Western Governors University (WGU), a fully online, nonprofit university, and Dakota County Technical College (DCTC) announced a new agreement that will provide students graduating from DCTC with an affordable pathway to earning their bachelor’s degrees from WGU. The agreement between the two institutions focuses on creating a seamless transfer of credits for DCTC students transitioning to WGU. Additionally, under the terms of the agreement, graduates and DCTC staff enrolling at WGU will be eligible to apply for scholarships offered through the university’s Community College Partnership Scholarship fund.
The scholarships are valued at up to $2,500 each and are applied to WGU’s already-low, flat-rate tuition of about $3,500 per six-month term. Recipients of the scholarship will receive a $625 tuition credit each term, renewable for up to four terms based on academic performance.
“DCTC is proud to partner with WGU. This partnership opens doors for our students by allowing them to further education, while also providing important financial resources,” said Mike Mendez, Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs.
DCTC delivers cutting-edge, skilled and technical training to prepare its students for in-demand career fields. The two-year college belongs to the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System and serves more than 2,000 students each year.
WGU offers DCTC graduates and employees more than 60 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the high workforce-need areas of business, IT, K-12 teacher education and health professions, including nursing. The university’s competency-based approach to learning allows students to take advantage of their knowledge and previous experience to quickly move through material they already know so they can focus on what they still need to learn. Students complete their programs by studying on schedules that fit their lives, advancing as soon as they demonstrate they have mastered the subject matter. WGU faculty members work one-on-one
with students as mentors, offering guidance, support and individualized instruction. While WGU’s degree programs are rigorous and challenging, competency-based learning makes it possible for students to accelerate their progress and graduate faster, saving both time and money.
“WGU is excited to partner with Dakota County Technical College,” said Dr. Angie Besendorfer, Regional Vice President of Western Governors University. “DCTC provides their students with quality education that will prepare them for continuing education opportunities and career advancement well after they graduate, and this partnership supports those efforts. WGU’s innovative model will make obtaining a bachelor’s degree easy and affordable for DCTC graduates and will equip students and staff with the skills they need to advance their careers.”
For more information about the WGU’s Community College Partner Scholarship, please visit Community College Partnership Scholarship.
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 123,000 students nationwide and has more than 190,000 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 22 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 www.wgu.edu.
About DCTC
Dakota County Technical College (DCTC) provides highly skilled and technical training for today’s most in-demand jobs. The DCTC community includes more than 2,200 full- and part-time students training in 55 different programs to boost their earning potential and launch or change their careers. DCTC was founded in 1970 and is located less than 20 miles south of Saint Paul in Rosemount, Minnesota.
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For more information, contact:
Merisa Ashbaugh
(314) 436-9090
merisa@hausergrouppr.com