WGU Indiana Celebrates Milestone
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowWGU Indiana has reached a new milestone. The statewide online university says it is marking 2015 by celebrating its 2,015th graduate.
February 3, 2015
News Release
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – WGU Indiana is celebrating its 2,015th graduate since their launch in 2010. The milestone comes after just over four years of operating in Indiana and just weeks after reaching enrollment of 4,000 students. The statewide online university continues to surpass both enrollment and graduation goals and has also made the institution more accessible with the Quality Counts Scholarship Program.
“We couldn’t be more proud of our students and staff. Together we celebrate this milestone and set new goals for the future,” said Chancellor Allison Barber. “WGU Indiana prides itself on offering high-quality degree programs that are flexible and affordable. Our students rank us leaps and bounds ahead of the national average in student support and engagement and we want to continue to build on that success.”
In the National Survey on Student Engagement’s recently released results, WGU students revealed they were more satisfied than students at other universities and would definitely choose the online university again. Over 60 percent of enrolled seniors rate their WGU experience as “excellent”, compared to 45 percent of students at other colleges. Finally, 50 percent of WGU Indiana seniors indicate that their experience at the university contributed to acquiring job or work related knowledge and skills. Other universities received a ranking of 38 percent.
One such student is the 2,015th graduate, David Benson, from Indianapolis. David enrolled in the WGU Indiana MBA program for Information Technology and is now working in management with Steak n’ Shake Enterprises, Inc.
“The fact that WGU Indiana offered an information technology management program meant that the classes were specifically tailored to my industry,” said Benson, manager of corporate infrastructure at Steak 'n Shake Enterprises, Inc. “I think WGU Indiana is an excellent choice for students who want to further their education without the limitations of a traditional program. In today’s world of expensive education that carries restrictions on class times, schedules, and class offerings, I know WGU Indiana can help others achieve a college degree.”
In January, WGU Indiana announced $100,000 to those seeking to earn a bachelor’s or master’s degree in business. The Quality Counts scholarship program will offer financial assistance to WGU Indiana students seeking degrees in IT, business, nursing and teaching. To learn more about WGU Indiana’s degree programs and the Quality Counts scholarships, please visit indiana.wgu.edu/QualityCounts.
About WGU Indiana
WGU Indiana is the state’s nonprofit, online university established by former Governor Mitch Daniels to expand access to higher education for Indiana residents. Using a competency-based model that allows students to proceed at their own pace and curriculum developed with input from leading employers, WGU Indiana offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in Business, Education, Information Technology and Healthcare Professions, including Nursing. WGU Indiana has awarded 1,800 degrees and has more than 4,000 currently enrolled. In 2012, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education recognized WGU Indiana in its Reaching Higher, Achieving More agenda for its excellence in academic quality. The university was also recognized as one of Fast Company’s 50 Most Innovative Companies of 2013. In 2014, WGU’s secondary teacher preparation program ranked first among 2,400 schools for quality by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ).
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