O’Grady further strengthens NU’s 50-year history as a leading nonprofit educator to the global U.S. military community
SAN DIEGO, CA (AUGUST 24, 2022) — National University, the Veteran-founded nonprofit university that serves more than 30,000 working adult learners, educators, and members of the military community, has tapped Meg O’Grady – a foremost expert leading outreach programs engaging the U.S. military community – to serve as senior vice president of military affairs. The Army Veteran and military spouse has nearly 30 years’ experience advocating for and building national programs that support military constituents at federal and private organizations through education and training. Today, O’Grady spearheads National University’s respected educational programs that expand career pathways for military-affiliated students and top employer partners.
“The origins of National University becoming a leading nonprofit educator began more than 50 years ago when it was founded by a retired Navy captain,” said Dr. Michael R. Cunningham, National University System Chancellor. “We’re excited to have Meg O’Grady take charge of military outreach and carry forward our tradition of meeting the unique needs of military community members and their families—and our employer partners that benefit from the incredible contributions military members provide to the modern workforce every day.”
O’Grady honed her expertise working on behalf of the military community at the U.S. Department of Defense, Fortune 100, and nonprofit firms. She served as the associate director for the Office of Family Policy at the U.S. Department of Defense. O’Grady helped launch the Military Spouse Education and Career Opportunities Program and the Military Spouse Employment Partnership—which today have placed more than 220,000 military spouses in career-oriented positions at 540 employer partners, including Amazon, Salesforce, Bank of America, Coca-Cola, and Charles Schwab.
“I’m proud to lead our military, military family, and Veteran efforts at a respected institution that fully understands and supports our students,” O’Grady said. “National University takes a holistic approach to supporting our students with their financial, academic, social and emotional, family and community, and career needs.”
O’Grady was the U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program’s first training officer in addition to working with Army Family Advocacy, Army Education, and the Army Career and Alumni program. As the Veteran business strategy and engagement vice president at First Data (Fiserv), she led the Coalition for Veteran Owned Business in a partnership with Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families. The partnership has provided more than 13,000 opportunities for Veteran-owned businesses with a portfolio of more than 29 corporate partners, including American Express, Apple, Disney, USAA, Walmart, and Lockheed Martin.
Prior to joining National University in the education space, O’Grady led military and public sector solutions and outreach initiatives for Kaplan University and Purdue University Global. Her passion for helping military members flourish in post-military careers took her to the U.S. Department of Labor, where she led a strategic partnership program to strengthen American’s workforce through increased employment opportunities for Veterans, transitioning service members and their spouses.
O’Grady is a member of the Class of 1990 at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. A competitive swimmer, she earned All-American honors. She graduated with a master’s of education from National Louis University, and she also holds a bachelor’s in liberal arts and sciences from Excelsior University and a Leading Through Financial Excellence certificate from MIT’s Sloan School of Management. Her leadership experience includes serving on the boards of the Armed Services YMCA, the PsychArmor Institute, the National Military Family Association and Operation Job Ready Vets. She was a finalist nominee for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Hiring Our Heroes program’s Colonel Michael Endres Leadership Award for Individual Excellence in Veteran Employment.
About National University: National University, a Veteran-founded nonprofit, has been dedicated to meeting the needs of hard-working adults by providing accessible, affordable, achievable higher education opportunities since 1971. As San Diego’s largest private nonprofit university, NU offers over 75 online and on-campus programs and flexible four-week classes designed to help students reach their goals while balancing busy lives. Since its founding, the NU community has grown to over 30,000 students and 190,000 alumni around the globe, many of whom serve in helping industries such as business, education, health care, cybersecurity, and law and criminal justice. National University’s merge with Northcentral University will be complete on September 30, 2022, growing the institution by over 10,000 students and 80 graduate and doctoral programs. Learn more at NU.edu.