Forbes
Higher Ed is Ripe for Disruption: Unleashing the Talent Inherent in Every Individual
The American Dream is core to our shared ideals as a nation, but sadly unrealized with post-secondary pathways becoming increasingly inaccessible and devalued.
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Inside Sources, KSL
Former FBI Agent Weighs in on Cybersecurity Threats from TikTok
Congress is weighing a nationwide TikTok ban after grilling the CEO last week over the company's Chinese owner, Bytedance and the possible security risks. Paul Bingham is a former FBI agent and Dean at WGU's College of Information Technology. He joins Boyd to discuss why he believes the Chinese government has access to tech companies like TikTok and why that's dangerous.
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Forbes
Convention over Progress: Why is Higher Ed Clinging to the Status Quo?
Recently I had the privilege of speaking to the US House Committee on Education and the Workforce about the challenges facing higher education and what I see as our best path forward.
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Inside Higher Ed
The University of California Abandons Progress and Preserves Convention
The university system's new policy banning fully online degrees ignores the needs of today's students and leans on outdated information.
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The Hill
Colleges and universities shouldn’t wait for a federal mandate to deliver better value
No matter the decision, the U.S. higher education system is at an indisputable breaking point, and its future hinges on what the government and postsecondary institutions do next.
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Inside Higher Ed
Clarity of purpose
Bundling research and teaching into one business model can result in misalignments that hurt students, Scott Pulsipher writes.
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The Washington Times
Report highlights failure to solve K-12 teacher shortage
America’s K-12 schools struggled and often failed to replace teachers during the first full year of the COVID pandemic in 2020-21, according to new data from the Department of Education.
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Forbes
3 Ways Higher Education Can Flip the Script on Value
College can be costly, and for many the reward doesn’t merit the financial burden.
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Rio Grande Guardian
Vela: Bringing Mexican nurses into the Valley would be plug and play
Manny Vela, CEO of Valley Baptist Health System, says he welcomes Texas Workforce Commission efforts to bring Mexican workers into the state to address the nursing shortage.
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Wall Street Journal
College Enrollment Declines Again Though Online Schools, HBCUs See Increases
About 1.5 million fewer students are enrolled than before the pandemic, says report from National Student Clearinghouse
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Fast Company
Employee continuing education and the future of work
Why supporting nontraditional learning and career paths is simply smart business
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University Business
Can higher ed rally to boost the number of women of color in tech fields?
A new partnership launched by Western Governors University could provide a spark in getting all women into once-taboo STEM fields.
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Inside Higher Ed
Understanding the College Enrollment Drop
Two national experts explore why community colleges have lost students, whether and when enrollments are likely to start climbing again, and how institutions should respond.
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The Commercial Appeal
Changing workforce requires new skills and flexible approaches to learning | Opinion
Today’s rapidly changing workforce requires a shift in learning.
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Think with Google
Why supporting nontraditional learning and career paths is simply smart business
During the pandemic, my family and I went down a DIY rabbit hole. We learned a whole new set of skills, like how to make pasta from scratch, fix leaky faucets, and tie-dye T-shirts.
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WRDW
McDonald’s seeks to hire 7,000 new employees across Greater Carolinas
Local McDonald’s restaurants in the Greater Carolinas said they are looking to hire roughly 7,000 new employees this summer.
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Kent Reporter
Nearly 1,500 WGU students to attend graduation at T-Mobile Park
Western Governors University (WGU) will celebrate the largest commencement in the university’s 25-year history this weekend as more than 10,000 students and guests gather Saturday, July 16 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle for commencement ceremonies.
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Diverse Issues
Should Short-Term, Online Programs Get Pell Grants?
As part of the Bipartisan Innovation Act, Congress is weighing an amendment to expand Pell Grant eligibility to short-term programs—or those as short as eight weeks and no longer than 15 weeks.
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Forbes
Higher Education Must Invest In Students, Not The Other Way Around
Too often, the “value” of a college degree is misconstrued to be synonymous with its cost.
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Inside Higher Ed
Saint Leo’s Sudden, Quiet Change at the Top
President of four years departs with no notice at Roman Catholic university that has endured failed merger and seen enrollment drop by more than a third since 2015.
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The EvoLLLution
E-Quality Means Equality: Why Online Students Deserve the Same Practices as On Campus
As online classes soared in popularity over the last few years, accessibility in higher ed reached an all-time high.
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The Washington Post
More workers without degrees are landing jobs. Will it last?
The increasing availability of good jobs for those without degrees coincides with challenges for traditional higher education
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Forbes
‘It’s What You Know, Not How You Acquired It’
Over 20 years ago, SkillSurvey started to pursue the idea of improving reference-checking in hiring processes.
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The Altamont Enterprise
Recruit, train, and retain teachers who reflect the full spectrum of their students
Recent announcements in Bethlehem, Guilderland, and South Colonie schools have caught my attention — for all the right reasons.
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The Caswell Messenger
PCC & Western Governors University Sign Transfer Agreement
Piedmont Community College (PCC) recently signed an agreement to continue to support academic and career growth for students and help qualified graduates transfer to Western Governors University (WGU).
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Higher Ed Dive
Some college leaders want short-term Pell for online programs. What guardrails would be needed?
Congress is considering an amendment that would allow programs as short as eight weeks to be eligible for Pell — but it excludes online offerings.
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Penn Live Patriot News
Fathers can face difficult odds in trying to pursue higher education | Opinion
Raising children is a deeply rewarding experience and research shows that involved fathers are linked to better outcomes on nearly every measure of child wellbeing - from cognitive development and educational achievement to self-esteem and pro-social behavior.
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Utah Policy
WGU and BYU-Pathway Worldwide announce scholarship and student transfer collaboration to improve lives through education
Renewed agreement establishes a seamless transfer process for BYU-Pathway students, graduates, and employees enrolling at Western Governors University
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The Evollution
Bring in the Translators and Decoders: The Language of Credentialing Needs Help – Part Three
Language is a powerful tool in communicating skills and competencies. What matters most is using transparency and context to accurately convey what a learner knows and can do.
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Government Technology
Education, Tech Leaders Endorse Digital Credentials
In a Thursday panel at the Learning Impact Conference in Nashville, tech executives and higher ed officials discussed ways to help connect students to careers through programming and credential sharing.
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Courier Journal
Juneteenth: Honor those who suffered enslavement and recognize the power of education
Several years ago, I had the opportunity to visit Ghana on the west coast of Africa, a country whose history is forever linked to the United States through, among other reasons, the Cape Coast Castle.
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Chicago Tribune
Letters: Access to higher education is key to improving equality
June 19 marks the 157th anniversary of Juneteenth, a celebration of the abolishment of slavery.
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MedPage Today
Health Value: It Takes a Skilled Workforce
A new online institute works to hasten the movement to value-based healthcare
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Inside Higher Ed
Arkansas’s Winding Path to Building an Online University
As other public institutions seek to expand their offerings for place-bound adult learners, the formal end of the homegrown eVersity offers some lessons.
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Capitol Weekly
For education, adults should have financial aid opportunities, too
It’s been my dream to earn my MBA and this year, I did it.
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GovTech
Cybersecurity Programs Gain Popularity With Veterans
Cybersecurity programs such as the online one at Western Governors University have seen growing interest from military personnel looking for flexible IT training, either for their current roles or after their service.
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Denver Herald
As Latino leaders, it’s time to prioritize investing in our students
In the United States, 82% of Latino students graduate from high school.
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Caller Times
Opinion: Time to reboot the nursing pipeline
Recently, we have seen fewer and fewer individuals pursue careers in healthcare, especially in the nursing or home care profession.
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EdSource
Online courses can help community college students succeed
While California is accustomed to earthquakes and has prepared for the Big One for decades, the state was caught off guard by the pandemic quake that shook our state in March 2020.
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The Sylvia Herald
Deal offers SCC grads easy transfer to WGU
Southwestern Community College officials last month signed a partnership agreement with WGU North Carolina, an affiliate of the nonprofit, fully online Western Governors University.
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Inside Indiana Business
WGU Indiana partners with Warren Township schools
WGU Indiana is partnering with the Metropolitan School District of Warren Township to offer the district’s employees the opportunity to earn a degree and fill needed roles within the school system.
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EdSurge
As Student Engagement Falls, Colleges Wonder: ‘Are We Part of the Problem?’
Learning from higher ed institutions that deliver support to students as the default, not the exception.
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AZ Central
Arizona employers continue to seek workers; McDonald's alone seeks 4,500 workers in the state
Jobs remain widely available in Arizona, where the unemployment rate has eased to 3.2%.
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The Spokesman Review
Tonya Drake and Michelle Jungbauer: Higher ed needs to do more for student well-being
Without a doubt, students have felt the effects of the pandemic with enrollment rates dropping, financial aid applications down and student mobility becoming a growing concern.
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KVUE
Bastrop ISD teacher shares journey from custodian to educator
Fernanda Torres has been in Bastrop ISD schools for 22 years, but this is the first semester she has had her own class of students.
