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For Immediate Release
eLearners.com Launches National 'Career Stimulus Package' to Tackle Crisis of Undereducated, Underemployed Adult Americans
40 City Empowerment Tour, Featuring Career Coaches; $4 Million in Full-Tuition Scholarships; Job Shadowing; and Fundraising to Educate, Empower and Employ
eLearners.com, a Web resource of EducationDynamics, which has successfully connected learners to online education since 1999, announced today the launch of a new national program aimed at helping adults kickstart their careers through education, entitled "Career Stimulus Package" (www.careerstimulus.com). The comprehensive career education program will offer undereducated, underemployed adults access to online education opportunities, including up to $4 million in full-tuition scholarships, and job shadowing programs at some of America's most innovative companies. At the center of the campaign is a 40-city RV "Empowerment Tour" offering free career coaching services which starts in Denver, Colorado on June 12, 2009 and concludes in Los Angeles on September 9, 2009.
"The undereducated, underemployed adult population is a silent crisis in America today and it needs a voice - a very loud voice," explains Terrence Thomas, EVP Marketing Operations for eLearners.com, which just completed the third series of its Project Working Mom campaign which partnered with colleges and universities to provide more than $5 million in full-tuition online college scholarships; an eighteen month campaign that received more than 400,000 applicants.
The Career Stimulus Package and Empowerment Tour is the voice designed to help adult Americans overcome the barriers of time, money and confidence in pursuing a college degree. The scholarships provided by the participating schools, and the scholarship funds raised during the tour, is one small but significant step in helping to alleviate the financial burden. By studying online, students can do class work from home, during their lunch hour at work, and at any time of day mitigating the obstacle of time. And through the comprehensive Career Stimulus Package efforts, adults can get the knowledge and information they need to feel confident about returning to school.
"Everyone talks about the crisis in education, but nobody is focusing on the root cause - the lack of college educated adults in the U.S.," explained Thomas.
"Not only is the fact that more than 70 percent of Americans aged 25 and older not having a bachelor's degree debilitating to the competitive status of our nation, but it's adversely affecting future generations as these adults ultimately become parents and we need them to be education role models for America's children." The tour's primary ambassador is Flavia Colgan, a passionate advocate for education over the past decade. She served as the first woman and youngest Chief of Staff in the country for Pennsylvania's Lt. Governor Catherine Baker Knoll.
And, most recently she has appeared as a correspondent and commentator on several national TV networks including CBS, MSNBC, and FOX.
"While the Career Stimulus Package and Empowerment Tour are a catalyst for discussion and change, they are certainly not enough," said Colgan. "Funding for non-traditional adult education must become an ongoing national priority. Half of the projected job growth in the United States over the next decade will require a college degree. To truly strengthen America's workforce, we need to equip adults to take on these jobs. If we can educate, we can empower and employ. It's the solution to America's current and future economic woes."
The components of the Career Stimulus Package include:
Full-Tuition Scholarships
The Career Stimulus Package campaign will award full-tuition scholarships to adults who have applied through www.careerstimulus.com. The scholarships will let deserving adults attend an accredited online college or university tuition free. The total value of these scholarships, which range from the associate's level to the Ph.D. level, is about $4 million. Participating schools providing the scholarships include: American Public University, Ashworth College, Bryant & Stratton College, Capella University, Ellis University, Everest University, Virginia College, and Western Governors University. To apply for a scholarship, applicants must submit a short application and essay describing their goals, why they want to go back to school and past instances of triumph over adversity. The participating schools will select the recipients. The deadline to apply for a scholarship is October 31.
Job Shadowing
The individuals selected to receive scholarships will also receive a one-week, paid job shadowing opportunity with one of the Career Stimulus Package participating companies, including: CareerBuilder.com, Dictionary.com, ZipRealty, Entrepreneur Magazine, eLance, EducationDynamics, Habitat for Humanity, spud! and Orbitek, LLC. This job shadowing opportunity will provide scholarship recipients the chance to learn more about the industries they have interest in and will also provide the opportunity to network with professionals.
The Tour
The "Empowerment Tour: Educate. Empower. Employ." Will travel to approximately 40 cities across the country by RV. The tour will launch in Denver on June 12 and conclude in Los Angeles on September 9. The tour will offer free career laser coaching sessions to help Americans discover what is holding them back and the strategies needed to move toward success. The two participating career coaches will be available from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Reservations will be accepted online starting June 10 at www.empowermenttour.com; however, reservations can be made on location as well.
In addition to free career coaching sessions, each Empowerment Tour stop will feature an Education Station where people can apply for a full-tuition scholarship. The Empowerment Tour will also include Donation Stations at each stop where people can donate old suits and other interview appropriate attire.
Each tour stop will also include complimentary snacks and drinks throughout the day.
For more information on the Career Stimulus Package, The Empowerment Tour and the full-tuition scholarships and job shadowing opportunities, visit www.careerstimulus.com. For additional information on the Empowerment Tour, go to
www.empowermenttour.com.
Empowerment Tour Schedule (Subject to Change)
June 12: Denver, CO July 14 & July 15: Washington, D.C.
June 15 & 16: Dallas, TX July 16 & July 17: Philadelphia, PA
June 18: New Orleans, LA July 19 - July 22: New York City
June 19: Mobile, AL July 23 & July 24: Boston, MA
June 22: Pensacola, FL July 27: Scranton, PA
June 24: Tampa, FL July 29 & July 30: Pittsburgh, PA
June 25 & June 26: Miami, FL July 31: Cleveland, OH
June 28 & 29: Jacksonville, FL August 2 - August 4: Detroit, MI
July 1 & July 2: Atlanta, GA August 6 & August 7: Chicago, IL
July 3 - July 9: 4th of July Break August 10: Indianapolis, IN
July 10: Nashville, TN August 11: St. Louis, MO
July 12 & 13: Baltimore, MD August 12: Kansas City, MO
August 13: Omaha, NE August 28: Spokane, WA
August 14: Des Moines, IA August 31: Seattle, WA
August 17: Minneapolis, MN September 1: Portland, OR
August 19: Rapid City, SD September 3: Sacramento, CA
August 21: Cheyenne, WY September 4: San Francisco, CA
August 24: Salt Lake City, UT Sept. 6 - Sept. 9: Los Angeles, CA
August 26: Boise, ID
About EducationDynamics
EducationDynamics, LLC, a portfolio company of Halyard Capital, is a leading interactive marketing and information services company focused on helping higher education institutions find, enroll and retain students. Home to some of the most visible education Web sites, including EarnMyDegree.com, eLearners.com, GradSchools.com, and StudyAbroad.com, EducationDynamics is one of the leading providers of qualified leads for colleges and universities. In addition, the company offers a full suite of Web-delivered products and services to manage a school's relationship with students across their entire life cycle from inquiry through enrollment to retention. For more information on EducationDynamics, please visit http://www.educationdynamics.com.
About eLearners.com®
The eLearners.com Web site is one of several high visibility, high-quality prospecting tools offered by EducationDynamics, LLC. Since 1999, eLearners.com has been successfully connecting learners to online education, including online degree and certificate programs, specialized career training, and a variety of online courses. For prospective students, eLearners® provides a powerful search engine for users to find thousands of online program offerings, as well as educational evaluation tools and financial aid resources. For colleges and universities, the eLearners.com Web site offers a low-cost, performance-based method to provide national exposure and increase enrollments in their programs. For more information on eLearners.com, visit www.elearners.com.
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