Name change and expansion better positions the university for assisting community college students wanting to transfer into a four-year degree

PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Pacific Graduate School of Psychology (PGSP) has reincorporated as Palo Alto University (PAU) and relocated its campus to 1791 Arastradero Road in Palo Alto, effective immediately.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20091013/CG91834)

The university Board of Trustees voted to approve these changes, in part, to better allow the university to assist the growing number of community college students in California and around the country who want to transition their work into a four-year degree. While the process of reincorporating as Palo Alto University and relocating campus was initiated some time ago, it has special relevance now in light of President Barack Obama's July proposal of $12 billion in new federal spending for community colleges.

In the "American Graduation Initiative," part of the funding will help community colleges coordinate their programs with universities like Palo Alto to allow students to transition into securing a four-year degree.

"As a distinguished research institution, we are focused on generating new knowledge. PAU was selected as a name more fitting for a university intent on continuing our research contributions to the field of psychology. In addition, we will continue our commitment to teaching which includes the large number of community college students who want to obtain a four-year degree," said Dr. Allen Calvin, president, PAU.

To facilitate the process for community college students to transfer credits, PAU has a formal partnership in place with the Foothill De Anza College District in Silicon Valley. This partnership also allowed for the recent creation of Palo Alto's new Bachelors of Science in Business Psychology program. The first class was admitted in August. This is Palo Alto University's second undergraduate program. It also offers a Bachelors of Science in Psychology and Social Action.

Students, faculty and the community benefit from Palo Alto's other partnerships with institutions in the Bay area, including Stanford University, Foothill College, University of San Francisco, Golden Gate University, and the Palo Alto Veterans Administration.

"These collaborations are an example of how institutions of higher education can work together on superordinate goals and accomplish things which they could not do alone," Calvin said.

To celebrate the new name and location, a campus tour and dinner was held October 9 and a ribbon cutting ceremony on October 10 at PAU's new Allen Calvin Campus. Guest speakers at both events included: congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo, Deborah Zumwalt, vice president and general counsel, Stanford University, Bruce Arnow, professor at Stanford University, Nick Covino, president, Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology, Geoffrey Cox, president, Alliant International University, Jeff Gee, vice president, Swinerton Incorporated, Judy Miner, president, Foothill College, Bob Muzio, senior vice president, Comerica Bank, Gary Shapiro, PAU chair of the Board of Trustees, Bill Froming, PAU vice president of academic affairs, Bruce Bongar, PAU professor, and Hy Diep, president, PAU Ph.D. program student council. Calvin served as Master of Ceremonies, Rabbi Stephen Pierce of the PAU Board of Trustees gave the invocation and James Otieno, PAU vice-chair of the Board of Trustees cut the ribbon.

Pacific Graduate School of Psychology will continue as a graduate school of psychology within Palo Alto University.

Palo Alto University www.pgsp.edu

Founded in 1975, the Pacific Graduate School of Psychology reincorporated to Palo Alto University in 2009. Combining the advantages of a professional school with a traditional university, Palo Alto University provides undergraduate and graduate students small class sizes with renowned faculty and impressive clinical training resources through the university's cooperative relationships with Stanford University, the University of San Francisco, Golden Gate University and Palo Alto Veterans Health Administration. The positive results of this strategy can be seen in students' placement in high quality internships, outstanding test scores on the licensing examination, and successful careers.

SOURCE Palo Alto University

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http://www.pgsp.edu