Distance education has flourished for more than 125 years in America and long before that in Europe. Since distance education?s beginning, well over 135 million men and women have studied by distance education. To recognize the achievements of the millions who study at a distance today, the Distance Education and Training Council conducts an "Outstanding Graduate" program each year. Thirty-two exceptional distance study graduates were selected by the institutions they attended. Selection criteria included the graduates? academic records and the level and quality of their contributions to society and to their chosen professions. This is the sixteenth consecutive year that the DETC has given national recognition to distance study graduates. Over these years, more than 580 graduates have collectively added to the ever-growing and impressive tradition of distance education: excellence in educational accomplishment. They are men and women who have distinguished themselves in their careers and in society. These graduates are irrefutable evidence that distance study is truly a viable educational option.