for the Palomar Pomerado Hospital District, the largest hospital district in California. The rapid growth and dramatic technological advances of the era placed unprecedented financial demands upon healthcare institutions. In response, Ms. Evert helped establish the Palomar Pomerado Health Foundation. Her fellow board members signed a $78 million bond to fund the region’s medical needs well into the future. In 1985, Ms. Evert’s husband was transferred to Annapolis, Maryland—far from San Diego, but close to Washington, D.C. It was a potentially disruptive move for a healthcare administrator in her prime with a firmly established family and strong community ties. “Don’t worry,” a well-connected contact told Ms. Evert. “Just tell me where you end up, and I’ll get you in to see the vice president.” written communications coming out of the entire federal public health service, working directly with institutions such as the Center for Disease Control, the National Center for Health, and the Food and Drug Administration. Later, Ms. Evert served for two years as director of the Office of Community Services for the family support administration within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She also worked as a consultant in the Department of Agriculture in the first Bush administration, before assuming another national leadership position as president of the Board of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). As AOTA leader, Ms. Evert promoted her organization and her profession. She participated in the healthcare reform debate during the Clinton years, lobbying hard to make sure that occupational therapy would be available to people all over the United States. Ultimately, Ms. Evert was elected U.S. Representative to the World Federation of Occupational Therapy and was offered faculty positions teaching health policy and management. She joined Washington University School of Medicine as an adjunct assistant professor and continued on as a consultant in the nation’s capital before she and her husband moved back to San Diego in 1997. She reunited with Palomar Pomerado Health Foundation, joining its board, and started a practice in strategic planning and change management—“the business side that I had learned at National [University],” says Ms. Evert. She never gave up her practice as an occupational therapist and is former Governor Schwarzenegger’s appointee to California Board of Occupational Therapy, where she serves as chair. It would be understandable for Ms. Evert to decline any new commitments at this point in her life and career, but when Michael Lacourse, dean of the National University School of Health and Human Services, asked her to chair his new advisory board, she says he could have knocked her over with a feather. “I’ve always been proud of my affiliation with National University,” Ms. Evert proclaims. “I was actually flattered that someone from National would contact me. When I heard Michael’s vision and learned about what he wanted to do, well, that’s just a song I like to sing. I always like to be in on the ground swell when someone is doing something innovative in healthcare.” Within five months of relocating, Ms. Evert was appointed deputy assistant secretary of health for the Reagan administration. She headed all public affairs and oversaw all 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 49 Tonnette Lyles BA, Digital Journalism, 2011 School of media and communication Aspiring Journalist Builds Minority Platform Eight years ago, National University System Chancellor Jerry C. Lee made an unprecedented commitment to the San Diego Association of Black Journalists (SDABJ) by sponsoring an annual scholarship worth up to $50,000. Since then, the SDABJ Scholarship has provided numerous promising students with a four-year tuition reimbursement to National University’s School of Media and Communication. One such recipient, Tonnette Lyles, has discovered the profound impact that an individual African-American woman can make when combining the hope of higher education and power of the media with the value of community. When she was growing up in Oakland, California, Ms. Lyles recalls that the media was an important and influential force in family and local affairs. “My mom would clip newspaper articles and put them on the refrigerator or place them in my room,” she explains. Ms. Lyles’s mother earned her master’s degree, and her father was a career soldier in the Army. Both parents emphasized the importance of an informed and enlightened citizenry, and the value of having and sharing a voice in community, national, and international affairs. “Of course a parent always aspires for her child to go to college,” she 50 adds. “In my family, that was considered the pathway to making one’s dreams come true. My mother modeled the focus, dedication, and commitment required to succeed academically. Now, thanks to National University, I’m doing the same for my daughter.” Ms. Lyles, the 2007 SDABJ Scholarship recipient, is close to completing a convergent journalism program, which combines blogging and web-based media with traditional media. The program prepares graduates for a variety of positions, including opportunities in print and broadcast journalism as well as