The Vision and Education for the Future

Our founders believed that a new approach to education would be able to address global problems and issues. They believed in an institution that was dedicated to engendering mutual understanding, respect and collaboration between people.

The "Golden Rule" is central to Claremont Lincoln University's mission: to be a place where students learn how to treat others as they would like to be treated.

It was David Lincoln's philanthropic vision for the future of the world that led him to join together with renowned interfaith and higher education leader Reverend Dr. Jerry Campbell to create Claremont Lincoln University, a non-profit, online graduate institution. In May of 2011, with a founding gift from David and Joan Lincoln, Claremont Lincoln was born.

The partnership of David Lincoln and Claremont Lincoln's first President, Jerry Campbell, began through relationship, dialogue, and collaboration. Our early leaders, board members and supporters were committed to two complementary concepts: the idea of the Golden Rule as transformative for society, and the teaching from Mr. David Lincoln, that "good ethics is good business."

Claremont Lincoln University (CLU) is incorporated in the State of California as a private non-profit public benefit corporation organized exclusively for educational purposes and is approved as a tax-exempt educational institution under IRC 501(c)(3). The headquarters is located at 150 W. First Street; Claremont, California 91711.

The vision as conceived by the founders is a world that lives by the Golden Rule; a world in which disputes between those that have conflicting views are addressed peacefully without violence.

At CLU, our students, faculty, and staff are emboldened by our mission to integrate self-knowledge with critical perspectives and contemporary skills to create sustainable social change—how to implement the Golden Rule. They are changemakers in their own communities and organizations, and as an institution, we are proud of their remarkable stories and impact. Read about some of our student statistics in this PDF. #WeAreCLU

The mission of Claremont Lincoln University is to be a place where students learn how to treat others as they would like to be treated. Students learn the skills necessary to understand differences among religions, governments, other organizations, and individuals; how to respect those differences; and how to cooperate and collaborate with those of different viewpoints to resolve problems between them peacefully without violence. Our students will integrate self-knowledge with critical perspectives and contemporary skills to create sustainable social change—how to implement the Golden Rule. Claremont Lincoln University embed the Golden Rule in the Claremont Core® which teaches the skills of mindfulness, dialogue, collaboration, and change.

Tony Digiovanni is a recognized senior executive in the higher education sector with over 25 years of experience.

As of September 1^st, 2019, Digiovanni was appointed to serve as President and CEO of Claremont Lincoln University (CLU), an online graduate institution located in Claremont, California. He has been a Board Member of CLU since 2016.

Digiovanni last served as CEO of a venture-backed startup organization in higher education, Ameritas Educational Services. The company's mission was to establish a dual-language, English-immersion, academic program for the Hispanic community, partnering with community colleges throughout the U.S. to improve student retention, graduation and eventual success in the workforce.

From 2007 to 2011, Digiovanni was the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Enrollment for Education Management Corporation. In that capacity, he oversaw an annual marketing budget in excess of $100 million for the Art Institute, Argosy University, South University and Brown Mackie College.

Prior to that, Digiovanni served with Corinthian Colleges as President and COO, and also with the University of Phoenix in various executive positions. Digiovanni was the first President of University of Phoenix Online and helped take the organization public in September 2000.

Mr. Digiovanni has lobbied in Sacramento and the U.S. Congress on behalf of the higher education sector, and has participated as a speaker in numerous education conferences throughout the U.S. In November 2001 he was the Plenary Speaker at the Sloan International Conference of Online Learning.

Digiovanni serves on the Board of Regents of his alma mater, Loyola Marymount University, and with the School of Education on their Board of Visitors. He is also a Board Member of the Orange County Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Digiovanni has an MBA from the University of Southern California and a BBA from Loyola Marymount University. He resides in Long Beach with his wife Christine, and has five adult children living in various locations across the U.S.