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Inside Indiana Business
The Power of Mentorship to Support Career Readiness
Mentorship can happen at varying levels, from one-off micro-mentorship opportunities to deeper connections that span decades-long careers.
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ABC15-Arizona
Country continues to wait for student debt forgiveness decision by President Biden
Some higher education leaders ask Biden to do more than just forgive debt
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Empire Report
Reimagining Higher Ed for Men and Fathers
The equity problem disproportionately affecting women and mothers in the workplace is well documented.
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Nevada Business
Executive Education in Nevada Determining Return on Investment
Pursuing a career in business has traditionally gone hand-in-hand with a college degree.
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Phelps County Focus
WGU Missouri and UScellular provide pathway to earning degrees
WGU Missouri and UScellular, the fourth-largest, full-service wireless carrier in the nation, announced they have joined forces to provide UScellular associates with an affordable pathway to earning their bachelor’s or master’s degrees from WGU
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Kona-Kohala Chamber
WGU and Hawai’i CC Partner to Offer Graduates Pathways to Pursue Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees
WGU and Hawai’i CC Partner to Offer Graduates Pathways to Pursue Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees Online, nonprofit university extends special benefits to Hawai’i CC grads and employees
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Grown and Flown
Three Generations, One Graduation, Our Hearts Could Burst
Asya Welz is a proud 2022 graduate, but at graduation her family, including her mom and grandma, did much more than sit clapping and beaming with pride in the audience. They graduated as well.
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The Journal Record
Letter to the Editor: More support needed for teacher education
In your article regarding Oklahoma education funding, Governor Stitt was quoted as saying, “Oklahoma students can’t be the best without the best teachers.”
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The Daily Yonder
Filling Rural North Carolina’s Maternal Health Care Desert
Two new training programs aim to expand the workforce in rural NC counties. Pregnant people could be some of the largest beneficiaries.
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Inside Higher Ed
Ep.83: What Colleges and Instructors Need From Ed-Tech Companies
How to be partners, not vendors.
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Huntsville Business Journal
Drake State, WGU Enter Partnership to Facilitate Continuing Education
Huntsville-based Drake State and Community Technical College has formally entered into a partnership with online, non-profit institution Western Governors University
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The Chronicle of Higher Education
The Edge: This Online Giant Is Just Getting Started
Western Governors University celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, a good moment to look at how far it’s come — and, more importantly, where it’s headed.
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KNXV-TV
Country continues to wait for student debt forgiveness decision by President Biden
Some higher education leaders ask Biden to do more than just forgive debt
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National Governors Association
Computer Science Education And The Workforce
Governors, First Spouses, industry partners and national experts met in Boston, Massachusetts, to discuss K-12 computer science education, the focus of the NGA Chairman’s Initiative.
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EdScoop
University faculty want more time to evaluate edtech, poll finds
Professors say they don’t have enough time to evaluate technology to be used in classrooms, according to a recent survey from the College Innovation Network, a project of WGU Labs, the research affiliate of Western Governors University.
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U.S. News and Education
How to Pay for College Using Overlooked Strategies
Students and parents should consider these ideas for making college cheaper.
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Workshift
What happens when the ‘hybrid college’ goes virtual?
PelotonU, a pioneer of the hybrid college, is rethinking its approach in the wake of the pandemic. We talked to the nonprofit’s co-founders about what has proven essential (coaching, and a lot of it) and what is open to change.
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The EvoLLLution
Open Skills Libraries Help Today's Education and Training Providers Respond to the Recent Surge in Skills-based Hiring Practices
Transparancy with students is crucial for them to have successful educational journeys, develop their personal brand and stand out as potential employees.
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CNBC
Op-ed: That college degree is no longer the only path to achieving the American Dream
As more employers recognize that the lack of a four-year college degree doesn’t mean a potential worker doesn’t have value, the return on investment for university graduates is dropping.
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Bladen Journal
WGU North Carolina announces military service scholarships for 2022
As part of Military Appreciation Month, WGU North Carolina has announced that it is offering ten $2,500 Military Service Scholarships for 2022.
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NC Health News
Filling rural NC’s maternal health care desert
Two new training programs aim to expand the workforce in rural NC counties. Pregnant people could be some of the largest beneficiaries.
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Forbes
Why Having Two Types Of Elite Universities Will Restore Confidence In U.S. Higher Education
For decades, a disproportionate amount of attention has been paid to and showered upon a tiny number of the most selective colleges and universities in America.
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Utah Policy
WGU creates Distinguished Alumni Council in Utah
If you had a question and needed an accurate answer, where would you go? Straight to the source.
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Workshift
Unbundled, online ed was going to revolutionize college—could it still?
We talk with Burck Smith, founder of StraighterLine, about why the online course revolution hasn’t materialized—and why he believes it still will.
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The Courier Times
How higher ed is addressing Indiana’s teacher shortage
For generations, it’s taken a certain kind of person to be an educator.
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Chargin Valley Today
Guest column: Classroom heroes deserve our continued support
As Ohio and the nation observe National Teacher Appreciation Week from May 2-6, there’s even more reasons this year to voice our gratitude for America’s classroom heroes.
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Montgomery Adviser
Key to improving healthcare deserts in Alabama? Family nurse practitioners
The past two years have revealed just how much our communities rely on nurses and nurse practitioners to provide quality care.
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National Governors Association
Using Data To Advance Digital Skills: A State Playbook
To assist states in closing digital skill gaps and preparing for digital equity planning, this brief offers key questions and resources for state leaders to consider.
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Higher Ed Dive
How online programs can keep students from disengaging and help them feel they belong
Student belonging is an ongoing process that requires outreach and a good user experience, writes a researcher and communications expert at WGU Labs.
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Coal Valley News
SWVCTC expands programs, plans upgrades for performing arts center
SWVCTC expands programs, plans upgrades for performing arts center
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Utah Policy
Utah Jazz scholarship winners ‘ready to make an impact on many lives’
Western Governors University (WGU) and the Utah Jazz teamed up to award four Utah students with a full year of tuition. Awarded during halftime at the Jazz – Memphis Grizzlies game on April 5th, these scholarships will allow the students to attend WGU, an online, non-profit university, tuition-free for one year.
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The Connection
School district reaches deal with new teacher certification program
This month, the Robertson County School Board approved an out-of-state educator preparation partnership agreement.
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EdSurge
The Digital Revolution Is Saving Higher Ed
The most notorious oracle predicting the coming death spiral of academia was the late Harvard University professor Clayton Christensen, who in 2011 famously forecast that “50 percent of the 4,000 colleges and universities in the U.S. will be bankrupt in 10 to 15 years.”
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The Fan 104.3
Mile High Magazine 04/03/2022 Great “Reinvention”
Dr. Tonya Drake, Regional VP Northwest Region, Western Governors University Over 120,000 people left their jobs in Colorado last year during the “Great Resignation”.
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Utah Policy
WGU and Canyons School District sign partnership to address teacher shortage
Western Governors University (WGU) and the Canyons School District announced a partnership to encourage more education support professionals to pursue teaching credentials and rewarding careers as teachers.
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Bronx Times
Op-Ed | To achieve education equity, teachers need to reflect the students they serve
Research by the Learning Policy Institute found that students of color and white students reported having positive perceptions of their teachers of color — including feeling cared for and academically challenged.
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Online Education
What is Competency-Based Education? Two Expert Perspectives
What if earning a degree was a matter of demonstrating mastery and skill rather than attending a set number of classes for a required number of weeks and repeating memorized information?
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Grothman House
GROTHMAN INTRODUCES COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION ACT
Congressman Glenn Grothman (WI-06) has introduced The Competency-Based Education Act to assist universities in cultivating learning environments that will allow students to learn at their own pace, called competency-based education (CBE), in an effort to more quickly lead young Americans to meaningful careers and less student loan debt. Grothman’s bill is cosponsored by Congressman Tom Tiffany (WI-07), Congressman Burgess Owens (UT-04), and Congressman Fred Keller (PA-12).
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La Opinión
Por un futuro con más oportunidades para los inmigrantes
Asambleísta Blanca Rubio propone subvenciones para estudiantes mayores de 25 años que ingresen a universidades acreditadas en línea y sin importar su estado migratorio
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Yakima Herald- Republic
Saturday Soapbox: Career exploration is reinventing the workforce
As we wrap up “Explore Your Career Options Week” April 3-10, it’s a good time to reflect on what we’ve all learned as a result of the pandemic workplace closures.
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Spectrum News
Western Governors University launches new campaign to target adult learners in LA
The campaign is called "Success in the Making," and Richard Benbow is in charge of the pilot program that launched last month in the Los Angeles area.
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McKinsey and Company
Using machine learning to improve student success in higher education
Deploying machine learning and advanced analytics thoughtfully and to their full potential may support improvements in student access, success, and the overall student experience.