online assignments with print and cable organizations. She is involved with community affairs through her church and her daughter’s school, and says she likes to work with youth. Her ideal target audience would be AfricanAmerican teenagers, primarily young females who need someone to talk to, admire, and emulate. and younger who may be struggling or need guidance,” she says. “That’s where my heart is. I would love to write a blog that shows young women how to write a resume or apply for a scholarship. Often, people just don’t know how to do these things.” Having grown up in military housing, Ms. Lyles’s childhood environment was “pretty much middle class.” She recalls that many of her friends and schoolmates, however, were exposed to the streets, raised in single parent homes, or faced other disadvantages from an early age. “I saw my fair share of teenage pregnancies, high school dropouts, and drug use, and it motivated me to help,” she says. “I saw people who didn’t have the same opportunities I did. They didn’t have someone to guide or encourage them, but many of them did have a desire to improve themselves.” The future journalist grows passionate as she discusses the wayward peers that populated her youth and now inhabit nearly every large city in America. “They had dreams and desires, but perhaps not the proper motivation or guidance,” she figures. “A few bad influences might have eclipsed the more positive influences in their lives.” Citing her studies, Ms. Lyles emphasizes “a strong need” within urban America for an informative, encouraging, and uplifting voice. She also expresses a growing confidence in her own ability to communicate. “I think that if I write a letter it can make a difference. As a journalist, I can have a large and powerful voice,” she says, referring to other journalists as “muckrakers, and exposers of light and truth who uncovered hidden facts and illuminated a pathway for others to follow.” “As a journalist, hopefully I can stir up some action. To me, I haven’t seen enough (media) focus on the African-American community. There still isn’t a sufficient understanding of the black experience in America among the mainstream press. I meet a lot of people who don’t know a lot about the African-American community here in San Diego.” Ms. Lyles doesn’t believe her voice necessarily needs to be limited to an African-American-centric newspaper. She acknowledges that they play an important role and that she reads them and respects them, but she aspires to have the African-American perspective heard and appreciated in the mainstream media as well. “This country has worked hard to integrate racially over the past 50 years. Consequently, AfricanAmericans are more dispersed among a greater variety of communities and neighborhoods. Still, it is important for us to preserve our cultural identity and contribute our unique perspective when engaging in a broader dialogue. National University is giving me a powerful opportunity to do just that.” “I’m interested in working with all women, but I have a special place in my heart for black women my age 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 51 Alumni Who Define National University Allison Andrews Maria Carr Irma Becerra (BS, Organizational Leadership, 2010) is co-founder of the Ross Family Foundation, which supports charitable organizations in San Francisco, San Diego, and Orange County. She is a former Red Cross Volunteer of the Year award recipient who served as president of her high school chapter. (MS. Special Education, 2001) is director of Special Education for California Virtual Academies, the largest virtual charter school in California, supervising a staff of over 50 employees. Ms. Carr, who is also an author, has been published in Converge Magazine, T.H.E. Journal (Technology Horizons in Education), and The Educational Therapist. (BS, Criminal Justice Administration, 2008) retired recently from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department at the rank of captain, following a 27-year career in law enforcement. She is a former recipient of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors’ Woman of the Year Award and the Latino Peace Officers Association’s Latina of the Year Award. Ms. Becerra, who is currently pursuing a doctoral degree from the University of Southern California, plans to apply to the State Parole Board. Julie Jerden (MS in Organizational Leadership, 2010) of Houston, Texas is an award-winning web designer who has written two Department of Homeland Security grants resulting in more than $135,000 in funding. James Lee Miller (BA, Psychology, 2009) of San Diego is president of the Cal-Diego Paralyzed Veterans Association. A disabled veteran himself, Mr. Miller has been active for several years with the disabled veterans’ community. Sara Elizabeth Morris (BSN, 2010) of Escondido, California received a scholarship from the George B. Boland Nurses Training Trust Fund and earned the Hospice Patient Care Trainee Award and the National University Academic Achievement Award while she was a nursing student. 