Western Career College and Apollo College Unify Brands Under 'Carrington College' Name

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Mar 26, 2010, 02:34 ET

MISSION VIEJO, Calif., March 26 /PRNewswire/ -- DeVry Inc. (NYSE: DV), a global provider of education, announced today that two of its divisions, Western Career College and Apollo College, will be renamed Carrington College™ California and Carrington College™, respectively. The name change will take effect on June 30, 2010. In total 19 campuses will carry the Carrington College name within California and throughout the Western U.S.

Carrington College was chosen after a year of extensive research and testing with current and potential students, and staff focus groups. The fact that the name contains the word "caring" connotes the care and dedication faculty and staff take to help students achieve their career goals and aspirations, said George Montgomery, president of U.S. Education, the parent organization for both colleges. It also coincides with the schools' emphasis on healthcare programs.

"We recognize the strength in bringing the two colleges together under one 'Carrington' name not just for brand recognition, but also for current and prospective students to better understand the relationship between our schools and all of our program offerings," Montgomery said. "Within our 43-year history, our colleges have successfully grown in size both online and geographically by responding to the need in fields such as nursing, dental assisting, dental hygiene and pharmacy technology, while continuing to offer students quality academic programs."

The colleges' accreditation, goals and core values will remain the same, as will the commitment to improving the lives of each and every student. Campus brand ambassadors will introduce the new name throughout all campus locations and within the community. In addition, an advertising campaign will begin mid-June in each Carrington College™ market, informing the communities of the upcoming name change.

Both schools have a long rich history in the Western U.S. and have evolved from each having a single campus with few programs to a 19-campus organization with 25 programs mostly in the healthcare industry. Each of these programs leads to a certificate, associate or bachelor's degree.

Western Career College was founded in 1967 in Sacramento, and Apollo College was founded by Margaret Carlson in 1976 in Phoenix, Ariz. Both schools are part of DeVry Inc.'s growing Medical and Healthcare Group, which also includes Chamberlain College of Nursing and Ross University.

For more information about the name change, visit http://whycarrington.com.

About Western Career College

Western Career College is a leading provider of educational programs in California that lead to careers in fields such as nursing, dental hygiene, dental assisting, medical assisting, pharmacy technology, diagnostic medical sonography, veterinary technology, criminal justice and graphics and drafting. The nine California Western Career College locations are in Sacramento, Citrus Heights, Stockton, San Leandro, Emeryville, Antioch, San Jose, Pleasant Hill and Pomona. Western Career College is regionally accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (ACCJC-WASC). For more information about Western Career College, visit www.westerncollege.edu.

Western Career College is a division of DeVry Inc. (NYSE:DV) a global provider of educational services.

About Apollo College

Apollo College is a leading provider of career-focused, outcome-based post-secondary education in health care and related fields. The school has ten campuses throughout the Western U.S. that offer practical, real-world education and hands-on experiences. The ten Apollo campuses are located in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and online. For more information about Apollo College, visit www.apollo.edu.

Apollo College is a division of DeVry Inc. (NYSE:DV), a global provider of educational services.

About DeVry Inc.

DeVry's purpose is to empower its students to achieve their educational and career goals. DeVry (NYSE: DV, member S&P 500 Index) is a global provider of educational services and the parent organization of Advanced Academics, Apollo College, Becker Professional Education, Chamberlain College of Nursing, DeVry Brasil, DeVry University, Ross University Schools of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, and Western Career College. These institutions offer a wide array of programs in business, healthcare and technology and serve students in secondary through postsecondary education as well as accounting and finance professionals. For more information, please call 630.353.3800 or visit http://www.devryinc.com.

SOURCE Carrington College