AmeriCorps Alums, 2U to Increase Access to Graduate Degrees For Those Who Served in AmeriCorps

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Sep 23, 2015, 02:43 ET

LANDOVER, Md., Sept. 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- 2U, Inc. is partnering with AmeriCorps Alums to provide its members with a $5,000 tuition benefit toward quality graduate degrees at top-tier universities in business, government, social work and mental health, health care, education and other high-demand career areas. 2U partners with leading colleges and universities to deliver the world's best online degree programs so students everywhere can reach their full potential.

"AmeriCorps Alums and 2U are ideal partners because we're both committed to equipping emerging leaders by expanding their access to educational opportunities," said AmeriCorps Alums' Co-Executive Director Ben Duda. "A recent survey showed that nearly three-quarters of graduating AmeriCorps members want careers that change the world. Our partnership with 2U connects these national service alumni to the education, skills and experiences they need make our communities safer, stronger and healthier."

2U-powered programs offer AmeriCorps Alums members the opportunity to earn a graduate degree from wherever they are living or serving. Live classes are accessible on 2U's dynamic Online Campus, and students can work on weekly coursework at their own pace at home or on a 2U-developed mobile app.

"The civic leadership and skills gained through a year of service in some of our country's most vulnerable and underserved communities make AmeriCorps Alums ideal students — civically engaged, mission-driven and committed to making an impact. We're proud to be working with AmeriCorps Alums to support their members' aspirations to advance their service and career goals by offering tuition benefits in these fields," said Chip Paucek, 2U CEO and co-founder. "People shouldn't have to choose between growing their careers through education and serving the communities in which they live, and through this partnership, they don't have to."

AmeriCorps Alums is a national network that connects the nearly one million alumni of all AmeriCorps programs who have served more than 1.2 billion hours since 1994. AmeriCorps Alums supports each member in reaching his or her full potential as an engaged citizen and civic leader by offering professional and leadership development, empowering a national chapter network, and sharing the voices and stories of hundreds of alumni each year.

AmeriCorps Alums members must be accepted by the applicable university to be eligible for the tuition benefit, which is available for the following programs:

MBA@American: Master of Business Administration (MBA) from American University's Kogod School of Business
Nursing@Georgetown: Master of Science Degree in Nursing delivered online by Georgetown University School of Nursing & Health Studies
MHA@GW: Executive Master of Health Administration (MHA) from the Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University
MPH@GW: Master of Public Health (MPH) from the Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University
MBA@UNC: Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Kenan-Flagler Business School
MPA@UNC: Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Government
Counseling@Northwestern: Master of Arts (MA) in Counseling from The Family Institute at Northwestern University
USC Rossier Online: Master of Arts in Teaching and Master of Arts in Teaching – Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) at USC Rossier School of Education
Nursing@Simmons: Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) Family Nurse Practitioner program for bachelor's and non-bachelor's degree holders from the Simmons School of Nursing and Health Sciences
SocialWork@Simmons: Master of Social Work (MSW) from Simmons School of Social Work
MSW@USC: Master of Social Work (MSW) from University of Southern California
Accounting@Syracuse: Master of Science (MS) in Professional Accounting from Syracuse University's Martin J. Whitman School of Management
Communications@Syracuse: Master of Science (MS) in Communications from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University
MBA@Syracuse: Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Syracuse University's Martin J. Whitman School of Management

"MPA@UNC can help AmeriCorps Alums reach their potential for leadership," said William C. Rivenbark, program director and professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's MPA@UNC, one of the programs eligible for this tuition benefit. "We take their passion for service, combine it with rigorous academic study and real work experience, and inspire the next generation of public leaders."

For more information about 2U-powered higher education programs available to AmeriCorps Alums, visit http://www.americorpsalums.org/page/GraduateProgram2/ .

About AmeriCorps Alums

AmeriCorps Alums, an enterprise of Points of Light, is the only national network that connects the nearly one million alumni of all AmeriCorps programs to the people, ideas, and resources that support their commitment to a lifetime of service. For more information, visit www.a mericorps a lums.org, follow AmeriCorps Alums on Twitter, connect on LinkedIn, read stories on their blog, and like them on Facebook.

About 2U, Inc. (NASDAQ: TWOU)

2U partners with leading colleges and universities to deliver the world's best online degree programs so students everywhere can reach their full potential. Our Platform, a fusion of cloud-based software-as-a-service technology and technology-enabled services, provides schools with the comprehensive operating infrastructure they need to attract, enroll, educate, support and graduate students globally. Blending live face-to-face classes, dynamic course content and real-world learning experiences, 2U's No Back Row® approach ensures that every qualified student can experience the highest quality university education for the most successful outcome.

SOURCE 2U, Inc.