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Steve Harvey Partners With Strayer University to Deliver National Call For Success and Transformation Through Higher Education
[July 28, 2014]

Steve Harvey Partners With Strayer University to Deliver National Call For Success and Transformation Through Higher Education


HERNDON, Va. --(Business Wire)--

Strayer University, a leading postsecondary institution for working adults, is pleased to announce a partnership with talk show host and entertainer Steve Harvey, who joins the University in a new initiative aimed at breaking down perceived barriers that can keep individuals from succeeding in their personal and professional lives. Dubbed 'The Success Project,' the partnership kicks off a year of national and local activities, which will raise awareness of multiple definitions of and paths to success, and enhance support for working adults pursuing a college degree through success coaching, among others.

Talk show host and entertainer Steve Harvey (center) teams up with Strayer University -- a leading p ...

Talk show host and entertainer Steve Harvey (center) teams up with Strayer University -- a leading postsecondary institution for working adults -- to announce 'The Success Project,' a new initiative aimed at sparking a national conversation about what it takes to be successful. The initiative features the rollout of Strayer University Success Coaches (pictured with Steve) to guide students towards personal, professional and academic growth. (Photo: Business Wire)

"Education is a key to success for many," said Harvey, whose new book on the principles of setting and reaching high goals - Act Like a Success, Think Like a Success - will be released in September. "But it is important to recognize that there is no one path to earning a college degree nor to success. Working adults who are contemplating going back to school in order to further their careers and improve their lives often stop before they start because they are held back by doubts about whether they can handle it all or fears of being back in school after a long time away.

"Every individual, however, should embrace their unique circumstances, motivations and needs and set educational and life goals that are true to them. I'm proud to partner with Strayer University, which is making a commitment to helping working adults break down their perceived barriers and pursue their dreams of earning a college degree."

Strayer University Success Coaches Deliver More Than Career Advice

In addition to the partnership with Harvey, The Success Project will introduce a team of professional success coaches who will provide mentoring and support to Strayer University students. Each student - whether they are taking classes at a Strayer University campus or online - will be assigned their own personal success coach, who will assist them with financial advice, goal setting, career advice, time management, and other skills. In addition to helping to increase each student's opportunity for academic success, coaches will help prepare them for the real-world challenges that are inherent in building a successful career while managing other life priorities.

"We know that college degree holders have lower unemployment, higher salaries, a healthier wellbeing, and they are better positioned to grow their communitie and the economy than those without a college degree," said Dr. Michael Plater, president of Strayer University. "Simply put, education matters, and every working adult who is interested in earning a college degree should have the opportunity to do so. Our new success coach program will help adult students address a range of challenges, for example, caring for young children while earning a degree. Success coaches will help students to find childcare and will advise on healthy and creative ways to balance work, family, and school."



Strayer University's success coach offering provides a unique approach to helping students achieve success.

SoulPancake Collaboration Brings 'Success' to Life


In August, Strayer University will also roll out a new four-part video series with the popular YouTube (News - Alert) entity, and creators of the critically acclaimed Kid President series, SoulPancake to explore the topic of success. The series, which is intended to show that there is no one single path to or definition of success, will unfold over four reality-based segments:

  • "Definition of Success" asks people of all backgrounds what it means to truly be successful. Responses range from thoughtful and poignant to lighthearted and humorous, exploring the many different ideas about what success looks like. (Debuts Aug. 12)
  • "Success Coach" asks current Strayer University students to identify individuals in their lives who have been essential to their success. Students are then surprised with a unique and moving opportunity to connect with and thank selected individuals on the spot. (Debuts Aug. 19)
  • "Share a Cup of Success" encourages two strangers to sit inside a larger-than-life pop-up cup of coffee and share a candid conversation about their personal paths to success. (Debuts Aug. 26)
  • "Shout it Out" invites passersby to overcome the fears that are holding them back from success and to proudly proclaim their career dreams and goals into a giant megaphone placed in the middle of a busy city plaza. (Debuts Sept. 2)

"At SoulPancake, we create meaningful, authentic and engaging content that delves into what it means to be human," said Shabnam Mogharabi, SoulPancake CEO. "We're excited to partner with Strayer University to explore the topic of success and we hope to inspire viewers to not only consider what success really means to them, but also what next steps they need to take towards achieving their goals."

SoulPancake, which has more than 1.2 million YouTube subscribers and nearly 150 million views is a new media company, founded by actor Rainn Wilson. SoulPancake encourages individuals to explore 'Life's Big Questions' through thought-provoking videos, elevated conversations, and creative and engaging activities.

Celebrating more than 120 years since its founding in Baltimore in 1892, Strayer University offers relevant and rigorous academic programs to working adults, first-generation college students and others who may not have had access to higher education, preparing them for success in today's competitive job market. Strayer University graduates earn degrees in programs ranging from business administration and accounting to education and information systems.

Steve Harvey is a media conglomerate whose career began as a stand-up comedian in the mid-1980s. His career continues to flourish, becoming a top-rated radio host, fashion entrepreneur, New York Times best-selling author, popular game show host of the Family Feud, and 2013 People's Choice Award winner as "Favorite New Talk Show Host" for his daytime show Steve Harvey. His commitment to helping others empower themselves through uplifting, educational opportunities inspired him to establish a number of philanthropic organizations, including the Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation, which provides educational enrichment, global service opportunities, and one-on-one mentoring to fatherless children and young adults, as well as the annual Steve Harvey Mentoring Weekend For Young Men and Disney Dreamers Academy. Harvey was named Humanitarian of the Year for his philanthropic efforts at the 2011 BET (News - Alert) Awards.

For more information about Strayer University's Success Project, visit www.strayer.edu/buzz or follow the conversation on Twitter (News - Alert) at #StrayerSuccess. To view Success Project videos on SoulPancake's YouTube channel, visit: www.youtube.com/soulpancake.

***MEDIA NOTE: Please contact Cristina Henley at [email protected], work: (703) 561-1913, or cell: (703) 431-3691 for media interviews related to Strayer University's Success Project.

***TWEET THIS: Steve Harvey, Strayer University partner on nat'l call for success and transformation via higher ed. #StrayerSuccess www.strayer.edu/buzz

About Strayer University

Strayer University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and has been in operation since 1892. The University offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business administration, accounting, economics, information systems, information technology, human resource management, education, health services administration, public administration, management and criminal justice to working adult students. Strayer University also offers an executive MBA online through its Jack Welch Management Institute. For more information, visit www.strayer.edu or call 1-888-4-STRAYER (888-478-7293).


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