CILC USDLA 2024 Award

Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration Pinnacle Education Collaborative Group Awarded First-Place Gold for Non-Profit Teaching and Learning in Distance Learning from USDLA, the Leader in Virtual Learning Education

North Mankato, Minn. (April 22, 2024) — The Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC), a nonprofit dedicated to igniting a passion for learning by expanding access to the world's most treasured museums, zoos, historic sites, experts, and more, announced today it has been named by the United States Distance Learning Association, known globally as USDLA, as a Gold Teaching and Learning winner in Distance Learning in the Nonprofit category.

Each year, USDLA recognizes innovators and leaders within the distance/digital learning industry as part of its International Award program. These highly coveted awards are presented annually to organizations and individuals who compete across several categories of excellence. The USDLA International Distance Learning Awards are created to acknowledge major accomplishments in distance learning and to highlight those virtual learning instructors, programs, and professionals who have achieved and demonstrated extraordinary achievements through the use of online learning techniques, innovation, and video delivery technologies globally.

“Being recognized by USDLA, the global benchmark for distance learning education, is a tremendous honor for CILC’s Pinnacle Education Collaborative,” said Glenn Morris, CEO of CILC, Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration. “This recognition reflects the hard work and dedication of our team and valued Content Providers, who tirelessly strive to enhance the learning experience for educators and learners around the globe.”

“Our international awards program recognizes the best of the best in distance learning," says Chuck Sengstock, President of USDLA. "USDLA is proud of this year's winners and pleased to recognize their accomplishments."

CILC has been a pioneer in distance learning long before phrases like "remote learning" and "virtual field trips" became commonplace. CILC remains a trusted resource that is on the forefront of the field, identifying tools and strategies that have a lasting impact on distance learning. Through its Pinnacle Education Collaborative (PEC), CILC provides a vital professional community of practice dedicated to advancing distance learning in various educational and cultural institutions. The collaborative effort empowers content providers to expand their professional practice and make meaningful connections with diverse audiences, including K-12 students, aging adults, and community groups.

About The United States Distance Learning Association

The United States Distance Learning Association was founded in 1987 and based on the premise of creating a powerful alliance to meet the burgeoning education and training needs of learning communities via new concepts of the fusion of communication technologies with learning in broad multidisciplinary applications. We were the first nonprofit distance learning association in the United States to support distance learning research, development, and praxis across the complete arena of education, training, and communications. The learning communities that the USDLA addresses are: pre-K/12, higher education, continuing education, corporate training, military and government training, home schooling, and telehealth. Our mission is to support the development and application of digital and distance learning by focusing on legislation impacting the community and constituencies.

About The Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration

The Center for Interactive Learning and Collaboration (CILC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to igniting a passion for learning to cultivate engaged, empowered, and valued lifelong learners, nurtured through access to compelling content and powerful learning experience from the most treasured institutions. Founded in 1994, CILC has developed hundreds of partnerships with organizations including museums, zoos, science, cultural, and historical centers and delivered 113,000 programs globally to 3.5 million students worldwide. CILC is committed to changing lives by making learning accessible, regardless of physical location or financial means. For more information about CILC, please visit cilc.org.

Media Contacts:
Allyson Mitchell
CILC
amitchell@cilc.org
507-386-2972

Pat Cassella
USDLA
pcassella@usdla.org