WGU Named Center of Excellence by the National League for Nursing

SALT LAKE CITY, July 23, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National League for Nursing (NLN) has named the nursing programs offered by Western Governors University (WGU) as a 2015 Center of Excellence™. The online, nonprofit university, which is being recognized in the Creating Environments that Enhance Student Learning and Professional Development category, is one of only 12 schools of nursing selected for this designation. Dedicated to excellence in nursing, the NLN is the premier organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education. This prestigious award will be presented to WGU on October 2 during the NLN 2015 Education Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The leader in competency-based nursing education and a top producer of nurses among people of color, WGU is receiving this designation for serving as a prime example of excellence, integrity, diversity, and caring. The NLN selects programs based on their ability to demonstrate concrete, measurable terms, sustained excellence in faculty development, nursing education research, or student learning and professional development. WGU's College of Health Professions, which offers bachelor's and master's degree programs for registered nurses, has awarded more than 12,000 degrees in nursing since its founding in 2008, and has more than 13,500 students currently enrolled.

"We're truly honored to be recognized by the NLN in this way. The nursing programs offered by WGU's College of Health Professions are designed to help nurses advance their careers with the accredited degrees they need, helping fulfill the critical need for educated nurses throughout the country," said Dr. Jan Jones-Schenk, National Director of the College of Health Professions at WGU.

"Their visionary leadership and dedication to creating environments of inclusive excellence nurture the creation of a strong and diverse nursing workforce to advance the health of the nation and the global community," said NLN's CEO Beverly Malone, PhD, RN, FAAN. 

Competency-based education is ideal for working nurses, allowing them to study and learn on their own schedule and at their own pace, advancing as soon as they demonstrate that they have mastered course material. Students receive personalized one-on-one faculty support and have 24/7 access to course materials. Unlike many online universities, WGU's tuition is affordable—about $6,500 per 12-month year. Terms at WGU are six months long, and students pay a flat rate, regardless of the number of courses they take. Many students are able to accelerate and complete their degrees faster, saving both time and money.

For more information about WGU's nursing programs, go to www.wgu.edu/healthprofessions.

About WGU
Established in 1997 by a bipartisan group of U.S. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education, WGU has been recognized by the White House as what works in post-secondary education. The online university has more than 59,000 students and 49,000 graduates in all 50 states and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and its nursing degree programs accredited by the Commission for Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE*). WGU has been named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies and featured on NPR, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and in The New York Times. 

WGU has earned the support of a number of leading corporations and foundations, including 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.

*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).

About the National League for Nursing
Dedicated to excellence in nursing, the National League for Nursing is the premier organization for nurse faculty and leaders in nursing education. The NLN offers professional development, networking opportunities, testing services, nursing research grants, and public policy initiatives to its 40,000 individual and 1,200 institutional members. NLN members represent nursing education programs across the spectrum of higher education, and health care organizations and agencies. 

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Contact for media inquiries:
Joan Mitchell – VP of Public Relations
801-428-5463
[email protected]

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

SOURCE Western Governors University