Why WGU – Supported By Governors and Industry

Making quality higher education accessible

Founded by 19 U.S. Governors

WGU is driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs. Part of this mission is to help hardworking adults meet their educational goals and improve their career opportunities.

To fulfill this mission, the founding governors insisted that WGU be affordable, flexible, and student-focused. Hence, WGU strives to serve as many students as possible—including minorities, first-generation college students, those with modest incomes, and others whose lives or geographic locations do not allow them to attend traditional, campus-based colleges.

Supported by Education and Business Leaders

WGU is a private, nonprofit university governed by a Board of Trustees consisting of educators, industry leaders, as well as state governors. In addition, WGU continues to draw support (though no state funding) from the governors of the Member States that were instrumental in the founding of WGU.

Another critical source of support for the university is our National Advisory Board (NAB). The NAB is comprised of representatives from prestigious corporations and foundations that provide ongoing support and advice to the university. Current members of the NAB include:

• Hospital Corporation of America (HCA)
• Dell Computer
• Hewlett-Packard
• AT&T
• The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
• Sun Microsystems

View complete list of NAB members.

Partnered with the NEA Academy

WGU is an NEA Academy Partner. The NEA Academy makes up the professional development category promoted by NEA Member Benefits, the for-profit arm of the National Education Association (NEA).

Click here for information about WGU as an NEA Academy Partner