Silver Spring, MD - In honor of Lane Kirkland, the late president of the AFL-CIO, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley joined much of the nation’s labor leadership, elected officials and well wishers to dedicate the National Labor College’s new 72,000 square foot meeting and learning facility. The Lane Kirkland Center, which opened in October, is the culmination of a campus-wide building and refurbishment campaign begun on the 47-acre campus in 2003.

**PRESS RELEASE**

For Immediate Release:
Thursday, February 8, 2007

Contact:
Matt Losak, 301-431-5453

MARYLAND GOVERNOR MARTIN O’MALLEY JOINS LABOR LEADERSHIP TO DEDICATE NEW LABOR EDUCATION FACILITY

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“To strengthen and grow our middle class, we have to ensure that every working family can secure a decent wage, a good job, affordable health care, job training and the chance to advance in life,” said Governor O’Malley. “Our friends at the National Labor College provide the critical foundation to help us expand opportunity to every Marylander."

More than 600 labor leaders, elected officials and dignitaries were on hand to witness the formal dedication of the Lane Kirkland Center and to honor the memory of the late labor leader who was a forceful advocate for the power of labor education. Kirkland served as president of the AFL-CIO from 1979-1995. He died in 1999.

“The completion of the Lane Kirkland Center is yet another milestone in our efforts to create a first-class educational institution for the American labor movement,” said John J. Sweeney, Chairman of the NLC’s Board of Trustees.

The National Labor College offers Bachelor’s degrees in various labor studies disciplines and, in partnership with the University of Baltimore, American University, the University of Massachusetts and Argosy University offers graduate degrees in Public Administration, Legal and Ethical Studies, Organizational Development, Union Leadership and Administration and Instructional Leadership.

The NLC graduates approximately 100 graduates each year who represent unions across North America. With the completing of the new Kirkland facility, as well as its new housing and classroom capacity, the College is preparing to significantly expand its enrollment and attract unions and labor allies to meet and conference on the all-union campus.

“Union members and working families are hearing more about this College and our enrollments are up,” said Susan J. Schurman, president of the NLC. “In the coming months and years we intend to continue that effort to make the NLC the center of labor education.”

Established as a training center by AFL-CIO in 1969 to strengthen union member education and organizing skills, the NLC is now the nation’s only accredited higher education institution devoted exclusively to educating union leaders, members and activists. The NLC became a degree granting college in 1997. The College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, an independent, regional accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

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