WESTCLIFF UNIVERSITY COMMEMORATES 30 YEARS

Written by: Nathalie Turotte Date: April 24, 2023
30th Anniversary Featured Image, Image of people celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Westcliff University

Educational Excellence, Growth and Award-Winning History Celebrated at Anniversary Event Honoring Students, Exemplary Staff and Teachers

westcliff 30th anniversary dr LeeIRVINE, CALIF. (MAR. 30, 2023) – Westcliff University, a premier global higher education institution, recently celebrated 30 years of preparing students around the globe with the skills and experiences needed to thrive as business leaders and entrepreneurs. To commemorate the occasion, Westcliff held a thirtieth-anniversary celebration on March 10, 2023 at its main campus in Irvine, complete with speeches, awards, live music, refreshments, raffle prizes and a spirited pep rally. The event highlighted not only students, staff and alumni, but also paid homage to the organization’s origin story and rich history of excellence.

“The world has changed a lot over the past 30 years, but our mission remains the same: To educate, inspire and empower students from around the world,” said president and CEO of Westcliff University, Dr. Anthony Lee. “Our incredible staff and teachers are instrumental to this success, and we were thrilled to acknowledge their efforts, energy and dedication at this special anniversary event.”

The milestone event was an opportunity to look back on Westcliff’s founding in 1993 by Dr. John Lee Sr. and its accomplishments, chief among them the achievement of WSCUC accreditation for the university in 2018. The business programs received additional recognition through ACBSP in 2020. Additional accolades the university has achieved in its 30 years include: being listed as leaders in the U.S. News & World Report and Times Higher Education Impact Rankings; being named among the Orange County Register’s Top Workplaces and as one of the Online Schools Report’s Most Affordable Online Education Degrees; receipt of the Emerging Growth award from the Association for Corporate Growth; and acceptance into the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and California Pacific Conference (CalPac). The event also highlighted Westcliff’s growth through the acquisition of Western State College of Law which recently welcomed its largest and strongest academic class and celebrated all-time highs in enrollment, GPA and LSAT scores; the opening of Westcliff’s second Irvine campus; the first cohort of students at Westcliff’s new Miami, Florida location; as well as its expansion to include a College of Business, College of Technology and Engineering, College of Education and College of Law.

Recognitions were presented to esteemed faculty and staff across multiple categories, including:

  • Staff Impact Award: Dr. Julie Ciancio, Vice President and Dean of Global Engagement
  • Faculty Impact Award: Marko Nino, Associate Faculty at College of Business and Affiliate Institution Coordinator
  • Lifetime Impact Award: Dr. Edward Trent, General Council and board member
  • Leadership Impact Award: President and CEO Dr. Anthony Lee

westcliff 30th anniversary cheerleadersThe anniversary event also highlighted Westcliff’s philanthropy efforts. In 2022 alone, social responsibility milestones included 130+ volunteers, 634 community volunteer hours and 645 items donated to Innovation High of Orange County, Unlimited Possibilities, Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County and Laura’s House. Its 30 Acts of Kindness campaign saw staff, faculty, students and alumni show appreciation to one another for making a difference in support of a culture of kindness, compassion and empathy and honored them with a kind act in return.

To learn more about Westcliff’s 30 years of historic accomplishments, visit www.westcliff.edu/30.

To see more photos from the celebration click here.

To download this press release click here.