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Christensen Institute
Innovation in action: CBE and bridging the college to career gap
Education has no shortage of challenges.
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University Business
The Great Reskilling: Cengage CEO Michael Hansen says higher ed must meet demand
The pandemic opened up huge possibilities for online learning and shorter-term credentials to help meet the needs of students and employers.
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NC Tech
Exploring IT Degrees Positioned for Job Growth
North Carolina’s tech community has been abuzz since last April when Apple announced it was building a $1 billion campus in Research Triangle Park that could eventually employ 3,000 workers – mainly working on machine learning, artificial intelligence, and software engineering.
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Campus Technology Insider
From Instructional Design to Learning Experience Design: Understanding the Whole Student
These days, we hear a lot about the "new normal" in higher education. Remote and hybrid learning is here to stay, offering students more flexibility in their learning journeys.
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Open Campus Media
Time is a barrier for workers with college benefits
Do frontline workers have enough time to use their free college benefits? Also, free Big Tech certificates for 200K learners and a call for intentional design around skills-based hiring.
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Inside Higher Ed
Evolving Conversation About Quality in Online Learning: Special Report
This free print-on-demand report explores how the COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped both the practice and perceptions of online, hybrid and blended learning in postsecondary education.
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The Chronicle
Number of LCCC students passing nursing exams tops state, national rates
The number of Lorain County Community College nursing graduates passing the 2021 National Council Licensure Examination has outpaced state and national rates, the college announced last week.
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The EvoLLLution
A Time for Learning Experience Designers
Changing the way we engage students, use technology and develop personal experiences can help us craft deeper, more meaningful connections in the months and years ahead.
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Helix Education
Western Governors University Brings Skills & Labor Focus to New Program Development
How can higher ed be sure that its programs are delivering the skills employers and students want?
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The Chronicle of Higher Education
The University in Ruins
The “innovations” that promise to save higher ed are a farce.
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National Governors Association
State K-12 Education Trends For 2022
Nearly all Governors of the 55 states, commonwealths and territories deliver an annual State of the State address.
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E School News
It’s time to focus on learning experience design
We must focus on the whole student experience if we want our learners to begin, continue, and succeed on their pathways to and through education
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Sustaining Capitalism
The Future of Education: Where Is It, and What Does It Look Like?
Much has been written about the impact of technology, especially as it relates to teaching and learning during the pandemic, whether at the early grade school levels or for ongoing training in the workplace.
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American Council on Education
THAT’S A WRAP ON ACE2022, ACE’S ANNUAL MEETING IN SAN DIEGO
Close to 900 members and leaders of the higher education community convened in San Diego for the first in-person ACE Annual Meeting since the pandemic.
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KUER
More people enrolled in teacher preparation programs during the pandemic
Zach Asay had long been interested in becoming a teacher. His father, Brad Asay, taught for decades and later became the president of the teacher’s union AFT Utah.
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SXSWEdu
WGU: A Model for the Future of Higher Education
For the past twenty-five years, Western Governors University (WGU) has been the model for online competency-based education, working toward the goal of making higher education truly student-centered.
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Credential Engine
Open Skills and Rich Skill Descriptors: CTDL Enables Connections and Collaboration
With growing momentum for skills-based education and hiring, we all need to work together on shared solutions for more equitable ecosystems that enable everyone to have the skills necessary to thrive in a fast-moving and ever-evolving workforce.
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ManifestED
ManifestED x Dr. Mark Milliron [Ep. 8]: Five Education Resolutions for a New Year
Join us as we speak with Dr. Mark Milliron, Senior Vice President of Western Governors University and Executive Dean of the Teachers College, and discuss a digital learning infrastructure, reimagine our learning models and competency based learning, how to champion healthy learning and balance educator self-care with professional development.
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EdTech
Disruptive Innovation Helps Universities Overcome Financial Obstacles
Fast-growing universities are using digital transformation strategies and solutions to create financially sustainable business models.
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The Tech Edvocate
A Time for Learning Experience Designers
If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that understanding the whole student matters. Since March of 2020, billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of person hours have been spent enabling remote learning access, rolling out strategic student supports—particularly around mental health—and providing emergency aid for students struggling with basic needs.
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Utah Policy
First WGU, Alpine School District scholarship presented to ASD paraeducator
Local leaders from Western Governors University (WGU) and the Alpine School District surprised Tristan Chile with the first Pathway to Become a Teacher Scholarship in her classroom Friday morning.
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Whats Up NewP
Opinion: Higher education is possible for all, but different approaches may be needed
For Rhode Islanders in Blackstone Valley communities, a college education can be difficult to access.
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Hartford Courant
We need to address disparity of student loan debt that is hampering Black college graduates
Despite the United States Department of Education’s recent action to extend the pause on Federal student loan payments through May 1, student debt still looms as a national crisis impacting more than 43 million Americans who owe a combined $1.75 trillion in federal and private student costs.
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DVIDS
US Naval Community College Selects 2 Schools for Cybersecurity Program
The U.S. Naval Community College selected two schools for its Pilot II cybersecurity degree programs Feb. 11, 2022.
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Caller Times
Forum: Creating a more diverse workforce starts with a diverse student body
Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) has quickly become a business buzzword, with more companies piloting initiatives to create a more equitable workforce.
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EdSurge
Triumphs and Troubles in Online Learning Abroad
I’ve always thought of the U.S. as the leader in digital learning, representing the most adventurous innovations.
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Inside Higher Ed
How an App Increased Student Belonging at Rio Salado College
The RioConnect program showed that students attending the college asynchronously and online could feel a greater sense of belonging by using an app that connected them in a virtual community.
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Forbes
Innovative Answers To College Affordability
The collapse of President Biden’s higher education agenda has put a kibosh on the notion that Washington will be offering up trillions of new dollars to deliver “free” community college or pay off student loans.
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YourHub
Reduce Burnout in Frontline Workers by Helping Them Rediscover Their Purpose
On Valentine’s Day, we can offer more than candy and cards to help heal the hearts of exhausted frontline workers, including teachers and health care professionals.
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Indianapolis Business Journal
Alison Bell: What’s next for Indiana’s workforce? The growth of IT
Workplaces across Indiana and the country continue to be redefined from all angles as the workforce evolution continues.
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Federal News Network
How state agencies want to foster more resilient workforces and get them off assistance
Unemployment insurance has been a crucial safety net for the past couple of years.
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Inside Higher Ed
Legislation Expands Pell Grants but Excludes Online Ed
Community college leaders want to know why the proposal to expand Pell Grants to short-term programs excludes online learning.
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AMNY
Op-Ed | Black students are disproportionately burdened by debt — reimagining education can bring equity
Despite the United States Department of Education’s recent action to extend the pause on Federal student loan payments through May 1, 2022, student debt still looms as a national crisis impacting more than 43 million Americans who owe a combined $1.75 trillion in federal and private student costs.
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Commercial Appeal
Five ways to improve schools, communities and students | Opinion
All parts of a regional education ecosystem — early learning, K-12, community colleges, colleges and universities — are interconnected.
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The Evolllution
Quality Digital Education in 2022: Intentional Design Matters
Online education was once a Wild West of ideas and experimentation for early adopters.
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Deseret News
Opinion: Want a master’s degree that pays off? Come to WGU
New data published in The Wall Street Journal shows that Western Governors University’s MBA had one of the best returns on investment in the country
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Mountain Democrat
Guest column: California’s adult learners deserve equal access to financial aid
When I came to the United States from Russia, I had no idea how difficult making my way would be.
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Forbes
Olympics Of Hypocrisy: At Online Universities, ‘Global’ Is Not World-Class
Today marks the start of the Winter Olympics. It’s also the 20th anniversary of the biggest scandal in Winter Olympics history.
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The Spectrum
Utah nursing program created to combat COVID-19 overcrowding could become permanent
Utah has been dealing with the coronavirus pandemic for nearly two years and during this time nursing staffing levels have dropped precipitously.
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KSL
New Utah partnership offers college readiness scholarships to Latinos
Claudia Gonzalez said she thought it was too late for her to complete a bachelor's degree.
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EdSurge
Will Online Learning Lead to College Closures? Clay Shirky Says It’s Complicated.
It’s popular these days to argue that a pandemic boost of online education will lead to a wave of college closures.
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Utah Policy
WGU Academy partners with Suazo Business Center to provide college readiness to Utah’s underserved communities
WGU Academy announced today a partnership with Suazo Business Center that will provide Utahns from Hispanic/Latino and other under underserved communities with college-readiness education scholarships.
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Florida Politics
Grace Carpenter: SB 1284, HB 823 could help change the lives of Floridians, including future teachers
It could make a big difference in the lives of countless Floridians.
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Penn Live
COVID-19 is forcing a rethinking of priorities in education | Opinion
Educators in Pennsylvania are still facing the challenge of pandemic-driven logistical burdens, budgetary fluctuations, dramatic teacher shortages and divisive politics.
