/PRNewswire/ - Walden University will celebrate the graduation of more than 4,800 students at its 44th commencement ceremony on Saturday, July 24, at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The Walden graduates will represent 50 states and 29 countries and include the first to receive degrees in Walden's M.S. in Nonprofit Management and Leadership, Master of Information Systems Management and B.S. in Child Development programs.

This year, Walden is celebrating 40 years of serving the higher education needs of working professionals through advanced degrees that encourage positive social change. Cheryl L. Dorsey, M.D., M.P.P. and president of Echoing Green, will give the commencement address. Dr. Dorsey is an accomplished social entrepreneur with expertise in social innovation, next-generation leadership and public policy. Walden and Echoing Green share a commitment to making a positive impact in communities and organizations around the world.

Walden will provide live and archived webcasts of the entire ceremony for graduates, family and friends who are unable to attend in person. Starting at 1:30 p.m. Central time, visit www.WaldenU.edu to join the celebration.

Among those being honored at the ceremony are:

• Carl A. Eckrode, Ph.D. in Public Health from Milwaukie, Ore., recipient of the Harold L. Hodgkinson Award, an honor given to a Walden graduate whose dissertation meets the highest university standards of academic excellence. Dr. Eckrode's research identified significant gaps in the existing knowledge of invasive pneumococcal disease and identified ways to save lives through increased knowledge and promotion of vaccination.


• Douglas H. Tedford, Ed.D. from Col. Zona Escolar, Distrito Federal, Mexico, recipient of the Outstanding Doctoral Study Award for his research examining the barriers that prevent English teachers in a rural Guatemalan community from taking advantage of free Internet teacher development programs.


• Jack C. Brimhall, Ph.D. in Education from Sheridan, Wyo., recipient of the Contribution to the Profession Award for his research examining the lack of trust in U.S. secondary schools.


• Ivy Garcia Zwicker from New Braunfels, Texas, a 2007 M.B.A. alumna and recipient of the Outstanding Alumni Award for exemplifying Walden's mission to effect social change. As the operations director for an autism treatment center in San Antonio, Texas, Zwicker credits Walden with helping her develop the strategic planning skills to manage the financial and daily operations of a clinical facility that is open around the clock.

For more information about Walden, visit www.WaldenU.edu.

About Walden University
For 40 years, Walden University has supported working professionals in achieving their academic goals and making a greater impact in their professions and their communities. Today, more than 42,500 students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries are pursuing their bachelor's, master's or doctoral degrees at Walden. The university provides students with an engaging educational experience that connects them with expert faculty and peers around the world. Walden is the flagship online university in the Laureate International Universities network--a global network of more than 50 online and campus-based universities in 24 countries.

Walden offers more than 45 degree programs with more than 195 specializations and concentrations. Areas of study include health sciences, counseling, human services, management, psychology, education, public health, nursing, public administration, technology and engineering. For more information, visit www.WaldenU.edu. Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, www.ncahlc.org.

Walden University

Walden University

For more than 40 years, Walden University has supported working professionals in achieving their academic goals and making a greater impact in their professions and their communities. Today, more than 50,000 students from all 50 states and more than 150 countries are pursuing their bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degrees online at Walden. The university provides students with an engaging educational experience that connects them with expert faculty and peers around the world. Walden is the flagship online university in the Laureate International Universities network—a global network of more than 75 campus-based and online universities in 29 countries. Walden offers more than 80 degree programs with more than 370 specializations and concentrations. Areas of study include health sciences, counseling, human services, management, psychology, social work, education, public health, nursing, public administration and information technology. For more information, visit www.WaldenU.edu. Walden University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association, www.ncahlc.org.

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