52 Shelly Melton Nora Roque (Master of Human Resource Management, 2010) earned the Newport-Mesa Unified School District’s Employee Super Star Award while studying for her degree. The former human resources coordinator for the Beverly Hills Unified School District is a member of the Association of California School Administrators. Monique Santos (BBA, 2010) joined Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, California last May as director of Medical Staff Services. She is former president of the Hawaii Association of Medical Staff Professionals. Victoria Vasquez Ikerd-Schreiter (Master of Public Administration, 2000) graduated from California Western School of Law in 2007 and went on to become a district representative for State Senator Denise Ducheny. She is currently working to create a United Nations chartered non-governmental organization to improve knowledge about and services for children with autism in underserved countries across the globe. Michael McCoy (MBA, 1992) is a 21-year veteran of the Coast Guard who was formerly recognized by the National Defense Intelligence Association as the Coast Guard’s top intelligence practitioner. He has also received the Professional Excellence Award from his employer, Booz Allen Hamilton, a private consulting firm, that contracts with the federal government and other clients on defense and homeland security matters. (BA, Interdisciplinary Studies, 2008) has been involved in the Fresno area’s charter school community for the past twelve years with responsibilities ranging from independent study facilitator to co-founder/assistant director and eventually executive director of Valley Preparatory Academy Charter School. After the Fresno Unified School District renewed Valley Prep’s charter petition in 2007, the school operated as a site-based and independent study hybrid program. Today, it serves about 240 students onsite, along with 20 independent study students offsite. Marzena Mulawka Angela Gottschall Christopher Hampson (M.Ed./Credential, 2003) is a former theatre arts teacher for the Los Angeles Unified School District who is close to completing her Administrative Services credential. She is a former recipient of the Los Angeles Music Center’s BRAVO Award for Outstanding Arts Specialist and was selected as a fellow by Los Angeles County Office of Education’s Instructional Media program through the American Film Institute. (BS, Computer Science, 1990) is a principal engineer at Intel, the world’s largest producer of semiconductor chips, where he has been working for 17 years. He currently chairs a worldwide joint engineering team that focuses on array testing. Patrick Kelly (MBA, 2007) is an entrepreneur who has started three and sold two companies. His latest company, IntraStage, is a leading provider of enterprise software solutions for companies who design and manufacture electronic products. It just raised Series A-1 financing. His previous company, Cal-Bay Systems, tripled revenues under Mr. Kelly’s leadership. (MFS, 2009) interned for the San Diego Police Department Biology Division and also worked for the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office in Investigations, where she ended up identifying more than 50 unidentified persons while working in death investigation. She was recently offered a position with the FBI and also accepted a research internship with the New York City office of the chief medical examiner and was offered a position on a national mass disaster team that deploys forensic experts around the nation when mass casualty incidents occur. Yulian Navarro Cordero (Master’s, Psychological Counseling, 2008) was the first in her family to attend college, overcoming rheumatoid arthritis to earn her degree. She is currently a steering committee member at the Latino Networking Consortium, an advocacy group for mental health in Hispanic communities. She also serves as a professor in psychology for University of Phoenix and works as a marriage and family therapist intern for Southwestern Community College. John Pak (MBA, 2006) came to the United States from Korea in 2001 and initially worked in a factory in Los Angeles. Within a year, he became the plant manager. While attending National University, he worked as a realtor, and when he graduated, he was hired by Swiss bank UBS as a financial advisor. Today, he is a financial advisor for Merrill Lynch, serves as president of the Korean American Coalition in San Diego, and has been named as one of the city’s most influential young Asian Americans. 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 53 Craig Kuennen Viktor Ólason (BBA, 1998) leads a $70 million Smart Grid project for Glendale Water & Power (GWP), one of 100 such projects funded by a U.S. Department of Energy grant. He was instrumental in securing the funding for the Los Angeles-based public utility. Additionally, he is responsible for the development and implementation of all GWP energy efficiency, low-income, renewable energy, green building, green power and water conservation programs. (BBA, 1991) was recently named CEO of TAL, a telecommunications company based in Iceland. Mr. Ólason, who has held several senior management positions with companies in Iceland over the past 20 years, was previously CEO of KreditKort, a leading issuer of MasterCard in Iceland. He has also been recognized by American Express for successfully introducing its products and services