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KTSM
City of Sunland Park, WGU partner in education venture
Western Governors University (WGU) and the City of Sunland Park launched a new partnership agreement to create seamless transfer pathways for city employees who want to earn their bachelor’s or master’s degree with WGU Texas.
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Clermont
K.L. Allen: Finding sustainable solutions to the workforce crisis in health care
Ohio is hitting new record highs for Covid infections and hospitalizations.
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Your Hub
Better Together: Five Education Resolutions for a New Year
The shortage of teachers is reaching a critical point in Colorado.
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EdNC
Perspective | Better together: Five education resolutions for a new year
Over the last two years, educators have grappled with change and challenges.
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EdSurge
What Online Learning Reveals About Innovation in Higher Education
Change in higher education historically has been a dynamic process involving two sectors—one consisting of mainstream institutions and the other a grab bag of diverse, nontraditional organizations, service providers and emerging models.
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Texas Tribune
Better together: Five education resolutions for a new year
The education challenges at hand are real and mounting, but educators, policymakers and community leaders can take steps towards a new solution with these resolutions.
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The Daily Herald
Tonya Drake: For mentor and mentee, exchange deepens learning
In higher education and after, mentoring offers guidance, encouragement and a fresh perspective.
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NewJersey.com
5 big things we must do to improve N.J.’s COVID-encumbered schools in 2022 | Opinion
Rebecca L. Watts, Ph.D. and Mark David Milliron, Ph.D., say it's not enough to simply pine for a return to normal for our schools, we have to be proactive and make some changes.
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EdCircuit
BETTER TOGETHER: FIVE EDUCATION RESOLUTIONS FOR A NEW YEAR
Over the last two years, the Western Governors University faculty, staff, and leaders have worked with educators around the country, particularly in our public schools, who have been consumed with change and challenges.
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Forbes
What Learning Can Learn From Machine Learning
Over the years, this biweekly letter has provided me with the opportunity to fully and fairly document just how much free time college students can have if they try. My college roommates tried really hard.
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The Job Newsletter
The Job: Cloud Credentials
A look at how AWS plans to offer free cloud training to 29M people.
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LinkedIn Live
How to Measure the Value of Higher Ed?
Western Governors University president, Scott Pulsipher, joins Jeff Selingo for LinkedIn Live to explain how his institution measures and explains value to the public and what they have learned in doing so that might apply to the rest of higher ed.
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King 5
Want to invest in your education this year? WGU can help - New Day NW
Marissa Price, WGU's 250,000th graduate, joined New Day NW to talk about her experience with the online university.
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Everett Post
WGU – Inspiring and Educating the Next Generation of Nurses
A career comes full circle as WGU Celebrates Its “Year of You”
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The EdUp Experience Podcast
381: The Whole Equals the Sum of the Parts - with Linda Battles, Regional Vice President & Chancellor, WGU Texas
In this episode, President Series #131, YOUR guest is Linda Battles, Regional Vice President & Chancellor of Western Governors University Texas, YOUR host is Dr. Joe Sallustio, aka, THE Voice of Education, & YOUR sponsor is The Charles Koch Foundation!
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CT Post
Opinion: Better together: Five education resolutions for a New Year
Opinion: Better together: Five education resolutions for a New Year
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The Expert Center
WGU Experts Available
Our experts are available to respond to qualified inquiries from journalists, conference organizers and more.
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Forbes
Our Labor Market Infrastructure Is Ancient: 3 Key Investments To Unlock Opportunity
“Infrastructure” connotes images of roads and bridges, the physical capital that enables movement across society.
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Race to Value Podcast
A Legacy of Leadership in Value-Based Care and Competency-Based Education, with Michael O. Leavitt
This week we have the great honor of hosting one of the most respected American political leaders over the last few decades, a visionary who ushered in a new era of value-based care in our country during his tenure at HHS.
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The Byran Times
K. L. Allen: Some resolutions that matter
If your New Year’s resolutions are like mine, most will have a “shelf life” shorter than holiday eggnog – turning sour and forgotten within days of January 1.
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Canton Daily Ledger
Swope graduates from Westerns Governors University
Chastity Swope, a resident of Canton, has graduated from Western Governors University (WGU) with a Bachelor of Science in Business - Healthcare Management.
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The Saratogian
Reader’s View: Better Together: Five education resolutions for a new year
Over the last two years, educators in New York have been challenged by pandemic-driven logistical burdens, budgetary ups and downs, dramatic teacher shortages, and divisive rhetoric.
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ECampusNews
39 predictions for higher ed’s path in 2022
What edtech trends will take top billing on college and university campuses in the new year?
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Real Clear Education
Five Education Resolutions for the New Year
Over the last two years, the Western Governors University faculty, staff, and leaders have worked with educators around the country, particularly in our public schools, who have been consumed with change and challenges.
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Deseret News
Opinion: Take a moment to reflect on your blessings
As an immigrant to the United States, education has been the biggest, life-changing opportunity for me
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Junction City Union
Earning a degree while in the military
Service members, veterans and their spouses have many reasons to seek college degrees. Some service members see it as a means to enhance their current military career, while others prepare for post-service careers.
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The Tennessean
Family nurse practitioners are key to improving health care deserts in Tennessee| Opinion
Family nurse practitioners can be the saving grace for Tennessee health care deserts.
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Idaho Mountain Express
With teachers scarce, BCSD hopes to 'grow' its own
New program will pay for existing staff become full-time teachers
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Mexico Ledger
WGU Missouri partners with the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives to offer scholarships
In an effort to empower residents in rural areas of Missouri to go back to school and further their education, WGU Missouri has announced it has partnered with the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives to provide $1 million in scholarships to residents who are served by an electric cooperative and are interested in pursuing a degree from the online, nonprofit university.
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KTVO-TV
IHCC, WGU sign new transfer agreement for students
Indian Hills Community College and Western Governors University have signed an articulation agreement.
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Rice University
Rice’s Doerr Institute expands CoachRICE program to serve other institutions
The Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University is expanding its CoachRICE leadership coaching program, providing other institutions of higher education with training to improve how they develop students as high-potential leaders.
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Utah Policy
Research tackles barriers for adult Utahns pursuing college degree, career change
Research tackles barriers for adult Utahns pursuing college degree, career change
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Northern Kentucky Tribune
Alison Bell: With nurses exiting field at alarming rate, healthcare workers are in need of ‘rapid response’
Our healthcare workers are still feeling the pinch from the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Inside Higher Ed
New Alignment to Focus on Working Learners
Several colleges and universities that focus on adult and working learners are joining forces to try to better serve those students and ensure they have access to high-quality programs.
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University Business
Model for the future? One fully online university’s stunning success
While others have slumped through the pandemic, Western Governors has grown enrollment and continued to innovate.
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Times Higher Education
US universities hit science teacher training goal
Advocates fulfil 2011 Obama promise of 100,000 new science and engineering teachers in decade, citing gains in recruitment and evidence-based training
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WTEN
Empire State Weekly: How New York Will Benefit from the Federal Infrastructure Bill
This week on Empire State Weekly, now that the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act is signed into law, billions of dollars are heading to New York State to make long-lasting changes that will improve how New Yorkers travel, communicate, as well as enhance the overall health of the state from the ground up.
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Inside Higher Ed
The Tangled Transition to Adulthood
Becoming an adult is much more difficult than it was 60 years ago.
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The Crescent-News
Dr. K.L. Allen — The right time to finish your degree
The past year-and-a-half have been a challenge: lockdowns, health concerns, illness, working from home, job loss — we’ve seen it all.
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Las Vegas Sun
Apprentice program aims to address ‘brain drain’
Although the national conversation around the labor shortage focuses primarily on minimum-wage roles, a different kind of labor shortage is occurring in smaller metropolitan and regional centers across the United States.
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Governing
How Post-Secondary Education Is Squandering Human Potential
It’s little wonder that so many Americans are dissatisfied with their jobs — and quitting them. We need new approaches to education beyond high school that give every learner the opportunity to flourish.
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New Hampshire Business Review
Higher education has a responsibility to help diversify NH’s workforce at all levels
Nationwide, women lost more than 12 million jobs during the pandemic’s recession, triggering what many have dubbed a “she-cession” because of the disproportionate employment losses by gender.
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Rual Health Association of Tennessee
Rural Opportunity Must Be a Priority
The news is often gloomy regarding healthcare and education in rural communities
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Ironton Tribune
K.L. Allen: New resources make it the right time to finish degree
The past year-and-a-half have been a challenge: lockdowns, health concerns, illness, working from home, job loss—we’ve seen it all.
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Long Island Press
OpEd: Broadband Access Is a Long Island Problem
Much has been written about the digital divide — the lack of broadband access, specifically — in New York.
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Getting Smart
Leading Together Toward Healthy Learning
Whether it’s preschool, grade school, high school, or higher education, there is not a privileged parent on the planet that is not careful about ensuring that their child is entering a healthy learning environment.
