SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired - Sep 15, 2014) - Patten University, an online university focused on making higher education more affordable and accessible for working adults, announced today its first graduate to earn a Bachelor's degree. Patten University launched its online university degree programs in early 2013 and is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.
Kristofer King, 30, this month completed the coursework necessary to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Management from Patten University. King lives in Federal Way, Wash., within the Seattle-Tacoma metropolitan area, with his wife and young child and works for a national telecommunications corporation as a manager overseeing dealer accounts. Dr. Thomas Stewart, president of Patten University, awarded him his diploma in a special ceremony at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Seattle on Sept. 13.
"After transferring my community college credits, I completed my Bachelor's program at Patten in about 15 months while at the same time balancing family and career," said King. "I chose Patten University because it was more affordable and allowed me to work at my own pace whenever I was able to dedicate time into my daily schedule. The courses directly related to my responsibilities at work, and thanks to my company's education reimbursement program and Patten's low-cost tuition, my tuition and fees were fully covered."
Originally founded in 1944, Patten University re-launched in 2013 with a next-generation, proprietary online learning model designed to allow students to complete accredited courses at their own pace and at an affordable rate. Patten University offers one of the nation's lowest online tuition rates. A typical four-year bachelor's degree at Patten University costs $10,528, including course materials.
Patten University is unique in that it continually monitors a student's performance throughout each course. The platform's proprietary "Readiness Indicator" enables real-time measurement of students' knowledge and progress. This adaptive learning environment helps students reach a sufficient readiness level to successfully complete their classes and advance through their course of study. By regularly assessing the data, Patten University aims to deliver a successful learning path to a college degree, reduce dropout rates and better prepare students for the skill sets industries are seeking.
"We designed an online model that specifically meets the work-life balance and other lifestyle considerations unique to working adults, making Kristofer's story a perfect example of why we built Patten University," said Stewart. "We are committed to serving students like Kristofer who have busy lives and seek a high quality and flexible post-secondary experience."
"Our learning model speaks to working adults who seek an affordable and accessible college degree," said Wade. "UniversityNow supports Patten University by offering it a first-of-its-kind technology platform that enables nontraditional students, like Kristofer, to earn a university degree on their own schedule, to receive interactive course resources, to connect with supportive instructors and to follow a personalized learning path to an accredited degree."
About Patten University
Patten offers Associate's, Bachelor's and Master's degrees online and is regionally accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Patten University is committed to making higher education accessible and affordable to working adults, no matter the age, location, ethnicity or financial situation. Patten University's flexible online learning platform and innovative tuition model allows us to lower costs and pass the savings to students. Learn more at www.patten.edu, https://www.facebook.com/pattenuniversity, or on Twitter at @pattenu. Click here for a brief video demonstration of Patten University's proprietary online learning program.
About UniversityNow
UniversityNow is a social venture committed to making higher education accessible and affordable for working Americans. Headquartered in San Francisco, UniversityNow and its Patten University offers a breakthrough learning platform that employs a unique model of individualized instruction, self-paced learning, and cutting-edge collaborative technologies designed to facilitate student-to-instructor and peer-to-peer learning with support that is customized to each student's needs. Visit www.unow.com or www.facebook.com/universitynow or on Twitter at @unow.
Contact Information:
Press Contact:
Marc Lumpkin
303-378-2366
press@patten.edu