The Padres on Friday announced the non-profit, California-based National Univ. will be the team's exclusive higher education partner as part of new multiyear deal. The partnership includes the Padres' Military Scholarship Program, which will provide assistance to military students each year. Padres players, coaches and execs will make regular guest appearances at school events. In addition, during each year of the partnership, a Padres player, coach, alumni or front office exec will take a class from the university (Padres). In San Diego, Jonathan Horn noted the deal is the "first time the Padres have entered into an exclusive educational partnership." The deal will provide the school with "prominent signage at Petco Park." Full terms were not available. The school, which has 20% of its roughly 30,000 students in the military, will "match any contribution the Padres make to military students," already committing to at least $1M per year. The scholarship program was "unveiled atop the Western Metal Supply building at Petco Park on Friday, in front of a large purple National University banner that will hang until July, when a permanent lettering sign is completed above the bullpen." National Chancellor Mike Cunningham said that the school will "pay special attention when the Giants and Dodgers come to town." The university also "will become the presenting partner of the annual Teacher Appreciation Night at Petco Park" and "will hold its commencement ceremony on the field" beginning in '15 (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 4/12). National Univ. also signed on last year to title sponsor the Holiday Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium.