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8 News Now
Western Governors University hosts in-person commencement for 1st time since 2019
More than 1,000 students participated in Western Governors University in-person graduation in Las Vegas Saturday.
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The Courier Journal
Kentucky needs more nurses. Here's how to resuscitate our health care workforce | Opinion
According to a recent survey, more than half of Kentucky’s nurses reported feelings of exhaustion, anxiety and overwhelm as they face the unpredictability of COVID-19 both personally and professionally.
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Inside Higher Ed
Old Wine in a New Bottle
Perhaps you remember the parable described in Matthew 9:17, about the danger of placing new wine in an old bottle. The parable’s lesson: innovating within an existing institution is likely to fail. Instead, transformational change needs to take place in a new organization.
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WXMI-TV
'We don't have enough nurses.' Health care staffing shortages continue across Michigan
Since the start of the pandemic, Michigan continues to see a surge in patients. But hospitals are unable to meet the rising demand due to a nursing shortage, an issue the 7 Action News team highlighted in July.
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Rio Grande Guardian
Battles: Just because WGU is online, it doesn’t mean we’re not part of South Texas community
The new chancellor of Western Governors University Texas has reaffirmed her institution’s “huge” commitment to South Texas.
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Lehigh Valley Live
Adult students hold key to Lehigh Valley’s 21st century workforce potential | Opinion
President Biden’s recent trip to the Lehigh Valley and Gov. Tom Wolf’s visit last month to Easton underscored a desire to improve the quality of life experienced in the region by revitalizing local communities for the 21st century and fostering economic prosperity for residents.
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Open Campus Media
A college-wide approach to accelerating student careers
One of the more promising models for helping lower-income and underrepresented college students transition to the workforce, Braven, is poised to achieve an elusive milestone in the college-to-career space: scale.
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SoundCloud
WGU Missouri: Perfect fit for veterans
Dr. Angie Besendorfer, Chancellor of WGU Missouri, with details about their special opportunities for those who have served our country, plus the more about what separates them from other higher education institutions.
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The Missouri Times
DESE unveils new recruitment initiative amid teacher shortage
As the nation grapples with a teacher shortage, Missouri is reaching out to the next generation of educators through a new recruitment platform.
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EdScoop
WGU partners with governors to ‘democratize’ higher education
The National Governors Association on Thursday announced it’s formed a partnership with Western Governors University to develop best practices in state policy that can improve access to higher education.
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Wall Street Journal
A Graduate Degree That Pays Off: The M.B.A.
Wall Street Journal analysis of federal student loan data found 98% of programs leave students with manageable debt loads
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Herald Net
Comment: Daylight saving is a time to thank health care staff
While you get an extra hour of sleep, night shift nurses are getting some treats from WGU-Washington.
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Inside Higher Ed
Making Transfer Work for Rural Students and Communities
Too often, transfer demands that rural students leave their communities to continue their education.
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California Business Journal
The Shift To Online Education And Degrees Isn’t New; It Follows The Historical Educational Trend Since The Turn Of The 20th Century
Western Governors University is the leader in today’s online education classification with graduates landing positions at Apple, Disney, Facebook, IBM, Bank of America, Cedars-Sinai, American Express, Duke University, AT&T and Johns Hopkins.
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National Governors Association
National Governors Association Welcomes 6 States To 2nd Phase Of Workforce Innovation Network
Hawaiʻi, North Carolina, North DakotaHawaiʻi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania And Rhode Island Join Network To Close Workforce Achievement Gaps By Advancing Digital Skill Development, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania And Rhode Island Join Network To Close Workforce Achievement Gaps By Advancing Digital Skill Development
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Richmond Times- Dispatch
Letters to the Editor for Oct. 29, 2021: A competency-based path to a degree amid aid issues
Students from low-income high schools in Richmond and elsewhere are part of a critical segment of Virginia’s population: individuals who have not pursued higher education, and the jobs that could result, largely because they didn’t apply for or receive financial aid.
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Delaware Business Times
VIEWPOINT: Unlocking pay equity, leadership roles for women
Nationwide women lost more than 12 million jobs during the pandemic’s recession, triggering what many have dubbed a “she-cession” because of the disproportionate employment losses by gender.
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King 5
Considering a new career? The cybersecurity field is growing
An accredited online cybersecurity program prepares students for a career dedicated to fighting cybercrime.
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San Antonio Report
Texas needs nurses now more than ever
In August, Texas faced a worst-case scenario: rural and urban hospitals were hitting capacity across the state.
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Seattle Business Magazine
Reskilling and Upskilling
The pandemic has touched each of our lives in unique ways. One significant impact has been to workers and learners across the country.
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Global Health Talks
Equitable learning opportunities for new nurses
With over 130,000 students at Western Governors University (WGU) delivering online courses from the US, Dr Jan Jones-Schenk is the Senior Vice President and Executive Dean of the College of Health Professions.
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WCET Frontiers
Student ROI and the Role of Stackable Credentials
Now more than ever, learner-workers need faster, more flexible options in their education pathways to stay competitive in the world of work.
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11 Alive
Western Governors University
Check out the competitive MBA program at online university Western Governors University.
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Yes! Weekly
Leading Together Toward Healthy Learning
Whether it’s preschool, grade school, high school, or higher education, there is not a privileged parent on the planet that is not careful about ensuring that their child is entering a healthy learning environment.
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The EvoLLLution
Humanizing Online Education Through Technology and Community
During the extended pandemic, traditional colleges and universities have rushed to move programs online by simply transferring an existing degree to a digital format.
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Higher Ed Dive
Pandemic fueled huge online-only enrollment growth, report finds
Pandemic fueled huge online-only enrollment growth, report finds
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The Chronicle of Higher Education
Weekly Briefing: Which State Lost the Most Undergraduates Last Fall?
The enrollment picture for undergraduates has been grim lately. Some surveys have found that undergraduate enrollment dropped 3.6 percent in the fall of 2020 and 4.9 percent in the spring of 2021.
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Idaho Education News
Episode 28: COVID-19 and children’s health, an inside look
The trends and the numbers are clear. As the delta variant has taken hold in Idaho, children’s coronavirus cases have soared to record levels.
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Inside Indiana Business with Gerry Dick
Reimagining a 'New Possible' in Education Can Prepare Students for an Evolving Workforce
Over the past year, it’s clear that the pandemic has been uniquely challenging for Hoosier workers and employers as many had to shift their operations to slow the spread of COVID-19.
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The Chronicle of Higher Education
The Edge: Deal Creates New Model for Adult Learners
Last month an adult-serving institution of 22,000 students officially switched its affiliation from the California university where it began 60 years ago to the public-university system in Massachusetts.
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KSL.com
Weber County partners with WGU to address intergenerational poverty
Weber County Commissioners, the Weber Prosperity Center of Excellence and Western Governors University signed a resolution on Tuesday announcing a partnership that is expected to support more than 7,000 children impacted by intergenerational poverty in the county.
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Inside Higher Ed
The Future of Higher Ed Is Occurring at the Margins
Combined, the current trends tell us that, taken as a whole, colleges and universities must brace for five new realities, Arthur Levine and Scott Van Pelt write.
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The Daily Herald
Comment: Students’ time learning online suggests possibilities
More than a workaround during covid, strategies for higher ed need further development by partners.
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Idaho Education News
Episode 26: The present, and the future, of online higher ed
For a quarter century — since the Internet’s infancy — Western Governors University has provided online higher education.
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Olean Times Herald
Guest Comment: Broadband infrastructure vital to rural NY opportunities
As New York charts a path forward from the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic, a recent analysis of census data conducted by Stateline, an initiative of The Pew Charitable Trusts, estimates the state saw its rural population shrink by 4.7% from 2010 to 2020, among the steepest declines in the nation.
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Fortune
Historically Black colleges can’t solve tech’s diversity problem alone
It has been a record year for funding and interest for the country’s historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).
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Examiner Enterprise
A ‘new possible’ in education
As we look back on the last year and a half of education during the pandemic, it’s not hard to be reminded of the F5 tornado that hit Bridge Creek and Moore, Oklahoma on May 3, 1999.
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Fountain Valley News
A New Possible Education
The rain fell for nearly a week, causing massive flooding from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs. Homes were destroyed, roads washed away, and lives lost. The cost to the many cities and towns along the Front Range impacted by the disaster totaled $4 billion.
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The Tennessean
Addressing concerns and questions in education could lead to new possibilities | Opinion
By coming together to vision what is possible and working together to design what we want to bring forward, we can become better and stronger than we were before the crisis.
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Record Searchlight
Speak your piece: Adults in rural California need access to education, too
For rural Californians, a college education can be hard to come by. It’s not an issue of desire. It’s an issue of access.
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The Greeneville Sun
A New Possible Education
Schools across Tennessee are open, and so much is already up in the air. Confusion and uncertainty with the Delta variant, mask mandates, the risk of student exposure, and the inevitability of lost teaching days, all before the first school quarter is even done.
