Who is NAU Canada Online?
NAU Canada Online is the division of National American University dedicated to serving Canadian students.
The NAU Story
In 1941, National American University, then known as National School of Business, opened its doors to students in Rapid City, South Dakota, 20 miles from Mount Rushmore, which was completed that same year. Founder Clarence Jacobson, a local businessman
In 1962, Harold D. Buckingham acquired the school and guided its growth for many years. The seventh of eleven children, Mr. Buckingham grew up in rural western Nebraska. He worked different jobs to finance his college education, including delivering gasoline and kerosene to local residents in a 1926 Model T Ford truck. His goal was to become a teacher, but he was unable to find a teaching position during the depths of the Great Depression. Although he went on to become a successful businessman, Mr. Buckingham remained a passionate advocate for higher learning. He firmly believed that quality educational opportunities and a better quality of life should exist for every person who desired them. Even later in life, Mr. Buckingham did not forget his dream to become a teacher, but remarked, “At 80 years of age, it may be too late!” The Buckingham family continues to be actively involved in the university.
As the institution expanded both academically and geographically, its name evolved throughout the years, from National School of
Today, National American University is a multistate institution of higher learning offering associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs in traditional, online, and hybrid formats through the
- College of Business, Accounting, and Technology
- College of Health and Sciences
- College of Legal Studies
- College of Military Studies
- School of Nursing
- Harold D. Buckingham Graduate School within the Roueche Graduate Center
The university’s Rapid City campus and Central Administration continue to be located in Rapid City, South Dakota.
National American University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL, 60604, www.hlcommission.org, (800) 621-7440. In addition, several programs are separately accredited or approved by national educational and professional associations.
National American University is guided by its Board of Governors, which determines the mission, core values, and purposes of the institution and establishes policies to achieve its educational goals.
The university is owned and operated by Dlorah, Inc., a South Dakota corporation, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of National American University Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation. National American University Holdings, Inc. is a publicly traded company with its principal office located at 5301 Mount Rushmore Rd., Rapid City, SD 57701.
Although the university has changed dramatically since its humble beginnings, it remains true to its commitment to offer high quality technical and professional career programs in a caring and supportive learning environment.
“The success of our past greatly inspires us toward success in the future.”
~ Harold D. Buckingham