WGU Offers $100,000 in Scholarships That "Work for You"
Online university aims to help more students earn degrees through competency-based education
SALT LAKE CITY, Jan., 12 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Western Governors University—the online university that pioneered the competency-based education model—announced it will be offering the new Education that Works for You Scholarship. WGU will award 50 scholarships of $500 per six-month term for up to four terms to new students. Eligible programs include bachelor's and master's degrees in business, information technology, K-12 teacher education, or health professions, including nursing.
The scholarship is being introduced as part of WGU's celebration of National Mentoring Month. A hallmark of WGU's student-centric approach is its unparalleled mentoring and one-on-one support for students. This unique faculty model provides each student with a dedicated faculty mentor who acts as an advisor, coach, and personal cheerleader.
"Education that Works for You" is more than just the name of the scholarship; it defines the way WGU faculty and staff approach their work. Faculty members at WGU aren't professors or instructors; they are mentors whose number one job responsibility is to work for the students, helping each one graduate. And WGU students report the support they receive from mentors makes a big difference. According to Gallup, 68% of WGU students surveyed last year strongly agreed they had a mentor who encouraged their goals and dreams—more than three times the national average.
In addition, new data from the 2014 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) found that students rated WGU 20 percent higher than other institutions on quality of interactions with faculty, 23 percent higher on academic support, and 16 percent higher for their entire education experience. The numbers show students strongly agree that WGU offers an education that works for them.
In order to be eligible for the Education that Works for You Scholarship, applicants must be officially admitted to WGU and submit an essay describing what sets WGU apart from other colleges and universities. The deadline to apply for this scholarship is March 31, 2015. For more information or to apply, please visit http://www.wgu.edu/WorksForMe.
About Western Governors University
Now with more than 53,000 students nationwide, WGU was established in 1997 by a bipartisan group of U.S. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education. The nation's first competency-based university, WGU has been recognized by the White House as what works in post-secondary education. 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 has earned the support of more than 20 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.
Contact for media inquiries:
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www.wgu.edu
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SOURCE Western Governors University
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