Walden University Ranks in Top 20 in Graduate Education for Hispanics

Walden University, an accredited online institution, has been recognized by The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education magazine, the only Hispanic educational magazine for the higher education community. In May 2008, the magazine published a list of the top 100 U.S. colleges and universities awarding degrees to Hispanics. Of more than 4,100 U.S. institutions, Walden was ranked 17th in awarding master's degrees to Hispanics in 2006. (View online at http://www.hispanicoutlook.com/top100.htm; click on master's.)

In order to address the educational needs of the Hispanic population, Walden recently created a Hispanic Advisory Committee to advise the university's leadership. The committee members bring a rich variety of expertise and backgrounds to the panel. They are charged with helping the university formulate policies, outreach strategies and retention tools both as a way of attracting and retaining more Hispanic students, and as a means of contributing in a larger way to society's needs for Hispanic leadership across all professions and sectors.

"Walden expects that increasingly serving the growing and underserved Hispanic market segment will contribute greatly to its institutional mission of effecting positive social change," said Augusto Failde, chairman of the Walden University Hispanic Advisory Committee.

Hispanics are currently underrepresented in graduate programs. In May 2008, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that Hispanics now constitute 15.1 percent of the U.S. population. (View online at http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/011910.html.)

Yet according to the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics, in 2003-2004 Hispanics earned approximately 5 percent of the total number of master's degrees conferred (29,666 of 558,940) and about 3 percent of doctoral degrees (1,662 of 48,378). (View online at http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2007/minoritytrends/tables/table_25_1.aspreferrer=report.)

Data from the Council of Graduate Schools, however, shows that from 1996 to 2006, Hispanic enrollment in graduate programs grew faster than for any other racial/ethnic group. The proportion of Hispanic students increased an average of 5 percent per year, while growth for white students was flat. (View online at http://www.cgsnet.org/portals/0/pdf/N_pr_ED2006.pdf.)

"By providing Hispanic adult learners with the opportunity to reach their goals of an advanced degree through online learning, Walden University is helping to level the playing field in higher education," Failde said.

Long known for its success in providing adult professionals with access to online education, Walden has consistently ranked high on numerous indexes which measure graduate degrees granted to multicultural student populations.

For more information about Walden University, call 1-866-492-5336 or visit www.WaldenU.edu

About Walden University

Since 1970, Walden University has offered working professionals the opportunity to earn advanced degrees through distance learning. Today, this comprehensive, accredited online university offers doctoral and master's degrees in education, psychology, management, public policy and administration, nursing, and health and human services, as well as master's programs in engineering and IT and bachelor's programs in business, computer information systems, psychology, and child development. Walden University is a member of Laureate International Universities, a leading global network of accredited campus-based and online universities.

Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, www.ncahlc.org; 1-312-263-0456.

Contact:

Ana Sanchez

Walden University

1-410-843-8083

ana.sanchez@laureate-inc.com

www.WaldenU.edu

Walden University Ranks in Top 20 in Graduate Education for Hispanics

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Walden University Ranks in Top 20 in Graduate Education for Hispanics

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