October 9, 2009 – Bellevue University’s strategic agreement with The Home Depot received the gold award for “Excellence in Academic Partnerships” at this year’s Chief Learning Officer Symposium held in Colorado Springs.

This is the second year in a row that Bellevue University received the Excellence in Academic Partnerships gold award. In 2008, Bellevue University was awarded the first-ever Excellence in Academic Partnerships award for its work with CACI International. Bellevue University is the only university to have received this gold award.

The Home Depot learning program was created exclusively for The Home Depot with input from retail subject matter experts, including The Home Depot senior management and Bellevue University faculty. The program, called Professional Retail Management, is only open to employees of The Home Depot, and is designed to develop Home Depot associates’ knowledge of successful retail management practices with a specific focus on the home improvement industry and an increase in strategic thinking capabilities. It is designed to support the development of a leadership pipeline for the company. Known as “the world’s largest specialty home improvement retailer,” The Home Depot has 2,000 stores in the United States.

“Because the Professional Retail Management program was created with retail industry subject matter experts and Home Depot leaders, key leadership capabilities are built into the courses to support career growth opportunities for students,” said Michael E. Echols, Ph.D., Executive Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, Bellevue University. “The strategic relationship between Bellevue University and The Home Depot is a prime example of innovative corporate learning designed to meet strategic business goals and needs.”

“An important part of the relationship is the measurement of the business impact of this program on corporate performance,” continued Dr. Echols. “Bellevue University’s Human Capital LabSM will measure the impact of the learning program to provide ongoing information on how to make better investment decisions on the leadership pipeline at The Home Depot.”

The Professional Retail Management program can be taken as a major for a Bachelor of Science degree from Bellevue University. It is offered online through Bellevue University's award-winning Cyber-Active® Learning Platform making it accessible to employees around the globe.

Strategic agreements such as this one with The Home Depot have fueled Bellevue University's quick path to becoming one of the nation's leading resources in corporate learning and measuring its impact on business performance.

Bellevue University has been recognized as a leader in corporate learning by industry experts:
•       Bellevue University is the only accredited university to win a Corporate University Best in Class (CUBIC) award and has won the award twice. In 2005 and 2007, Bellevue University won “Most Innovative Corporate Resource.”
•       In 2007, Dr. Michael E. Echols was named one of the Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals in the U.S. by Training Industry, Inc.
•       In 2008, Bellevue University’s Strategic Initiatives Division and Human Capital Lab received an honorable mention in Bersin & Associates Learning Leaders competition for “Vendor Innovation.”

Learn more about Bellevue University's corporate learning initiatives, innovative offerings including learning solutions and customized learning programs designed to meet corporate needs and create lasting strategic advantage at www.CorporateLearning.com or by calling 877-824-5516.

The Learning in Practice awards are presented annually at the Chief Learning Officer Fall Symposium. The awards are sponsored by Chief Learning Officer Magazine.

About Bellevue University
Bellevue University is a recognized national leader in providing post-secondary education opportunities for working adults and organizations. A private, non-profit institution, Bellevue University serves students at 11 learning sites in five states, as well as worldwide through its online learning platform, Cyber-Active® Learning. Bellevue University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. For more information, visit www.bellevue.edu or call 877-824-5516.