Bridgepoint Education's Ashford University Awards 10 Full-Ride Online Scholarships...

Bridgepoint Education's Ashford University Awards 10 Full-Ride Online
Scholarships to Working Moms and Dads

SAN DIEGO, June 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Bridgepoint Education's Ashford
University has awarded 10 full-ride online degree program scholarships to
working parents from across the nation through a partnership with
eLearners.com and its Project Working Mom and Dads advocacy campaign.
Bridgepoint Education, Inc. (NYSE: BPI) is a provider of postsecondary
education services.

"Project Working Mom...and Dads, Too!" was developed by eLearners.com, a Web
resource of EducationDynamics, to help send parents back to college - tuition
free - in these difficult economic times.

This latest campaign, the third in a series and the first to include fathers,
received more than double the number of applications submitted in the first
two rounds held in 2008 combined. More than 315,000 applications were
generated, including some of the most painful, touching and inspiring essays
as part of the process. With five online universities and colleges
participating, Ashford University was chosen by more than 41 percent of the
applicants, accounting for nearly 130,000 applications.

"The overwhelming response to this scholarship opportunity and the stories of
sacrifice and determination from the applicants have been a stark reminder of
the struggles parents face in balancing life, work and school and how online
education helps people achieve their goals," Jane McAuliffe, president and
chief executive officer of Ashford University said.

Ashford University faculty members spent hundreds of hours reviewing
applications, resulting in 10 deserving recipients receiving the life-changing
call.

Four of the scholarship winners reside in California. They include Erin Buck
from Vacaville, Clara Galvan from Alta Loma, Donna Perry from Los Angeles and
Cecilia Portugal from Daly City. Richard Shields of Longmont, Colorado, and
Gail Kenny from Prescott Valley, Arizona, are also Western states winners.

Two of the scholarship recipients are from Maryland. They include Agaba
Bisengo from Silver Spring and Terry Satchell from Easton. Michael Kurilovitch
from Niagra Falls, New York, and Jacklyn Schmetzer from Ashburn, Virginia,
round out the list of Eastern states winners.

Ashford University's full-ride, tuition-free scholarships are for online
degree programs ranging from associate's to the doctorate level. Collectively,
the scholarships total nearly $500,000.

"The escalating interest in this campaign illustrates the importance of higher
education to working parents across America," said McAuliffe. "Online higher
education provides working parents with flexibility in earning their degrees."

"As a working mom myself, I am proud to impact these scholarship recipients in
a positive way," said McAuliffe. "What gives me the most satisfaction is
knowing that each of these winners has a child who will experience a parent
bettering themselves by earning his or her college education. These winners
are role models."

About Bridgepoint Education
Based in San Diego, California, Bridgepoint Education was founded on the
principle that anyone who is academically prepared deserves access to higher
education without sacrificing quality, transferability of credits,
accessibility, academic standards, or credentials. As an independent, private
higher education company, Bridgepoint is committed to serving the millions of
adults seeking an affordable alternative to high priced higher education.
Bridgepoint Education subsidiaries provide both traditional and online
education offerings, in addition to recruiting and admissions services. The
organization's comprehensive education services have helped thousands of
students improve their lives and careers through higher education. For more
information, please visit www.bridgepointeducation.com or contact Shari
Rodriguez, Director of Public Relations, at 858.668.2586 x2513.

About Ashford University
Founded in 1918, Ashford University is a coeducational institution regionally
accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association
of Colleges and Schools, with programs in education, business, accounting,
criminal and social justice, computer animation and graphic design, and other
areas. The University offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as a
range of student activities and athletics, at its Clinton campus. Online
degree programs are available in education, organizational management,
business administration, and psychology. The University is known for its high
quality yet highly affordable on-campus and online programs, with tuition fees
among the lowest in the U.S. compared to other private institutions. Its
tagline is: "Higher Education Made Affordable"SM. For more information,
please visit www.ashford.edu or contact Shari Rodriguez, Director of Public
Relations, at 858.513.9240 x2513.

About eLearners.com(R)
eLearners.com is one of several high visibility websites operated by
EducationDynamics. Since 1999, eLearners.com has been successfully connecting
learners to online education, including online degree and certificate
programs, specialized career training, and a variety of online courses. For
prospective students, eLearners.com provides a powerful search engine for
users to find thousands of online program offerings, as well as educational
evaluation tools and financial aid resources. For colleges and universities,
the eLearners.com website offers a low-cost, performance-based method to
provide national exposure and increase enrollments in their online learning
programs. For more information on eLearners.com, visit
http://www.eLearners.com.

SOURCE Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

Shari Rodriguez, Director of Public Relations of Bridgepoint Education, Inc.,
+1-858-668-2586, ext. 2513, shari.rodriguez@bridgepointeducation.com