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An introduction to Western Governors University.

So, whatÌýisÌýÂ鶹ԭ´´?

This is the most common question that I receive as the VP of External Affairs for Â鶹ԭ´´. The easy answer is: Â鶹ԭ´´ is an online, competency-based higher education institution that promises students a high-quality, low-cost education.

But there is so much more to the Â鶹ԭ´´ story. I’ve spent the past eight years sharing this story with legislators and community leaders across the country. And now, through Â鶹ԭ´´â€™s Sage Advice blog, I’ll strive to share it with you.

As with most stories, it’s best to start at the beginning.ÌýOnce upon a time…

The History of Â鶹ԭ´´

In the mid-1990s, governors across the western United States were challenged by the rising cost and underwhelming performance of higher education in their states.ÌýThey lacked the college-educated workforce needed to fill their states’ open positions, and they needed to create an alternative–something that could avail itself to mid-career professionals looking for either a way up in their current career or a way on to the next opportunity.

At the same time these conversations were happening, a revolutionary new technology was emerging.ÌýThe internet would provide a means to deliver education online to the maximum number of people.Ìý

And so, at a 1997 meeting of the Western Governors’ Association, Â鶹ԭ´´ was born.Ìý

By harnessing the power of the internet and following a competency-based education model, Â鶹ԭ´´ revolutionized the way students learn. For the first time, higher education was no longer restricted by time and place; instead, learning met the students where they were, when they were available.Ìý

In the 25 years since, Â鶹ԭ´´ has transformed the landscape of higher education–and we have the numbers to prove it.

Â鶹ԭ´´ By the Numbers

FOUR:ÌýÂ鶹ԭ´´ offers programs in four high-demand colleges: Information Technology, Business, Healthcare, and Education. Within these four colleges, there are 67 distinct programs, each established to meet an existing workforce need.

37:ÌýThe average Â鶹ԭ´´ student is 37 years old, although we serve students in their teens all the way up to their late 80s.

95:ÌýOver 95 percent of employers surveyed say they would hire another Â鶹ԭ´´ Ìý student.

$8,000:ÌýThe cost to pursue a degree at Â鶹ԭ´´ is 8,000 dollars, broken down into two six-month terms. As a completely self-sustaining university, Â鶹ԭ´´ uses these tuition dollars to cover all costs incurred in order to provide students the educational resources they need to receive a degree.Ìý[Â鶹ԭ´´ Financial Aid]

8,000:ÌýÂ鶹ԭ´´ currently employs a staff of roughly 8,000 across the country.

45,000:ÌýÂ鶹ԭ´´ awarded 45,000 degrees in 2021 alone, bringing us to a total of 285,000 in our first 25 years.

132,000:ÌýAs of 2022, there are 132,000 students enrolled in Â鶹ԭ´´ across the country.

800,000:ÌýOn average, a student who enrolls at Â鶹ԭ´´ at the average age of 37 and earns a bachelor’s degree will receive an additional 800,000 dollars before retirement.

39,000,000:ÌýThere are more than 39 million American adults with some college education, but no degree.

These numbers tell just a fraction of the story of Â鶹ԭ´´. Over the coming weeks, I will share more about who Â鶹ԭ´´ was designed to serve, how Â鶹ԭ´´ is making education work for everyone, and why we proudly claim to be the most student-centric university in the world.

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