In the dynamic landscape of higher education, where innovation and adaptability are paramount, a beacon of progressive learning shines bright – DeVry University. Picture this: a bustling digital realm where individuals shape their destinies through cutting-edge education tailored to the ever-evolving demands of tomorrow’s industries. This is where dreams are nurtured, challenged, and transformed into triumphant realities.
For more than eight decades, DeVry has stood at the forefront of educational metamorphosis. The institution embodies an inclusive ethos that envelops every aspiring mind in an environment where inspiration, challenge, and empowerment intertwine seamlessly.
The world where academic programs are ingeniously designed to cater to the tech-centered needs that define the industries of the future. DeVry’s legacy is etched in its unwavering commitment to crafting success stories for both today and tomorrow. Over these decades, DeVry has been an unwavering partner in countless journeys toward professional achievement.
Let’s delve into the journey of knowledge and transformation beginning at DeVry University, where dreams unfurl and futures are etched in the annals of greatness!
Briefly describe your mission and vision regarding student success and career growth
DeVry University strives to close our society’s opportunity gap by preparing learners to thrive in careers shaped by continuous technological change. It serves and empowers learners who want to succeed, particularly those who lack the options to do so within the traditional higher education system.
Through innovative programs, relevant partnerships, and exceptional care, DeVry empowers students to meaningfully improve their lives, workplaces, and the communities they serve.
Could you highlight some of the university’s most innovative programs or initiatives aimed at enhancing student success and career growth?
DeVry University is constantly innovating its full range of programs to create more opportunities for learners to succeed in a tech-centered world. DeVry’s Scholars programs empower a more diverse talent pipeline:
- Women+Tech Scholars Program empowers female students to take the first step toward tech-focused careers in today’s digitally driven economy. It’s designed to offer mentors, early access to job opportunities to help them prepare to break through in a digital field.
- NextGen Hispanic Scholars Program is a group-based model that provides access to educational, community, and mentorship tools and resources aimed to help Hispanic, Latino, Latina, and Lantinx students in their pursuit of a college education and tech career and for graduate students to continue to advance in the workforce. Moreover, it helps to close the gap and fill the pipeline of job seekers with skilled Hispanic, Latino, Latina, and Latinx graduates.
- Future Cyber Defenders Scholars Program provides learners with the resources and support to succeed as cyber security professionals.
How does the university foster collaborations with industries to create opportunities for students?
DeVry University has a direct engagement with the business community. Through DeVryWorks, the university helps companies build their future and close skills gaps by partnering with hundreds of businesses and organizations across the country and across industries to reskill/upskill employees for today’s modern working world.
In addition, DeVry collaborates with complementary education providers and local chambers, the university’s Partnerships Team leverages hundreds of meaningful partnerships that empower underrepresented learners to gain the skills to thrive in tech careers.
Could you share some remarkable success stories of alumni who have excelled in their careers after graduating from university?
Sonya Wickel was always working with computers outside of work and aspired to be in a technology role. She signed up with DeVry University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology from DeVry, an MBA, and a master’s degree in Information System Management from the Keller Graduate School of Management. She took those dreams all the way to Triumph, a global leader in the aerospace industry, serving as their Chief Information Security Officer.
At Triumph, she built a multifaceted cybersecurity program that includes threat hunting and security monitoring, improving employee culture through skill-based security awareness training, and a risk-based approach towards vulnerability management and outsourcing partnerships.
Through comprehensive policies and procedures, she addresses the ever-changing incident and threat landscape and designed a comprehensive audit program to demonstrate compliance with contractual, regulatory, and privacy requirements. Sonya has been a strong advocate for her field, for underrepresented communities in technology, and credits much of her success to her time with DeVry. Sonya is a 2023 Alumni Legacy Award winner from DeVry University and its Keller Graduate School of Management.
