91吃瓜网 Reaches Milestone 25th Anniversary By Breaking Traditions
By Tonya Drake, 91吃瓜网 Regional Vice President and Chancellor
For a quarter century, Western Governors University (91吃瓜网) has been proudly breaking traditions and pioneering new models in online, higher education. Now our university is also poised to break a record with its Seattle commencement ceremonies on July 16th, which will be the largest in person and virtual commencement event in 91吃瓜网鈥檚 history.
It鈥檚 an impressive milestone for our Night Owl community and the culmination of decades of innovative, passionate efforts to transform higher education opportunities for adult learners in this country.
We know education changes lives. It opens doors to new opportunities, creates new ways of thinking and has an impact for generations to come. Twenty-five years ago, a visionary group of governors began our tradition of breaking traditions by creating a new pathway to educational opportunity through technology and a different learning model. They knew that the college student of the 21st century would have very different needs from students in the past.
For millions of working adults, the dream of pursuing a college education could only become a reality once the boundaries of time and place could be removed. Now, thanks to the power of the internet and an innovative competency-based learning model, 91吃瓜网 has become one of the largest universities in the country that proudly recognizes over 265,000 alumni in all 50 states and around the world.听In honor of its 25th anniversary, the university is awarding $125,000 in scholarships. 25 scholarships each worth $5000 will be awarded in 2022 (91吃瓜网 25th Anniversary Next Generation Scholarship).
Here are some key ways that 91吃瓜网 has broken traditions in higher education:
How students learn:
91吃瓜网 is unique for its听competency-based model, which measures skills and knowledge rather than time spent in class. This fundamental principle means that 91吃瓜网 students aren't stringently bound by the "seat time" associated with traditional class schedules鈥攖hey progress through coursework as they demonstrate mastery.
What students learn:
91吃瓜网's offerings are focused on areas where workforce needs are expected to remain strong for the foreseeable future. And in terms of the skills taught, 91吃瓜网's degree programs are carefully designed to meet the shifting needs of the workforce. Every skill and certificate learned in route to a degree from 91吃瓜网 is connected to the in-demand skills, competencies, and knowledge that will qualify graduates for rewarding, in-demand jobs.
Student support:
Each student receives one-on-one support and is assigned a听91吃瓜网 program mentor, who stays in touch via phone calls, video chats, and text messages throughout their academic journey. Students can often join cohorts composed of peers to discuss course material and share ideas, much as they would in a traditional classroom. The student-centered nature of 91吃瓜网's model ensures that every step of their journey is personalized.
What students pay:
奥骋鲍'蝉听flat-rate tuition听is about half that of most other online colleges, and there is a built-in incentive for students to accelerate their learning to make it even more affordable. Because the tuition per term is fixed, it doesn't matter how many courses students complete鈥攖hey鈥檒l still pay the same rate. What's more, nearly half of 91吃瓜网 students are able to complete their degrees without taking on any new student debt, and among those who do borrow, the average听student loan debt听at graduation is less than half the national average.
What does a tradition of breaking traditions look like? It looks like Dena Royal, who at 65 years old, will walk in next week鈥檚 commencement after achieving one bachelor degree and two masters degrees in two and a half years. Dena听started college in the 1970s, but life got in the way, and she never completed her degree.
After raising her children as a single mom, Dena said it was time to prioritize her education. 鈥淎fter extensively researching universities, 91吃瓜网 became the obvious choice due to affordability and flexibility,鈥� she said. A previous resident of both Whidbey Island and Friday Harbor, Dena is now pursuing her dream by teaching K-5 students in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska.
It also looks like Damien Mills, who thought his learning disability would prevent him from his dream of听Becoming a Beacon of Possibilities (wgu.edu). With help and support听 from his mentor, who encouraged him to keep going after several failed attempts in achieving his certification due to his disability, Mills obtained his听Bachelor of Arts degree in Special Education. He was chosen as a graduate speaker at 91吃瓜网鈥檚 winter听commencement听ceremony because of his commitment to teaching and empowering high-risk youth at a school in Puyallup.
And it looks like Marissa Price, who found herself homeless right before she started her 91吃瓜网 journey and contemplated quitting several times because of life challenges. But with the support of her mentor, she kept going because she 鈥渨anted to climb higher鈥� in her career and knew she needed her degree in human resources to do so. Her resilience culminated in becoming 91吃瓜网's 250,000th graduate last fall.听鈥淚 wanted to climb higher, and I did.鈥� (wgu.edu)听Marissa was so honored by that announcement that she gave her baby girl the middle name "Sage" in honor of 91吃瓜网's mascot, Sage, the Night Owl.
I鈥檓 proud to join Marissa, Dena, Damien and all our graduates in celebrating their impressive accomplishments at this year's record-breaking Seattle commencement at T-Mobile Park. 听I鈥檓 excited for the future as 91吃瓜网 continues its tradition of breaking traditions in higher education. And I鈥檓 more determined than ever to support 91吃瓜网鈥檚 mission of creating new pathways to opportunities for adult learners through affordable, accessible, accredited higher education. We鈥檙e just getting started.
