WGU Missouri Celebrates Milestones on Second Anniversary

ST. LOUIS, Feb. 18, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- As WGU Missouri marks its second anniversary this week, it celebrates several milestones as well. In just two years, WGU Missouri has grown to having served more than 2,000 current and graduated students and has awarded nearly $200,000 in scholarships. An additional $300,000 in scholarships had been awarded to Missourians who attended WGU Missouri's parent organization, Western Governors University (WGU), before the Missouri affiliate was established, bringing the total scholarships awarded to Missourians to more than $487,000.

"Over the past two years, WGU Missouri has helped 2,000 Missourians build a better life through working toward their dream of college completion in order to further their career," said Dr. Angie Besendorfer, chancellor. "WGU is now a nationally known university that has been recognized by the White House, has the top secondary teacher preparation program in the nation, and produces the most STEM graduates in the country. This university is on a mission to make higher education better, faster, and more affordable for all Americans."

WGU Missouri was established in February 2013 by Gov. Jay Nixon, in partnership with national Western Governors University (WGU), as the state's only fully online, competency-based university. WGU Missouri allows adult students to take advantage of prior learning and experience to move quickly through material they already know so they can focus on what they still need to learn.

Milestones and accomplishments reached by WGU Missouri and WGU include:

• WGU Missouri has graduated 574 students and has 1,442 students enrolled currently.
• WGU Missouri has awarded 133 scholarships totaling $181,669 to Missourians in the past two years.
• A total of 227 Missourians have received scholarships totaling $487,229 since WGU was founded in 1997.
• WGU was recognized by the White House as a higher education innovator that offers "breakthroughs on cost, quality, or both."
• WGU's secondary math education program was ranked number one by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) and its elementary education program was ranked number 16.
• WGU is the top producer of STEM teachers in the country, according to a 2014 study by Eduventures.

As WGU Missouri kicks off its third year, it is still accepting applications for the College Counts 2015 Scholarship, which subtracts up to $2,015 (over four six-month terms) from WGU Missouri's already-low tuition of about $6,000 a year. An applicant must be a new WGU student, and be officially admitted to WGU. While multiple scholarships will be awarded, it is a competitive program, with scholarships awarded based on a candidate's academic record, readiness for online study, and current competency, as well as other considerations. The scholarship will be open to all bachelor's and master's degree program applicants through March 31, 2015.  For more information or to apply, visit missouri.wgu.edu/collegecounts.

For more information on WGU Missouri, including admissions requirements, 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 50 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 provide one-on-one guidance, support, and instruction.

Established 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 $6,000 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). Teachers College programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE*).

*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).

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SOURCE WGU Missouri