Florida Tech University Online Honors Military Education Survival Kit Winner, Regina Small

U.S. Army veteran receives new computer technology and military tuition aid to pursue an online graduate degree and fulfill professional dreams

TAMPA, Fla., July 27, 2009 — When Regina Small of Lake County, Fla., entered a sweepstakes for online education support, she never expected to win. Upon discovering that she was the recipient of the June 30, 2009 webcast drawing, held by Florida Tech and University Alliance Online for military service members, she was ecstatic. The prize package included everything needed to jumpstart an online education, including a laptop, plus software and accessories. More importantly, the new tools helped pave the way for Small to pursue her dream of earning an MBA in Management through Florida Tech University Online.

Small learned about Florida Tech’s master’s degree online programs through the new 2009 University Alliance catalog, which led to her enrollment and sweepstakes entry.

"I was looking for an accredited university to attend and the catalog’s timing was perfect; the caption 'World-Class Training from America's Leading Universities' really caught my eye and the cover story, 'Rise Above the Recession with Top Job Skills that Make You Irreplaceable,' sparked my immediate phone call to Florida Tech, which was listed as one of the top schools to attend by U.S. News and World Report," said Small.

“We congratulate Regina Small, the winner of our military education sweepstakes, and honor all of the countless men and women who serve our country and desire to pursue education as well,” says Shawn Daugherty, University Alliance senior brand manager for Florida Tech’s online programs. “We truly appreciate Regina’s service to our great nation and commend her continuing-education efforts.”

“Some years ago, after proudly serving in the U.S. Army Military Police Corps, I decided to raise my family and am now a clerk at the Lake County Clerk of Circuit Court,” Small says. “Despite having a bachelor’s degree and receiving honors for military and community service, I never want to stop bettering myself and serving others. A master’s degree will position me for career advancement, and open doors to teaching at a local community college or university —another dream I have.”

“My brand-new laptop computer and portable accessories will help me complete my online graduate degree coursework efficiently and download what I need, when I need it, so I can review it at work or while I’m on the go,” Small says. A recipient of the prestigious Dr. Mary E. Walker award for civilian service rendered on and off-post, Small remains busy, and is regularly committed to supporting families and soldiers through various military programs, making the ease of online MBA coursework with Florida Tech a key to her success.

Florida Tech’s online undergraduate degree and online graduate degree programs provide a convenient, flexible education so military servicemembers can study anywhere, anytime. Florida Tech offers military tuition discounts to active-duty servicemembers, Reserves, Guards and Veterans like Small.

To learn more about Florida Tech’s online education programs, visit http://www.FloridaTechOnline.com.

About Florida Tech
Florida Tech, a University Alliance Partner, is world-renowned for its distinguished faculty, comprehensive curriculum and unyielding innovation. Its more than 50,000 alumni include several astronauts, many CEOs of major corporations, Senior Executive Service (SES) members and nearly two dozen generals, including three four-star generals, four three-star generals, nine two-star major generals and three one-star brigadier generals. Florida Tech’s main campus is located in Melbourne, Florida.

About University Alliance Online
The University Alliance (UA) facilitates the promotion and online delivery of associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees as well as professional certificate programs from the nation’s leading traditional universities and institutions. Powered by UA’s technology and support services, our university partners have surpassed 300,000 online enrollments — making UA the largest facilitator of e-learning in the country.

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U.S. News University Connection Launches U.S. News University Directory Web Portal

TAMPA, FL, July 27, 2009 – U.S. News University Connection is pleased to announce the launch of U.S. News University Directory, a concierge service education portal that directly and immediately connects students with traditional universities and accredited online colleges

offering certificate programs, associate’s programs, bachelor’s programs, master’s programs and doctorate programs.

Complementing the U.S. News rankings, the long-preferred tool for the assessment of excellence in higher education, the University Directory helps potential college-bound students and working adults further invest in their future by serving as an online marketplace where they can directly interact with more than 2000 colleges and universities.

The new portal provides consumers with a full range of education options, including information about both on-campus and online degree programs. It also provides educational institutions with an opportunity to showcase their degree and certificate programs in a co-branded forum jointly created by U.S. News Media Group, America’s Authority on Education®, and Bisk Education, the country’s leading facilitator of online degree and certificate programs from some of America’s leading universities.

