UpDate - Vol. 11, No. 23, Page 2
March 12, 1992
U.D. and MBNA receive award

     The University of Delaware and MBNA America have been selected
by the National University Continuing Education Association (NUCEA)
as one of a select number of recipients of its Best Practices in
Partnerships award.
     This partnership, selected by a national program planning
committee, was evaluated according to innovation and service to
adult learners. It will be featured at the NUCEA 77th annual
conference in San Diego, in April. The national citation recognizes
the "corporate campus" established in 1990 to offer on-site at MBNA
a full range of University of Delaware educational programs and
services.
     Credit courses in accounting, communication, economics and
mathematics, as well as professional development offerings
including instructional design, personal computers and statistical
process control have been offered on-site, and a University
academic/career counselor maintains regular hours there. MBNA
people can enroll in a series of courses on an on-going basis.
     Both partners benefit from the relationship. Ron Obstfeld,
manager of education and development at MBNA, cites the
curriculum's diversity as contributing to the company's view of
education as "an on-going process."
     According to Richard B. Fischer, associate provost and
director of the Division of Continuing Education at the University,
the partnership contributes "in several ways to the University's
enrollment, corporate support and service to the state."
     A signal acknowledgement of this is MBNA's recent contribution
of over $500,000 to support University programs.