The year 2021 marks Graduate School USA’s 100th year of serving the federal workforce with training solutions that help them achieve career and mission success.
On October 17,1921, 176 students, mostly employees from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, gathered after work in the USDA building on the National Mall. They were there to take classes at the new USDA Graduate School. The curriculum offered six science classes and two classes in economics. The eight instructors were members of the USDA staff. Classes met twice a week and cost $15 for one semester; $25 for two semesters.
This was the beginning of a grand experiment — furthering the education of federal government employees. One hundred years later, USDA Graduate School, now called Graduate School USA (GSUSA), is carrying forward the original vision — to provide training and education for federal government professionals, to help them in their careers, and to aid in advancing their agencies’ missions.
Today, Graduate School USA offer hundreds of accredited courses that are mapped to OPM proficiency levels and provide engaging, convenient, cost-effective learning experiences for both organizations and individuals. Taught by instructors with real government experience, our courses enable the federal workforce to develop essential competencies in both general and specialized subject matter areas, helping them build the skills and knowledge to do their jobs better, with application-specific training that they can use right away.
GSUSA will be celebrating this milestone all year long, through virtual events for its staff, students, and agency partners. This celebration will embody the very mission on which GSUSA was founded — to support the federal workforce.
For information about Graduate School USA and its history, visit www.graduateschool.edu/100.
ABOUT GRADUATE SCHOOL USA (GSUSA)
Founded in 1921 as the USDA Graduate School, Graduate School USA (GSUSA) is an independent, not-for-profit educational institution based in Washington, DC, offering workforce training and services across the U.S. and the world. The organization is a leading provider of professional development and training courses for the federal government and private sector, serving organizations and individuals with programs designed to support organizational missions, career and occupational development, and the personal ambitions of adult learners. GSUSA’s courses and programs are delivered by instructors with real-world government experience, including customized training solutions, distance education, and leadership training.
