National University Grad Walk Gives Students a More Personalized Option for Commencement
SAN DIEGO, CA (September 30, 2024) — National University (NU) — a nonprofit Minority Serving Institution that serves 50,000 degree-seeking students and 80,000 workforce and professional development students annually — today announced that San Diego County resident Willie Banks, a three-time U.S. Olympian and former world record holder in the triple jump track and field event, will serve as speaker for the university’s October NU Grad Walk.
“With his infectious love for life, his dedication to hard work in the service of worthy goals, and his conviction that having the right attitude is a crucial element of achieving success, Willie Banks is a perfect role model for our students,” said Dr. Mark D. Milliron, NU president and CEO. “Our learners fill many roles in life – not just as students, but as working adults, members of the military, parents, and much more. Willie Banks brings with him a combination of true commitment and exuberance that will help them face those challenges with smiles on their faces.”
During the NU Grad Walk ceremony, Milliron will confer an honorary doctoral degree on Banks in appreciation of his outstanding achievements as an exemplary athlete, role model, and community member who continually inspires individuals of all ages.
NU Grad Walk offers students and their supporters a more intimate option for celebrating the life-changing achievement of earning their degrees. NU expects more than 500 students and 3,500 guests to participate in Grad Walk on October 27 at Sharp Prebys Innovation and Education Center in San Diego. Graduates choose a timeslot, then step through the commencement ceremony surrounded by their supporters, with plenty of opportunities to take pictures along the way. The final stop is a celebration room, where the groups come together and share their success with fellow students, faculty, alumni, and leadership from NU. The university held a Grad Walk event in January 2024 as well.
“As an athlete I found the key to success, both in competition and in life, is perseverance. It’s not just about winning, but about learning to rise every time you fall,” Banks said. “When you combine passion, preparation, and the ability to bounce back from adversity, you set yourself up for success—whether in your studies, your career, or any challenge life throws your way.”
As graduates and their supporters enter NU Grad Walk, they will be greeted by a celebratory video featuring Banks, who competed on the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Team in 1980, 1984, and 1988. In 1985, he broke the world record for the triple jump, with his mark standing for 10 years afterward. Banks has remained involved in the Olympics in a variety of leadership roles. He also has continued to compete as a master athlete, as well as becoming a consultant and public speaker.
In addition to Grad Walk, NU held a more traditional commencement ceremony this year, which took place May 18 at Petco Park in Downtown San Diego. Several thousand graduates and approximately 30,000 of their friends and family took part in that event. Overall, more than 7,800 students earned their degrees from NU in the last 12 months.
While NU makes its headquarters in San Diego, students from throughout California, the nation, and the world attend classes, which occur mostly online. NU is an access and success innovator with an extremely diverse student population of non-traditional and underserved learners from many walks of life, and approximately half of undergraduates are active-duty military, Veterans, and their dependents. NU is the largest conferrer of graduate degrees to minority students in the United States, with more than 50 percent of graduates being women. The university is the third largest conferrer of doctoral degrees overall. NU is one of the largest private Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) in the United States. Two-thirds of students and graduates are Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC).
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.