EVOLVE Business and Professional Magazine May 2019 | Page 25

the locations its students needed it by starting off as a mash-up of traditional on-campus instruction and correspondence courses. With the development of the Internet in the 1990s, Embry- Riddle began offering video classroom lectures, and R ADIOLOGY ASSOCIATES IMAGING The Name You Can Trust to Provide the Highest Level of Care eventually served as one Dr. John Watret of the pioneers of today’s online college experiences by providing expanded immersive online learning. In 1999, the Worldwide campus offered its first fully online programs. The advancement didn’t stop there and has since expanded its offerings online and into more than 135 locations around the world. Recognizing that its aviation and aerospace students often have untraditional needs, Embry-Riddle’s trends have been student- driven since its beginning. Dr. Watret explains that “advancements in technology have resulted in a shift in student preferences. By 2016, some 88 percent of all students enrolled in Worldwide programs were completing their studies online only.” #DetectionSpecialists Board Certified, Fellowship Trained Radiologists When you need a diagnostic procedure, you should know that RAI features the most advanced imaging technologies, including MRI, CT and 3D Mammography™ exams—all read in-house by our Board Certified radiologists to ensure superior accuracy and speed. An aerial view of Embry-Riddle’s Prescott, Ariz., campus (Photo: Embry-Riddle) Driving forces for Embry-Riddle’s innovation have been industry partnerships, access for military service-persons, and a focus on aviation-centered economies. While the same quality of education and degrees are offered at all campuses, including Worldwide, some programs, such as flight training, occur on the Daytona and Prescott residential campuses. Watret emphasizes the university’s tenets, that “flexibility, affordability, and quality are important to military men and women as well as many other students seeking higher education.” By having such a specialized global reach, the combined campuses of Embry-Riddle were able to award almost 5,000 degrees to students in 2018. The university’s approach has not gone unnoticed by the most respected rankings. This year, U.S. News & World Reports ranked Worldwide the number one online program overall, and the number one online bachelor’s program for military veterans for the RADIOLOGY ASSOCIATES IMAGING St. Augustine • Palm Coast • Town Center Twin Lakes • Port Orange • Deltona 386-274-6000 RadiologyAssociatesImaging.com fourth consecutive year. MAY 2019 | 25 |