to the Icelandic markets. James Galluzzo (MBA, 2007) was recently promoted from major to lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army. He is currently deployed to Iraq as the senior human resource officer for the 3rd Sustainment Brigade, which is currently responsible for all of the Army’s logistics operations in the northern half of that nation. He obtained his degree while serving as the Military Entrance Processing Station Commander at Fort Lee, Virginia. Jessica Zarate (MBA, 2007) has patented and brought to market a new product for lifting bloody impression evidence. The product, Zar-Pro Fluorescent Blood Lifting Strips, is based upon research conducted with a research grant awarded to her by the Midwest Forensics Resource Center to work in a collaboration with the Michigan State Police and Madonna University. Her research manuscript was recently accepted for publication in the International Association for Identification’s Journal of Forensic Identification. Harry Tetteh (MS Educational and Instructional Technology, 2008) was the first student from Ghana to participate in ThinkQuest, an international competition, sponsored by the Oracle Education Foundation, that inspires the creation of innovative and educational websites to share with the world. He and his team won the platinum medal in ThinkQuest Africa’s science and math category. Mr. Tetteh currently works for Oracle African Operations as a technology presales consultant. 54 Nick DeCorso (MBA, 1986) was an attorney in private practice when he enrolled at National University with the ambition to become in-house counsel to a business. A few months after graduating, he was hired by Equitable Life Leasing, a commercial equipment leasing company, to manage their litigation. A few years later, General Electric Capital Corporation (GE Capital) acquired Equitable Life Leasing and Mr. DeCorso has served as a lawyer with GE Capital since. Today, he is general counsel of GE Capital’s Global Electronics Services business. William W. Cochran, Ed.D. (Master of Educational Administration, 1986) is vice president of Academic Affairs at Shasta College, a community college in Redding, California. His administrative career includes service at a large comprehensive high school in the San Joaquin Valley. At the community college level, he has held positions as dean of Instruction for Vocational Education, and dean of Instruction for Liberal Arts. He was recently considered as a finalist for president of the College of Marin. Lori Freiermuth (MS, Education, 2001) was appointed by former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to the California Academic Content Standards Commission in June 2010. Ms. Freiermuth is employed as a math teacher with the Sweetwater Union High School District. She is a National Board Certified Teacher. Melody S. Thornton CPA (BBA in Accounting, 1983) was elected president of the San Diego Chapter of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants (CalCPA) for 2010 - 11. CalCPA is the nation’s largest state accounting organization and the largest CPA association in California. Ms. Thornton, a resident of Carlsbad, California, is a tax partner with J.H. Cohn LLP, San Diego. Steve Salvatori (MBA, 2003) is founder and CEO of Spokane Entrepreneurial Center in Spokane, Washington, whose mission is to help small businesses by providing low cost rent with no deposit or lease requirements and a productive environment that helps business grow while keeping overhead to a minimum. He recently launched a radio show, “The Spokane Entrepreneur Show,” on KSBN 1230 AM. Francisco Borbolla (MBA, 1981) worked as superintendent of a canning plant in Ensenada, Mexico while pursuing his MBA with National University. Subsequently, he became general manager of a distribution firm in Yucatan, leading it through seven years of growth until becoming regional sales manager for a canning company in Guadalajara and growing it into an industry leader. He recently earned his Ph.D., and has been teaching graduatelevel business courses at several universities in Mexico. Gloria Pualani Ismail Tohumcu (MBA, 1989) was recognized in 2010 by her employer, Northrop Grumman, for outstanding contributions to engineering and community service at the 2010 Black Engineer of the Year Awards in Baltimore, Maryland. As director of socio-economic business programs and government relations for Northrop Grumman, she received the Supplier Diversity Award for advocating business development opportunities for minority-owned firms. (MBA, 1997) is deputy undersecretary for the defence Industries of Turkey (SSM). He has also served as an advisor to the prime minister of Turkey, and has experience as a department head for fund management and a project manager for the SSM’s aviation department. Vince Reardon (MA, Strategic Communications, 2009) has written a book, Legacy: Passing on Cherished Values in a Values-Starved World (LP Publishers; 2010). His book profiles 25 individuals, including mountain climber and National University Board Member Stacy Allison, who have made a diverse and lasting impression upon the modern world. Michelle Tabb Debbie Diersch (MBA, 2008) was named CEO/ President of Chrysalis Software after earning her MBA from National