Purdue Global cuts ribbon on first military base extension

Deanna Watson, Lafayette Journal & Courier
·2 min read

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Some 2,000 miles away from Purdue University, Boilermakers marked a new education office within Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, the first time Purdue Global has opened an extension office on a military base.

The expansion, marked by a ribbon-cutting earlier in October, is designed to serve the educational needs of military-affiliated students and the surrounding base community, according to a Purdue Global press release.

Diana Hancock, Purdue University Educational Partnerships associate vice president (far left), and Jody DeKorte, Purdue Global School of Multidisciplinary and Professional Studies dean and vice president (far right) prepare to cut the ribbon on Purdue Global’s office within the education center.
Diana Hancock, Purdue University Educational Partnerships associate vice president (far left), and Jody DeKorte, Purdue Global School of Multidisciplinary and Professional Studies dean and vice president (far right) prepare to cut the ribbon on Purdue Global’s office within the education center.

“Purdue and Purdue Global have had a long history of supporting the military, including the Space Force. Purdue Global is excited to open this new office at Vandenberg,” said Frank Dooley, chancellor of Purdue Global, in the release. “We have been serving active-duty personnel, veterans and their families, helping many take the next steps toward a degree that can help them in their careers while in the military and beyond.”

Purdue Global, Purdue’s online university for working adults. Purdue Global serves approximately 10,000 military-affiliated students, is joined in the expansion to Vandenburg by the University of Maryland Global Campus, National University and Allan Hancock College.

Sonora Vasquez, a Purdue Global representative, hands out pamphlets and shares information about the school during an education center open house at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
Sonora Vasquez, a Purdue Global representative, hands out pamphlets and shares information about the school during an education center open house at Vandenberg Space Force Base.

“This is a landmark day for Vandenberg Space Force Base and the broader Vandenberg community," Kelli Diaz, chief of the 30th Force Support Squadron’s Force Development Flight at Vandenberg, expressed her enthusiasm, stated in the release.

"The presence of these highly respected educational institutions on our base is immensely exciting. Having them as close partners, collaborators and resources will substantially enhance our ability to provide educational support and offer improved opportunities for our uniformed personnel, veterans and their families.”

Joining Purdue Global at the ribbon-cutting was the university's Office of Industry Partnerships, which connects businesses and other organizations with the university "to create mutually beneficial partnerships that accelerate innovation and create lasting impact," the release stated.

“We are committed to serving and answering the educational needs of service members, veterans and their families, ensuring that we can best meet their goals and introducing them to the full range of opportunities across Purdue University,” said Diana Hancock, associate vice president for educational partnerships at the Office of Industry Partnerships, in the release. “Once we are established at Vandenberg, our vision is to expand our reach to more military installations and serve more military-affiliated students through this on-base presence model.”

In addition to serving some 10,000 military-affiliated students, Purdue Global also works with adults who have life experience and some college credits, offering flexibility to those students to earn an associate, bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree. Purdue Global is a nonprofit, public university accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue Global cuts ribbon on first military base extension