SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — A number of local students have earned a degree from Western Governors University.
The online, nonprofit university held its commencement ceremonies last fall and earlier this year to celebrate the recent graduation of nearly 22,000 students from across the country.
York County students receiving degrees are:
• Danielle Sylvia of Biddeford, who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing
• Frederick Williams of Saco, who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance
• Heather Hjort of Saco, who earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (K-8)
• Stephanie Wilson of Sanford, who earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing Management
WGU has recognized 12,920 undergraduate and 8,885 graduate degree recipients, who have completed their degrees since June 1, 2018. Their areas of study include business, K-12 education, information technology, and health professions, including nursing. The average time to graduation for those earning a bachelor’s degree was 2 years, 5 months, while the average time to degree for graduate programs was 1 year, 7 months. The average age for those who graduated is 38 years old.
WGU pioneered competency-based education, which measures learning rather than time spent in class. Designed to meet the needs of working adults, competency-based education enables students to study and learn on their own schedules with individualized, one-to-one faculty support. They complete courses as soon as they demonstrate that they have mastered the subject matter, allowing them to move quickly through material they already know so they can allocate time for what they still need to learn. As a result, many WGU students are able to accelerate their studies, saving both time and — under WGU’s flat-rate tuition model — money.
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 114,000 students nationwide and has more than 136,000 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 21 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 was featured on NPR, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and in The New York Times.
Learn more at www.wgu.edu.
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