University. The 25-year veteran in the telecommunications and contact center industries was also appointed to the board of directors for the Watsonville Wetlands Watch near Monterey Bay. Chrysalis is a company in Carmel, California that help businesses improve customer relationships with call center products and professional services. (BS, Paralegal Studies, 2007) is 21-year veteran of the United States Attorney’s Office who worked her way up from receptionist to paralegal specialist. She currently serves as a board member of the Los Angeles Paralegal Association, and as a member of National University’s Paralegal Department Advisory Board. Jami Parsons (MS, Educational Counseling, 1995) was selected by the American School Counselor Association as one of eight nationwide finalists for its Counselor of the Year award. Ms. Parsons, who works at El Morro and Top of the World elementary schools in the Laguna Beach Unified School District, was subsequently invited to Washington D.C. to meet with members of Congress about educational policy and practices to better support students. 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 55 Golf & Community: Chancellor Lee’s Vision For the Newest System Addition Strolling the greens, amid fresh air and a scenic backdrop provides an unparalleled opportunity for civil and civic engagement. To fully appreciate the value of the National University Golf Academy, National University System’s newest addition, one must consider three things: (1) the virtues of golf; (2) the vision of the National University System Chancellor, Jerry C. Lee; and (3) National University’s commitment to community. The Golf of Academy, which opened in August 2009, is already making an impact that transcends the classroom and the links. Lessons learned at its Carlsbad campus, its online swing laboratory or its more than 50 affiliated golf courses apply to that bigger game called life. Golf is often thought of as an individual’s game, but its social qualities provide enormous collective benefits. It has at times been perceived as an elitist pursuit; however, the sport’s handicapping system creates one of the most egalitarian and level playing fields in all of sports. It is an amazingly inclusive pastime, in which people of all ages and athletic ability have succeeded. As an educational leader, Chancellor Lee appreciates golf and believes the sport is an amazing teacher, instilling patience, humility, courtesy, and integrity in its players, and 56 promoting dedication, concentration, and analysis while at the same time, almost paradoxically lulling the player into a sense of relaxation and reflection. “Out on the links, one can measure the true character of a potential business partner or discuss in detail the various aspects of a pending business deal,” Chancellor Lee says. “Strolling the greens, amid fresh air and a scenic backdrop provides an unparalleled opportunity for civil and civic engagement.” These are all elements that Chancellor Lee, himself an avid golfer, recognized as powerful and potent factors which are well aligned with, and complementary to the mission and goals of National University. As has been customary throughout his tenure at National University, the Chancellor brought his vision of a golf academy to fruition through exemplary research and planning and hired the ideal person to advance the new institution. Chancellor Lee discovered his future Golf Academy dean several years ago, when he first read Inner Game: Breaking Golf’s Unbreakable Barriers, by Dr. Mac Powell. Dr. Powell is a professor of psychology at National University and a PGA professional. He also holds a master’s degree in clinical psychology and a Ph.D. in sociology, and has designed a sports psychology curriculum for a golf academy in St. Louis, Missouri. As Dr. Powell recalls, he was invited to Chancellor Lee’s office to meet and discuss projects that could expand the reach of the National University System. The two of them enjoyed an intriguing conversation and remained in contact until two years ago, when Chancellor Lee asked Dr. Powell if he would be interested in spearheading an innovative golf education program that would combine academics with golf at the high school, associate’s, and bachelor’s levels. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Dr. Powell and a bold step forward for National University. There are an estimated 28 million golfers nationwide, according to the National Golf Foundation, and around 4.6 million of those golfers play the game at least 25 times per year. The game has a ubiquitous presence in cities and counties across the nation. There are close to 12,000 public golf courses in the United States, which is about twice the amount of all U.S. registered hospitals, and it can be argued that golfing plays a significant role in advancing the health and vitality of the community. In fact, a study by the National University System Institute for Policy Research indicates that golf in San Diego County had a total direct and indirect economic value of $3.7 billion and was responsible for 26,900 jobs in 2008. “It’s a phenomenon that transcends borders,” says Dr. Powell who spent last year traveling the globe and visiting various countries that are interested