Seventy years ago, in September 1956, UMGC opened classes at military education centers in Japan, Okinawa, and Korea, expanding work begun seven years earlier in Europe.

Servicemembers embraced the opportunity, with more than 1,700 signing up for courses that first term. Today, more than 250,000 learners have taken classes through UMGC in Asia, earning nearly 29,000 degrees and certificates.

For 70 years, UMGC has maintained a continuous presence serving military-connected learners across Asia, with locations including Japan, Okinawa, South Korea, and Guam.

Meeting students wherever they served

"We followed students into Vietnam, where books were sometimes airdropped from helicopters," said Fowler in a message to staff. "When Mt. Pinatubo erupted and military bases closed in the Philippines, we packed up and relocated to Singapore."

"In May 2023, when Super Typhoon Mawar knocked out power and internet across Guam for weeks, our team adapted, keeping students on track while caring for colleagues whose homes and families had been affected," he said.

None of this was accidental.