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Campus News
WGU’s Rivera-Luna Scholarship targets NYC students
Western Governors University (WGU) announced the Rivera-Luna Scholarship for Business and Information Technology, which has a total committed value of $25k that will support students living in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan who have high financial need and wish to enroll at WGU to study business or information technology (IT).
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Inside Higher Ed
Next Steps, New Directions Emerge for Life Beyond College: Part 2
In light of virtual internship and alternative career exploration experiences that occurred (or did not) during COVID, what supports do students now expect and need?
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Inside Higher Ed
Next Steps, New Directions Emerge for Life Beyond College: Part 1
Future plans and career preparation approaches have shifted for students during the pandemic. How have they turned to college supports for help?
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Pennsylvania Capital Star
Amid renewed push to expand Pell Grant eligibility, Pa. must remove barriers for students | Opinion
The expansion of the Second Chance Pell experiment represents an important first step toward a brighter future for thousands of students in Pennsylvania state prisons
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Spokane Public Radio
Pandemic Education At Western Governors University
The pandemic has forced schools to move their teaching online for safety reasons. But there are education institutions that went online years ago to be more convenient for their constituents.
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The Political Life
The Competency-based Revolution in Higher Education
Western Governors University (WGU) is an online university where students can earn an affordable, accredited, career-focused college degree at an accelerated pace.
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Montgomery Advertiser
Say no to normal: Create a new possibility for education in Alabama
Schools across Alabama are open, and so much is already up in the air. Confusion and uncertainty with the delta variant, mask mandates, the risk of student exposure, and the inevitably of lost teaching days, all before the first school quarter is even done.
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The New York Times
The Pandemic Has Accelerated Demands for a More Skilled Work Force
Even groups that regularly disagree on labor issues said there should be significant public investment in programs that can upgrade the skills of American workers.
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The Evolllution
Better Serving the Underserved Through Personalization
Personalized learning in higher education doesn’t need to be a far-off feature. Institutions of higher education can start implementing personalized learning strategies now to better serve their underserved learners and create a more equitable educational space.
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The Evolllution
Personalized Learning Experience at Scale
Higher education has been set in its traditional ways for decades, and with digital innovation at the forefront of everyone’s lives, it’s critical to be more digitally engaged with your students.
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EducationNC
Perspective | A new possible in education
As we look back on the last year and a half of education during the pandemic, it is easy yet disheartening to see what a uniquely challenging time this has been for students and teachers.
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Idaho Business Review
A new possible in education
The fire burned for four straight days, scorching thousands of acres in the foothills north of Boise.
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NNY360
Rebecca L. Watts: We must provide a path to success for New Yorkers re-entering society
Amidst alarming news of the Delta variant and ongoing COVID-19 relief efforts, we must not overlook how recent legislation brought about a monumental, generation-defining shift to help people in prison successfully re-enter society.
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Forbes
Leveraging Partnerships To Support Underrepresented Students In Higher Education
The COVID-19 pandemic illuminated many socioeconomic, racial, and geographic inequalities.
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Springfield News Ledger
A new possible in education
Looking back on education during the last 18 months of the pandemic, it’s easy to be reminded of the EF5 tornado that hit Joplin, Mo., on May 22, 2011.
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The Bradford Era
Infrastructure ensures quality education, economic prosperity for rural Pa.
As Pennsylvania charts a path forward from the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic, a recent analysis of census data conducted by Stateline, an initiative of The Pew Charitable Trusts, estimates the commonwealth saw its rural population shrink by 4.7% from 2010 to 2020, among the steepest declines in the nation
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The Chronicle of Philanthropy
Facebook Awards $38 Million for Affordable Housing and Homelessness in Silicon Valley
Facebook’s gift to four nonprofits is the first round of grants from its $150 million commitment to affordable housing in California’s Silicon Valley.
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KSL
Are men less interested in college?
Scott Pulsipher, President, Western Governors University joins the show to talk a new study that shows only 40% of students are men, and why more men are choosing to go straight to work after high school.
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Utah Public Radio
Recent Study Examines Barriers For Nontraditional Students
Western Governors University recently conducted a study about the outstanding barriers adult learners in Utah face as nontraditional students.
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Hechinger Report
COLUMN: Changes to come should be ‘music to your ears,’ higher education innovators say
Pandemic accelerates glacial pace of change — along with fears of ‘two worlds’
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eLearningInside News
When COVID-19 Broke Out, I Was Fired, Had a Child, and Started Pursuing My Degree in Special Ed Online
Due to COVID-19, 2.4 million women have left the job force nationwide and the labor participation of women in the workforce has dropped to its lowest level since 1988.
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The Buffalo News
Another Voice: Character education matters in today's world
Horace Mann, the catalyzing force behind America’s public education system, believed so much in character development that he held its importance at the same level as academic instruction.
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Daily Press
Opinion: New program will open college doors to more veterans
College was mostly reserved for the wealthy prior to World War II. But the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, known as the G.I. Bill of Rights, allowed millions of returning servicemen to pursue an education instead of entering the workforce.
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Forbes
Unbundling And Other Untruths
A few years back, my college roommate Dave saw on Facebook that our other roommate, Alex, was staying at the Royal Sonesta New Orleans. Naturally, he called the front desk and asked to be connected to Alex's room.
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The Edadvocate
A New Possible Education
As we look back on the last year and a half of education during the pandemic, it is easy yet disheartening to see what a uniquely challenging time this has been for students and teachers.
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Capital Gazette
Rebecca L. Watts: For incarcerated, Pell Grants a lifeline to the future | COMMENTARY
In a recent announcement that should not be overlooked, the U.S. Department of Education recently laid the foundation for a monumental, generation-defining shift that will help people in prison successfully re-enter society.
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The EvoLLLution
Building Institutional Capacity for Microcredentials: A Framework for Innovation
As conversations about a new normal continue, it’s important for institutions to look at a microcredential framework to survive and thrive when serving the modern learner.
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NJ Spotlight
Op-Ed: Props for learning program that helps incarcerated adults re-enter society
The federal government is expanding the Second Chance Pell Grant experiment
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Work Shift
A ‘Skills-Denominated’ Learning and Work Model
Western Governors University has continued its remarkable growth amid the pandemic. With an enrollment of more than 130,000 students, WGU is one of the nation’s largest universities. And just under 50,000 students graduated from the online, competency-based university during the last academic year.
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Working Nation
WorkingNation Overheard: Scott Pulsipher on access for the working learner
Western Governors University is a fully accredited online institution with career-aligned bachelor's and master's degrees in IT, teaching, business, and healthcare and designed to help working professionals fit an online university education into their busy lives. “If individuals don’t have internet access, we certainly are going to find ourselves in a situation where large portions of our people are not able to engage in the economy and change their lives,” says WGU president Scott Pulsipher.
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The Hechinger Report
OPINION: Time to talk about the many ways higher education must change
Innovators are gathering in San Diego this week to discuss new ways of delivery for a new era
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National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
2021 NASFAA Gold Star Award Winner Western Governors University Preaches Responsible Borrowing- and Students Listen
Too often, borrowers are saddled with burdensome student loan debts and leave school unable to make payments on loan amounts they probably shouldn't have even taken out in the first place.
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EdSurge
Are College Students Comfortable Using EdTech? Maybe Not
Without reliable access to the internet and devices like laptops or cell phones, college students probably aren’t going to succeed in online learning.
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ESchoolNews
3 ways students can be ready for college and a career
Ensuring college and career readiness can be daunting, but these tips can help students prepare for success after high school
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The Daily Item
Pa.needs access to affordable broadband
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, access to affordable broadband internet became a significant challenge for many Americans.
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NJ.com
Character education builds communities that thrive | Opinion
Our nation has seen many cultural and lifestyle changes over the past 15 months, prompting our society to self-reflect on everything from social norms to social justice to educational priorities.
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LoHud.com
The Great Resignation: Workers demand flexibility. Higher Ed should listen | Opinion
As the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic begin to decrease across the country, millions of former employees have spoken. No longer satisfied with the pre-pandemic status quo, they’re intent on claiming — or holding onto — work on their terms: more fulfillment, more money, more flexibility.
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EdSurge
Why the Future of Work Needs a Shared Language to Describe Skills
Today, job seekers rely on outdated methods to communicate their abilities and work experiences. The status quo fails to capture the full spectrum of an individual’s range of skills and creates a bias favoring credentialed learning, which hurts the nearly 70 percent of Americans who don’t have a college degree.
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Sustaining Capitalism Podcast
What is the Future of Remote Learning?
In this episode, Dr. Mark Milliron, Senior Vice President & Executive Dean of the Teachers College at Western Governors University, joins Elizabeth Crofoot, Senior Economist at the Committee for Economic Development of The Conference Board (CED), to discuss the role that remote learning can play in reimagining a more equitable and resilient education system.
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Open Campus Media
Is this finally the moment for competency-based education?