in developing their golf economies. “Golf is becoming a big deal around the world. It was just recognized as an Olympic event, and golf courses represent a major and growing source of public pride on an international scale,” he adds. “I tip my hat to Chancellor Lee. He saw this coming years ago and was two or three steps ahead of the crowd in his thinking.” Since there are no recognized professional golf associations in Asia, a group of professionals is trying to form such an organization. The group is consulting with Dr. Powell and the Academy, free of charge, to be the driver of that initiative. In partnership with the Golf Academy, National University Virtual High School offers an introductory golf-focused curriculum to its students and provides golf school coursework for high school students who wish to pursue credit toward graduation. Golf is also a charitable and character-shaping game. As Dr. Powell points out, it raises a lot of money for worthy causes. Character, civic responsibility, and etiquette are all key elements to the sport and comprise core components of the curriculum at the Golf Academy. If there is one drawback for Chancellor Lee and Dr. Powell, it is that their efforts to build something special have reduced their time on the links. “A good golf teacher instills respect, responsibility, and humility; those are great values to have,” says Dr. Powell. Our staff and faculty think that’s critical for success, whether you teach, play, or observe, and those kinds of values are exactly what National University embraces.” “Golfing is something we both love that we haven’t been able to enjoy as much as we would like,” Dr. Powell admits. “In the end; however, I believe the Academy is an incredible testament to the Chancellor. Few people I know are more passionate than he is about education, golf, and the community, and I believe it shows in every aspect of this institution.” The Golf Academy recently qualified for a grant to teach disadvantaged youth and currently partners with The First Tee and Pro Kids Golf, two highly respected programs, which introduce golf to a diverse array of deserving youth. Since the Golf Academy opened last summer, its stature and reputation have advanced impressively. It currently offers two certificates and an Associate of Arts degree with a Concentration in Professional Golf Management and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sport Psychology. 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 57 The National University System Celebrates its 10 th Anniversary In 2001, the National University Board of Trustees approved the formation of the National University System, envisioning a community of allied institutions that would share National University’s core values of meeting the emerging challenges and demands of the 21st century learner. Under the leadership and direction of Chancellor Jerry C. Lee, the National University System visualized a growing need for cohesive networks of educational and supporting institutions that were more integrated, more flexible, and more accessible than those of the past. Together, these institutions would aim to serve a broad spectrum of learners, including high school students, college students, corporate employees, business owners, and professionals. They would address numerous emerging circumstances, including the pursuit of dual credit or advanced placement courses, preparations for mid-life career changes, the accruing of continuing education credits, or the ability to return to school or the workforce after an extended absence. Under the new System, National University found strength in numbers, becoming one of several independent, but affiliated institutions. The number of affiliates has steadily grown over the past decade, marked by the acquisition of institutions, such as WestMed College and John F. Kennedy University, as well as the establishment of new entities such as National University Virtual High School and Spectrum Pacific Learning Company LLP. Whether addressing the global demand for higher education, as has been the case with National University International, or creating a tuitionfree charter public school with the establishment of the National 58 with the belief that new challenges require new ways of thinking and out-of-the-box solutions to one of the most vital services society can provide. University Academy, each System affiliate provides unique educational opportunities to a specific audience of learners. Through the formation of centers and institutes, such as the Center for Integrative Health, the Center for Performance Psychology, and the National University Institute for Policy Research, the National University System is meeting a diverse and growing mandate for educational institutions that offer greater flexibility and responsiveness than traditional colleges and universities of the past. Over the past 10 years, as System affiliates have embraced an allied, integrated approach to lifelong learning, they have concurrently broadened access to exemplary educational opportunities for a widening population of students and organizations. Today’s six System affiliates share a common purpose and vision, and have pooled resources to strengthen and complement one another