WGU Washington Celebrates Nurses with New Scholarship Program

SEATTLE, March 27, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- To honor nurses for their commitment to high-quality healthcare delivery and to commemorate upcoming National Nurses Week, WGU Washington has announced the WGU Washington Loves Nurses Scholarship. During the week of May 6, the state-endorsed, nonprofit university will award up to $20,000 in scholarships to motivated nurses who wish to pursue a bachelor's or master's degree in its College of Health Professions.

Last year, James Ramponi, a nurse from Silverdale, was among WGU Washington's scholarship honorees during National Nurses Week. James enrolled in the university's CCNE-accredited* Master of Leadership and Management degree program.

"The skills I'm gaining from WGU Washington are already helping me to be an effective healthcare professional and leader," says Ramponi. "In my career, I have always been driven by a desire for excellence and a desire to serve. My degree program helps me be my best in an incredibly important and rewarding industry."

Ramponi says, because of the knowledge and skills he's gaining from WGU Washington, he's already earned a promotion at work. He is one of more than a thousand working nurses across the state currently enrolled in – and actively pursuing better professional futures through – a WGU Washington degree program.

WGU Washington's online programs are competency-based, making them ideal for working health professionals hoping to advance their careers. That innovative learning model lets students apply their prior work experience and academic knowledge to complete their program requirements. As a result, students may accelerate through subject matter and shorten their time to graduation.

WGU Washington's degree programs are flexible and terms begin on the first day of any month. Students are able to schedule their studies around their busy lives.

Each WGU Washington Loves Nurses Scholarship is valued at up to $2,000. Eligible applicants must be a licensed RN, complete an application for admission to WGU Washington, complete the scholarship application, which includes an essay on "How my education at WGU Washington will make me a more effective nurse," and participate in an interview with a WGU Washington scholarship counselor. Though a number of scholarships will be awarded, this scholarship is competitive; recipients will be selected based on their academic record, readiness for online study at WGU Washington, and other considerations.

The deadline to apply for this scholarship is April 30, 2015. For more information about the WGU Washington Loves Nurses Scholarship, please visit: washington.wgu.edu/wgulovesnurses

About WGU Washington
WGU Washington was established by the State Legislature in 2011 in partnership with nationally recognized and accredited Western Governors University to expand access to higher education for Washington residents.

The state-endorsed, online university offers more than 50 bachelor's and master's degree programs in business, information technology, teacher education and health professions, including nursing. WGU Washington's competency-based learning model is designed to meet the needs of working adults by providing an affordable, flexible option for earning an accredited, respected college degree. It is nonprofit and receives no money from the state.

Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is regionally 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*).

The university has earned the support of more than 20 leading corporations and foundations. They include institutions such as AT&T, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Lilly Endowment, Hewlett-Packard, Lumina Foundation, Microsoft, Oracle and SunGard Higher Education.

*One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 5380, Washington DC 20036, 202-877-6791

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Contact for media inquiries:
Jake Riddell – Public Relations Manager
(206) 512-0025
[email protected]

Contact for enrollment information:
877.214.7004
washington.wgu.edu

SOURCE WGU Washington