INDIANAPOLIS – WGU Indiana Chancellor and Regional Vice President Alison Bell has been named a Trendsetter finalist in the EdTech Awards 2022, the largest awards program in education technology that recognizes outstanding contributions in transforming education through technology to enrich the lives of learners everywhere. This recognition honors Bell for her extensive work in helping more women access an affordable, online option to skill-up and take the next step in their career.
By utilizing technology, WGU Indiana is able to serve a diverse student body, especially those who are not always well-served by traditional colleges, such as working mothers. Especially as our world begins to heal from the impact of COVID-19, it’s important to note that the pandemic has had — and is still having — disproportionate effects on women. More than 5.4 million women have left the labor force nationwide, resulting in another national crisis. Across the world, women lost $800 billion in income in 2020 and just in January 2022, 3.6% of all women were without jobs.
“Women are often the primary caregivers in the home, which sometimes puts them in a position where they feel as though they are forced to choose between having a career or raising their family," said Alison Bell, Chancellor of WGU Indiana. "This honor affirms our commitment to breaking down the many barriers women face when trying to skill-up and reach their educational goals by providing a flexible, affordable and competency-based online learning model.”
Women have been on the frontlines for years— taking on the roles of caretaker, mother, essential worker and stay-at-home teacher. Although many had these roles before this public health crisis, the added stress and emotional toll of the pandemic led to burnout, leaving little room for women to hold on to future career goals. WGU Indiana’s model highlights four key access points — cost, flexibility, place and time. And for the online university, these are all equally important as the only way to set up students for success is to understand where people are right now and meet them there.
Celebrating its 13th year, the EdTech program recognizes the biggest names in education technology, and those who soon will be, as well as the products they produce and lives they shape. The three awards programs are: The EdTech Trendsetter Award, The EdTech Cool Tool Awards and the EdTech Leadership Awards. The list of 2022 finalists and winners can be found here.
WGU Indiana is a fully online university and offers more than 60 accredited bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in business, information technology, K–12 education, and health professions, including nursing. For more information on WGU Indiana, visit wgu.edu/indiana.
