| Grantham University (GU) | |
|---|---|
| Motto | Praestantia et Eruditio (Latin for Superiority and Instruction) |
| Established | 1951 |
| Type | For-profit[1] |
| President | Joseph McGrath (Interim) |
| Students | 13,690 |
| Location | Kansas City, Missouri, USA |
| Colors | Yellow and blue |
| Mascot | Fighting Eagles |
| Website | www.grantham.edu |
Grantham University is a for-profit university based in Kansas City, Missouri, that offers degree programs online via distance education. It was founded in 1951.[2] The university is organized into 17 undergraduate and 16 graduate programs by four different schools: the Mark Skousen School of Business, the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Engineering and Computer Science and the School of Nursing and Allied Health. The student body comes from all over the 50 U.S. states and 106 countries, including military and Department of Defense personnel from any military installation. In 2006, Grantham University ranked 13th out of 27 U.S. distance education programs by eLearning World University Rankings.[3] In its 2008 edition, KMI Media Group/Military Advanced Education ranked 10th the university's undergraduate program among the top 20 military-friendly national universities.[4][5] In 2010, the KMI Media Group Guide to Military-Friendly Colleges and Universities placed the university among 371 military-friendly national universities again for the fourth year in a row.[6] Grantham University has a 4.4% graduation rate within six years for bachelor degree seeking students.[7]
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Grantham University started as Grantham Radio License School, a private school founded in 1951, in Los Angeles, CA.[8] Its founder Donald Grantham was an engineer and World War II veteran who offered Federal Communications Commission License certification courses to other World War II veterans after returning from the war.[9] In 1961, the university received formal recognition by the U.S. Department of Education.[10]
Through-out the 1960s and 1970s, additional campuses were opened in Washington, D.C.; Seattle, Washington; Kansas City, Missouri; and Hollywood, Florida. In 1961, Grantham School of Electronics (GSE) became accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council. In 1968, the GSE was renamed to Grantham College of Engineering (GCE). A second Los Angeles campus was erected in 1974. In 1990, GCE received its license to operate by the Louisiana Board of Regents. In 1993, GCE relocated to the State of Louisiana in Slidell.
In 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit Grantham University's main campus in Slidell, Louisiana, destroying approximately eighty percent of their facilities. Days later, over 140 employees had the University up and running again in temporary offices in Kansas City, Missouri. Many of them drove all night to make the 900 miles (1,400 km) journey to Kansas City.[11]
After Hurricane Katrina, Grantham continued to serve its more than 8,000 students, without interruption—as described in the Harvard International Review.[12] The University decided to relocate to Kansas City permanently, and secured a certificate to operate from the Missouri Department of Higher Education.[13]
June 2006, Grantham University signed articulation agreements with Bellevue University of Bellevue, Nebraska and Central Wyoming College of Riverton, Wyoming.[14]
September 2006, the University enrolled its oldest student, 83 year old John "Jack" Childs. He had already earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering at MIT in 1944.[15]
Grantham University in January 2007 signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Defense Acquisition University (DAU)[16] to accept educational credit earned through successful completion of DAU courses and programs as transfer or elective credit at Grantham University.[17] November 2007, the University participates in numerous programs such as GoArmyEd, Marine Corps Academic Explorer, and The Air University Associate to Baccalaureate Cooperative (CCAF); has been recognized as a provisional school in the Navy College Distance Learning Program; and is a member of the National Association of Institutes for Military Education Services.[18][19]
In November 2010, Grantham University was named a top university for veterans in the “Best for Vets: Colleges 2010” list compiled by Military Times EDGE. .[20] 4,000 institutions of higher learning were invited to submit information about their veterans programs, policies and resources, and then the top 100 schools were named. Colleges and universities were evaluated on four criteria: financial assistance, academic flexibility, campus culture, and support services.
Grantham University received the Innovative Best Practice/New Program Award for its VIP2 and SSS training modules at the Annual Achievement Awards ceremony hosted by APSCU on June 8, 2011. [21] Grantham graduate, First Sergeant Louis Sidney, Jr., was honored with the Hall of Fame Award. The University also received an honorable mention in the category of Community Service for its Grantham Gives Back charitable initiative.
Today, Grantham houses staff at two locations in Kansas City. The main location houses administrative offices and student support staff. The second location houses the book distribution center.[22]
Grantham University has been nationally accredited by the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) since 1961.[23]
Grantham University's current student enrollment is 13,690.[24] Tuition and fees for 2011 undergraduate tuition costs are $265 per credit hour for in-state and out-of-state tuition that includes a Textbook and Software Grant. 2011 graduate tuition costs are $325 per credit hour for in-state tuition, and out-of-state tuition.[25] Today, over 77 corporations and government agencies pay tuition reimbursement to the University.[26][27]
Grantham University employs over 20 full-time and 213 part-time faculty.[28][29] Many of them hold specialized certifications, master's degrees, doctorates, or professional engineer licenses.[29] Faculty are responsible for lecturing classes, advising both graduate and undergraduate students, and sitting on academic committees, as well as conducting original research. Among current faculty and teaching staff, Russ Meade, received the Tegrity Grant from McGraw-Hill. He has taught and developed over 22 different courses on all major distance learning platforms and has presented numerous papers on “Quality and Distance Learning”.[30] In 2009, Grantham University elected its newest Board of Governors member Thomas Rham.[31]
Grantham alumni have been employed in the fields of government, law, science, business, writing, computer science, and health care,among others. Several alumni have achieved great accomplishments and businesses. A 1960 graduate, Dick Booth, a licensed Federal Communications Commission (FCC) radio engineer had his own highly-rated television show called "Teen Date". "Teen Date" was aired on KPIC-TV CBS4 television station located in Roseburg, Oregon. A 1961 graduate, Mr. Wichester's Tele-Car business became the fastest-growing mobile communications firm in the Northwest called "Tele-Car.
The campus newsletter, the News & Views, was published monthly as student and alumni news articles and events during the first day of the month of the school year following the academic calendar. (No issues are published during Spring Break or Winter Break.) The News & Views started its volume two issue one in late March 2005. The majority of subscribers are students that could read the Grantham University's important issues, student spotlights, and organizational activities worldwide. The newsletter also was used to celebrate accomplishments, reflect on the past, and most importantly, inform its students towards the University's on-going future direction. In April 2009, after the passing of Brigadier General David “Bull” Baker [32] (USAF Retired) who served on Grantham University’s Military Board of Advisors and Board of Governors the student newsletter stopped its print. Today, issues and news are accessed through Grantham University's new student and alumni portal called "GLife". This new technology is used as a variety of resources such as listing courses, new announcements, student account and alumni information.
