WGU Indiana Celebrates Milestone

June 7, 2012

News Release

Indianapolis, Ind. -- The state’s nonprofit, online university, WGU Indiana, is celebrating its two-year anniversary this month. In its first two years, WGU Indiana’s enrollment has grown to more than 2,600 students pursuing bachelor’s and master’s degrees in one of four high-demand career fields – Business, Information Technology, Education and Health Professions, including Nursing.

“We’re so pleased to be starting our third year in helping Hoosiers finish their bachelor’s and master’s degrees,” WGU Indiana Chancellor Allison Barber said. “It seems like only yesterday that nine students walked across the stage as the first graduates of WGU Indiana. In the past two years, we’ve helped Hoosier adults not only advance in their workplaces, but also boost their self-esteem and achieve their dreams. Our high-achieving students believe as we do that college completion counts and the benefits of earning a college degree are enormous for graduates, their employers and the community.”

Over the last two years, WGU Indiana has earned a reputation for producing highly qualified graduates who have the skills employers need. In a 2011 survey by Harris Interactive, 98 percent of employers who had hired WGU graduates said that graduates met or exceeded their expectations; 100 percent would not hesitate to hire another WGU graduate.

The student enrollment at Indiana’s eighth state university has doubled over the past year, and more than half of the counties in the state have seen at least 100 percent growth in the same timeframe. Earlier this year, WGU Indiana was recognized as the state’s top choice for a quality academic experience by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. WGU Indiana has also celebrated the creation of new partnerships with IU Health, Community Health Network and Phi Theta Kappa, and was recently named one of the state’s Top Workplaces in 2012.

“The work we’ve done over the past two years to provide opportunities to employees and members of partner organizations has been integral to our growth. With more than 740,000 Hoosier adults who have some college experience but no degree, we will continue to remove barriers for adult learners across the state and provide a credible, innovative model.” Chancellor Barber said.

For more information on the state’s nonprofit, online university, visit the WGU Indiana website at indiana.wgu.edu or call 877-214-7014.

About WGU Indiana
WGU Indiana has been established by the State of Indiana as a nonprofit, online, competency-based university to expand access to higher education for Indiana residents. Formed through a partnership with Western Governors University, WGU Indiana is open to all qualified Indiana residents. The university offers over 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in Business, Education, Information Technology and Healthcare Professions, including Nursing. In 2012, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education recognized WGU Indiana in its Reaching Higher, Achieving More agenda for the university’s excellence in academic quality.

Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is regionally accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) and nationally accredited through the Distance Education and Training Commission (DETC). 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).

WGU Indiana is an approved education provider for Indiana state grants and scholarships offered through the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana (SSACI). In addition, the university has partnered with Ivy Tech to offer graduates who have completed their associate degrees a seamless transfer to complete their bachelor’s degrees at WGU Indiana, including application fee waivers and tuition discounts.

Source: WGU Indiana