In celebration of Western Governors University’s (WGU) 25th anniversary, the fully online, nonprofit university will award multiple scholarships to adults in Illinois who are interested in furthering their education. Since its establishment in 1997, WGU has been committed to providing high-quality, convenient and career-boosting college education to working adults – including those who have some college experience but no degree – who need an alternative to traditional college education. The 25th Anniversary Next Generation Scholarships, valued at up to $5,000 each, underscore the university’s mission of helping make higher education more attainable for those looking to strengthen their skillsets and advance their careers. New students can apply for the scholarship online at wgu.edu/financial-aid-tuition/scholarships/general/25th-anniversary-next-generation.html through Dec. 31, 2022.
WGU was founded by a group of U.S. governors to address a growing need for a college-educated workforce that was not being fully met by traditional higher education. The university focuses on offering degree programs for in-demand fields, with more than 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs available in information technology, business, K-12 teacher education and health professions, including nursing. WGU is competency-based, providing students with the flexibility to study, complete coursework and take tests on their own schedules. The governors who founded WGU saw advancement in technology as an opportunity to expand access to higher education and pioneered the use of competency-based education in a fully online format. The model – which allows students to use their prior education and work experience to move through courses quickly, once mastery of the subject matter is demonstrated – coupled with WGU’s flat-rate tuition of about $3,800 per six-month term, enables students to take as many courses as they can without any added fees and graduate faster, at lower cost. On average, students complete their undergraduate degrees in 2.5 years and have collectively saved over $1 billion in tuition since 1997 by choosing to study at WGU and taking advantage of its affordable tuition.
Over the past 25 years, the university has been credited with helping individuals, who otherwise couldn’t easily complete or afford a traditional college program, earn their college degrees. With an average student age of 34, WGU has grown to serve more than 131,000 students and 288,000 graduates nationwide. Locally, the university serves more than 11,700 current students and alumni throughout Illinois. With its focus on high-quality curriculum directly relevant to in-demand jobs, WGU provides its graduates with outstanding postgraduation outcomes while keeping tuition and fees remarkably low by industry standards. In fact, on average, students graduating from WGU see a salary increase of $18,200 within two years of graduation and earn $25,900 more within four years of earning their degree.
Graduates have completed competency-based programs in the high-demand fields of teaching, health and nursing, IT and business – with many now employed by top-tier companies such as Microsoft, AT&T and Pfizer – and they are working to make a difference in their industries and communities.
“We are proud to have provided hundreds of thousands of students and graduates, to date, with an affordable, flexible, accelerated pathway to earning their bachelor’s and master’s degrees and look forward to continuing to empower adults to return to school and complete their degrees in the years to come,” said Dr. Terrance Hopson, Regional Vice President of Western Governors University. “We salute all our students and graduates – many of whom have struggled with traditional education and have had to overcome challenges in their lives to complete their degrees – and hope these scholarships will inspire those who are considering going back to school to make that leap and transform their lives.”
Each 25th Anniversary Next Generation Scholarship will be applied at the rate of $2,500 per six-month term, renewable for up to two terms. Though multiple scholarships will be awarded, this is a competitive program, and scholarships will be granted based on a candidate’s academic record, financial need, readiness for online study, and current competency, as well as other considerations.
For more information about WGU or available scholarships, visit www.wgu.edu.
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 131,000 students nationwide and has more than 288,000 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 25 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 The New York Times. Learn more at www.wgu.edu.
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For more information, contact:
Merisa Ashbaugh
(314)436-9090