Michael Omidele understands the drive personal tragedy can create. He lost a family member due to a “medical records mix-up” in Nigeria. So, he set out to do what he could to prevent it from happening to someone else. Michael earned a Bachelor of Science in Network and Communications Management degree in 2012 from DeVry University.
Drawing on his work experience after graduation, Michael founded Clinify in 2020 to help digitize and centralize medical records across Africa’s healthcare system and improve patient outcomes. Clinify began its rollout in Nigeria. Since then, its tech has been deployed with medical insurance groups, healthcare providers, and patients–creating a positive impact on healthcare.
As a McDonald’s CISO, George Maropakis leads a diverse team that partners to protect the company’s system from cybersecurity risks and ensure McDonald’s is positioned to make delicious, feel-good moments easy and secure for everyone. He joined the McDonald’s team in 2015 as the director of security operations and eventually served as the senior director of security delivery assurance implementing threat intelligence and incident response capabilities before moving into his current role.
George is responsible for leading his team to collaborate with McDonald’s global stakeholders to strategically align, deploy and govern cybersecurity standards across numerous countries. In addition to initiating the Mcdonald’s cybersecurity apprenticeship program to develop the talent pipeline, George has received awards from CDO Magazine as one of the Leading Midwest Cybersecurity leaders in 2023 and the Digital Shadows Best Cyber Threat Intelligence Program for 2022.
He graduated from DeVry University in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science in Technical Management and in 1997 with an Associate of Applied Science in Electronics.
Michael and George were recognized as 2023 recipients of DeVry’s Alumni Achievement Awards.
How does the educational establishment assist students in identifying career paths and securing internships or job opportunities?
Student CARE is embedded in everything DeVry does. That includes access to career planning and a network of opportunities through its Career Services staff to help students thrive long after they graduate.
Through DeVry’s Career Compact, a unique benefits program that supports alumni beyond graduation, graduates from DeVry and Keller Graduate School of Management have access to personalized career advising, online career tools, tuition savings, and lifelong learning resources which can empower their future learning and professional pursuits.
How does your educational institute promote mentorship and guidance for students throughout their academic journey?
DeVry University understands access to education alone is not enough; students need support throughout their journeys to succeed. For instance, DeVry has worked tirelessly to amplify its culture of CARE through the use of technology.
DeVry’s CARE Formula is an inclusive approach to services and support that enables its students in their educational journey and career goals. It not only comes from faculty and advisors that interact with students every day but it is incorporated into their processes and technologies to further that commitment.
By providing support to students from enrollment to career outcomes and all the steps in between–like attendance and tutoring. DeVry has created a community of personal support and academic motivation.
In today’s rapidly changing job market, what efforts does the university make to equip students with future-ready skills?
DeVry University is constantly innovating our full range of programs to create more opportunities for learners to succeed in an evolving digitized economy. DeVry offers a tech-centered program mix across different degree levels, specializations and certificates. Learners dig deeper to understand technology’s role in all things, so they are equipped to find solutions to today’s challenges.
Furthermore, elements of DeVry’s curriculum prepare students for a digitally-driven future by aligning it to professional certifications such as CompTIA, CISSP, SHRM, and Microsoft, to name a few. For instance, DeVry’s tech programs along with CompTIA Apprenticeship for Tech help learners to develop a strong foundation in core IT, business, and tech concepts while providing real-world on-the-job experience and addressing current and long-term workforce needs.
DeVry’s curriculum is developed with insights from industry experts who serve on the National Advisory Committees (NACs) taught by faculty with real-world experience and provides individual and team-based learning experiences.
How do you measure the success of its initiatives in driving student success and career growth?
DeVry University has made accountability a bedrock principle. DeVry released its first annual Impact Report in January of this year, which closely examined the current state of higher education and how DeVry’s unique approach is helping to drive better outcomes and close the opportunity gap for diverse, underserved learners.
In that vein, the university will continue publishing the annual report to hold itself publicly accountable for making process toward fulfilling its mission.
