WGU offering scholarships for first responders
Jul. 18—DURHAM — First responders risk their lives every day to help ensure the safety and well-being of the public. While state lawmakers are taking steps to establish a new medal of valor for first responders, Western Governors University (WGU) North Carolina is offering them and their families an opportunity to apply for exclusive scholarships to further their education at the fully online and accredited nonprofit university.
In honor of the sacrifice our nation's first responders and their families make, WGU North Carolina is proud to offer the First Responders Scholarship to EMTs, paramedics, police, firefighters, corrections officers, dispatchers and their spouses. This scholarship, worth up to $4,000, can be applied to any of WGU's bachelor's or master's degree programs in healthcare, business, IT and K-12 education. The scholarship will be credited to the recipient's account at the rate of $1,000 per six-month term, renewable for up to four terms.
More information can be found at www.wgu.edu/financial-aid-tuition/scholarships/general/first-responder.html.
WGU North Carolina is an affiliate of Western Governors University, founded in 1997 to expand access to education and help fill states' workforce needs. Tuition is around $4,000 per six-month term for most undergraduate degree programs, and students can accelerate at their own pace. Each student is assigned a Program Mentor from their field of study who will work with them from day one through to graduation.
More than 4,750 WGU students are currently enrolled in North Carolina, and more than 7,580 alumni live across all 100 counties in the state.
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"I'd encourage anyone considering a bachelor's or master's degree to capitalize on this opportunity. This scholarship will allow first responders to open doors," said Kevin Collopy, Clinical Outcomes & Compliance manager for Novant Health AirLink/VitaLink in Wilmington and a WGU Distinguished Graduate Award winner. "The Master of Health Leadership degree from Western Governors University has helped me be a more effective leader, opened my eyes to the influence of pre-hospital care on healthcare systems, and influences my work every day. The competency-based approach to education and self-paced learning offered by WGU is a perfect template for all first responders."
"First responders work long hours to train, prepare for and act on any number of crises they are called to work," said Ben Coulter, Ed.D., director, Southeast Region for WGU. "They don't often have time to attend classes outside their duty hours, which is why our asynchronous, competency-based model is a great fit for them, and the First Responders Scholarship can help defray the cost."
For more information about WGU North Carolina, visit nc.wgu.edu.
WGU North Carolina is a fully accredited, nonprofit online university established to expand access to higher education for North Carolina residents. The university offers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business, education, information technology, and healthcare. Degrees are granted under the accreditation of Western Governors University, which is accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU). Established in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education, WGU is recognized as a highly effective, competency-based postsecondary education model.
