SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Oct. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Western Governors University’s (WGU) Teachers College will mark the National Education Association’s (NEA) 2021 American Education Week Nov. 15-19 by announcing its WGU Loves Teachers and Become a Teacher scholarship programs, together totaling $6 million, for current and future education professionals who wish to pursue bachelor’s or master’s degree programs in the Teachers College.
Each WGU Loves Teachers and Become a Teacher scholarship is valued up to $4,000 and designed to help current teachers improve their skill set in the classroom or move into administration, or to assist professionals in obtaining the required credentials for a rewarding future career as an educator. The nonprofit’s diligence in maintaining lower costs reduces the need for student borrowing, resulting in average graduate debt that is about half the national average. These scholarships will provide students with significant assistance as they pursue an affordable, high-quality education degree.
“At WGU, we educate teachers and leaders who are passionate about being engaging, caring, and difference-making educators for their students,” said Dr. Mark Milliron, Senior Vice President and Executive Dean of WGU’s Teachers College. “We’re committing to these scholarships because we know our country and communities need educators who can bring empathy and energy, personal connections and technology skills, together to develop and deliver next-generation teaching and learning on the road ahead.”
According to data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), all states and the District of Columbia collectively report an unmet need of approximately 410,000 teachers for the 2021-22 school year, including elementary, secondary, and special education. To help respond to this need, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, WGU’s Teachers College has graduated more than 16,700 students nationwide between March 1, 2020 and September 10, 2021 who have gone on to become licensed teachers or advanced in their school-leader roles.
In the last 20 years, WGU’s Teachers College has graduated more than 60,000 educators with licensed teachers in all 50 states, and currently enrolls more than 33,000 students. The college currently offers 11 bachelor’s degree programs and 20 master’s degree programs for teachers and leaders in K-12 and higher education. Based on an innovative competency-based education model that provides a student-centered Community of Care with a full suite of wrap-around support services and specialized faculty, the college enables students to progress through their courses as soon as they demonstrate skills mastery.
New and enrolling WGU students may apply for the WGU Loves Teachers scholarship now at wgu.edu/wgulovesteachers, and for the Become a Teacher scholarship through December 31, 2021 at wgu.edu/becomeateacher.
WGU’s Teachers College programs have been continuously accredited since 2006. They are currently accredited by both the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP), a prestigious combination of accreditations. To learn more about WGU’s Teachers College and its academic programs, visit wgu.edu/online-teaching-degrees.
About WGU
Established in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education, online, nonprofit WGU now serves more than 128,000 students nationwide and has more than 244,000 graduates in all 50 states. Driving innovation as the nation’s leading competency-based university, WGU has been recognized by the White House, state leaders, employers, and students as a model that works in postsecondary education. In just 24 years, the university has become a leading influence in changing the lives of individuals and families, and preparing the workforce needed in today’s rapidly evolving economy. WGU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, has been named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, and has been featured on NPR, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and in The New York Times. Learn more at wgu.edu and wgu.edu/impact.
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