National University, Local Community Impact
In June and July of this year, WGU opened two offices on the East Coast, expanding our visibility, outreach and impact across the country.
A 48,000-sq.-ft., the office in Raleigh, North Carolina, will support various behind-the-scenes functions such as data and security, student support services, program development, decision intelligence, product engineering, and more. The office is WGU’s largest outside of its headquarters in Salt Lake City and is expected to potentially house up to 500 employees within the next few years.
A new office in Washington, D.C., will help WGU continue its commitment to working alongside government, associations and private organizations to help more learners earn degrees, advance their careers and achieve their goals.
Some individuals might perceive that online universities are distant and anonymous, but that’s simply not true of WGU. In an age of increasing depersonalization through AI and online interfaces, WGU's presence in local communities provides us with authenticity. Our staff live, work in and contribute to the betterment of local communities in all 50 states.
As the regional vice president for WGU’s Southeast Region, I’ve seen these efforts firsthand. Here are a few examples from my region (and my counterparts can vouch that they happen in their respective regions as well):
- WGU’s alumni and partnership success staff brought food and coffee trucks to local schools and healthcare facilities to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week and Nurse Appreciation Week.
- We’ve given grants to K-12 teachers through Fund My Classroom initiatives.
- We’ve collected and distributed backpacks filled with personal items to foster children aging out of the system and to a nonprofit serving the homeless in Atlanta.
- We donated turkeys and nonperishable food to a Title I school in Florida.
- We partnered with the Georgia Nurses Association on two “Heroes and Heartbeats” events that featured food, fun, games, networking and professional development.
- As part of a national WGU initiative, we delivered packages of goodies to night shift workers at nearby hospitals.
- Staff collected canned goods to deliver to a food bank in rural Tennessee founded by a distinguished WGU graduate.
- We distributed backpacks and laptops to a youth leadership nonprofit in Atlanta founded by a WGU alumna.
- We’ve participated in home makeovers for military veterans in North Carolina and Florida as part of the “Military Makeover” TV show.
- We purchased, packaged and delivered the entire school supply wish list for all the students in a Title I school in Central Florida.
WGU’s regional staff create personal relationships that open doors of opportunity through in-person interactions with local chambers of commerce, professional organizations, employers, alumni, community colleges and likeminded organizations. Personally, I’ve addressed groups such as state lawmakers, public school principals, local chambers and local SHRM chapters.
I believe WGU should be part of the conversation at key moments when leaders are working on improving their states and communities. I’ve met elected officials who told me their family members earned degrees from WGU. We are more likely to be invited to the table when our visibility and presence keep us “top of mind.” That involvement also advances our mission to improve lives for the better by providing pathways to opportunity.
Uplifting individuals through online education does not happen in a vacuum. And it doesn’t just happen in an office or behind a monitor. It happens in local communities, with support from family members, friends, mentors, neighbors, coworkers and employers.
Learn more about how your organization can partner with WGU to upskill staff and positively impact their lives and their communities. In the meantime, look for WGU staff and alumni as we’re out and about across the country.
