K-State Division of Continuing Education to celebrate commencement and 40th anniversary

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Source: Rosanna Vail, 785-532-2720, rvail@k-state.edu

Friday, December 1, 2006

COMMENCEMENT
K-STATE DIVISION OF CONTINUING EDUCATION TO CELEBRATE COMMENCEMENT AND 40TH ANNIVERSARY

MANHATTAN -- Kansas State University's Division of Continuing Education will have a reception at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, to celebrate the commencement of the fall 2006 graduating class of distance education students. The reception, in the Flint Hills Room at the K-State Student Union, also will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the university's Division of Continuing Education.

"We are always so pleased when our distance education graduates can travel to Manhattan to attend commencement," said Elizabeth Unger, vice provost for academic services and technology and dean of continuing education "This reception is a wonderful opportunity for distance students and faculty members who taught them to meet face-to-face.

"It's also an occasion to celebrate this milestone anniversary of the Division of Continuing Education with the many people who have made us successful over the years," she said. "The division has grown dramatically in the last decade and now serves more than 8,000 different individuals not otherwise served by the university each year. And, even though not all distance learning graduates can come to Manhattan for commencement, they are not left out as a virtual commencement is provided for them on the Web."

K-State's Division of Continuing Education was founded in 1966 to provide educational opportunities for adult learners. Throughout its 40 years, the division has offered thousands of conferences, seminars, courses and degree programs to students in Kansas, the United States and many other countries. K-State, through the Division of Continuing Education, has been offering distance education courses since 1971, distance degree programs since 1974 and online courses since 1995.

K-State now offers 39 distance degrees and certificate program, and currently has distance education students in all 50 states and 10 foreign countries. K-State has won more national distance education awards than any other university or college, with a total of seven since 2001.

"It's K-State's vision that, as the first land-grant university, we will lead in providing education to those who can't become residential students," Unger said.

For more information about the Division of Continuing Education's commencement and 40th anniversary reception, call 785-532-5575.