Advocates have been touting the promise of competency-based education for a long time. They argue that the delivery method’s flexibility is good for working students, and that the focus on mastering skills is attractive to employers.
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Biz Journals
Educators grapple with accessibility issues after years of remote learning
Schools spent much of the last year educating in a remote setting. That exacerbated the accessibility issues some students face.
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The Nevada Independent
The importance of the emerging technologies task force
Nevada has long been a state with a diverse population. However, in the wake of the recent economic storm front that descended upon the Silver State from the pandemic, renewed calls are underway for Nevada to diversify its economy as well.
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Hartford Business
With uptick in attacks, demand for hard-to-find cybersecurity talent grows
recent slew of cyberattacks targeting major employers is pushing companies of all sizes to ramp up their network defenses — and putting a renewed focus on a national shortage of cybersecurity workers, a problem industry figures say they’ve been grappling with for years.
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South Bend Tribune
Viewpoint: Indiana’s workforce depends on acknowledging, acting on women’s job loss
Due to the effects of the pandemic and our world being turned upside down, we’re unfortunately witnessing another national crisis. The labor participation of women in the workforce is where it was in the 1980s as 2.4 million women have left the labor force nationwide.
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The Providence Journal
Opinion/Watts: Rhode Island learners need closure of digital divide
Rhode Island is ranked fourth in the nation for best broadband access, with 84% of households subscribed to the internet, compared to 83% nationally, and 99% with access to highspeed broadband.
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CT News Junkie
The Great Resignation: Responsive Higher Education for a Rapidly Changing Job Market
As the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic appear to be waning across the country, a promising workforce trend is taking hold. Individuals of virtually every job description, having reassessed and reevaluated their preferences and priorities during the past year, are evaluating the characteristics of their jobs from a fresh perspective.
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Complete College America
CCA On the Air | Rethinking Higher Education with WGU President Scott Pulsipher
Complete College America (CCA) is committed to being a bold voice in the higher education space elevating critical conversations that both actively and passively impact college completion.
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WSAZ News Channel 3
Education for the working mother
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, more the 24 million women have left the labor force nationwide. And by the end of last year, West Virginia’s labor force lost 113,000 workers - with nearly three times as many women unemployed compared to the previous year.
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Northern Kentucky Tribune
Alison Bell: Working mothers need options, support as they recover from the pandemic’s wrath on women in the workforce
We are unfortunately facing yet another national crisis as the pandemic has taken equity out of the workplace, namely for women and working mothers. Recent federal data continues to indicate women are having to leave work at a far greater rate than men.
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Courier Journal
The future of Kentucky’s workforce depends on providing equitable opportunities for women
The pandemic has taken equity out of the workplace, namely for women and working mothers. Recent federal data continues to indicate women are having to leave work at a far greater rate than men.
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Forbes
Renewing The Promise Of Higher Education
Policy should consider critical challenges of completion, cost, relevancy, and ultimately, value.
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The Baltimore Sun
Online education: preparing the workforce for the future
If Maryland’s workforce is to respond to the ever-changing needs of business and industry, and if employers are to provide thriving-wage jobs that allow individuals to advance in chosen career paths, there is work to do.
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The EdUp Experience Podcast
Personalized Learning Experience at Scale - with Dr. Marni Baker-Stein, Provost/CAO, Western Governors University
Welcome back to America’s leading higher education podcast! In this episode, sponsored by MDT Marketing, we welcome Dr. Marni Baker-Stein, Provost/CAO, Western Governors University! Marni talks about WGU's expansion while they've personalized the learning experience at scale.
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NASFAA
2021 Gold Star Award Winner
NASFAA's Gold Star Award recognizes innovative ideas in the financial aid arena at any level, targeted toward any constituency. This award is open to individuals working at NASFAA member institutions; member institutions; regional associations; and state associations.
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The Citizens’ Voice
Immigrants are key to our economic recovery
Immigrants to any country face many obstacles, and sometimes highly skilled and college-educated immigrants encounter barriers when trying to apply their skills and knowledge in their new home. For those holding an H1B visa or achieving U.S. citizenship, enrolling in an accredited, online U.S. college or university can help them overcome these barriers.
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NYDailyNews
How to end she-cession: Prioritize workplace flexibility
Walking the streets of New York City, you can begin to feel optimism. Summer is around the corner. COVID-19 vaccinations and hospitalizations are trending in the right direction.
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NewJersey.com
Thousands in New Jersey still don’t have broadband access | Opinion
Rebecca L. Watts, a Jersey City resident and regional vice president for Western Governors University, says nearly 345,000 households in New Jersey still do not have an internet subscription and more than 300,000 more receive their internet connection via a cellular data plan. We can't afford to let lack of broadband access hinder educational and business opportunities in the state.
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The Columbus Dispatch
Opinion: Juneteenth is opportunity to reflect on dreams that do have to remain deferred
This June 19, we commemorate the 156th year of Juneteenth, a celebration of our nation’s most infamous deferred dream, the long prayed-for abolishment of slavery.
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Big Country News
State of Idaho Partners With Western Governors University to Expand Options For Idaho Workforce
On Tuesday, June 15, Idaho Governor Brad Little signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Western Governors University (WGU) – a leading nonprofit, online university – to expand access to affordable degree programs for Idahoans who need additional education to thrive in the state’s evolving workforce.
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CTExaminer
COVID-19’s Disproportionate Impact on Women Remains a Barrier to Economic Recovery
The arrival of the most optimistic of seasons – spring – and the accelerating rate of vaccinations across the adult population are offering hope that economic recovery may also be within sight.
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95.3MNC
Pandemic could worsen educational inequity for Indiana women
The pandemic may have long-term consequences on women’s ability to earn degrees and make inroads in the workforce, and higher-education leaders across the state say schools should be coming up with better ways to help women achieve their goals.
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NBCLX
How a Single Mother Overcame Homelessness and Inspired a Community
'This is the reality of our situation: I’m a mom, and I’m going to fight for our kids, and I’m going to fight for my education.'
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KSL
Is it time to change careers? 41% of workers are considering it.
If you are out of a job, would you be willing to change careers? Not jobs but careers.
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The Pueblo Chieftain
A Pueblo teacher wanted to get a second master's degree. The stimulus helped her do it.
The coronavirus pandemic has put a heavy burden on education and teachers in particular.
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KSL
How Utah hopes to help those who left college get their degree back on track
Israel Sanchez, who is working toward a bachelor's degree in health care administration at Western Governors University, has been on a circuitous journey in higher education for nearly two decades.
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CBS News
School honors mother of three who earned her college degree while homeless
Crystal Allenton returned to her alma mater, WGU Washington, this week, more than five years after she received her bachelor's degree from the school.
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Forbes
Forgive Us Our Debts: The Racial Inequity At The Root Of The Student Loan Crisis
The “student debt crisis” is not a monolith; it masks a range of underlying dynamics.
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WorkingNation
The digital divide is disenfranchising jobseekers and students
“The internet is no longer this perceived privilege, or some convenience, it is truly fundamental to one’s quality of life and our society at large. The internet has become this new superhighway connecting businesses, and health care, and education, and students.”
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Utah Business
2021 Corporate Counsel Honorees
As outside counsel, attorneys help companies solve specific problems. But as in-house counsel, attorneys have the opportunity to help their companies develop short-term goals and long-term strategies.
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Forbes
Real Help For Student Loan Borrowers (Outside Of Praying For Loan Forgiveness)
There have been plenty of rumors regarding federal student loan forgiveness, as well as several different plans that could bring this type of plan to fruition — at least for some.
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Higher Ed Dive
How 3 megauniversities think local to aid students during natural disasters
Western Governors, Grand Canyon and Southern New Hampshire are using their scale to help students cope with crises in their communities.
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Inside Higher Ed
Colleges, McKinsey and Strada Start Task Force on Higher Education and Opportunity
The leaders of three dozen colleges and universities plus global consulting giant McKinsey & Co. and Strada Education Network, a nonprofit focused on the education-to-employment pipeline, announced a new group Monday called the Taskforce on Higher Education and Opportunity.
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Christensen Institute
Scott Pulsipher reveals how being deliberate in nurturing connections can pave pathways never previously imagined
At WGU, our mission is to create pathways to opportunity, whether that be your first opportunity, your next opportunity, or the one after that.
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Forbes
New Report Shows The Success Of WGU Academy’s College Readiness Program
A new study shows that an online college readiness program is effective in helping college students make better academic progress in their first year of study.
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Strada Education Network
How to Make Online Ed Work for Students
Can the pandemic induce higher education to jump-start the future of learning?
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Higher Ed Dive
3 ways the pandemic is changing colleges' mandate right now
The health crisis is accelerating the need to cater to adult students and unbundle degrees, college officials said during last week's virtual SXSW EDU conference.
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Campus Technology
6 Ways COVID-19 and Social Justice Intersect in Higher Ed
Financial pressures, political unrest, health concerns — here's how the pandemic and concurrent equity challenges have impacted both institutions and their students.