The University Directory organizes schools in multiple ways, including an alphabetical directory of ranked and unranked schools in various categories. “Not everyone is looking for a ranked school,” said Brian Kelly, Editor of U.S. News. “While the University Directory has ranking information, it also provides a resource for many different kinds of students.”

The site also includes interactive features and expanded sorting abilities, and presents content about degree and certificate programs from U.S. News & World Report’s vast collection of the News You Can Use® service journalism that has justifiably made it the leading source of news and information about educational opportunities in the United States. It will also feature informative content focused on providing information to consumers who are actively looking for educational opportunities.

“U.S. News & World Report is the leading resource – both in print and online – for students looking at college as well as adults searching for continuing education opportunities, and we wanted to create a website focused on these consumers and institutions,” said Bill Holiber, president of U.S. News Media Group. “With Bisk Education, we found a company focused on online education with state-of-the-art technology and capabilities to create a dynamic education-focused portal. Their proven success in working with colleges and universities to bring their schools’ online degree and certificate programs to students made for a natural collaboration.”

As part of the partnership, all advertising from colleges and universities at USNews.com and the University Directory will be sold by Bisk under the U.S. News brand. “Higher education institutions need a credible and trustworthy marketplace in which they can showcase educational opportunities and connect with potential students that are suited to their programs,” said Nathan Bisk, Founder and Chairman of Bisk Education. “For the past 15 years, we have been at the forefront of creating and executing online and distance-learning marketing and recruitment campaigns for some of the nation’s leading universities. We know how to market in the digital age and we understand the need to protect the integrity of each institution’s brand while helping them connect with qualified students. The new U.S. News Directory will allow educational institutions the opportunity to meet the ever increasing demand for university based education and workforce retraining that is in such demand in today’s economy.“

For more information on the U.S. News University Directory, visit www.USNewsUniversityDirectory.com.

About the U.S. News Media Group

The U.S. News Media Group is a multi-platform digital publisher of news and analysis, which includes the monthly U.S. News & World Report magazine, the digital-only U.S. News Weekly magazine, www.usnews.com, and www.rankingsandreviews.com. Focusing on Health, Money & Business, Education, and Public Service/Opinion, the U.S. News Media Group has earned a reputation as the leading provider of service news and information that improves the quality of life of its readers. The U.S. News Media Group’s signature franchises include its News You Can Use® brand of journalism and its “America’s Best” series of consumer guides that include rankings of colleges, graduate schools, hospitals, health plans, and more.

About Bisk Education, Inc.

Bisk Education helps educational institutions market online degree and certificate programs. Bisk’s University Alliance (UA) division facilitates the promotion and online delivery of associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees, as well as professional certificate programs from some of the nation’s leading traditional universities and institutions. Programs available from accredited University Alliance partners include project management certificates from Villanova University, negotiation certificates from the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, business management certificates from Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business, Internet marketing certificates from the University of San Francisco, online MBA programs from the Florida Institute of Technology, online master’s degrees in teaching from The University of Scranton, online Master of Arts in Education degrees from Dominican University and online RN to BSN degrees from Jacksonville University.

U.S. News University Connection
9417 Princess Palm Avenue
Tampa, FL 33647
866-442-6587
Press@USNewsUniversityConnection.com

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Bisk Education’s University Alliance Online Learning Programs Substantiate U.S. Department of Education Findings

Analysis reveals online learning at the post-secondary level is more effective than conventional face-to-face instruction

TAMPA, Fla., July 6, 2009 – Online learning in the higher education sector reached another milestone on June 26, when the U.S. Department of Education released its analysis of controlled studies comparing online and face-to-face instruction.

The meta-analysis of 51 studies – 44 of which were drawn from research with post-secondary learners – showed that, on average, students who took all or part of their classes online had superior learning outcomes and performed better than those taking the same course through traditional face-to-face instruction.

“These recent findings echo the positive feedback we continually receive from students participating in our online degree programs and online certificate programs,” said Adrian Marrullier, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of University Alliance, a worldwide leader in professional development programs providing unprecedented access to the nation’s top universities.

“We’re proud of our graduate’s success stories and career achievements regarding their online learning experiences, all of which corroborate the study’s conclusions,” said Marrullier.

The Department of Education’s report cited online learning as one of the fastest growing trends in educational uses of technology, attributing its popularity to its ability to provide “flexible access to content and instruction at any time, from any place.”

