Western Governors University (WGU) and Northside Economic Opportunity Network (NEON) today announced they have entered into a joint partnership that will provide members and employees of NEON with an affordable option to earning their degrees. Under the terms of the agreement, members who enroll in any of the online, nonprofit university’s 60-plus undergraduate or graduate degree programs in business, IT, K-12 teacher education or health professions – including nursing – will be eligible to apply for the WGU Collaborative Agreement Scholarship.
The scholarships, each valued at up to $2,500, are designed for employees of WGU’s partner collaboratives that are seeking to advance their education. The scholarship will be disbursed in increments of $625 per six-month term and can be renewed for up to four terms based on satisfactory academic performance. Applicants who lack access to affordable, high-speed internet will also be eligible to apply for the WGU Online Access Scholarship, which covers internet installation and monthly access costs for the duration WGU students who qualify are active and in good standing and also provides devices to students who are in need.
“At NEON we believe that a great education provides a stronger pathway to entrepreneurship. Unfortunately, the traditional method of acquiring a brick-and-mortar four-year degree is no longer accessible to many working adults in the BIPOC community. By partnering with WGU, this wonderful opportunity to acquire a quality education will be provided to our staff and entrepreneurs, where they can receive credit for actual work experience, at a price that is affordable, and at a pace that is most conducive to the busy lifestyles of working entrepreneurs and their families,” said Ken Rance, NEON’s Director of Development and External Affairs.
NEON is a nonprofit association that offers entrepreneur training for underserved residents in North Minneapolis and surrounding communities. The association works with individuals at various stages of entrepreneurship – from “information seekers” to existing business entities – providing a roadmap to start, grow and thrive as scalable businesses.
WGU offers NEON members and employees more than 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the high workforce-need areas of business, IT, K-12 teacher education and
health professions, including nursing. The university’s competency-based approach to learning allows students to take advantage of their knowledge and previous experience to quickly move through material they already know so they can focus on what they still need to learn. Students complete their programs by studying on schedules that fit their lives, advancing as soon as they demonstrate they have mastered the subject matter. WGU faculty members work one-on-one with students as mentors, offering guidance, support and individualized instruction. While WGU’s degree programs are rigorous and challenging, competency-based learning makes it possible for students to accelerate their progress and graduate faster, saving both time and money.
“We are proud to partner with Northside Economic Opportunity Network to help provide their members and employees with an affordable pathway to furthering their education,” said Dr. Angie Besendorfer, Regional Vice President of Western Governors University. “NEON is deeply committed to entrepreneurs, providing them with access to the support, technical assistance and financial services they need to be successful, and this partnership will support that mission.” For more information about NEON, contact info@neon-mn.org or visit neon-mn.org.
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About WGU
Established in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education, online, nonprofit WGU now serves more than 128,000 students nationwide and has more than 244,000 graduates in all 50 states. Driving innovation as the nation’s leading competency-based university, WGU has been recognized by the White House, state leaders, employers, and students as a model that works in postsecondary education. In just 22 years, the university has become a leading influence in changing the lives of individuals and families and preparing the workforce needed in today’s rapidly evolving economy. WGU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, has been named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, and has been featured on NPR, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and in The New York Times. Learn more at www.wgu.edu.
About NEON
Northside Economic Opportunity Network (NEON) was launched in 2006, with a mission to build wealth for low to moderate income entrepreneurs in North Minneapolis and surrounding communities. With its vision to transform North Minneapolis into a prosperous, visible, sustainable, and highly-diverse, multi-cultural community of entrepreneurs, NEON Business Advisors work with over 1,000+ small businesses a year and provide over 6,784 hours of 1:1 technical assistance their clients need to grow their businesses.
In 2020, NEON disbursed over $3.8 million in loans and grants to small business and continues to provide affordable co-working space to local entrepreneurs in North Minneapolis. In 2021, NEON created a commercial real estate revolving loan fund for BIPOC developers in North Minneapolis and is currently in the process of becoming a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). Learn more at www.neon-mn.org.
Contact for media inquiries:
Jessica Denham
314-677-2305
Jessica.denham@wgu.edu