Entrepreneur, Mike Wien, to Deliver Commencement Speech at 2013 Ashworth College Graduation Ceremony

NORCROSS, Ga. - July 1, 2013 - PRLog -- Ashworth College, (http://www.AshworthCollege.edu) a leading provider of top-quality online education programs, announced today that Mike Wien, motivational speaker and founder of The Specific Edge[SM] Institute, a business development firm, will be the keynote speaker at its seventh annual live graduation ceremony to be held on August 3, 2012 at the Cobb Energy Centre in Atlanta, GA.

Wien has some 35+ years of experience as a professor, motivational speaker, consultant and marketer. His big-name clients have included Frito-Lay, Pepsi, Omni Hotels, CitBank and Deloitte.

Wien has put his business philosophy of sustaining effort to reach marketing and sales goals into practice personally by becoming a successful triathlete. He has competed in the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii four times. His best showing was a second place finish behind a Swiss competitor in his age group in 2011.

“I’m excited to be a part of the Ashworth College graduation ceremony because the hard-working graduates here are a shining example of how sustained effort wins,” Wien said.  “It really is a testament to how far you can get with discipline, concentration and endurance.”

Wien, originally from Highland Park, Illinois, earned his MBA in Strategy and Marketing from the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management.

Rob Klapper, Ashworth College President and Chief Executive Officer, noted, “In many ways training for a triathlon is similar to working toward completing an educational program and finally graduating. Hard work, dedication and perseverance are needed in order to reach the final goal.”

The 2013 Ashworth College Graduation Ceremony is anticipating record attendance this year with graduates and guests expected to travel from most U.S. states and several foreign countries. Besides Ashworth, students from sister schools James Madison High School and PCDI Canada are also invited.

Klapper went on to comment that attending a live graduation ceremony has special significance for Ashworth College graduates. Not only does it honor a long-standing tradition shared by students worldwide, but also for most graduates it will be the first live interaction with Ashworth faculty, staff and other students.

“The average Ashworth student completes their education online, from home, anywhere in the world without stepping foot in a classroom or ever meeting an instructor face-to-face,” he said. “We’re proud to help so many graduates find a clear path that helps them reach their education and career goals.”

Past Ashworth commencement speakers include two-time Ashworth graduate Didiayer Snyder, former team designer on the Emmy Award-winning TV show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and currently a regular on the Nate Berkus Show; Mike Lambert, Executive Director of the Distance Education and Training Council; and Dr. Nicole Detling Miller, Ashworth instructor and U.S. Olympic team sports psychologist.

About Ashworth College

Celebrating 26 years of educating students on their own terms, leading online school Ashworth College offers students worldwide an extensive range of relevant online college degree, online certificate [put back hyperlink – didn’t mean to delete that], career training and online high school diploma options that are affordable and fit the busy schedules of working adults. Headquartered in Peachtree Corners, GA. Ashworth is accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). The Accrediting Commission of the DETC is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency. For more information, visit http://www.ashworthcollege.edu.

Ashworth is a Sterling Partners portfolio company. Sterling, a private equity firm with a 25-year history of generating superior returns, invests in industries with positive, long-term trends and provides ongoing support with a diverse and balanced team of industry veterans, operators, investors, strategy experts and human capital professionals. For more information, please visit http://www.sterlingpartners.com.