BYU–Pathway Worldwide
{{Infobox university
| name = BYU-Pathway Worldwide
| image =
| image_size =
| motto = The Glory of God is Intelligence
| established = {{start date and age|2009}}
| parent = Church Educational System
| religious_affiliation = The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
| endowment =
| staff =
| faculty =
| president = Brian K. Ashton
| students = 80,000
| undergrad =
| postgrad =
| doctoral =
| city = Salt Lake City
| state = Utah
| country = United States
(Headquarters){{cite web|url=https://pathwaynewsroom.org/triad-center-to-be-byu-pathway-worldwides-new-headquarters/|title=Triad Center to be BYU-Pathway Worldwide's New Headquarters|work=pathwaynewsroom.org}}
| coor =
| campus = 529 Pathway Sites
(2018){{cite web|url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/17t41CQurxzZyKXRxybyubYavhjS3yt9F/view|title=Open Sites|work=pathwaynewsroom.org}}
| former_names = Pathway
| colors = Orange and White
{{color box|orange}} {{color box| white}}
| website = {{URL|https://www.byupathway.org/}}
| logo = BYU-Pathway Worldwide Monogram.svg
| logo_size = 150
}}
BYU–Pathway Worldwide (BYU–PW) is a higher education organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It was formed in 2017 and is responsible for online higher education within the Church Educational System.
History
BYU–PW started in 2009 as PathwayConnect, a program of BYU–Idaho. PathwayConnect is a non-matriculated program that makes higher education more attainable. Since its creation, PathwayConnect enrollment has risen exponentially, from 50 original students, to approximately 7,000 students in 2013, to more than 15,000 in 2017.{{Cite news|url=http://pathwaynewsroom.org/facts-and-stats/|title=Facts & Stats|date=2016-01-29|work=Pathway Newsroom|access-date=2018-01-24|language=en-US}} The students take courses online, but they also meet once a week in small groups to create 'scaffolding confidence.'Walch, Tad. [https://www.deseret.com/indepth/2019/8/19/20812530/byu-pathway-worldwide-disrupt-higher-education "A private college degree for less than $9,000: How a 10-year-old school is disrupting higher education"], Deseret News, 19 August 2019. Retrieved on 17 March 2020.
On February 7, 2017, the LDS Church announced the creation of BYU–PW to provide strategic oversight and leadership for the church's online higher education initiatives, which consists of PathwayConnect and online higher education certificate and degree programs. As of October 2020, those programs are developed by BYU-Idaho and Ensign College. As of 2017, PathwayConnect covers one year (three semesters), during which students take at least one academic online course and one religious education course each semester.Stack, Peggy Fletcher. [https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=4913571&itype=CMSID "New BYU Pathway offers online higher education to Mormons and others worldwide"], The Salt Lake Tribune, 23 February 2017. Retrieved on 17 March 2020. Clark Gilbert, formerly the president of BYU–Idaho, was credited with developing the program in 2009 and was the organization's first president from 2017 until 2021, when he was called as an LDS Church general authority and was succeeded by Brian K. Ashton.{{cn|date=August 2022}}
In 2019, it was announced that all LDS Church returning missionaries automatically receive pre-approval for admission to BYU–PW’s PathwayConnect program.Smith, Lisa. [https://www.rexburgstandardjournal.com/news/rm-s-pre-approved-for-byu-pathway-worldwide-s-pathway/article_5031de2c-70e0-11e9-8e18-ffe7fc65b7ea.html "RM's pre-approved for BYU-Pathway Worldwide's Pathway Connect program"], Standard Journal, 7 May 2019. Retrieved on 17 March 2020. Gilbert stated that the program is intended to be scalable and currently has no enrollment cap.Dodson, Brayley. [https://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/education/college/byu/continued-growth-sparks-byu-admissions-changes-expansion-of-online-church/article_e9997f0b-dd7d-5fe2-b2db-ec765da70510.html "Continued growth sparks BYU admissions changes, expansion of online church program"], Provo Herald, 21 October 2019. Retrieved on 17 March 2020.
During 2019, BYU–PW served 44,482 distinct students (28,059 in PathwayConnect and 19,355 in BYU–Idaho online degree programs).{{cite web|url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_wizhvSTjIkjuXjwXK7ehSdTdEae2RP0/view|title=Annual Report 2019|work=byupathway.org}} PathwayConnect students participated in 500+ locations throughout 145 countries, and BYU–Idaho online-degree students participated in all 50 states and 87 countries.
In 2020, BYU–PW reached a new milestone by serving 51,583 students (33,238 in PathwayConnect and 23,172 in BYU–Idaho online degree programs).{{Cite web|last=October 2020|first=Ammon Teare9|title=More Than 50,000 Students Served in 2020|url=https://pathwaynewsroom.org/50000-students-served-2020/|access-date=2021-04-27|website=The Pathway Compass|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|date=2020-10-29|title=BYU–Pathway Worldwide Enrollment Surpasses 50,000 Students|url=http://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/byu%E2%80%93pathway-worldwide-enrollment-surpasses-50-000-students|access-date=2021-04-27|website=newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2020-10-29|title=BYU-Pathway Worldwide passes 50,000-student milestone, continues as valuable higher-education resource|url=https://www.thechurchnews.com/global/2020-10-29/byu-pathway-worldwide-50000-student-milestone-global-higher-education-resource-196318|access-date=2021-04-27|website=Church News|language=en-US}}
In 2024, BYU-PW had over 70,000 students in 180 countries, and expected to have over 80,000 students in 2025.{{cite web | url=https://www.thechurchnews.com/podcast/2024/08/20/episode-202-byu-pathway-worldwide-president-brian-ashton-matt-eyring/ | title=Episode 202: President Brian K. Ashton and Matt Eyring discuss the growing legacy of BYU–Pathway }} Leaders in the cited interview discussed the students learning English, and getting jobs while still early in their studies by getting certificates prior to getting their bachelor's degree.
In 2025, BYU-PW had over 80,000 students and expected to reach 100,000 in the same year.{{cite news |title=Notre Dame professor: BYU-Pathway Worldwide may become Latter-day Saints’ ‘biggest gift to the world’ |url=https://www.deseret.com/faith/2025/04/11/byu-pathway-worldwide-latter-day-saints-gift-to-the-world/ |access-date=11 April 2025 |publisher=Deseret News}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.byupathway.org Official website]
{{LDS Church Educational System}}
{{Latter-day Saints}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:BYU-Pathway Worldwide}}
Category:Brigham Young University
Category:Distance education institutions based in the United States
Category:Online universities and colleges in the United States