Western Governors University (WGU) and Sabathani Community Center today announced they have entered into a joint partnership that will provide members and employees of Sabathani Community Center with an affordable pathway to earning their bachelor’s or master’s degrees from WGU. Additionally, under the terms of the agreement, those 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 now be eligible to apply for scholarships offered through the university’s Collaborative Agreement Scholarship program.
The scholarships, each valued at up to $2,500, are applied to WGU’s already-low, flat-rate tuition of about $3,800 per six-month term. Recipients of the scholarship will receive a $625 tuition credit each term, renewable for up to four terms based on 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. The program also provides devices to students who are in need.
Sabathani Community Center operates as one of Minnesota’s oldest African American-founded nonprofits, delivering a comprehensive range of community-oriented, culturally sensitive services and programming delivered in an environment of dignity and respect – just six blocks from the murder of George Floyd. Sabathani consists of four business units: Commercial Real Estate, Social Programs, Sabathani Senior Housing, and Enterprise (community event and meeting space rental). Sabathani programs serve 43,000+ people a year with a food shelf, clothing closet, senior center, health and wellness services, tax preparation services and more. Additionally, the organization leverages resources with nonprofits and small businesses in its 188,257 sq. ft. building to serve even more community needs.
“At Sabathani, we believe acquiring a WGU education is a pathway out of poverty and the gateway to generational wealth,” said Sabathani Community Center’s Interim CEO and COO Ken Rance.
WGU offers Sabathani Community Center members and employees a competency-based approach to learning that 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 Sabathani Community Center 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. “Sabathani Community Center is deeply committed to promoting community growth in South Minneapolis and providing a healthy and safe environment for people of all ages and cultures to live, work and play. This partnership will support that mission.”
For more information on the partnership between WGU and Sabathani Community Center, visit wgu.edu/partnerships.
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 257,000 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 in The New York Times. Learn more at www.wgu.edu.
About Sabathani Community Center
Sabathani Community Center is a South Minneapolis institution founded in 1966 as a project of Sabathani Baptist Church to provide youth development opportunities and an advocacy forum for the Black community. In 1979, with broad community support, Sabathani purchased and renovated the former Bryant Junior High School building to establish a permanent home for our programs and a focal point for Black cultural identity, empowerment, and social change powered by advocacy to address social, economic, and health disparities in the Black community. Today, Sabathani’s service population includes members of the Southside’s Black, Latinx, and Somali communities and offers the following programs and services:
Commercial Tenancy Program: An earned income strategy housing and supporting 20+ minority-led small businesses, nonprofits, and government extension programs in our 188,257 SF facility; serves as Sabathani’s primary source of funding for programs, services, and building operations
Senior Connect Program: Health and wellness services and system navigation/coordination, community service and social engagement activities and culturally specific outreach to 280 low-income seniors, mostly African American.
Senior Housing Development Project: A 48-unit residential development providing affordable housing for seniors 55 and older; slated to open in Fall 2021.
Neighborhood Food Shelf: A permanent emergency food security resource distributing over 1 million pounds of food—including culturally specific, locally sourced, perishable, and shelf-stable items—to nearly 10% of Minneapolis’ population annually.
Community-based Health and Wellness: Health and wellness services and events—including COVID testing—targeting high-risk, under-resourced populations
Clothing Closet: Clothing and household goods for low-income individuals and families
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For more information, contact:
Pamela Powell
(314) 436-9090
pam@hausergrouppr.com