El Paso, TX (PRWEB) December 10, 2014
The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is partnering with Pearson to expand access to an estimated 5,000 underserved students regionally and nationwide through UTEP Connect, a suite of fully online baccalaureate, graduate and certificate programs. The first eight programs, including health, criminal justice, communication, and education, will launch in May 2015.
Access and excellence are foundational to UTEP’s overall mission, and the University has a successful track record of graduating an underserved, Hispanic market. The new initiative will also provide adult learners who need to earn their degrees while working full-time or who have not had the opportunity to finish their degrees because of family obligations with the opportunity to improve their lives through higher education. Pearson will provide comprehensive online learning services, including marketing and enrollment consulting, technical services to power online programs, customized digital content, online tutoring, and analytics to evaluate student performance and learning outcomes.
“UTEP is pleased to have an opportunity via this partnership with Pearson to extend our reach to current, prospective and former students whose employment and personal responsibilities may impede their pursuit of an on-campus degree or certification program,” said UTEP President Diana Natalicio. “We look forward to working toward more efficient and effective strategies to streamline pathways for talented and motivated students to achieve their highest educational aspirations.”
Pearson’s Managing Director of Higher Education Services, David Daniels, said, “Our partnership with UTEP underscores our effort to increase access to online education options that are as rigorous as on-ground degree programs. UTEP is an outstanding example of a university that is investing in its community to reach underserved segments and get more students on the path to career success.”
UTEP has an annual enrollment of 23,000 students and has proven success graduating Hispanic students. Washington Monthly has ranked the University number one in providing social mobility three years in a row.
About The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP)
The University of Texas at El Paso has been redefining excellence in education for over a century. Originally founded in 1914 as the State School of Mines and Metallurgy, UTEP has grown exponentially throughout the years, developing into a powerful public research university with a longstanding commitment to academic excellence, affordability and accessibility. Today, the University comprises seven colleges and offers 75 bachelor’s programs, 78 master’s programs, 20 doctoral programs and 25 certificate programs. With a student population that exceeds 23,000 and a research portfolio that boasts more than $83 million in annual spending, UTEP is on track to become the first national public research university to authentically serve the 21st-century student demographic.
About Pearson
Pearson is the world’s leading learning company, with 40,000 employees in more than 80 countries working to help people of all ages to make measurable progress in their lives through learning. For more information about Pearson, visit http://www.pearson.com.
Media Contacts:
Veronique Masterson, news(at)utep(dot)edu or 915-747-5526
Brandon Pinette, brandon(dot)pinette(at)pearson(dot)com or 800-745-8489