This past year was filled with exciting developments, from the expansion of PathwayConnect into every area of the Church, to the development of a new institution in the Church Educational System, to the inauguration of President Clark G. Gilbert.
Announcement of BYU-Pathway Worldwide
February 2017
The First Presidency announced the creation of
BYU-Pathway Worldwide
, assigning the stewardship for all Church online education programs to the new organization. President Clark G. Gilbert was announced as the organization’s first president.
PathwayConnect Now Available in All 25 Church Areas
April 2017
With PathwayConnect opening in
India and Japan
, the program is now available in all 25 areas of the Church.
BYU-Pathway Employees Begin Relocation to Salt Lake
April 2017
When BYU-Pathway Worldwide was created, Elder Kim B. Clark announced that the
headquarters would be in Salt Lake City
, necessitating a move for all full-time employees. Throughout last summer, one-third of BYU-Pathway’s full-time employees relocated to the Salt Lake area, with the remaining two-thirds staying in Rexburg until the summer of 2018.
Conducted Gap Analysis in Certificate Offerings
June 2017
Curriculum is now measured according to four criteria: employability, student demand, consistent format, and online standards. Each BYU-Idaho
online certificate
has been reviewed to identify gaps against each of these criteria. Significant progress has been made in being able to assess student performance against course outcomes and eliminate non-digital media in most certificate courses.
Strengthened Student Service Model
August 2017
Advising services were merged into BYU-Pathway’s support center, allowing for 16 part-time employees to be reallocated to BYU-Pathway’s new mentoring services that will provide a more in-depth touchpoint to at-risk students.
Launched “We Want You Back” Campaign
August 2017
BYU-Pathway launched the “We Want You Back” campaign, targeted toward students who a) discontinued their education at BYU-Idaho prior to earning a bachelor’s degree or, b) did not complete PathwayConnect. More than 50,000 students were contacted, and 1,140 registered for courses as a result of the outreach campaign.
Audited PathwayConnect Courses
September 2017
BYU-Pathway Worldwide identified and implemented improvements to
PathwayConnect courses
. This included attendance reporting, lead student lessons, and consistency across syllabi and instructor notes. In addition, the first-semester experience was simplified to help students to become familiar with online learning. The first
gathering
was also refocused around the importance of PathwayConnect’s mission.
Record Annual Enrollment
September 2017
With fall enrollments included, 2017 total student enrollment for
PathwayConnect
and
BYU-Idaho online-degree
students came to 38,927 — the highest ever in the history of the organization.
New Website & Branding Developed
October 2017
BYU-Pathway Worldwide launched a new website, designed to give potential students an easier way to learn more about the organization. The new website features BYU-Pathway Worldwide’s new logo and branding, enhanced navigation and descriptions of program content, improved tools, and much more. Visit the website at byupathway.lds.org.
Inauguration of President Gilbert
November 2017
Clark G. Gilbert officially became the
first president of BYU-Pathway Worldwide
on November 16, 2017. Russell M. Nelson, president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, presided at the event and installed President Gilbert in his new role. (See Inauguration Feature)
Certificate and Degree Recipients Climbs Above 2,500
December 2017
The total number of BYU-Idaho certificates and degrees awarded to PathwayConnect alumni surpassed 2,500. As of the end of Fall Semester 2017, 630 certificates, 1,129 associate degrees, and 912 bachelor’s degrees have been awarded to graduates of PathwayConnect. More than 15,000 students were enrolled in a BYU-Idaho degree program throughout 2017.