That comes as no surprise to Marrullier, who noted, “It has been University Alliance’s long-standing mission to deliver ‘anytime training’ and ‘anywhere knowledge’ to adult learners across the country and around the globe. We’re committed to empowering professionals to attain a quality education from a prestigious university, no matter what their schedule or where they live.”

The literature research is intended to provide policy-makers, administrators and educators with research-based guidance on how to implement online learning for K–12 education. However, the Department of Education’s findings illustrated the majority of studies focused on online learning in career technical education, medical and higher education, plus corporate and military training.

The study was conducted by the Center for Technology and Learning, SRI International under contract to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Policy and Program Studies Service, which commissioned the study.

The full report can be found at http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/opepd/ppss/reports.html#edtech.

About University Alliance Online
The University Alliance (UA) facilitates the promotion and online delivery of associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees as well as professional certificate programs from the nation’s leading traditional universities and institutions. Powered by UA’s technology and support services, our university partners have surpassed 300,000 online enrollments — making UA the largest facilitator of e-learning in the country. University Alliance partners include Villanova University, the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business, Thunderbird School of Global Management, the University of San Francisco, Florida Institute of Technology, The University of Scranton, Dominican University and Jacksonville University.

Contact Information
Sandy Levine, VP of Marketing Services
Bisk Education/University Alliance Online

New Villanova University Online Course Enables Black Belts to Attain Lean Master Black Belt Certification

Course Is Part of Advanced Master Certificate Program That Helps Black Belts Develop Enterprise-Wide Mastery of Lean Six Sigma Practices

TAMPA, Fla., July 06, 2009 – Villanova University, the leader in Lean Six Sigma education, is enhancing its professional education offerings with the world’s only 100% online Advanced Master Certificate in Lean Six Sigma. In addition to enabling those with Black Belt training to achieve prestigious Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt certification, this program examines business processes from a holistic perspective, empowering participants to implement Six Sigma strategies that will create a positive impact across their entire enterprise.

The new program is essential for all individuals with Black Belt training who are looking to cement their leadership and Lean Six Sigma expertise, as well as those needing to meet re-certification requirements for Villanova’s Green Belt, Lean or Lean Black Belt certifications. Lean Master Black Belt certification can provide a significant boost to a Black Belt’s career. According to iSixSigma Global Salary Survey, the average yearly salary of U.S. Master Black Belts is $134,779 – approximately $30,000 more than those with Black Belt certification alone. The designation also carries considerable industry recognition and prestige.

Dan Munson, Director of Six Sigma Education for Villanova, notes, “This is the program that helps Black Belts distinguish themselves and reach the pinnacle of their profession. People completing these courses will be using their superior knowledge to mentor and manage other Black Belts. We give them the education they need to develop the robust leadership skills their organizations expect of them.”

Program participants need to complete the new Lean Master Black Belt course and two Villanova courses emphasizing leadership, management and technical knowledge to become certified Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belts and gain their Advanced Master Certificate in Lean Six Sigma. The new Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt course lasts 12 weeks and builds upon abilities the students have already cultivated as Black Belts. As with all of Villanova’s certificate programs, professionals working toward their Advanced Master Certificate in Lean Six Sigma can complete their coursework anywhere, anytime, through the convenience of online learning tools.

About Villanova University
Founded in 1842, Villanova University is the worldwide leader in professional education online. A traditional, accredited university located in Villanova, Pennsylvania, it has more than 94,000 alumni, NCAA Division I athletic teams, unparalleled academic and technical support, and an outstanding faculty – over 90% of whom hold the highest degrees in their field. U.S. News & World Report has ranked Villanova #1 University in the North (Master’s Division) for more than a decade.

About University Alliance Online
The University Alliance (UA) facilitates the promotion and online delivery of associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degrees as well as professional certificate programs from the nation’s leading traditional universities and institutions. Powered by UA’s technology and support services, our university partners have surpassed 300,000 online enrollments — making UA the largest facilitator of e-learning in the country. University Alliance partners include Villanova University, the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, Tulane University’s Freeman School of Business, Thunderbird School of Global Management, the University of San Francisco, the University of South Florida, Florida Institute of Technology, The University of Scranton, Dominican University and Jacksonville University.

Contact:
Sandy Levine, VP of Marketing Services
Villanova University/University Alliance Partner
813-621-6200
http://www.villanovau.com/

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