The WGU owl — Sage, if you were wondering about the name of the bird of prey in the TV ads — may not yet be as well known as Geico’s Gecko, but he already has helped thousands in Washington state get the degrees they need to advance their careers, and saved them money, too.
Western Governors University, an online nonprofit university that offers bachelor’s, graduate and master’s degrees in education, information technology, business and nursing and health care management, on Saturday celebrated its fifth commencement in Washington since it began operations five years ago. Nearly 1,900 bachelor’s and master’s degrees were awarded, adding to the more than 5,500 WGU Washington alumni.
WGU, currently operating nationwide and with five other state-affiliated programs, was founded in 1997 by the governors of 19 states, including then-Gov. Mike Lowry. Gov. Chris Gregoire signed legislation in 2011 to create the state-affiliated program. WGU Washington is led by Chancellor Jean Floten, who previously led Bellevue College for 22 years and was dean of student services at Edmonds Community College.
Prior to Saturday’s commencement, WGU had more than 1,000 students enrolled in its degree programs in Snohomish County, more than 200 of them in Everett. Nearly 600 in the county have completed their degrees. And many current students or graduates are employed throughout the county with Providence Health, Swedish Medical and the Edmonds, Everett, Northshore and Lake Stevens school districts.
The average age of WGU students is 38 and almost all have had some college credit or have completed degrees. Many are currently employed but are seeking to advance their educations and their careers through the university’s online courses.
The experience of Megan Mack, an Everett resident who is employed as a nurse at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett, is typical of WGU’s students.
Mack, who had earned her nursing degree and had been hired as a registered nurse in 2012, was required by Providence to earn her bachelor of science in nursing degree within five years of her hire.
“It wouldn’t have happened without WGU,” Mack said.
The accredited competency-based program assesses what students know before they begin online classes, which they then can complete at their own speed. Students work with a number of faculty during their studies, including student mentors who offer guidance throughout the degree program; course mentors who are experts in the subject matter; program faculty who develop the courses and curriculum; and evaluators who assess student knowledge and grade assignments.
Depending on the program, tuition ranges between $2,890 and $3,250 per six-month term, far less expensive than tuition at traditional public universities or even other for-profit online colleges. Textbooks, typically ebooks, are included in tuition. Washington residents at WGU are eligible for grants and other financial aid.
Floten called it “all you can learn, for a flat rate.”
Mack, who gave birth to her first child and continued working as she studied, said she wouldn’t have had the time to travel and take classes at a traditional college. Nor could she have afforded the expense. Allowed to work at her own pace online, and motivated to finish as quickly as she could, Mack said that what is normally a 12- to 18-month program at WGU, she was able to complete in eight months.
“You have to be self-motivated to do it,” Mack said. “You’re losing money if you waste time.”
With many seeking the knowledge and training to advance their careers but facing the time commitments of their jobs and family and not wanting to add significantly to personal debt, enrolling in the online education offered by WGU Washington sounds like sage advice, even if it weren’t coming from an owl.
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