SAN DIEGO, June 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Ten Ashford University online instructors from across the country have received the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) 2009 Excellence Award.

NISOD is an organization dedicated to serving, engaging and inspiring higher education faculty, staff and administrators. The Excellence Award honors teaching and leadership excellence in institutions of higher learning.

Ashford University offers associate's, bachelor's and master's degree programs online and at its Clinton, Iowa, campus. Online education enrollments now surpass traditional college enrollments by a 5-to-1 ratio, according to The Sloan Consortium.

Winners from Clinton, Iowa, include Dr. Eszter Barra-Johnson, Daniel French, Bianca Perkins and Dr. Robin Throne. There are three winners from Arizona including Dr. Frank Morelli and Dr. Tim Serey, from Scottsdale, and Pam Bartlett, from Chandler.

Two winners come from California including Anna Hopson, from Temecula, and Marc Weniger, from Yucaipa. Dr. Ronald Bolender is a winner from Mount Vernon, Ohio.

"The online environment allows for greater diversity of students within a single course," Dr. Bolender said. "A single course might include a student with English as a second language, a stay-at-home parent in a rural setting, a soldier stationed in Afghanistan and a grandmother. The richness of the interaction in the online environment is difficult to duplicate in a traditional face-to-face classroom environment."

"We congratulate Ashford University's 2009 Excellence Award winners," Ashford University Provost Dr. Elizabeth Tice said. "Regardless of whether it's online or on campus, high-quality higher education happens in the classroom. It's an honor to have our faculty members recognized for their excellence."

About Ashford University

Founded in 1918, Ashford University is a coeducational institution regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, with programs in education, business, accounting, criminal and social justice, computer animation and graphic design, and other areas. The University offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as a range of student activities and athletics, at its Clinton campus. Online degree programs are available in education, organizational management, business administration, and psychology. The University is known for its high quality yet highly affordable on-campus and online programs, with tuition fees among the lowest in the U.S. compared to other private institutions. Its tagline is: "Higher Education Made Affordable"(SM).

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SOURCE: Ashford University

Web site: http://www.ashford.edu/