San Diego, Calif. – Feb. 24, 2015 – National University, the second largest private nonprofit university in California, announced this week that the University will offer $2 million in scholarships for Mexican student cohorts as part of an effort to encourage more cross-border education opportunities to strengthen the San Diego-Tijuana region’s economy. The announcement was made during a University Presidents Summit held in Tijuana Feb. 19 by the U.S. Consul General in Tijuana and the the Mexican Consul General in San Diego.
National University’s announcement reflects the University’s commitment to providing all students with an enhanced international education experience at its campuses and by also supporting study-abroad and cross-border internship opportunities for its U.S.-based students. Dedicated to the many communities it serves, National University has collaborated with a number of U.S-based private and public sector agencies, such as the City of San Diego and the County of San Diego, to offer scholarships to their employees.
“I often speak about the need for higher education institutions to contribute to our local economies, one graduate at a time, and how National University does that by providing pathways to careers in high-demand fields,” said National University President Cunningham. “That same mission applies to our border region. The creation of educational cross-border opportunities ensures our region’s competitiveness, and it is vitally important to our collective economic growth and success.”
According to National University President Cunningham, the scholarships for Mexican students will be offered through 2020, and they will be based on the creation of student class cohorts. The student groups and courses to be taken will be identified in coordination with higher education institutions in Mexico. The scholarships will apply to courses from the University’s ESL, undergraduate and graduate programs. National University offers courses in a one-course-per-month format at more than two dozen locations throughout California and Nevada, including at Chula Vista which is near the border.
Furthermore, National University announced hiring a full-time internship coordinator to facilitate cross-border placements for students, and a commitment to identify opportunities to provide transfer pathways for Mexican students studying at community colleges. National University was a significant participant in offering ESL classes last year to Mexican students participating in through Mexico’s Proyecta 100,000 program, and the University announced this week at the Summit its continued participation in that program.
About National University
Founded in 1971, National University is the second-largest private, nonprofit institution of higher education in California. With 30,000 students and more than 240,000 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. Five schools and one college – the College of Letters and Sciences; the School of Business and Management; the School of Education; the School of Engineering and Computing; the School of Health and Human Services; and the School of Professional Studies – offer more than 75 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.
Media contact:
Anna Cearley
Director of Public Relations
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