DAVENPORT, IA, June 15, 2010—Kaplan University today announced the appointment of Thomas Boyd, Ph. D., as dean of its School of Business and Management. He succeeds former dean Betty Vandenbosch, Ph. D, who is now the vice president of Kaplan University Business and Technology.

 “Kaplan University hires academic leaders who have rich professional experience, a passion for teaching and a penchant for innovation, all of which Dr. Boyd embodies,” said Wade Dyke, D.Phil., president of Kaplan University. “His pedagogical research and leadership experience will help take the School of Business and Management to new levels of excellence in its service to students and the business community.”

Boyd will be responsible for building upon the quality of the School of Business and Management, which offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in management, accounting and business administration.

 “My goal is to ensure that Kaplan University provides a world-class education to its business and management students,” Boyd said. “Aspiring business leaders need the knowledge and skills to compete in the global economy. Kaplan University harvests the innovation of the Internet to bring the world’s markets to local business professionals in towns and cities across the country, providing them with the practical skills they will need for career advancement."

Boyd joins Kaplan University from the College of Business and Economics at California State University, Fullerton, (CSUF) where he served as the associate dean for academic programs, a professor of marketing and a member of the board of governors of the University Foundation. He has won numerous teaching research, and service awards, including the 2010 Faculty of the Year and 2009 Outstanding Professor awards from the College, and the 2007 Outstanding Faculty Recognition for innovative teaching award from CSUF.
 
Prior to that, Boyd taught courses in consumer behavior, business-to-business marketing strategy and sports marketing at Miami University in Oxford, OH, where he was an associate professor of Marketing.  He also previously worked as a product manager for Motorola, Inc. Boyd holds a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, an MBA from Florida Atlantic University and a bachelor’s degree in management from Oakland University in Michigan.

Kaplan University offers a different school of thought for higher education. It strives to help adult students unlock their talent by providing a practical, student-centered education that prepares them for careers in some of the fastest-growing industries. Based in Davenport, Iowa, the University is regionally accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA). Kaplan University has more than 125 academic programs and offerings, and serves more than 78,000 online and campus-based students. The University has 12 campuses in Iowa, Nebraska, Maryland and Maine, and Kaplan University Learning Centers in Wisconsin, Florida, Indiana and Missouri.
 
Kaplan University is part of Kaplan Higher Education, which serves more than 119,000 students online and through more than 70 campus-based schools across the United States and abroad. Kaplan Higher Education schools offer a spectrum of academic opportunities, from certificates and diplomas to graduate and professional degrees, including a juris doctor degree. Kaplan Higher Education is part of Kaplan, Inc., a leading international provider of educational and career services for individuals, schools and businesses. Kaplan, Inc. is a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO), and its largest and fastest-growing division. For more information about Kaplan University, visit www.kaplan.edu.

Michele Pore
 (312) 706-6006
mpore@kaplan.edu

Linnea Brown
(954) 515-3651
lbrown3@kaplan.edu