in several ways. The System has proven to be practical and efficient when it comes to managing tuition costs while offering multiple entry points into an integrated, multi-tiered alliance of educational institutions. The System’s modus operandi has been referred to as a 21st century approach to fulfilling the Jeffersonian vision for educational opportunities. It was conceived by Chancellor Lee and System leadership as an inclusive and democratic approach to learning Ten years is a small amount of time in the context of implementing large-scale change and radically reshaping the educational landscape to conform with the swift flow of modern technology and innovation. Nevertheless, as the National University System celebrates its first decade of existence, it has demonstrated a remarkable ability to manifest its mission and bring Chancellor Lee’s vision to fruition. Collectively, the affiliates have gained an impressive measure of momentum and proven more than able to successfully address numerous challenges. As it expands over the next 10 years, the National University System will continue to embrace an increasingly diverse set of educational organizations, serving the needs of a varied clientele as an allencompassing institution dedicated to access and quality. The System will also continue to pursue support from corporations, foundations, and governmental entities, as well as global partnerships with public and private educators. What does all this mean for National University students and alumni? It will place the education and success that you enjoyed within reach of thousands of additional individuals; it will connect secondary and vocational education in more seamless and convenient ways with higher education and lifelong learning; and it will deepen the roots of your alma mater and provide a powerful, reliable foundation for future growth and respectability. 40 TH ANNIVERSARY | NATIONAL UNIVERSIT Y 59 School of Health and Human Services Education Provides the Cure for an Industry in Need The National University School of Health and Human Services (SHHS) was founded in 2005 to address a shortage of health practitioner shortages and meet increasing demands for an educated workforce within the healthcare industry. Continuous medical advances, rapidly evolving healthcare technology, and the dramatic number of aging baby boomers have contributed to a need for more healthcare and health science professionals, and opportunities for students in clinical health sciences, healthcare administration, nursing, public health, and other related fields are projected to grow over the next several years. SHHS makes such programs available to a diverse pool of qualified and dedicated individuals, and has become National University’s fastestgrowing school by offering a variety of undergraduate and graduate degrees through the following three departments: The Department of Nursing offers multiple levels of nursing courses and nursing degrees, including an Associate of Science in Nursing, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, or a Licensed Vocational Nurseto-Bachelor of Science degree program. In California, the Bachelor of Science in Nursing offered by National University is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education and approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing. In Nevada, the Associate of Science in Nursing offered at National University’s Henderson campus is approved by the Nevada State Board of Nursing. The Department of Community Health provides students the opportunity to use an interdisciplinary approach to explore current and future health issues facing public and private entities. The department features 60 60 undergraduate and graduate programs in healthcare administration and public health. The Healthcare Administration program prepares professionals to assume managerial roles in the many and diverse agencies meeting the health needs of the community. The Public Health program is oriented toward prevention and involves organized community efforts to protect, maintain, and promote community well-being. The Department of Health Sciences prepares graduate and undergraduate students for professional careers to meet the changing demands of today’s clinical healthcare industry. The department offers a Bachelor of Science in Allied Health designed to articulate with health professional programs at community colleges to provide graduates the opportunity to advance in the allied health profession and meet societal and healthcare delivery needs, especially in the areas of prevention, integrative health, and medical research. SHHS complements the National University System Center for Integrative Health and is partnering with its System affiliate to increase knowledge of health and wellness through several innovative initiatives. For more information regarding SHHS, visit the Web at www.nu.edu. Editor-in-Chief Bob E. Freelen Editor Hoyt Smith Creative Director Mike Burgos Art Directors Carlos Lopez John Fretz Photographer Mark Dastrup Printing Manager Pam Beck Copy Editors Ken David Mary Catania Writers Heather Bensen Barbara Howington Hoyt Smith VISION N A T I O N A L U N I V E R S I T Y ’S ALUMNI MAGAZINE w w w.nu.edu © 2011 National University