Western Governors University to Recognize Nearly 2,000 New Graduates at Summer Commencement July 23
Lumina Foundation for Education President Jamie Merisotis to Deliver Commencement Address
SALT LAKE CITY, July 20, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Just 12 years after opening its virtual doors, nonprofit Western Governors University, www.wgu.edu, will celebrate the graduation of 1,972 graduates at the online university's 21st semi-annual commencement, which will take place July 23rd in Salt Lake City, Utah. The event, which will be held at the Nu Skin Theatre at Energy Solutions Arena, will begin at 9:40 a.m. (MDT).
Although WGU is an online university serving students in all 50 states, including U.S. territories and military staff and families stationed overseas, the university holds "in-person" commencement ceremonies for its students twice a year. Nearly 300 graduates will attend the event in Salt Lake City, traveling to Utah from 36 states as well as military posts in Europe. For those who cannot attend in person, WGU streams the ceremony live from its website.
Lumina Foundation for Education President and CEO Jamie Merisotis will deliver the commencement address. Lumina is the nation's largest foundation dedicated exclusively to increasing postsecondary access and success. The Foundation's goal is to increase the percentage of Americans who hold high-quality degrees and credentials to 60% by 2025. The Foundation is a long-time supporter of WGU, providing grants for new programs and special studies.
At Saturday's event, WGU will confer 1,201 bachelor's degrees and 771 graduate degrees in four disciplines: Business, Information Technology, Teacher Education, and Health Professions, including Nursing. Founded by 19 U.S. governors to expand access to higher education, WGU is designed to meet the needs of busy working adults. The average age for these graduates is 38; however, the ages range from 18 to 70.
WGU's competency-based model makes it possible for students to benefit from prior education and experience by allowing them to move quickly through material they already know so they can focus on what they still need to learn. While WGU's degree programs are rigorous and challenging, students with work and family responsibilities can schedule their studies to fit their lives. As a result the average time to complete a bachelor's degree is two and a half years.
For more information about WGU's 21st semi-annual commencement or to watch the event live, go to http://www.wgu.edu/wgu/graduation_july2011 or call 1.801.428.5463.
About Western Governors University
"[WGU is] the best relatively cheap university you've never heard of."– TIME magazine
Featured on the NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams, 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 25,000 students. WGU is self-sustaining on tuition, and does not rely on state or national support to fund its operations.
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 degree programs that lead to teacher licensure 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, referred to by Governor Mitch Daniels as Indiana's eighth state university, was formed through a partnership with the state. WGU Washington was established by the Washington State Legislature on April 22, 2011. Subsidiaries of Western Governors University, WGU Indiana and WGU Washington 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 and Melinda Gates Foundation, Dell, Lilly Endowment, HCA, Hewlett-Packard, Lumina Foundation, Microsoft, Oracle, Qwest, SunGard Higher Education, and Zions Bank. More information is available at www.wgu.edu or by calling 866.225.5948.
Follow WGU:
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http://twitter.com/wgu
http://www.youtube.com/WesternGovernorsUniv
http://news.wgu.edu/news/news.xml
Contact for media inquiries:
Joan Mitchell – Director of PR
801-428-5463
[email protected]
Contact for enrollment information:
866-225-5948
www.wgu.edu
SOURCE Western Governors University
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