Denny Sanford makes historic $350 million gift to expand, invigorate National University – The San Diego Union-Tribune
Posted: October 12, 2019 at 10:45 am
Philanthropist Denny Sanford made one of the largest gifts in the history of higher education Tuesday, giving $350 million to San Diegos National University to transform the school into a dominant force among institutions that cater to working adults, especially online.
The nearly half-century old university helped pioneer online education and specializes in serving older learners, many who study digitally and at small campuses. But some of Nationals degree programs have received low rankings from U.S. News and World Report.
The school which will be renamed Sanford National University next year is trying to fix the problem and break out of the shadow of competitors who are growing by investing in digital technology, lower-priced classes and compelling marketing.
National, which has about 28,000 students, hopes to at least double (in size) within a few years. How could I not support that?, said Sanford, an 83-year-old billionaire who divides his time between homes in La Jolla and Sioux Falls, S.D.
Adult learners are so in need in education, and theyre often neglected.
National hopes to bolster enrollment, in part, by reducing its annual tuition from $12,000 to $15,000 for full-time students, down to the $7,000 to $10,000 range over time something that will only be possible with Sanfords new gift. About 70-percent of its students take classes online.
The school also will try to triple the size of its annual graduating class to roughly 15,000 over the next three to five years.
We know that affordability and student success are the primary areas we want to focus on, said David Andrews, Nationals president. We have military students that cap out at four courses a year with assistance funding they get from the federal government. We want to cover the rest of their four courses that year.
Well endow, or invest, a good bit of this (gift) to throw off enough return to truly reduce the cost of tuition. Our aspiration is to cut our tuition in half.
Sanford who has a long record of donating to education, health, science and the welfare of children announced his latest gift on Tuesday during a ceremony that attracted some of the countys most influential figures, including philanthropists Irwin Jacobs and Malin Burnham.
The $350 million is the largest individual or family donation ever made in San Diego County, breaking the old record by $75 million. According to its 2016 IRS forms 990, National University had a budget of about $745 million.
The new gift raises Sanfords total public giving in the county to at least $809 million, and it comes less than three months after he donated $100 million to UC San Diego for the study of empathy and compassion.
The $350 million is among the 15 largest donations that have been publicly announced by U.S. colleges and universities since 1967, according to data in The Chronicle of Higher Education.
You dont see institutions (like National) getting nine figure gifts, let alone beyond $100 million, said Maria Di Mento, a donations expert at the Chronicle of Philanthropy in Washington D.C.
The biggest donations have gone to more traditional universities that have expanded into online adult education, creating additional competition for hybrid systems like National, which delivers courses digitally and at about 20 campuses, most which are in California.
National has benefited from a friendship that evolved over the past six years between Sanford and Michael Cunningham, the chancellor of the National University System, which is composed of National and three other small universities.
Sanford, Cunningham and others developed a global education program called Sanford Harmony, which teaches Pre-K to sixth-grade students to treat each other with civility and compassion. Sanford has regularly said that education and children are my biggest priority.
National also helped Sanford develop Sanford Inspire, which improves the skills of school teachers. And the university created the Sanford Institute of Philanthropy, which helps non-profits and their fundraisers to be more effective.
Sanford donated $150 million to these and related programs prior to announcing Tuesdays record $350 million gift, which is unrestricted, giving National the flexibility to invest in many educational initiatives.
Theres no mistaking the schools gratitude. Cunningham keeps a full-size cardboard cutout photo of Sanford in his office.
The new donation raises Sanfords global giving to at least $1.3 billion. Forbes estimates his fortune at $2.6 billion and Sanford said he plans to give away all of his money by the time he dies..
Denny has had such an impact, not only on National University and the system but society at large, Cunningham told the Union-Tribune.
But the path ahead wont be easy. Universities that focus on older, working adults are still trying to prove their worth.
More than a decade after Congress allowed online colleges full access to federal student aid programs, and despite a subsequent explosion in their enrollment, a growing and powerful body of evidence suggests that online learning is far from the hoped-for silver bullet, according to a study released in January by George Mason University and Skidmore College.
Online education has failed to reduce costs and improve outcomes for students. Faculty, academic leaders, the public, and employers continue to perceive online degrees less favorably than traditional degrees.
Cunningham agrees that the courses offered by schools like National have to be more affordable and sharply focused on giving students the skills they need to thrive in the work place.
Sanford has faith in Nationals ability to evolve, saying that the school has proven itself to me over a six-, seven-year period of time, not only with the programs I brought to them but the programs they have developed, which have been very, very successful, particularly those for adult learners.
National has expressed deep gratitude to Sanford, who has lived a rags-to-riches life, building a fortune in the financial services industry, largely by serving customers with bad credit.
He was born in St. Paul, Minn. during the Great Depression to a family that had little money. His mother died of cancer when he was only four. His father operated a clothing warehouse, and put Sanford to work at age eight.
He emerged from a troubled childhood to earn a degree in psychology at the University of Minnesota. Sanford then pursued work as a salesman and eventually earned enough money to buy a bank in South Dakota. He renamed the bank First Premier and was soon lending money to customers who found it hard or impossible to qualify for credit at other banks.
