In celebration of WGU Missouri’s 10th anniversary, the nonprofit, fully accredited, online university has announced it is awarding $100,000 in scholarships to new students who are interested in furthering their education. Since its establishment in February 2013, WGU Missouri has been committed to providing high-quality, convenient and career-boosting college education to residents across the state, including busy adults who have some college experience but no degree. The WGU Missouri 10th Anniversary scholarships, valued at up to $10,000 each, underscore WGU’s mission of making higher education more attainable for Missourians looking to strengthen their skillsets and advance their careers to meet the demands of today’s workforce.
WGU Missouri has shown consistent annual growth since it was founded a decade ago. The university, which was created through a partnership with the national Western Governors University and Gov. Jay Nixon, currently has 3,361 enrolled students, a steady increase over last year, and has conferred degrees to 7,004 graduates, 15% of whom graduated in the past 12 months. Across the state, WGU Missouri employs 224 staff members, has awarded more than $4.3 million in scholarships, and has built partnerships with 74 businesses, institutions and organizations in an effort to create new opportunities for their employees to earn their degrees affordably and take their careers to the next level.
WGU Missouri has been credited with helping individuals earn their college degrees who otherwise couldn’t easily complete or afford a traditional college program. The average student age is 35, with more than 64% of attendees coming from underprivileged populations or being first-generation college students. Additionally, 69% of students work full-time while pursuing their degrees. These grads are quickly seeing a difference in their lives as more career opportunities become available. As a result, students earn an average of $18,200 more within two years of graduation. Within four years, that number grows to $25,900 for WGU grads.
“While higher education and the need for certain workforce skills have changed considerably over the last decade, WGU Missouri has remained committed to finding new, innovative ways to meet the ever-evolving needs of our students and the current job landscape,” said Dr. Terrance Hopson, Regional Vice President of WGU Missouri. “We are proud to provide an affordable, flexible college education alternative for all Missourians – particularly those underserved adults with life commitments and financial obstacles that might otherwise prevent them from furthering their education in a traditional setting. We look forward to continuing to empower many more adults to go back to school and earn their degrees in the next 10 years and beyond.”
WGU Missouri focuses on high workforce-need areas, offering more than 80 bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in business, information technology, K-12 teacher education and health professions, including nursing. Unlike a traditional college program, WGU caters to adults with previous or current work experience who are looking to further their careers through education. WGU Missouri’s competency-based education model allows adult students to complete their programs by studying on schedules that fit their lives, advancing as soon as they demonstrate they’ve mastered the subject matter.
To be considered for WGU Missouri’s 10th Anniversary scholarship, new and prospective students must be Missouri residents, be admitted to WGU Missouri, and submit a scholarship application online by June 30, 2023. Scholarships will be awarded based on the student’s academic record, previous college experience, readiness for online study, current competency and other considerations. The scholarships will be applied at the rate of $2,500 per six-month term, renewable for up to four terms toward WGU’s already-low tuition of approximately $3,800 per six-month term for most programs. For more information about the 10th Anniversary scholarship, visit missouri.wgu.edu/10th.
About WGU Missouri
WGU Missouri is a competency-based, online university created to expand access to higher education for Missouri residents. The university offers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the fields of business, K-12 teacher education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. WGU Missouri faculty members serve as mentors, working one-on-one with students, offering guidance, support, and individualized instruction.
Established in 2013 through a partnership with nationally recognized Western Governors University, WGU Missouri is open to all qualified Missouri residents. The university is nonprofit and self-sustaining on flat-rate tuition of about $7,600 per year for most programs.
Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Nursing College programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE*), and the Health Informatics program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). More information is available at Missouri.wgu.edu or by calling 855.948.8493.
*Western Governors University offers nursing programs that are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 5380, Washington DC 20036, 202-877-6791).
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For more information, contact:
Merisa Ashbaugh
314-436-9090