What's in a Name? Prominent Local Graduate School Changes Name to Reflect Academic Excellence, Commitment to Practice-Ready Training for Real World Careers

Former Institute Becomes Known as Phillips Graduate University


LOS ANGELES, CA--(Marketwired - March 22, 2016) -  With rigorous, WASC-accredited academics, a diverse student body and multiple degree programs, Phillips Graduate Institute has recently announced its transition to university status. Indeed, the shift is only one of the many recent benchmarks of achievement at the school. With huge growth in overall enrollment, even their new Executive Coaching Certification Program was helmed by ICF Certified Executive Coach Dr. Damian Goldvarg in February, 2016.

Renowned for his speaking, training and coaching, Goldvarg specializes in working with Fortune 500 companies including British Petroleum, Hewlett-Packard, Daimler, Coca Cola, McDonalds and the World Health Organization. He brings a strong multicultural sensibility to the much anticipated program at the university. Coupled with multiple popular degree programs in Marriage and Family Therapy, School Psychology, Art Therapy, Organizational Management/Consulting and more, many say his appointment reflects a level of prestige commensurate with the school's new role as a leading higher educational resource for all of Southern California.

While the shift in nomenclature is expected this winter, many alumni and friends of the Institute would describe Phillips' expansion as perhaps inevitable, considering its past. With more than 45 years as a nonprofit educational, counseling, training and research center, the school first came into being in 1971. Dedicated exclusively to the study of human relationships, it was known as the California Family Study Center, attracting many of the top psychotherapists, researchers and behavior experts in the field. Over time, its single degree program expanded to encompass not only advanced degree tracks in marriage and family therapy, but in other related areas as well.

Today, Phillips educates, certifies and trains not only those destined for careers in mental health and school psychology, but also student's intent upon a future within the corporate arena. Its Organizational Management and Consulting doctoral program provides hands on, dynamic preparation for tomorrow's managers and CEOs. Moreover, the new Executive Coaching Certification Program at Phillips is already garnering praise from local business leaders as critically important training for current executives, who note companies like Google and General Electric employ Executive Coaches in their efforts to build an innovative workplace (http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB1000142405270230341040457746685265851414).

With a variety of scholarships and financial aid programs available, university sources say that maintaining an atmosphere of diversity and inclusion is always a priority. "Our forte has always been the human connection here at Phillips, the personal touch that allows our students to discover their own potential," says Dr. Yolanda Gorman, President of Phillips Graduate University.

The palpable feeling of optimism among many students at Phillips speaks to the enduring commitment to those the school serves, new name notwithstanding. "We continue to expand, but I know we will also continue to foster a nurturing environment for our students," Dr. Gorman adds in a recent interview. "Phillips is a place where people come not just to advance their educations, but to get the practice-ready training they'll need to thrive in their careers. We're very proud of that."

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Contact Information:

PGI.edu
19900 Plummer St. Chatsworth, CA 91311
Phone: (818) 861-6627
Main Fax: (818) 386-5699
Student Services Fax: (818) 386-5636
Counseling Center Intake: (818) 386-5615

Master Certified Coach Dr. Damian Goldvarg works with management professionals as part of the certification process. Phillips Graduate University provides hands on, experiential learning programs for students to prepare for real world careers in psychology, consulting and organizational behavior. A focus on both personal and professional development is a hallmark of all Phillips Graduate University programs.