Sanford began making significant private donations in the late 1990s, first by focusing on the care and education of children. He later broadened his interests something that has been apparent in San Diego County, where Sanford has donated money for everything from stem cell research at UC San Diego to improving the San Diego Zoo and revitalizing National.
Denny has had such an impact, not only on National University and the system but society at large, said Cunningham in announcing that Nationals name will be changed next July to more fully reflect Sanfords contributions.
Sanford downplayed the publicity, telling the Union-Tribune, I am not donating to put my name on a building, he said about his latest gift. Ive got my name on a lot of stuff. Im just honored that (National) would consider the university to be named after me.
Original post:
Denny Sanford makes historic $350 million gift to expand, invigorate National University - The San Diego Union-Tribune
- UPDATE: Humble ISD extends closure of in-person, online learning through Feb. 17 - Community Impact Newspaper - February 16th, 2021
- AICTE to join hands with ed-tech firms for online education - Mint - February 16th, 2021
- Adaptively Education Offers a New Online Tutoring Solution; Delivers Customized Learning Experience Accessible to and Inclusive of All Students - WFMZ... - February 16th, 2021
- The Economist expands education offering with the launch of "Executive Education" - PRNewswire - February 16th, 2021
- Essential E-Learning Ecosystems Move to the Head of the Class - PRNewswire - February 16th, 2021
- Iowa City's education-technology industry accelerates during pandemic thanks to online learning boom - The Gazette - February 16th, 2021
- Online Education Market Expected to Deposit around US$ XX Billion by 2028 | CAGR: XX% | K12 Inc, Pearson, White Hat Managemen - The Courier - February 16th, 2021
- Education majors adjust to online student teaching - The Post - February 16th, 2021
- Some schools could reopen this week with L.A. County set to meet threshold Tuesday; parents rally to demand on-campus learning - KTLA Los Angeles - February 16th, 2021
- North Dakota Outdoors/ Doug Leier: Hunter education program evolves with the times - Grand Forks Herald - February 16th, 2021
- Cyber threats in online education sector increased by 60% in H2 2020 - HT Tech - February 16th, 2021
- The Trainer Brainer: Why you should commit to online learning to get the best results - EdexLive - February 16th, 2021
- Online Learning for K-12 Education Market is expected to grow at CAGR 15.1% by 2028 due to Rising Investments by Educational Institutions towards... - February 16th, 2021
- Education minister says lessons learned last spring prepared Newfoundland and Labrador school system - The Telegram - February 16th, 2021
- The 10 Course Creators & Experts to Watch in 2021 - GlobeNewswire - February 16th, 2021
- Another year of online learning - The Star Online - February 16th, 2021
- Beyond COVID: Expect a click and mortar approach as colleges emerge from the pandemic - masslive.com - February 16th, 2021
- Boosting Student Motivation Through Connected Reflection - Faculty Focus - February 16th, 2021
- Announcing Committee on Continuing, Professional, and Online Education - UT News | The University of Texas at Austin - January 14th, 2021
- Udemy expands executive team with key hire - Economic Times - January 14th, 2021
- Online platform starts for job, education help - Arkansas Online - January 14th, 2021
- How machine learning is contributing to the evolution of online education space - India Today - January 14th, 2021
- Enrollment in RI public schools is down by almost 4,000 students. Where have they gone? - The Providence Journal - January 14th, 2021
- Higher educations reopening decisions affected the most vulnerable students - Brookings Institution - January 14th, 2021
- Online Education Market Analysis And Demand With Forecast Overview To 2027 - The Pinstripe Empire - January 14th, 2021
- Brown v. Board of Education play to be performed online - Marin Independent Journal - January 14th, 2021
- Massive Open Online Course Market Foreseeing Stellar Growth Owing to the Soaring Demand amid the Pandemic: Future Market Insights - Yahoo Finance - January 14th, 2021
- Chegg Launches HONOR SHIELD: A New Tool to Support the Integrity of Online Exams - Business Wire - January 14th, 2021
- K-12 Online Education Market SWOT Analysis and Future Growth by Top Players YY Inc, Benesse, Beijing Ifdoo Education & Technology Co Ltd, XUEDA,... - January 14th, 2021
- Apex Learning Courses Recognized as Best of 2020 by Tech & Learning - PR Web - January 14th, 2021
- Online Education Software Market by Manufacturers, Regions, Type and Application, Forecast To 2026 SAP, Microsoft, Oracle, MAXIMUS, Merit Software,... - January 14th, 2021
- High school dedicated to maritime industry education opening in Des Moines - KING5.com - January 14th, 2021
- Frederic D. Washington: Fastest-growing university in the state, but at what cost? - Shreveport Times - October 21st, 2020
- Online Education Market in India | Increased Penetration of Internet and Smartphones to Boost the Market Growth | Technavio - Yahoo Finance - October 21st, 2020
- Global Online Education Market Climbs on Positive Outlook of Booming Sales By 2020-2026 - PRnews Leader - October 21st, 2020
- OPINION: Zoom classes can teach us how classism and ableism are ingrained in our education system - The Alestle - October 21st, 2020
