Non-Profit Leader Appointed Director of UI&U's Center for Lifelong Learning

Dayle Deardurff

Dayle Deardurff has led several Cincinnati non-profit organizations; will create programs for Union designed for career and personal development

CINCINNATI, OH - Union Institute & University (UI&U), a private, non-profit university headquartered in Walnut Hills today announced it has appointed Dayle Deardurff director of the university’s Center for Lifelong Learning. In her role as director, Deardurff will design and implement programs that provide educational opportunities for students and professionals looking to further their career, maintain professional certification or licensure, earn pre-requisite credits, or follow a passion.

Union Institute & University currently offers a variety courses as part of its Center for Lifelong Learning. In addition to the student-designed course option, the center also works with outside organizations to design and implement external courses for UI&U graduate or undergraduate credit. As the new director, Deardurff plans to partner with Cincinnati employers, local community leaders and non-profit organizations to provide workshops and certificate programs for professionals, in addition to courses and programs designed to meet an individual’s specific career and personal development needs.

“We are very excited to bring Dayle on board and to support her in her efforts to expand our offerings for individuals serving business, non-profit, and governmental sectors,” said UI&U President Roger H. Sublett. “Her experience and expertise are a good fit for Union’s mission to serve adults, engage the mind and the spirit, and enhance community service.”

“Union’s Lifelong Learning program has the potential to become one of the region’s best resources for professional career development. Our flexible and highly supportive structure enables us to provide personalized support to both organizations and individuals, and our national and online presence provides a unique foundation to tap our expert faculty who are located across the country.” said Deardurff. “I am very excited to work with Union’s staff and faculty to create opportunities for our community.”

Deardurff brings to Union significant management experience in non-profit organizational development, operations, program design and development, and nonprofit consulting. Her most recent position was as director for Northern Kentucky University’s Institute for Nonprofit Capacity where she oversaw the development of the nonprofit resource center, forging partnerships within the university and with outside organizations to serve the region’s non-profits. She recently authored a report on the status of nonprofits in our region, “Holding Our Community Together: The Nonprofits of Greater Cincinnati.”

Prior to joining NKU, Deardurff served as president and chief executive officer for Cincinnati Works, where she led a staff of 20 in its mission to reduce poverty through sustainable employment. Under her direction, Cincinnati Works successfully met a 20 percent increased demand for services through restructured operations, improved fundraising and enhanced program delivery.

Before serving at Cincinnati Works, Deardurff was executive officer of Public Allies Cincinnati, the local site of the national AmeriCorps program that provided experiential leadership development for hundreds of local young adults by placing them in paid, ten-month leadership development internships at more than 40 non-profit organizations.

In this role, from 2000-2007, Deardurff directed all aspects of agency operations including program development, client data collection, grant writing and reporting, media and community outreach efforts, and the recruitment and training of AmeriCorps volunteers in Cincinnati.

In 1996, Deardurff was hired as the executive director of ProKids, in charge of designing, implementing, and developing the new child advocacy agency (CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocates). Under her direction, ProKids grew from a staff of three and 30 volunteers to a staff of 23 with more than 100 volunteers serving 2,000 children.

Deardurff earned a B.A. from Bowling Green State University and a J.D. from Creighton School of Law in Omaha, Nebraska.

For more information about Union Institute & University’s Center for Lifelong Learning, contact Nicole Hamilton, public relations manager, at nicole.hamilton@myunion.edu, or 513-487-1194.

New Part-Time Options for BA Program

Montpelier, VT--

Union Institute & University (UI&U) today announced the launch of a new part-time option for learners enrolled in the university’s Bachelor of Arts (BA) programs. The part-time alternative is consistent with UI&U’s mission to provide flexible higher education opportunities for busy adults and will be offered starting Spring semester, which begins January 28 for the cycle (one week every six weeks) option, and February 20 for the weekend option. The Virtual Vermont online option offers a start date four times a year.

