Dr. Mark D. Milliron, president and CEO of nonprofit National University highlights the importance of serving nontraditional, working, and military students, earning a distinguished public service award
SAN DIEGO, CA (May 1, 2025) — National University (NU), San Diego’s largest private nonprofit university, today announced that Dr. Mark D. Milliron, president and CEO of National University, has been named CEO of the Year in the Public Service category by the San Diego Business Journal. The annual award honors top executives for outstanding leadership, philanthropic efforts, and community impact. Dr. Milliron was recognized during a luncheon ceremony held April 30 at the Julep Venue in San Diego.
Dr. Milliron leads the veteran-founded nonprofit that serves over 50,000 degree-seeking students annually, with an additional 80,000 learners engaged in workforce and professional development programs. A strong advocate for access and excellence, he focuses on supporting nontraditional, working, and military-connected students nationwide. Known as the home of the ANDers™, NU empowers learners who balance multiple responsibilities—such as work, parenting, military service, and caregiving—while pursuing higher education. In recognition of its commitment, NU was recently recognized in the updated 2025 Carnegie Classifications with the Opportunity Colleges and Universities – Higher Access, Higher Earnings designation, placing it among the top 1% of institutions advancing access, affordability, and career outcomes for its nontraditional student population.
“It’s an honor to be recognized for the good work we are doing at National University to meet the needs of today’s learners and serve our communities,” said Dr. Milliron. “Most of all, it’s a blessing to be a part of a team of difference makers—faculty, staff, board members, partners, and more—educating difference makers.”
During his tenure at NU, Dr. Milliron has provided leadership to advance several initiatives designed to support nontraditional students and has been committed to positively impacting local and regional communities:
- Expanded Transfer Partnerships: Collaborations with community colleges across California, Arizona, and Texas have created seamless transfer pathways into NU’s degree programs.
- Cause Research Institute: A multi-year, multi-million-dollar center of excellence launched in 2023 dedicated to promoting research and scholarship opportunities for historically underrepresented students.
- National University Foundation: Introduced in 2024 to raise scholarship funds for non-traditional, working, and military students. The next gala is scheduled for Sept. 12, 2025, aboard the USS Midway Museum.
- The Nest Healthy Learning Center: Opening May 9 at NU’s San Diego Spectrum campus, this center will deliver holistic support services for hard-working students navigating the complexities of education, work, and family responsibilities while pursuing their education.
- Community Involvement: Dr. Milliron actively contributes to regional and national organizations, including the YMCA, San Diego Military Advisory Council, San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation, and LEAD San Diego. He also serves on boards for the Trellis Foundation, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, and the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities.
Prior to National University, Dr. Milliron served as the senior vice president at Western Governors University and executive dean of its School of Education — the largest college of education in the United States. In addition, he co-founded the student-success advanced-analytics innovator Civitas Learning, served as deputy director for postsecondary improvement with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and led as president and CEO of the League for Innovation in the Community College. He has been recognized as a Distinguished Graduate by the University of Texas at Austin, inducted into the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) Hall of Fame, and been featured in the Chronicle of Higher Education as one of the “Top Technology Innovators” in higher education.
About National University: National University, a Veteran-founded nonprofit, has been dedicated to meeting the needs of nontraditional, working, and military students by providing accessible, affordable higher education opportunities since 1971. As San Diego’s largest private nonprofit university, NU offers over 150 online and on-campus programs with flexible four-week and eight-week classes and one-to-one graduate education models designed to help students reach their goals while balancing busy lives. Since its founding, the NU community has grown to 130,000 learners per year—50,000 degree-seeking students and 80,000 workforce and professional development students—and 245,000 alumni around the globe, many of whom serve in helping industries such as business, education, health care, cybersecurity, and law and criminal justice. To learn more about National University’s new possibilities in education, including next-generation education, value-rich education, and whole human education, visit NU.edu.