Dear Friends,

A tremendous sense of optimism and excitement abounds at Woodbury University. Woodbury is recognized for its dynamic atmosphere and dedication to creative thinking and excellence. We are a university focused on success now and in the future. This success can be attributed to the following:

Woodbury University is personal
Woodbury is a very personal institution, one that cares about each and every student. The highly personal nature of the relationships between students and professors at Woodbury and the individualized attention all Woodbury students receive are fundamental to the university’s approach to higher education. Nearly 70 percent of Woodbury undergraduates are in studio-based academic programs in the School of Architecture and the School of Media, Culture & Design, with students working daily on projects and receiving real-time feedback from their professors and fellow students, as opposed to periodically taking tests. Students in Woodbury’s School of Business and the Institute for Transdisciplinary Studies benefit similarly from project-based learning and close interaction with faculty. Other unique Woodbury strategies include an emphasis on student success through the university’s support services, including a program that assigns each student a peer mentor in their first semester.

Woodbury University is diverse
More than 30 percent of our students are Hispanic, more than 10 percent are Asian American, almost 10 percent are international, and about 6 percent are African American. This means 56 percent of our students are minorities, a figure almost twice that of other independent universities. Embracing and understanding the cultural differences that are true in Los Angeles, that are true in the United States, and that are true in the world will make our students better citizens and more productive in their careers.

Woodbury University is affordable
Woodbury has invested heavily in financial support for its students, with approximately 94 percent of undergraduates receiving some form of financial aid. Many of our students earn bachelor’s degrees in four years, which is much sooner than students in public institutions. Finishing faster, at a private school like Woodbury, allows students to avoid extra years of tuition and gives them an opportunity to get a jump start on life by beginning their careers.

Woodbury University is involved
Woodbury students, faculty, and staff are active participants in their communities, in their professions, and in society. Being involved enhances student learning and is the rightful place for an institution of higher education. Woodbury uses its resources and its personnel to serve the various communities in Southern California.

Woodbury University is flexible
Private universities like Woodbury don’t serve just traditional full-time students; approximately 25 percent of our students are over 25 years of age. We are a flexible institution that meets student needs in a variety of different ways—offering our classes at a time and a place that is conducive to the students we serve.

Woodbury University is successful
Seventy-five percent of our students are the first in their families to attend college, and when they
earn a degree, they go out and make their families proud, and they use their potential for doing good things in society.

President Ronald Reagan famously noted, “America’s always had a love affair with learning. From polished men of letters like Thomas Jefferson to humble self-taught people like Abe Lincoln and from inventors like Thomas Edison to visionaries like Martin Luther King, Americans have put their faith in the power of education to enrich lives and to make our nation strong.” The future of America depends on an educated workforce. We are a part of the American Dream, and it is alive and well at Woodbury University.

Sincerely,

Kenneth R. Nielsen, Ed.D.

President