Governor Bob Riley Receives Distance-Learning Award 2010
Boston, MA (USA), May 2010 - The United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) presented the 2010 USDLA Eagle Award in conjunction with its 2010 national conference in St. Louis, Missouri on May 4, 2010. This year's honor went to Bob Riley, Governor of the American State of Alabama.
The Eagle Award is presented to a nationally/internationally recognized public official who has demonstrated unique leadership in the public-policy arena and has a long-standing record of support for both educational technology and for the USDLA mission. The latter includes serving the needs of the distance-learning community by providing advocacy, information, networking, and opportunity.
"I'm truly honored to receive this award. In my state, every high school now offers distance-learning classes. That has leveled the playing field for our students in a way no other education program ever has before. Now, no matter if they live in an urban, suburban, or rural community, our students have access to classes they otherwise would not have had. It's broadened their horizons and opened up a whole new world of learning opportunity for our students in Alabama", said Governor Riley in accepting the Award.
In addition to Governor Riley's Eagle Award ceremony, Dr. Ellen Wagner, Executive Director, Western Cooperative for Educational Telecommunications (WCET) and Partner / Principal Analyst for Sage Road Solutions, along with Dr. Farhad (Fred) Saba, CEO, Distance-Educator.com and Professor of Educational Technology, San Diego State University were inducted into the 2010 USDLA Hall of Fame.
The USDLA Awards were created to acknowledge major accomplishments in distance learning and to highlight those distance-learning instructors, programs, and professionals who have achieved and demonstrated extraordinary results through the use of online, videoconferencing, satellite, and blended learning delivery technologies.
USDLA is a 501(c) 3 non-profit association founded in 1987 that reaches 20,000 people globally with sponsors and members operating in and influencing 46% of the $913 billion dollar U.S. education-and-training market.
Mr. Reggie Smith III, president of the USDLA Board of Directors and chair of the awards committee, noted that, "The work of Governor Bob Riley and his Alabama ACCESS Distance Learning Initiative team confirms the transformative power of distance learning. I also look forward to seeing these leaders again during our 2010 USDLA Public Policy Forum in Washington, D.C., on September 22, 2010 and during National Distance Learning Week November 8-12, 2010."