Dr. Victor Ehly, dean of the BA programs, says UI&U responded to suggestions to offer part-time options from the Montpelier community. “Based on learner’s requests, and given the ever-increasing pressure on the time of working adults, we are now prepared to offer the same programs with the same individualized process, but now with the option for a 9-credit semester study,” he said. “This is a chance for any current learner or beginning student, who is either unable to take on the work required of full-time study or is unable to afford the tuition for full-time study, to further their education and earn their degree.”

Since 1964, UI&U has redefined higher education by placing learners at the center of their own education by offering personalized undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degree programs designed for the lifelong learner. Union’s BA program allows learners to major in liberal studies and focus on one of nine areas of concentration, in addition to teacher licensure preparation. Like learners who choose to enroll in the program full-time, those enrolled part-time also make use of a learning model that works best for them, choosing from low residency options at UI&U’s Montpelier or Brattleboro Centers, or through UI&U’s online option, Virtual Vermont.

“We are always on the lookout for creative ways to reach out to adults in Vermont, New England, and beyond,” said Ehly. “Our online learners hail from more than 20 states across the country, but also from right here in Vermont. This part-time option should be more attractive to many who are looking for ways to combine their degree completion with current job, family, and community commitments. We listened and we made the change.”

Union Institute & University Announces New Degree Program for Los Angeles Firefighters

Program in Public Administration, in partnership with the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, is tailored to fit firefighter’s busy schedule

LOS ANGELES - Union Institute & University today announced a new bachelor’s degree in public administration designed to fit the needs of Los Angeles area firefighters seeking to continue their education while remaining on the force. The program, in partnership with the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City (UFLAC), is similar to Union’s degree programs in Criminal Justice Management, a highly-popular program that has enabled many police officers to advance in their careers.

“For many years, firefighters have longed for a degree program that would reward them for their long hours of duty related training – Drill Tower, specialized training, and California State Fire Marshal courses,” said Jon McDuffie, UFLAC 1st Vice President. “The Union public administration program is one that we believe UFLAC members and fire department civilian personnel will find as a perfect fit.”

The regionally-accredited program offers on-site programs at sites near firehouses or close to home, cutting down on commuting time, and giving learners the opportunity to network with other firefighters. In addition, the program offers four-unit courses that are able to be completed in eight-week sessions, and firefighters can earn credit for continuing education courses they took prior to attending Union.

Very few universities offer degrees for firefighters, said Battalion Chief Patrick Butler. “Union has tailored the courses to meet the unique needs of a firefighter. For example, classes are held on site in the morning, because that’s when firefighters are getting off work after their 24-hour shift.”

Butler, also a reserved deputy sheriff, earned a degree in criminal justice from Union. After many of his colleagues at the firehouse expressed an interest in going back to school, Butler approached the LA Center and the UFLAC about creating a program specifically for firefighters. Public Administration, said Butler, was an idea track of study because “today’s firefighters are involved in community relations, local municipal government, public education, and business management,” said Butler. “We do a lot more than put out fires.”

“There are a lot of opportunities for firefighters (once they get their bachelor’s degree),” said Butler. “A lot of doors start to open. Not only is there the financial bonus that firefighters receive for having a degree, but there is also the opportunity to change your thinking. The program enhances critical thinking skills and presents new concepts and new ideas of learning. It helps firefighters do their job.”

For more information about the new program contact: Vanessa Lopez, Director of Admissions, phone: 1-800-486-8328, or email: Vanessa.lopez@tui.edu.

CONTINUING THE LEGACY: UI&U Launches Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Specialization for Doctoral Learners

MLK specialization reinforces university’s mission to address critical social issues by empowering adults in their pursuit of a lifetime of learning and service

CINCINNATI, OH - Union Institute & University (UI&U) is honored to announce the launch of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Specialization for doctoral learners enrolled in the Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies program. Within the context of their academic studies in leadership, public policy, and the humanities, UI&U’s Ph.D. candidates will have the opportunity to study the intellectual, moral, spiritual, and political legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King. Potential areas of research include Dr. King’s contributions to such areas as non-violent approaches to social and political change, the principles and practices of justice, the role of communities in political organization, and the ethical and civic responsibilities of both religious and secular leaders.

