Keiser University, a leader in online learning since 1998, has been recognized for distinction for a fifth-straight year, earning a pair of Catalyst Awards for Assessment and Institutional Effectiveness and Student Success.

Keiser University Online Division team leaders Vice Chancellor Sherry Olsen, General Education Department Chair Daniel DiStacio, Director of Instructional Design and Blackboard System Administration Marcel Laronde, and Associate Director of Instructional Design Neha Prakash were recognized as Assessment and Institutional Effectiveness category winners while Olsen and Laronde were also lauded in the category of Student Success.

“We are thankful that our commitment to online learning has so positively impacted our students globally,” said Arthur Keiser, Ph.D., Chancellor of Keiser University. “As an early adopter of online education, we are grateful for the strong foundation the platform has provided our students and look forward to celebrating professional opportunity and growth as our alumni enter the workforce.”

The Catalyst Awards recognize and honor innovation and excellence within Anthology’s global community, where millions of educators and learners work every day to redefine what is possible when leveraging technology. Winners are recognized across nine categories and selected by a cross-functional team of Anthology experts and represent the very best in their field.

“I am very proud that Keiser University’s Online Division has been recognized with two catalyst awards this year for Student Success and Assessment and Institutional Effectiveness,” said Sherry Olsen, Keiser University Vice Chancellor of the Online Division. “Through our robust online education strategies, we are fulfilling Keiser University’s Students First mission while helping to address the nation’s workforce shortages by graduating highly trained practitioners. The Blackboard Analytics and Assessment tools have helped us meet the needs of our students leading to better retention, advising, and student satisfaction.”

Joining Keiser University in the recognitions were Hamad Bin Khalifa University for Assessment and Institutional Effectiveness and Cruzeiro Do Sul Educacional for Student Success. To learn more about the Catalyst Awards and to view a full list of nominees, and complete category descriptions, please visit www.anthology.com/catalystawards.

Keiser University was a trendsetter in virtual learning when it began offering online education in 1998 through an agreement with e-college which offered one of the first virtual learning environments available to colleges and universities. Since 2013, every registered course at Keiser University has included an online learning shell that provides users with a platform for communication and content sharing. Though not utilized by every on-ground course, the shell allows faculty to quickly transition the course to virtual learning.

Keiser University is a private, independent, non-profit university serving nearly 20,000 students at 21 Florida campuses, online, and two international sites. Co-founded in 1977 by Chancellor Arthur Keiser, Ph.D., and Evelyn Keiser, Keiser University currently offers more than 100 degrees from associate to the doctoral level. Keiser University is a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution, a member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, and was ranked No. 1 in the U.S. in providing Social Mobility by U.S. News and World Report in 2023.