BURBANK, Calif., Jan. 8, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Disney Aspire, The Walt Disney Company's 100% tuition-paid education plan for more than 94,000 hourly employees and Cast Members, welcomes Purdue University Global and Southern New Hampshire University to its network of schools. Eligible employees and Cast Members can now pursue a degree in Cloud Computing, Digital Photography, Legal Studies and Higher Education Administration, among others. This is in addition to the more than 300 programs in the current Disney Aspire network offered by universities and education providers, including University of Arizona, University of Central Florida, Valencia College, Brandman University, University of Florida Online, University of Denver, Wilmington University and Bellevue University.

"We are committed to providing our employees every opportunity to realize their hopes and dreams — at the workplace and beyond," said Jayne Parker, senior executive vice president and Chief HR Officer, The Walt Disney Company. "We are excited to add Purdue University Global and Southern New Hampshire University to our best-in-class Disney Aspire program, which now offers even more choices for our employees to create the futures they imagine for themselves."

About Disney Aspire
Disney Aspire is the most comprehensive education investment program of its kind, offering more than 300 degrees and programs at 13 educational institutions nationwide in concert with Guild Education. The Company has committed $150 million to fund Disney Aspire over the first five years of the program and will add up to $25 million more each year after that. Disney Aspire is designed to remove key barriers to enrollment and support working adults in a multitude of ways, including:

• Cost: Covers 100% of costs associated with tuition up front and required books and fees
• Choice and Convenience: Offers the choice and convenience of multiple programs, classes and schedule options
• Coaching: Provides individual coaching and support from application through graduation
• Opportunity: Does not require employees and Cast Members to stay at Disney after the completion of their degree or certificate

Since Disney Aspire's launch in August 2018, more than 12,000 students have actively enrolled in classes and more than 500 have completed programs and graduated.

Purdue Global, part of the Purdue University system, delivers personalized online education tailored to the unique needs of working adults. Southern New Hampshire University was named one of the nation's Best Regional Universities by US News & World Report, ranking as the Most Innovative School in the northern region.

"Disney Aspire continues to lead the way as one of the most comprehensive employee education programs in the country and we are proud that SNHU's workforce-relevant degree programs will now be available to Disney employees and Cast Members," said Paul LeBlanc, university president and CEO, Southern New Hampshire University. "Our collaboration with Disney will expand access to education for thousands of Disney employees and will allow them to further their career and personal ambitions without taking on any debt."

"We are proud to work with Disney, an organization known for its commitment to quality in everything it does," said Dr. Betty Vandenbosch, chancellor of Purdue University Global. "We look forward to supporting Disney employees on their personal path to a degree with a student experience that combines relevant real-world knowledge, learning flexibility and a strong online community."

For more information or to sign up, eligible Disney employees can visit Aspire.Disney.com.

Follow the conversation at #DisneyAspire.

ABOUT THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY
The Walt Disney Company, together with its subsidiaries, is a diversified worldwide entertainment company with operations in four business segments: Media Networks; Parks, Experiences and Products; Studio Entertainment; and Direct-to-Consumer and International. Disney is a Dow 30 company and had annual revenues of $69.6 billion in its Fiscal Year 2019.

ABOUT GUILD EDUCATION
Guild Education is on a mission to unlock opportunity for America's workforce through education, with a double bottom-line business model that does well by doing good. Guild partners with leading Fortune 1000 employers to help them provide education benefits to their frontline workforce. To do so, Guild partners with the nation's top universities focused on serving working adults. Through these partnerships, 400,000 working adults have begun exploring their path back to school with Guild. Guild has been named a Fast Company Most Innovative Company, Top Woman-Owned Business of the Year, Employee Initiative of the Year and was one of only three female-led companies listed on the Forbes Cloud 100 2019 List.

CONTACTS:
Michelle Bergman
The Walt Disney Company
michelle.bergman@disney.com

Gregory Ten Eyck
Purdue University Global
gregory.teneyck@purdueglobal.edu

Lauren Keane
Southern New Hampshire University
l.keane@snhu.edu

SOURCE Walt Disney Company

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