HAMILTON
COLLEGE’S OMAHA AND COUNCIL BLUFFS CAMPUSES MERGE WITH KAPLAN UNIVERSITY
Campuses to expand online education and degree offerings
DAVENPORT, Iowa, Oct. 30, 2007—Hamilton College and Kaplan University today announced the merger of the two institutions, providing students with a wider selection of programs and new online learning opportunities. The Omaha and Council Bluffs campuses are among seven Iowa and Nebraska campuses that are merging with the Davenport, Iowa-based University.
“Hamilton College has been Iowa’s oldest continuously operating career college specializing in business education,” said Kaplan University Provost David Clinefelter, Ph.D. “Now, we are building upon that legacy. We are committed to providing students with a high-quality education that offers flexibility by combining on-ground and online educational options for working adults. A Kaplan University education will give students the opportunity to enter or advance in some of the fastest-growing professional fields in Iowa and Nebraska."
The Hamilton campuses undergoing the transition include Iowa locations in Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Des Moines and Mason City. Nebraska campuses include Lincoln and Omaha. All of the campuses are now named Kaplan University.
The merger provides campus students greater flexibility to pursue blended learning options—taking courses on ground and online—at a regionally accredited institution. Traditional Hamilton College courses of study have included certificate and degree programs in allied health, business and criminal justice, among others. The new partnership allows students to explore similar degrees online with the benefit of additional programs, including master’s degrees, which were not previously available on the campuses.
“We are very excited about the educational opportunities for our current and future students that will result from this merger,” said Omaha Campus President Connie Collin. “Now, students can combine the advantages of attending classes at our local brick-and-mortar school, with the opportunity to explore newly expanded online degree programs that Kaplan University offers worldwide.”
“We also want to assure our communities that we will continue to work closely with local employers to prepare our students for fields that reflect employment needs in the greater Omaha and Council Bluffs area,” added Council Bluffs Campus Executive Director Michael Zawisky. “We provide our students with opportunities to learn career-specific skills that may help them become productive employees and citizens in Iowa and Nebraska.”
Kaplan University will now have approximately 4,800 students throughout Iowa and Nebraska.
Each campus will maintain its separate and current location following the merger. The Omaha campus serves nearly 600 students and employs 100 faculty and staff, while the Council Bluffs campus serves more than 200 students and employs 20 faculty and staff. The Omaha campus began operation in 1891 as the Commercial Extension School of Commerce. The Council Bluffs campus opened in 2004 to supplement the Hamilton College campus in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Today, the Omaha campus offers associate degrees in accounting specialist, business administration, computer information systems, criminal justice, interdisciplinary studies, medical assistant and paralegal; bachelor’s degrees in management; and diplomas in dental assistant, massage therapy and practical nursing. The campus is a member of the Omaha Chamber of Commerce, Better Business Bureau, State Chamber of Commerce and the Career College Association.
The Council Bluffs campus offers associate degrees in medical assistant and business administration; bachelor’s degrees in management; and diplomas in office technology specialist. The campus is a member of the Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce and Better Business Bureau.
About Hamilton College
Hamilton College has operated for more than a century as a local career-focused educational institution. The school is comprised of seven campuses throughout Iowa and Nebraska, serving nearly 3,700 students. Its campuses offer programs in areas including allied health, business, computer information systems, legal studies, nursing and travel. Hamilton College is regionally accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA). For more information, visit http://www.kucampus.edu.
About Kaplan University
Kaplan University, based in Davenport, Iowa, is regionally accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA). The University provides market-driven, career-focused educational programs. Kaplan offers master’s, bachelor’s and associate degrees as well as certificates through more than 100 programs online and on ground. Its programs are designed to provide students with the skills they need to qualify for employment in fields such as business, criminal justice, education, health care, information technology, education and legal studies.