National University Names Sanford College of Education in Honor of Philanthropist T. Denny Sanford
San Diego, Calif. (PRWEB) December 11, 2015 -- In honor of the many contributions of philanthropist T. Denny Sanford, National University is pleased to announce its school of education has been named the Sanford College of Education. Considered to be one of America’s most generous philanthropists, Mr. Sanford has contributed more than one billion dollars to projects aimed at improving our society through children’s causes, health research and education. The new College name recognizes his role in developing and supporting programs that address a critical need for world-class teachers.
The new name represents a significant milestone in the College’s expanding role as a national leader in teacher training and professional development support. The College has grown over the past 35 years to become among the Top Ten largest schools of education among all universities nationwide and the largest nonprofit school of education in California. Highlights at today’s announcement included the unveiling of a monument at National University’s Spectrum campus in San Diego honoring Mr. Sanford, whose birthday is later this month.
“The naming of the Sanford College of Education represents a new chapter for us at National University as a leading educator of teachers,” said Dr. Michael R. Cunningham, National University President and Chancellor of the National University System. “What better way to celebrate Mr. Sanford’s 80th birthday than by taking this moment to celebrate his great generosity and to thank him for doing so much to improve the quality of teacher education and preparation.”
A businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist who lives according to the motto “Aspire to Inspire Before You Expire,” Mr. Sanford has dedicated his life to giving away his wealth by supporting causes that will have a lasting impact. Among the many institutions and projects he supports are Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Research Institute, the Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, the Salk Institute, UCSD, the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles --- and National University, the second-largest private, nonprofit university in California.
“I am very honored to be associated with the University’s Sanford College of Education because I believe strongly in the power of education to transform the lives of young people,” said Mr. Sanford. “I have made it my mission to support programs that are making a positive difference in classrooms around the country and I have found a great partner in National University, an institution that is innovative, forward-thinking - and a leader in teacher education programs.”
Since last year, Mr. Sanford has helped catalyze $30 million in funding for the national advancement of two PreK-12 programs that provide teachers with resources and training to improve student achievement and development. The University is leading this nationwide effort to introduce the programs, Sanford Harmony and Sanford Inspire, to schools and districts nationwide.
In addition to these projects, the Sanford College of Education builds on more than three decades of experience preparing tens of thousands of new and in-service teachers. Among its many notable achievements to date:
• The College is now the 10th largest education school in the country, based on IPEDS degree completer data, granting more master’s degrees in education nationwide than any other private, nonprofit university.
• The College is the largest nonprofit education school in California, and it prepares more teachers than any other university in the state of California, based on numbers of credentials recommended.
• The College’s programs have been recognized by The National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), after meeting rigorous, evidence-based standards for teacher education programs nationwide.
• In the San Diego region, about 25 percent of principals from the San Diego Unified School District come from National University education programs
• Throughout California, about 100 National University alumni have been named district Teachers of the Years.
About National University
Founded in 1971, National University is the second-largest private university in California. With 30,000 students and more than 140,000 alumni, National University is the flagship institution of the National University System. National University is dedicated to making lifelong learning opportunities accessible, challenging, and relevant to a diverse population of students. Four schools and two colleges – the Sanford College of Education; the College of Letters and Sciences; the School of Business and Management; the School of Engineering and Computing; the School of Health and Human Services; and the School of Professional Studies – offer more than 100 graduate and undergraduate degrees and 23 teacher credentials. Programs are offered at locations throughout California and across the nation, and are also available online. National University is headquartered in La Jolla, California. http://www.nu.edu/
Anna Cearley, National University, http://www.jfku.edu/, +1 (858) 642-8163, [email protected]
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