Everest College goes non-profit, changes name

WOODBRIDGE — A career college in Woodbridge is changing its name.

Everest College, located at 14555 Potomac Mills Road at Potomac Festival shopping center near Potomac Mills mall, offers courses in dental and medical assisting, as well as a medical administrative assistant program.The school’s new name will be Altierus Career College.

More in a press release:

Everest Institute-Chesapeake and Everest College-Woodbridge are changing their names to Altierus Career College. The new name, effective August 8, reflects the college’s updated and expanded offerings in high-demand medical and trade industries, including efforts to ensure that students are well-matched with career choices and develop the soft skills local employers value most.

The Chesapeake and Woodbridge campuses were acquired by Zenith Education Group nearly two and a half years ago and immediately transitioned to non-profit status. Since then, the soon-to-be Altierus campus has undergone many changes geared toward the ultimate vision of becoming a third pathway for nontraditional students for whom community colleges and for-profit schools have not worked, including helping students to develop many of the “soft skills” employers say they value most. Changes include:
— Establishing a more individualized and rigorous admissions process designed to connect students to the programs that are the best fit for them. This also includes pre-enrollment financial literacy counseling to help prospective students understand the financial investment involved.

— Enhancing the training by instituting a complete curriculum review, enhancements to facilities and labs

— Providing students with additional classes that focus on the “soft skills” 

— Providing career planning and placement services 

— Improving affordability by providing scholarships and grants that reduce the amount students have to borrow.

— Offering campus-based academic and personal support programs 

“The name Altierus is inspired by our mission to provide this new, alternative pathway for students by offering a best-in-class experience that is a tier above existing models in which all of us–students, employers, faculty and staff–form a community of learning that cares for the ‘whole student,’” said Peter Taylor, president and chief executive officer of Zenith Education Group. 

We asked how the changes would affect current and former students: 

“Students graduating before August 8, when the name change will be complete across all campuses, will have “Everest” on their diploma or degree.  Diplomas for those graduating on or after August 8 will say ‘Altierus Career College.’ Past graduates from our campus will see a new name on our doors and access to growing resources. We will continue to support all of our alumni, including all past, present and future students.”