- SME Education Foundation Initiative to Make Online High School Education Opportunities Available Receives Investment from Caterpillar Inc. and Amazon... - October 21st, 2020
- 5 common mistakes you should avoid while learning things online - India Today - October 21st, 2020
- New Rankings: The Best Online University Programs Based On Their ROI - Forbes - October 21st, 2020
- Goodwill Community Foundation is trailblazer in growth of free online - GlobeNewswire - October 21st, 2020
- Online Education Market 2019 Global Industry Growth Analysis, Segmentation, Size, Share, Trend, Future Demand and Leading Players Updates by Forecast... - October 21st, 2020
- Online Education Market Size 2025 Global Industry Sales, Revenue, Price Trends And More - Eurowire - October 21st, 2020
- K12 Learning Solutions Helps Schools Start the Year Online and Plan for a Hybrid Future - Business Wire - October 21st, 2020
- K 12 Online Education Market is Expected to Grow Big during Forecast Period 2020-2027 - The Think Curiouser - October 21st, 2020
- New MIT Work of the Future Research Explores How Work-Based Learning and Online Education Are Key Elements of Adult Training - Business Wire - October 21st, 2020
- Online Program Management in Higher Education Market 2020 Showcases Capable Growth After Covid-19 Pandemic with Top Manufacturers: IDesign, Online... - October 21st, 2020
- The pandemic is speeding up automation, and 85 million jobs are on the line - WICZ - October 21st, 2020
- Wendler: Innovation should permeate every aspect of university's culture - Amarillo.com - October 21st, 2020
- Stone River: Access thousands of hours of online education on the cheap! - AndroidGuys - October 21st, 2020
- The unfortunate reality of an online college education The Knight News - The Knight News - October 21st, 2020
- As higher education expands online, what's subject to tax? | - University Business - October 21st, 2020
- Rethinking Online Education with Virtual Event Platforms - MarketScale - September 26th, 2020
- Lessons learned from the forced experiment in online education - The Globe and Mail - September 26th, 2020
- Online Education Market 2019 | How The Industry Will Witness Substantial Growth In The Upcoming Years | Exclusive Report By DataIntelo - The Daily... - September 26th, 2020
- Put Iowa kids first in education with greater school choice - The Gazette - September 26th, 2020
- Hybrid education is the solution to one of the challenges of COVID-19 - The Globe and Mail - September 26th, 2020
- Online education presents both challenges and opportunities - The Tribune India - September 26th, 2020
- COVID-19: How viable is online education? - Down To Earth Magazine - September 26th, 2020
- Online Education Technology Market 2020 Assessment and Trend Analysis After the Covid-19 lockdown: Impact And Recovery - DailyHover - September 26th, 2020
- What Do Parents Think of Online Learning? - Education Week - September 26th, 2020
- Online Education Market Growth Ratio Analysis with Top Players Major players operating in the Online Education market are PAR Technology Corp,... - September 26th, 2020
- Study finds increased university spending toward education technology - Daily Californian - September 26th, 2020
- Global Online K-12 Education Market 2020 Estimated to Experience a Notable Growth in the Coming Years Know Share, Trends, Regional Analysis and... - September 26th, 2020
- Harm to the Public Will Only Worsen if We Don't Increase School Openings - UT News | The University of Texas at Austin - September 26th, 2020
- How ICCSD special education teachers and families have adapted to virtual learning - Iowa City Press-Citizen - September 26th, 2020
- Zoom University is the same price - The Patriot Talon - September 26th, 2020
- Online education has the advantages of school safety and school choice - The CT Mirror - September 21st, 2020
- Los Alamos Online Learning Academy Goal Is To Ensure All Students Are Learning And Have Same Opportunity To Thrive - Los Alamos Reporter - September 21st, 2020
- Jitterbit's Future State of Higher Education Report Uncovers Challenges of the Move to Remote Learning - GlobeNewswire - September 21st, 2020
- University of Iowa education majors continue student teaching online - UI The Daily Iowan - September 21st, 2020
- Student-teacher internships dry up The Famuan - Famuan - September 21st, 2020
- Ed Talk: Don't Let Zoom Be Our Doom - ARLnow - September 21st, 2020
- New Online Tool from Pa. Dept. of Education will help school districts track their "equity journey" - Pittsburgh Current - September 21st, 2020
- Great education can bring together online and off-line experiences - The Jerusalem Post - September 21st, 2020
- Zoom University is cheating students out of a proper education - Stony Brook Statesman - September 21st, 2020
- The unexpected benefits of virtual education - World Economic Forum - September 21st, 2020
- Climbing trees to access homework online education in a remote village of Haryana - The Indian Express - September 21st, 2020
- Worldwide Online Education Software Market Growth and Revenue Overview 2020 by Size, Share, Product (Value, Volume and Types), Forecast to 2026 - The... - September 21st, 2020
- 3 families chose between online and in-person school. Now they're questioning their decisions. - NBC News - September 21st, 2020
- Special education in the age of COVID-19: We are surviving, and in some ways even thriving - PennLive - September 21st, 2020