SALT LAKE CITY — Today, Western Governors University announced the creation of WGU Advancement, a new nonprofit fund-raising organization focused on building financial support for initiatives that support the university’s commitment to reinvigorating the promise of higher education for all. WGU Advancement will work with foundations, corporations, associations, and individual donors to build a dedicated funding source for scholarships, new programs, new learning models, and educational technologies that will expand access and improve student outcomes. Headquartered in Indiana, WGU Advancement will be led by Dr. Allison Barber, who has served as Chancellor for WGU Indiana since its launch in 2010.

“WGU has 110,000 graduates and 100,000 students, and these numbers increase every month, but we know that there are 36 million adults in the U.S. with some college and no degree,” said WGU President Scott D. Pulsipher. “By creating a new funding source through WGU Advancement, we can do so much more. Our goal is to increase our impact tenfold—to provide a pathway to a better life, not for hundreds of thousands, but for millions.”

“During my time as a WGU Chancellor I had the privilege of witnessing first-hand the impact that a college degree can have on not just the student, but his or her entire family,” said Dr. Barber. “WGU Advancement will enable us to take this impact to a whole new level, helping individuals, families, and communities change for the better.”

Early supporters of WGU Advancement include Strada Education Network, the Lumina Foundation, and the State of Indiana. In addition, the first individual donors are WGU scholarship recipients and employees, who are contributing to the WGU Pay It Forward Scholarship fund, raising more than $7,000 in its first week. More information about WGU Advancement is available at wgu.edu/advancement.

WGU Advancement is a nonprofit fundraising foundation created by Western Governors University to expand access to and accelerate innovation in education. A 501(c)(3) organization headquartered in Indiana, Advancement’s focus is on complementing and enhancing the WGU vision to reinvigorate the promise of higher education. In addition to scholarships and other initiatives aimed at increasing access, Advancement raises funds to support development of innovative programs, research, and technologies that will improve educational quality and student outcomes. Learn more at www.wgu.edu/advancement.