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Washington Monthly
What’s Missing from the American Rescue Plan
We still need reform and funding for the federal government’s crazy quilt of job training and career assistance programs.
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The Washington Post
Opinion: Virginia’s incarcerated can now receive Pell Grants. It will benefit everyone.
Amid a presidential transition and covid-19 relief efforts, recent legislation has brought about a monumental, generation-defining shift to help incarcerated people successfully reenter society.
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Deseret News
370K Utahns have some college, no degree; this proposal aims to help some finish what they started
Adult learners grant program could make college completion accessible, affordable
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Forbes
Elite Universities Should Enroll A Million Students
What would a Harvard of a million students look like? Have you ever wondered?
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Topcoder
Making 2021 the Year of Reskilling
Reskilling was a major topic in 2019, and it’s re-emerging as we get back to work in 2021.
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The Hechinger Report
Why is it so hard for workers to find new jobs?
Saeed Shareef badly wanted to get out of the restaurant industry.
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Forbes
Does Biden’s Vision On Loan Forgiveness Go Far Enough?
In Peter Drucker’s famous phrasing, customers don’t want a quarter inch drill, they want a quarter inch hole.
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Forbes
College Enrollment Shrank In Fall 2020 (But Not Everywhere)
College enrollment declined in Fall 2020, according to estimates by the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC), but the decline was far less severe than many observers previously predicted.
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Forbes
The Top 100 Companies For Remote Jobs In 2021
For years, translation and localization company Lionbridge has maintained a remote workforce, with employees operating from 5,000 cities around the globe.
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Forbes
Happy? New Year: Five Resolutions For Higher Ed
t week felt more like the 53rd week of the prior year, rather than the first week of 2021. Our expectations for a new year, one in which we can finally stop using the word ‘unprecedented’, may already have been dashed.
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Working Nation
Higher education must innovate and put non-traditional learners first
Learners First Framework: Presidents Forum outlines 10 principles the group believes will help all institutions better serve their increasingly diverse student populations
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Money
How to Go to College for Free (or Pretty Close to It)
Facing economic instability and comparatively high unemployment, millions of Americans are considering their career plans from a fresh lens, including the possibility of starting or continuing college.
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U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Scott Pulsipher on Reimagining Talent Finance
Education should be the surest path to opportunity. But traditional higher education has two fundamental design problems: first, we have conceived education as a path as leading only to the first opportunity, as opposed to a continuous path that leads us through our entire careers.
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EdSurge
New U Venture Partners Gets a New Partner, Name and Investment Scope
New U Venture Partners is getting a new partner. And along with that comes a new name and a broader investment thesis.
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The Evolllution
Fast Forward: Looking to the Future Workforce and Online Learning
With employers and students looking to close the gap in workforce skills, it’s critical for them to know what skills are in need the most.
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The College Post
College, University Presidents Promote ‘Learners First’ Higher Ed Reform
With long-standing issues such as widening racial and economic inequality and outdated course offerings being amplified by the pandemic, US colleges and universities are being called upon to reassess their policies and practices.
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Education Dive
College network debuts framework to serve diverse student bodies
The members of the Presidents Forum — many of whom helm large online colleges such as Western Governors, Southern New Hampshire and Capella universities — will meet over the next 15 months to share best practices and produce resources for other institutions to meet the framework's goals, according to a news release.
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Getting Smart
Marni Baker Stein on What’s Next For Higher Education
On this episode of the Getting Smart Podcast, we’re talking with Marni Baker Stein, Provost and Chief Academic Officer at Western Governors University (WGU).
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Higher Ed Dive
College network debuts framework to serve diverse student bodies
The members of the Presidents Forum — many of whom helm large online colleges such as Western Governors, Southern New Hampshire and Capella universities — will meet over the next 15 months to share best practices and produce resources for other institutions to meet the framework's goals, according to a news release.
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Market Scale
How a Utah Incubator is Helping to Solve Education’s Tech Needs
The world of EdTech is exploding as the demand rises due to COVID. However, taking a curriculum from in-person to online isn’t as easy as turning on a webcam.
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Ed Surge
Trump’s Legacy For Students and Workers: Shifting Focus From ‘Degrees’ to ‘Skills’
About 36 percent of Americans age 25 and older have earned at least a bachelor’s degree.
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Telecompetitor
Governors Report on Broadband Best Practices for States, CARES Act Broadband Funding
Governors can help spur broadband deployment in their states through a range of best practices, according to a new report from the National Governors Association and Western Governors University.
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Institute of Effectiveness in Higher Education
Using Data to Support Adult Learners in Competency-Based Education
At the beginning of 2020, none of us could have predicted the challenges we’d face this year.
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Education Dive
Western Governors spins off college readiness program as a nonprofit
WGU Academy, the college readiness arm of Western Governors University, announced this week that it has become a separate nonprofit corporation.
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EdTech Magazine
EDUCAUSE 2020: College Presidents Rally to Lead and Empower in Response to COVID-19
Higher education is facing one of its most existential threats with the global COVID-19 pandemic forcing campuses to shut down and shift to virtual instruction indefinitely.
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News 12 Brooklyn
Surprise graduation ceremony, wedding engagement cap big day for Brooklyn woman
A Brooklyn woman who planned on surprising her parents with her master’s in business degree had the tables turned on her during a day she will never forget.
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The Evolllution
Disruption, Leadership in Crisis, and Re-Imagining the Promise of Higher Education
With the degree to which the pandemic has disrupted higher education, it’s more important than ever for leaders and institutions to embrace change and push for a more innovative future that will not only provide institutional benefits but also a better learning experience to students.
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Hechinger Report
OPINION: Time to rebuild the economy, not just stimulate it
The American economy is in dire need of life support, and federal stimulus efforts have been critical to limiting the economic damage. But cash infusions aren’t nearly enough. We need to do more than get Americans back to work; we need to prepare them for a future of work that looks very, very different.
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Ellucian
Ellucian Announces 2020 Impact Award Winners
Ed tech leader awards $150,000 in grants to six institutions; Prize recognizes excellence in student experience, innovation and digital transformation
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Silicon Slopes Newsroom
Bridging the Digital Divide
It is sobering to consider what the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic would have been if it had taken place 30 years ago, before internet access was ubiquitous and pocket-sized devices could connect us to the world of learning and work, to far flung friends and family, and to entertainment and consumption with only a click.
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U.S. News & World Report
How to Pay for College Using Overlooked Strategies
Students might not be aware of these strategies to pay for college, including options created in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
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Forbes
Finding A New Job Is Hard, But New Tech Can Change That
How do you share your talents, abilities, knowledge, and achievements? It isn’t always easy to communicate what we can do through a résumé or job application.
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WSAW-TV
The digital divide crisis in education
More than 21 million Americans have no meaningful access to the Internet, a divide widened by the pandemic. This lack of access impacts more than 15 million students and as the rest of the country shifts to virtual work, health, and education “new normal,” it is the same “old normal” for these forgotten students who are offline and out of mind.
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NPR
How To Make The Most Of Online College This Fall
Millions of students are starting the fall semester online — in their childhood bedrooms, at kitchen tables surrounded by siblings or wherever they can find a quiet spot — as the coronavirus has forced more than a third of four-year colleges to teach entirely virtually.
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Forbes
Covid Is Hurting Higher Ed’s Bottom Line. Who Should Foot The Bill?
Our system of higher education is internationally admired, but also hugely expensive
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Stat
Go national to solve the country’s looming nursing shortage
Nurses need our support now more than ever as they manage the frontlines in the fight against Covid-19, working long hours and risking their own well-being to care for those who are sick.
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Quartz
History will look back on 2020 as a turning point for US universities
Covid-19 has forced universities to reckon with online higher education, many for the first time.
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Diplomatic Courier
Embracing a Skills-Based Future
Embracing a Skills-based Future Is Now More Urgent than Ever.
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Deseret News
Colleges will survive the fall. The bigger question is how we help students thrive
How can we renew higher education as the surest path to opportunity? How can we make sure that its promise is widely and equitably accessible?
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RealClear Policy
The Outdated Tax Provision Holding Back Economic Recovery
The economic impact of the pandemic — including job losses — is going to get worse before it gets better.
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KSL News Radio
WGU’s Scott Pulsipher on innovating education amid COVID
Western Governors University president Scott Pulsipher joins Boyd to discuss the nonprofit university's perspectives on higher education amid the COVID pandemic and how they are already one step ahead with their mission of innovating higher education and a skill-focused curriculum.
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Times Higher Education
Pandemic crisis touted as time to finally embrace older students
Campus-focused plans show US colleges still too age-limited, says job-centric pioneer
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Inside Higher Ed
Online Learning's Outlook for the Fall
Many questions loom about remote learning in coming months. Will online offerings from colleges be more sophisticated? What steps need to be taken to ensure academic quality in online learning? And will short-term credentials be more popular?
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