University of Phoenix Alumnus and Army Veteran Shawn Conrad Pays It Forward by Helping Veterans Combat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

University of Phoenix, a subsidiary of Apollo Education Group (Nasdaq: APOL), is saluting University of Phoenix military students and alumni this Independence Day. Today, the University recognizes retired Army Sergeant First Class Shawn Conrad. Conrad served more than 20 years in the Army as a non-commissioned officer. He retired in 2008 and is currently earning his Master of Science in Counseling/Mental Health Counseling at University of Phoenix® El Paso Campus.

“University of Phoenix is honored to serve our nation’s service members, veterans and their families in providing them both education and career resources to help them achieve their educational and professional goals,” said University of Phoenix Military Relations Vice President retired Army Col. Garland Williams. “Students like Shawn Conrad who decide to pursue their education to help others share a unique perspective, bringing both empathy and personal experience to better serve those in similar circumstances.”

During his military career, Conrad was deployed to Kuwait in 1991, to Haiti in 1995, Bosnia in 1996 and to Iraq in 2005. Though he was never physically injured, Conrad witnessed the devastation of war firsthand.

In 2009, Conrad worked as an instructor at the United States Sergeants Major Academy at Fort Bliss after retiring from the Army. He left in 2014 to focus on his studies full time and enrolled at University of Phoenix El Paso Campus, where he is pursuing a Mental Health Counseling specialization that helps to educationally prepare students for advanced levels of licensure, requiring a second board exam and credentialing.

“Through my experience with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), I learned that it is very valuable to work with a mental health professional who not only has served in the military, but also understands the impact of what you are going through from a mental-health perspective,” says Conrad. “I would like to become an expert in post-traumatic stress and managing the symptoms that come with it. I believe it is important to use my experience to help soldiers coming back and to better acclimate them to civilian life.”

For more information on University of Phoenix degree programs for active-duty service members, veterans and their families, visit www.phoenix.edu/military or www.apollo.edu/learnmore.

For more information about our on-time completion rates, median loan debt of graduates and other important information, visit www.phoenix.edu/gainfulemployment.

About University of Phoenix Military Division

University of Phoenix Military Division works directly with active military members, their spouses and veterans to help them balance frequent deployments, relocations and training schedules while obtaining their degrees. University of Phoenix Military Division students can access classes online or at more than 100 University of Phoenix locations, giving military students an opportunity to choose the learning environment that is most conducive to their educational success. More information can be found at www.phoenix.edu/military.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix is constantly innovating to help working adults move efficiently from education to careers in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant and engaging courses, and interactive learning can help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. As a subsidiary of Apollo Education Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: APOL), University of Phoenix serves a diverse student population, offering associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs from campuses and learning centers across the U.S., as well as online throughout the world. For more information, visit www.phoenix.edu.