WGU Kicks Off National Teacher Appreciation Week with $100,000 in Scholarships for Current and Aspiring Teachers

SALT LAKE CITY, May 3, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This week, as the nation celebrates Teacher Appreciation Week, nonprofit Western Governors University (WGU) is announcing 50 scholarships available to current and aspiring teachers seeking a bachelor's or master's degree in education. The online university, which enrolls students the first day of every month, is also waiving the $65 application fee for prospective students who apply to a WGU Teachers College program by June 30.   

Each WGU Teacher Appreciation Scholarship is valued at up to $2,000 ($500 per six-month term for up to four terms). New and enrolling students can apply now through June 30 at www.wgu.edu/thanksteachers. To be eligible, scholarship applicants must be officially admitted to WGU, complete the scholarship application, and be interviewed by a WGU scholarship counselor. While WGU will award up to 50 scholarships, recipients will be selected based on their academic record, financial need, and readiness for online study at WGU.

"WGU is committed to helping fill the need for dedicated, high-quality teachers across the country," said Dr. Francine Peterman, National Director and Dean of WGU's Teachers College. "And, as a pioneer of the competency-based approach to learning, WGU provides graduates with an educational experience that prepares them to succeed in their classroom on day one."

WGU's Teachers College, the largest single provider of STEM educators in the U.S., now has 15,000 students enrolled nationwide, and has awarded nearly 20,000 degrees to date. The National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) has ranked WGU's secondary teacher preparation program as the top program in the nation in terms of quality from a list of 2,400 programs, and WGU was one of only 10 institutions named to the top lists for both elementary and secondary teacher education. Last year the NCTQ recognized the university as the No. 1 best value in teacher education.

Because WGU develops its curriculum in collaboration with educational leaders across the country, WGU graduates are well prepared to teach in today's classrooms. Graduates of WGU's teacher preparation programs can be licensed in all 50 states, and last year, 100% of WGU graduates who applied for teaching licenses were successful.

In addition to their high quality, WGU's Teachers College programs are affordable. Tuition is $3,000 per term, charged at a flat rate, regardless of the number of courses completed, and has not increased since 2008. WGU's competency-based learning model allows students to study and learn at their own pace, moving quickly through what they already know so they can focus on what they still need to learn. This allows many students to accelerate their studies, finishing faster, which saves not only time, but money.

For more information about the WGU Teacher Appreciation Scholarship program, please visit www.wgu.edu/thanksteachers.

About WGU 
Established in 1997 with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education, WGU now serves nearly 70,000 students nationwide and has more than 60,000 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. It has become a leading influence in changing the lives of individuals and families, and enabling 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 was featured on NPR, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and in The New York Times. WGU's 2015 Annual Report is now available online.

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SOURCE Western Governors University