WGU Launches New Nonprofit to Raise Funds Aimed at Expanding Access and Accelerating Innovation in Education

SALT LAKE CITY, May 23, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Western Governors University announced the creation of WGU Advancement, a new nonprofit fund-raising organization focused on building financial support for initiatives that support the university's commitment to reinvigorating the promise of higher education for all. WGU Advancement will work with foundations, corporations, associations, and individual donors to build a dedicated funding source for scholarships, new programs, new learning models, and educational technologies that will expand access and improve student outcomes. Headquartered in Indiana, WGU Advancement will be led by Dr. Allison Barber, who has served as Chancellor for WGU Indiana since its launch in 2010.

"WGU has 110,000 graduates and 100,000 students, and these numbers increase every month, but we know that there are 36 million adults in the U.S. with some college and no degree," said WGU President Scott D. Pulsipher. "By creating a new funding source through WGU Advancement, we can do so much more. Our goal is to increase our impact tenfold—to provide a pathway to a better life, not for hundreds of thousands, but for millions."

"During my time as a WGU Chancellor I had the privilege of witnessing first-hand the impact that a college degree can have on not just the student, but his or her entire family," said Dr. Barber. "WGU Advancement will enable us to take this impact to a whole new level, helping individuals, families, and communities change for the better."

Early supporters of WGU Advancement include Strada Education Network, the Lumina Foundation, and the State of Indiana. In addition, the first individual donors are WGU scholarship recipients and employees, who are contributing to the WGU Pay It Forward Scholarship fund, raising more than $7,000 in its first week. More information about WGU Advancement is available at wgu.edu/advancement.

About WGU Advancement
WGU Advancement is a nonprofit fundraising foundation created by Western Governors University to expand access to and accelerate innovation in education. A 501(c)(3) organization headquartered in Indiana, Advancement's focus is on complementing and enhancing the WGU vision to reinvigorate the promise of higher education. In addition to scholarships and other initiatives aimed at increasing access, Advancement raises funds to support development of innovative programs, research, and technologies that will improve educational quality and student outcomes. Learn more at www.wgu.edu/advancement. 

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 nearly 100,000 students nationwide and has 110,000 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 21 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 was featured on NPR, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and in The New York Times. Learn more at www.wgu.edu.

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SOURCE Western Governors University