‘Press Releases’ Category

In honor of National First Responders Day, which takes place annually on Oct. 28, WGU Missouri is launching a new scholarship to show appreciation for first responders – including EMTs, police officers, firefighters, corrections officers and others – who have demonstrated unprecedented selflessness and commitment in serving area communities as they carried out their duties throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The fully online, nonprofit university plans to award up to $80,000 in scholarships to area first responders – and their spouses – who are interested in furthering their education. Each “First Responder Appreciation Scholarship” is valued at up to $4,000 per student and will be applied at a rate of $1,000 per term for up to four terms. The scholarships are available for new students enrolled in any of WGU Missouri’s more than 60 degree programs in business, information technology, K-12 teacher education and health professions, including nursing. The scholarship application is available at www.wgu.edu/firstresponders and will be open through June 30, 2022.

“First responders make countless sacrifices on a daily basis to protect our communities, uphold the law and save lives,” said Dr. Angie Besendorfer, Chancellor of WGU Missouri. “While we can never fully repay the debt of gratitude we owe our first responders, we at WGU hope that this scholarship offering can help provide those first responders and their spouses who are considering going back to school an even more affordable path to earning their degrees.”

Designed to meet the needs of busy adult learners, WGU Missouri uses a competency-based education approach to learning, enabling students to take advantage of their knowledge and experience to move quickly through material they already know so they can focus on what they still need to learn. Students complete their programs by studying and taking tests on schedules that fit their lives, advancing as soon as they demonstrate that they have mastered subject matter. The flexible format is perfect for those in full-time, demanding fields, like first responders.

For more information about WGU Missouri or available scholarships, visit Missouri.wgu.edu.

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 60 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 2issouri.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).

# # #

(more…)

(more…)

(more…)

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.

# # #

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

MidAmerica St. Louis Airport (BLV) is ranked among the nation’s top five least expensive airports, according to the findings of a recent study of Bureau of Transportation statistics, conducted by FinanceBuzz. The study compares the average airfare cost of 95 airports around the country. MidAmerica Airport placed fifth on the list of “25 least expensive regional airports.” MidAmerica boasts an average airfare cost of $120.10, which is $92.56 cheaper than the average of airports in the study and down $35.54 from last year.

“For years, MidAmerica has provided the St. Louis region with affordable flights to popular destinations and it’s a combination that continues to fuel the airport’s growth,” said St. Clair County Chairman Mark Kern. “We’re thrilled to be recognized as one of the top five least expensive airports in the country and hope to continue making air travel as accessible as possible.”

“MidAmerica St. Louis has served countless travelers from our county and beyond, who appreciate the advantages, including convenient parking just outside the terminal and a hassle-free check-in and security experience,” said Airport Director Bryan Johnson. “I’m glad to see the airport now also be recognized for its outstanding affordability.”

Johnson adds that the airport’s foot traffic is at its highest ever, up 9% from 2019’s record passenger total. During July 2021, the MidAmerica St. Louis Airport had a new record-breaking month for enplaned passenger boardings as 27,505 travelers flew through the airport. Additionally, the week of July 25 set a new weekly total record of 6,281 enplaned passengers. The consistent increases have helped make MidAmerica St. Louis Airport the sixth-busiest airport terminal in Illinois.

Destinations currently served by Allegiant from MidAmerica include Charleston, Daytona Beach, Destin/Ft. Walton Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Orlando, Phoenix/Mesa, Ft. Myers/Punta Gorda, Sarasota/Bradenton, Savannah, and Tampa Bay/St. Pete.

###

About MidAmerica St. Louis Airport

MidAmerica St. Louis Airport is located in Mascoutah, Illinois, in the eastern portion of the St. Louis metropolitan area. Passenger service to almost a dozen different destinations is offered by Allegiant. Major multimodal rail and inland port centers are located within 22 miles of the airport, which also enjoys easy access to five interstate highways via I-64. With parallel runways of 8,000 and 10,000 feet, the airport can handle simultaneous take-offs and landings in all conditions, minimizing delays. It has an annual capacity of 200,000 operations. Tenants include Boeing, which has a manufacturing facility at the airport; North Bay Produce, an international, grower-owned, year-round, fresh produce marketing and distribution cooperative headquartered in Traverse City, Mich., as well as AVMATS, a company providing alternatives for the support and maintenance of corporate aircraft, which has been operating at MidAmerica for many years. MidAmerica is a Joint Use Airport partnering with Scott AFB, the home to US Transportation Command, a multi service organization, and Air Mobility Command, the USAF’s component command for airlift. MidAmerica and the 375th Air Mobility Wing operate Scott AFB/MidAmerica St. Louis Airport.

(more…)

(more…)

(more…)

(more…)

(more…)