“At the conclusion of his life and work, Dr. King had engaged the issues of poverty in a land of affluence, and leaves to us the continuing challenge of engineering abundance in the place of scarcity and the violence of poverty,” said Dr. Virgil Wood, who coordinated the State of Virginia for Dr. King’s March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963.

“The new MLK Studies specialization reinforces UI&U’s mission to empower adults to acquire knowledge through interdisciplinary and collaborative programs that address social issues,” said Dr. Larry Preston, graduate dean for UI&U’s Cohort Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies program. “By focusing on Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy, and through internships in a variety of disciplines, learners will move beyond expressing concern about the very large number of individuals who live in poverty or blaming those who are poor for being poor and become equipped to explore the underlying causes of poverty.”

Doctoral learners enrolled in the specialization will take 30 hours of coursework including core and advanced seminars in two of three areas of concentrations: ethical and creative leadership; public policy and social issues; and humanities and society. Learners will also have the opportunity to work alongside Dr. King’s colleagues, including Dr. Virgil Wood. Plans for the program include Ph.D. residencies in Atlanta, more funding for scholarships, and support for visiting scholars.

“We are very excited about this new program and look forward to working together in the future,” said Isaac Farris, CEO of the King Center and nephew of the late Dr. King. UI&U learners will have access to the King Center’s library, which houses Dr. King’s writings in addition to the work of other civil right leaders, including Julian Bond and Andrew Young.

The new MLK specialization, said Dr. Wood, “puts a face of hope on the 40-year age of despair which we have experienced since Dr. King’s death in 1968 - until now.”

For more information about the new MLK specialization contact Regina Sewell, Admissions Counselor, Cohort PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies, at 1.800.486.3116, ext. 1268, or email regina.sewell@tui.edu.

Union Institute & University Announces New Programs at Upcoming Information Sessions

CINCINNATI – Beginning March 4, Union Institute & University’s Cincinnati Center for Undergraduate Studies will host weekly information sessions throughout the month to introduce its innovative undergraduate programs to the community.

The new B.A. and B.S. degree programs, designed to accommodate the busy adult schedule, are further examples of how UI&U continues to redefine higher education by placing learners at the center of their own education. The Walnut Hills-based center offers a wide variety of majors from psychology to criminal justice. Learner benefits include close faculty mentoring and advising, the ability to transfer credit from prior learning, and flexible learning times.

President Dr. Roger Sublett is eager to get the word out about the new options.
“We’re pleased that our newly revised programs, with their on-ground and online options, can accommodate the needs of Cincinnati adults looking for relevant and marketable degrees,” said Dr. Sublett. “We are continuing our mission to empower adults with relevant and flexible alternatives in higher education.”

UI&U’s accelerated undergraduate degree programs incorporate the learners’ prior transfer credits earned at other universities or colleges, consider the learners’ relevant professional experience and knowledge, and identify a set of remaining courses that reflect the learners’ personal goals and satisfies UI&U degree requirements. Unlike most universities, UI&U does not put a time limit on transferring in credits earned at other higher learning institutions.

Undergraduate learners have the option of completing their courses through one-to-one tutorial instruction by phone or e-mail, face-to-face with instructors, or online.
Many learners chose a degree program that prepares them for careers in growing fields including social work, human services, business management, and early childhood education.

Joseph Roetting, a current UI&U undergraduate learner and Mayor of Mount Healthy, chose to complete his B.S. in business management at UI&U because of its flexibility.
“It has always been important for me to get my bachelor’s degree,” said Roetting, an investment specialist for Duke Energy. “I always wanted to achieve it sometime in my lifetime – but I also understand that there needs to be a balance between family and personal goals.”

UI&U, said Roetting, helped him succeed and achieve his goals.

Financial aid counselors, faculty advisors, and admissions counselors will be present at the Tuesday information sessions, 6-7:30 p.m., each Tuesday in March: March 4, 11, 18, and 25, at Union Institute & University, 440 E. McMillan St., Walnut Hills.

For more information, contact Admissions Counselor Marc Weber at 513-487-1225 or marc.weber@tui.edu.