Online university recognized as 2012 Top Military-Friendly School by Military Advanced Education

SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the fifth consecutive year, nonprofit, online Western Governors University (WGU), www.wgu.edu, has been named to Military Advanced Education's 2012 Guide to Top Military-Friendly Colleges & Universities. Published annually, the guide provides information regarding college options for U.S. service people and veterans.

WGU offers online accredited degree programs that are flexible, accessible, and supportive for military personnel and spouses who are often faced with challenges that make it difficult to earn a degree at a traditional college. With over 50 online bachelor's and master's degree programs in Business, Information Technology, Teacher Education, and Health Professions, including Nursing, students can study on their own time, from anywhere with an Internet connection. Additionally, students receive ongoing support from faculty who serve as one-on-one mentors through their entire degree program. WGU's terms are six months long and can begin on the first day of any month.

WGU graduate Loretta Lombard, a Lt. Col. for the U.S. Air Force, earned her MBA while on active duty. She was able to complete her degree while being deployed three different times to three different continents. "The six-month terms allowed for adjustments to my availability due to my military requirements and family priorities. If I had to leave on Temporary Duty, I could easily pick up where I left off and get going again when I could return my attention to school," Lt. Col. Lombard said.

Selected by Military Advanced Education for the guide based on the quality of its academics, the nonprofit university's degree programs are approved for tuition assistance for active-duty, reserve, and National Guard personnel, and veterans are eligible for education benefits through the GI Bill. Scholarships are available for active service people, their spouses, and veterans.

WGU is dedicated to providing educational opportunities for adult learners. Major General R. Martin Umberger of the Indiana National Guard, a strong supporter of military-friendly options for higher education, believes institutions like WGU will help America's military members reach their personal and professional potential. "Our soldiers and airmen will benefit tremendously from the parallel offerings of online learning opportunities," he said.

As a top Military-Friendly institution, WGU provides several benefits for military members and their families.

• Degree programs that are approved for Veterans Administration (VA) benefits under the GI Bill, as well as tuition assistance for active-duty, reserve, and National Guard service members
• Scholarships specifically designed for active-duty military, reservists, veterans, and military spouses
• Competency-based learning, which allows students to advance when they demonstrate mastery of subject matter rather than by logging classroom hours
• Option to accelerate degree completion for students who can devote additional time to their studies
• Learning resources and course materials that are available online 24/7 from anywhere there is an Internet connection
• Affordable tuition—just under $6,000 per year for most programs

For more information about WGU and military benefits, please visit www.wgu.edu/military.

About Western Governors University 
Featured on NPR's "All Things Considered," the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, and in The New York Times, WGU is the only university in the U.S. offering competency-based degree programs and the only nonprofit, fully online university with students in all 50 states. WGU offers 50 degree programs in Business, Education, Information Technology, and Health Professions, including Nursing. Since its inception in 1997, WGU has grown into a national institution, serving more than 30,000 students. WGU is self-sustaining on tuition of approximately $6,000 per 12-month year for most programs.

WGU is regionally accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and nationally accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). WGU nursing programs have been accredited by the Commission for Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), and its B.S. in Health Informatics is accredited by CAHIIM (Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education). WGU's Teachers College is the first and only exclusively online provider of teacher education to receive accreditation for its teacher licensure programs from NCATE, the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education.

In 2011, WGU received its second 21st Century Award for Best Practices in Distance learning from the United States Distance Learning Association, (USDLA). In addition, WGU President Robert W. Mendenhall was recognized for his achievements in higher education when he received the 2010 McGraw Prize in Education.

On June 11, 2010, WGU Indiana was created by Governor Mitch Daniels as Indiana's eighth state university. WGU Washington was established by the Washington State Legislature on April 22, 2011.  On August 3, 2011, the state of Texas created WGU Texas. WGU Indiana, WGU Washington, and WGU Texas are state-endorsed and offer degree programs that are accredited through Western Governors University.

The university has earned the support of more than 20 leading corporations and foundations. They include institutions such as AT&T, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lilly Endowment, HCA, Hewlett-Packard, Lumina Foundation, Microsoft, Oracle, SunGard Higher Education, and Zions Bank. More information is available at www.wgu.edu or by calling 866.225.5948.

Contact for media inquiries:   
Joan Mitchell – Director of PR     
801-428-5463
jmitchell@wgu.edu          

Contact for enrollment information:
866-225-5948
www.wgu.edu

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SOURCE Western Governors University

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