Distance Education Leader Ashworth College Breaks Ground with Online Student Veterans of America Campus Chapter

NORCROSS, Ga., Dec. 20, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Ashworth College and Student Veterans of America (SVA) proudly announced today that the distance education leader has joined SVA's roster of student campus chapters.

With membership comprised primarily of veterans, active duty and military spouses, the Ashworth College (http://www.ashworthcollege.edu/military) Chapter's goal is to provide a support network for students who are affiliated with or support the United States military, including active duty service members, veterans, military spouses, military families and the civilians who support military veterans.

The Ashworth College Campus Chapter was formed to help service members and veterans to assimilate to college life as well as educate the Ashworth student community about the experiences of military veterans and the college administration that works to meet the needs of current and prospective student veterans.

The Ashworth Chapter has the unique distinction of operating 100% online, compared to other student groups at traditional brick and mortar institutions.

Utilizing the school's active online social community platform, the group will work to address student veteran's concerns through scheduled meetings, advocacy, social activities and promoting an overall understanding of student veteran's issues.

"Because our students mostly interact online, we find that they are highly organized and highly committed to the success of student organizations compared to their traditional campus-based counterparts," said Rodney Butler, Ashworth's Military Education Coordinator and SVA Chapter faculty advisor. "The only real difference is that instead of holding regular meetings in an on-campus classroom, our members will meet in chat rooms."

Butler is optimistic that the Ashworth College Campus Chapter will offer additional opportunities for its military students to connect as well as to provide added resources for new active duty and veteran students. "Students with a military background have distinct needs, compared to the rest of the student body," he said. "Being able to successfully transition from military life to civilian life can be challenging, so any tips and encouragement from peers will be a welcome benefit."

Within the first month, the Ashworth College Chapter recruited more than 650 members, both in the US and abroad.

"Ashworth does an amazing job at providing the students opportunities to enhance our education as well as our outreach efforts. It really makes us proud of our school," said Michelle Davidson, President of the Ashworth Campus Chapter. Davidson is a military spouse and is stationed at Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C. She is pursuing her Associate Degree in Business Management.

The organization's vice president is Brittani Kee, also a military spouse at Seymour Johnson AFB. Kee is military legacy with both of her parents having serviced in the Air Force. She is currently enrolled in Ashworth's Associate Degree in Business Management program.

About Student Veteran's of America

Founded in 2008, Student Veterans of America is a coalition of student veterans groups on college campuses across the United States. The more than 350 SVA member chapters are student groups that have formed on college and university campuses to provide peer-to-peer networks for veterans who are attending those schools. These groups coordinate campus activities, provide pre-professional networking, and generally provide a touchstone for student veterans in higher education. Each local group plays a critical role in ensuring that every veteran is successful after their service.

About Ashworth College

Ashworth College, a leader in online education, offers students worldwide more than 115 online college degrees, online career certificates, online career training and high school online diplomas that are affordable and fit the busy schedules of working adults. Ashworth also offers military education online as well as specialized programs for corporate partners and homeschoolers.

Headquartered in Norcross, Ga., Ashworth is accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). The Accrediting Commission of the DETC is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency. Ashworth High School is further accredited regionally by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI). SACS CASI is an accreditation division of AdvancED. For more information, visit http://www.ashworthcollege.edu.

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SOURCE Ashworth College