Three City of San Diego employees receive tuition scholarships to use toward one of National University's 190+ degree programs
OCEANSIDE, Calif., Nov. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- National University(NU) — a nonprofit Minority Serving Institution that serves 50,000 degree-seeking students and 80,000 workforce and professional development students annually — announced today that City of San Diego employees Jeff Vance, Jesus Dominguez, and Shanda Watkins have been awarded 2024 City of San Diego/National University Professional Development Scholarships. These awards celebrate their achievements, hard work, and dedication by assisting them in their pursuit of career development through higher education.
"At National University, we serve 'And-ers' – students who are seeking degrees AND working fulltime, raising families, or serving in the military," said Dr. Mark D. Milliron, president and CEO of National University. "The hardworking team at the City of San Diego – police officers, firefighters, and city staffers working to make our community better – epitomize these learners striving to make progress on their higher education journeys even as they make a difference in the community. We are delighted to partner with the city to create pathways for these students to advance their educations and their careers."
As part of the City of San Diego's effort to expand educational and professional opportunities to its employees, the city named National University its Preferred Employee Education Program Partner in 2014.
The scholarship recipients were recognized during a November 12 ceremony at National University's Carroll Canyon campus. San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, Dr. Christopher Graham, NU executive vice president of workforce & community education, and Kyra Seay, vice president of community relations & business development for California Coast Credit Union (also a partner in the scholarship program) presented the award certificates.
Through this partnership, all city employees are offered a 25 percent tuition scholarship to be applied to National University associate's, bachelor's, and master's courses.
National University, which is among the largest Minority-Serving Institutions in the United States, is committed to developing its educational partnerships with the community by providing additional education benefits and scholarships to upskill and support the city's workforce. City employees have the opportunity to apply for the competitive City of San Diego/National University Professional Development Scholarships presented jointly with the California Coast Credit Union. Annually, three or more employees who have demonstrated exceptional public service and have given back to the community are awarded scholarships.
As the 2024 winner of the City of San Diego/National University Professional Development Scholarship, Jeff Vance will receive a full tuition scholarship to National University. The two other finalists, Jesus Dominguez and Shanda Watkins, will each receive a partial scholarship of $2,500 from National University and $2,500 from California Coast Credit Union.
The candidates passed through an interview process with senior leaders from NU, the city, and California Coast Credit Union. At the end of the interviews, the final scholarship awards were determined.
Vance, an associate management analyst with the city's Department of General Services/Fleet Operations, has been with the city nearly eight years. He plans to earn a Bachelor's of Business Administration.
"I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity," Vance said. "Throughout my career, I have dedicated myself to hard work and commitment, often at the expense of completing my formal education. Receiving this scholarship comes at the perfect time, and I look forward to the challenge it presents. This opportunity will not only help me advance my career but also enable me to make a positive impact in the City of San Diego."
Dominguez has been with the city for 14 years and currently serves as a building maintenance supervisor. He plans to pursue a Bachelor's of Public Administration.
"Gaining expertise in public financial management and administration will drive my existing operational skills and knowledge to further my decision-making skills and abilities and apply them to solving problems that affect the city's physical assets, such as its facilities," Dominguez said. "I aim to have a positive sustainable impact on internal customers, city residents, and our visitors."
Watkins, a 10-year veteran at the city, works as a library assistant. She is pursuing a Bachelor's in Management.
"Working and going to school is a challenge I've had to face throughout my career," Watkins said. "There are opportunities to find balance and time-management challenges. There is also the challenge of prioritizing your education."
About National University: National University, a Veteran-founded nonprofit, has been dedicated to meeting the needs of nontraditional, working, and military students by providing accessible, affordable higher education opportunities since 1971. As San Diego's largest private nonprofit university, NU offers over 190 online and on-campus programs with flexible four-week and eight-week classes and one-to-one graduate education models designed to help students reach their goals while balancing busy lives. Since its founding, the NU community has grown to 130,000 learners served per year—50,000 degree-seeking students and 80,000 workforce and professional development students—and 240,000 alumni around the globe, many of whom serve in helping industries such as business, education, health care, cybersecurity, and law and criminal justice. To learn more about National University's new possibilities in education including next-generation education, value-rich education, and whole human education, visit NU.edu.
Media Contact
Ashleigh Webb, National University, 760-889-3494, [email protected], https://www.nu.edu/
SOURCE National University
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